1881. ] 
MANCHESTER CARNATION AND PICOTEE SHOW. 
155 
of tlie liay-loft were gathered together, and this 
light stuff was spread over the crowns in little 
heaps. The rising sticks often lifted up the 
light protection in a lump, like the head of a 
Mushroom, and the sticks so protected were as 
green as needful, and very much more fat and 
tender than such as had to fight through with¬ 
out any such help. It became, therefore, the 
practice to save leaves and light litter for the 
spring dressing of the Asparagus beds, and the 
stuff was never put on until it was really 
wanted, because it might have been blown 
away, or might have quickened growth, which, 
in so exposed a situation, was not to be desired. 
It is the custom, I observe, to put a crop of 
Cauliflower, or some such thing, in the alleys 
between Asparagus beds. This, in my opinion, 
is bad practice, allowable only in the first 
season, after which it becomes a profitless game 
of burning the candle at both ends. Those 
alleys should be kept clean, and the outside 
rows of Asparagus will root into them and 
enjoy the range; therefore, to dig the alleys is 
to do mischief. Far better to keep them open, 
for the roots to run below and for the cultivator 
to run above. In the course of his running, he 
may find it expedient, as I have done, to stake 
his Asparagus beds with light brushwood, to 
afford support, for when the top grass is snapped 
short off by the wind, the growth of the next 
year’s crop is prejudiced. Where frost and 
wind are unknown, it will, of course, be waste 
of time either to protect or support Asparagus. 
—Shirley IIibberd. 
*%* At Trentham, where the soil is heavy, 
and new Asparagus beds have been lately made 
to meet the wholesale destruction of the past 
few winters, the advantage of autumn over 
spring planting is very obvious in the much 
more vigorous condition of those of the 
autumn or late summer-made beds.—M. 
MANCHESTER CARNATION AND 
PICOTEE SHOW. 
f HE supplementary exhibition of Carna¬ 
tions and Picotees extemporised—under 
the leadership of Mr. Eicliard Gorton— 
by the majority of the northern growers inter¬ 
ested in the National Carnation and Picotee 
Society, who could not hope, from the character 
of the season, to preserve their flowers for the 
date of the International Show, was held in the 
Town Hall, Manchester, on August 9th, and 
was, as an exhibition of florist flowers pure and 
simple, undoubtedly the best the northern 
growers have yet made. Possibly, in the past 
as fine flowers may have been shown, as a 
whole, though several of the seedlings pro¬ 
duced certainly have never been surpassed—we 
question if quite equalled; but our remark is 
intended to indicate the general effect, and in 
this the known good-taste and keen eye for a pic¬ 
ture, possessed by Mr. Gorton, was exceedingly 
delightfully apparent. In place of an incon¬ 
gruous jumble of flowers and unsightly bottles, 
such as it has been our lot on some occasions 
to see—most offensive to the organs of order and 
arrangement — the grouping was exceedingly 
effective, regular without formality, and sym¬ 
metrical without primness. The setting, also, 
of ferns, mosses, and foliage plants was charm¬ 
ing, bringing out and relieving the brilliant 
colours of the flowers. Altogether, it was an 
exhibition florists might be proud of, and we 
trust it is the precursor of many of a similar 
character to follow. 
The judges in the leading classes were:— 
Mr. Dodwell, of Clapham; Mr. W. M. Hewitt, 
Chesterfield; and Mr. James P. Sharp, Bir¬ 
mingham. Mr. Simonite, Mr. J. Booth, and 
Mr. Wm. Mellor acted in the classes for nine 
and six dissimilar, respectively. Annexed we 
give the awards :— 
Carnations. 
Class A. 12 blooms, dissimilar. —Equal 1st, 
Mr. Gorton and Mr. B. Simonite; Mr. Gorton’s 
flowers were Tim Bobbin, r.f., which was selected 
as the premier Carnation of the show, a 
grand new variety of the John Keet type, 
but a distinct advance on that fine flower; 
Seedling, p.p.b., of the Rifleman type of petal, fine 
in every respect; Jim Whittaker, s.b. ; Dodwell, a 
flower of good form, full size, and well marked, but 
dull in the scarlet; Rob Roy, r.f., evidently from 
the same source with Tim Bobbin, but very dis¬ 
tinct in colour; Jas. Cheetham, s.f. ; Seedling, r.f.; 
Wm. Skirving, c.B., commented upon in our report 
of last year’s exhibition, and now fully sustaining 
its high repute; Seedling, p.p.b., and Seedling, c.B., 
both fine; Admiral Curzon, s.b.; Clipper, s.f., and 
Robin Hood, r.f. Altogether, a collection of 
the greatest excellence. Mr. B. Simonite’s flowers 
which were unsurpassable in their character, well 
worthy of the exhibitor’s repute, were Robert Lord, 
s b. ; James Douglas, p.f., a splendid example of 
this fine variety; Sarah Payne, p.p.b. ; Seedling, 
r.f. ; J. B. Sharp, a seedling p.f. which promises 
to surpass James Douglas, by the same raiser; 
Crimson Banner, c.B., too narrow in its markings, 
though otherwise of much excellence ; Seedling, s.f., 
fine; Admiral Curzon, s.b., the finest Curzon of the 
show; John Simonite, c.B. ; Seedling, r.f. ; James 
Taylor, p.p.b., and Frank Simonite, a seedling, s.f. 
of much promise; 2nd, Mr. J. Booth, Failswortli, 
Manchester, with Sportsman, s.f. ; Jas. Douglas, p.f. ; 
William Laing, r.f. ; Clipper, s.f. ; Eccentric Jack, c.b.; 
John Keet, r.f.; Earl of Wilton, p.f. ; Seedling, c.b., 
a good flower, but rather too heavy in colour to our 
taste ; Admiral Curzon, s.b. ; Falconbridge, p.p.b. ; 
Annihilator, s.f. ; and Garibaldi, s.b., a stand of large, 
well-grown flowers, but slightly waning in colour, 
from age. 3rd, Mr. T. Bower, Bradford, Yorks., had 
twelve very fine, bright, and well-marked specimens, 
which suffered only from the opposite fault, in com¬ 
parison with Mr. Booth’s, viz., somewhat lacking 
maturity. 4th, Mr. E. Booth, Moberley, Cheshire. 
5tb, Mr. Jno. Beswick, Middleton, Manchester. 6th, 
Mr. George Rudd, Undercliffo, Bradford. 
Class C. 12 blooms, 9 dissimilar. —1st, Mr. 
Wm. M. Hewitt, Chesterfield, with Falcon- 
