676 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 26, 1886. 
after the obligations arising from the Liverpool 
visit have been disposed of. But these pro¬ 
vincial meetings of the Royal Horticultural 
Society should be something more than ordinary 
flower shows. It has too often, although 
without good cause, been urged that the society’s 
London meetings are practically for metropolitan 
people, and that the country has no share or part 
in them. In the same sense, of course, every 
great country society finds its annual exhibitions 
evincing some considerable smack of localism. 
That is inevitable, hence all ordinary flower 
shows are generally but gatherings of those 
resident within the radius of their respective 
operations, and not from a wider area. But 
this great provincial show, which opens at 
Liverpool on Tuesday, whilst having its location 
at that town, is yet no more a Liverpool show 
in the ordinary sense than is the great annual 
exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society— 
a show of the locale in which it is held, and 
that alone. We look for and expect to find at 
Liverpool, a representation of the horticulture of 
the United Kingdom, and it is certain that if 
our hopes in that direction are realised, we shall 
find that the gardening fraternity of the king¬ 
dom is represented also. We hope, even, that 
those taking pfirt in this gathering will for a 
time forget that the show has a location, and 
that it is of the kingdom alone. 
But whilst striving to exhibit such broad 
and almost cosmopolitan ideas, we shall certainly 
not overlook the fact that Liverpool offers in 
and all round it material—horticultural, mer¬ 
cantile, nautical, and general—so much that is 
wonderful as well as instructive, that outside 
of the flotver show it will not be possible for us 
to forget that we are in busy active Lancashire, 
and amidst a wondrously energetic and enter¬ 
prising portion of the English people. To 
myriads whom we hope will visit the show 
the provincial air will be no change, but the 
life and activity seen around Liverpool will 
prove none the less stimulating and helpful. 
Those who have become comatose, perhaps, 
almost deadened under the influence of a quiet 
plodding existence in gardens, perhaps remote 
from active life and the busy scenes which great 
towns provide, will find in a trip to Liverpool 
not only professional interest stimvdated to the 
highest degree, but will have their minds ex¬ 
panded, their intellects awakened, their curiosity 
aroused, and their entire lives animated and 
sweetened by contact with the energy, vigour 
and force seen on every hand on the banks of 
the Mersey. To many men who suffer from 
mental strain, a holiday of actual change and 
mental rest is essential. To far many more, 
however, holidays from their plodding and 
monotonous toil should rather take the form of 
mental activity, because just as the pure ozone 
of the sea brings back a healthful glow to the 
emaciated frame, so may the mental ozone of 
busy scenes and stirring activity revive and 
even renew the dull and inert brain. 
We have the widest conviction that the ex¬ 
hibition will in all its many and varied features 
be a remarkable one. Apart from those or¬ 
dinary elements of plants, flowers, fruits, and 
vegetables which we meet with at all shows, 
there will be garden implements and requisites, 
glass erections, boilers on trial and their essen¬ 
tial fittings, literature, as it relates to horti¬ 
culture, a novel and exceedingly interesting 
feature ; floral paintings, and many other things 
calculated to excite the interest of all who find 
pleasure in gardening, or with it livelihood. 
Contact with such associations, especially if 
attentively studied, can hardly fail to excite 
interest in the breast of even the dullest, and 
certainly we are assured that gardeners of every 
grade will study these things, anxious to carry 
back with them to many a distant home some 
ideas that in their vocation will be of service 
in days to come. But many a gardener, as he 
reads these lines, will sigh for the needful 
holiday, and the means to enable him to visit 
Liverpool and join the throng of gardeners 
there, and we fear will sigh in vain. With all 
such go out our hearty sympathy. To all such 
no better consideration could be shown by em¬ 
ployers than that for once they should give to 
those who have, perhaps, long and faithfully 
served them, not only the days, but the means 
to join in a truly national horticultural 
gathering. 
It is hard to be helpless financially as so many 
gardeners are, for their pay is not too liberal, 
and their opportunities for getting change and 
instruction are not too many. We could have 
wished that the council of the Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society had issued a special appeal to 
employers on gardeners’ behalf, as we are sure 
it would have been productive of the best 
results. The council may have thought, even- 
assuming for the moment that it did give the 
idea consideration, that to do so was outside its 
duty. In any case it is not outside ours, and we, 
in this humble way, do our best to supply the 
omission. We have, probably, no more sober, 
intelligent or industrious body of workmen in 
the kingdom than our gardeners, and as evidence 
of their professional interest we have but to 
quote the fact that they maintain the largest 
and best professional press in the kingdom. 
Such a fact alone should tend to show to all 
who employ gardeners that it is as much to 
their interests as to that of their dependents 
that such a grand opportunity as this Liverpool 
show offers should not be missed, and that 
every willing man should have leave and means 
to enjoy it to the best of his ability. 
In another column will be found a plan of 
the show ground, and as much information as 
we have been able to glean as to what may be 
expected to be on view during the week. For 
the convenience of visitors, we also publish a 
list of hotels, and name some of the horticul¬ 
tural establishments in the district that are 
worth visiting, which, together with some brief 
hints as to tram and train services, we trust will 
will be found useful. 
-- 
GARDENING MISCELLANY, 
Meetings for Next Week. — Tuesday: Royal 
Horticultural Society’s Provincial Exhibition at Liver¬ 
pool opens (continued to July oth); Twickenham Flower 
Show, Bagshot and Windlesham Horticultural Society’s 
Exhibition, Diss Horticultural Society’s Exhibition, 
Canterbury and Kent Rose Society’s Show. Wednes¬ 
day : Croydon Horticultural Society’s Show, Farning- 
ham Rose Show, Royal Botanic Society’s Evening 
Fete, Lewisham Horticultural Society’s Exhibition. 
Thursday : Shepperton Flower Show and Reigate 
Rose Show. Friday: Tunbridge Wells Horticultural 
Society’s Show, Annual Festival of the Gardeners’ Royal 
Benevolent Institution at the “Albion,” Aldersgate 
Street. Saturday : Rose Shows at the Crystal Palace, 
Eltham, and Dorking. 
Gardeners’ Royal Eenevolent Insti¬ 
tution. —On Friday evening next, July 2nd, the forty- 
third anniversary festival of this admirable institution 
will be celebrated at the “ Albion,” Aldersgate Street, 
when for the first time in the history of the institution, 
the chair will be taken by a member of the seed trade, Mr. 
N. N. Sherwood, of the firm of Messrs. Hurst & Son, who 
is also one of the trustees. We trust, in the interest of the 
charity, and not less for the credit of the trade, that all 
who can afford a trifle for so good a cause will send the 
same at once to Mr. Edward Rodger Cutler, to he placed 
on the chairman’s fist. It is unfortunate that the 
festival should be held in the same week as the great 
provincial show at Liverpool, at which so many business 
men will be engaged, but it is sincerely to be hoped 
that all who possibly can, wifi make it a point of being 
present to support Mr. Sherwood on Friday evening, 
and to assist in making this festival the most successful 
yet held. 
Aberdeen Horticultural Association.— 
The last meeting of the session of the' Aberdeen Horti¬ 
cultural Association was held on Friday evening, 18th 
inst., in the.Lpper Hall, Christian Institute, Aberdeen. 
Mr. Peter Harper (Duthie Public Park), president, 
occupied the chair. There was a large attendance of 
members, and Messrs. Milne, Ellon Castle ; Arthur, 
Inverdon ; and Archibald, Aberdeen, were admitted as 
members of the association. Mr. Alexander Murray, 
Causewayend, Aberdeen, read a most interesting paper 
on “Lichens,” for which, after a lengthy discussion, 
he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Several 
exhibits were adjudicated upon by the committee, 
and the following awards made Calceolaria, shown 
by Mr. Taylor, Aberdeen (amateur), Cultural Certifi¬ 
cate ; Crassula, exhibited by Mr. A Gregor, vote of 
thanks ; two Lettuces, shown by the last mentioned 
gentleman, commended ; Pelargoniums, sent by Messrs. 
James Mavor & Sons, Holborn, Aberdeen, vote of 
thanks. The meeting then resumed discussion of the 
paper on “Peas,” read at the last monthly meeting 
by Mr. Farquhar. The usual vote of thanks to the 
president terminated the proceedings and the session, 
which, it must be added, has been a most successful 
one. 
The Show Season.—The week from Tuesday 
June 29th to Tuesday July 6th will be one of the 
busiest for horticulturists in the present season, es¬ 
pecially for those who are exhibitors or who visit the 
principal shows. Upon the first named day the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s Provincial Exhibition at Liver¬ 
pool will be opened, and this will continue open to the 
public until the following Monday evening, with the 
exception of the intervening Sunday. This alone will 
attract a large number of horticulturists from all parts 
of the country, and will constitute an important event 
that will not be equalled this season elsewhere. L T pon 
the opening day the Rose exhibiting season commences 
with shows at Bagshot and Canterbury, at both of 
which places the displays of the queen of flowers are 
usually extensive and good. On Wednesday, June 
30th, the Royal Botanical Society of London will hold 
their annual Evening Fete in the gardens at Regent’s 
Park, on which occasion, also, there will be a display of 
floral decorations. This fete, is when the weather proves 
favourable, the most delightful affair of its kind in 
London, and those who have the opportunity should 
by all means see it. Upon the same day there will be 
Rose shows at Diss, Farningham, and Croydon, but 
the last named is not confined to Roses, plants, flowers, 
and fruit invariably constituting a large portion of the 
exhibition. The Reigate Rose Show, and Shej>perton 
Horticultural Society’s Exhibition are fixed for Thurs¬ 
day, followed by Tunbridge Wells on Friday, one of 
the best local shows in the home counties. The 
Crystal Palace Rose Show, which is generally an ex¬ 
tensive and thoroughly representative display is 
announced for Saturday, July 3rd ; smaller exhibitions 
being fixed for the same day at Eltham and Brockham. 
Then on Tuesday, the 6th July, we have the great event 
of the Rose season, the National Society’s exhibition 
at South Kensington, at which most Rosarians en¬ 
deavour to be present. 1 
The Wind.—The current.phrase is “the wind bloweth 
where it listeth,” but that is not literally true although 
it seems to be so. That such is not the case is evident 
from the fact that the wind bloweth or travelleth only 
in one direction at a time ; but to assume that the wind 
goes where it fists, is to assume farther that this active 
air is endowed with some intellectual capacity, and has 
special appreciation for a frolic, revelling in bursting 
here, careering there, and at times passing over the 
surface of the earth like a gentle zephyr. Really the 
wind does not go where it fists, but where it is impelled, 
not as it were by its own inherent velocity, but by the 
force of absorption, for when the air, which we call wind, 
rushes madly by us with terrific force, seeming as if it 
would bear all material things before it, it is not driven 
from behind, but is attracted by some of these vacuums 
which nature is said to abhor, and which it is but the 
business of this rushing wind to fill up as speedily as 
possible. We have had much cold and uncomfortable 
wind of late, and trust that the wondrously created 
voids somewhere, which it was commissioned to fill up, 
are now satisfied, and that quiet in atmospheric spheres 
is restored. With the wind, too, has come clouds, and 
obscuration of the sun at this season is far from being 
good, for all things in nature seems to need the vivi¬ 
fying influence of warmth and fight. Strawberry fruits, 
need warmth to ripen them, for they are late and yet 
in plenty. Peas, too, should be plentiful, and will be 
after a few days more of warmth, he in great abundance, 
and cheap to all. Then vegetables and flowers have on 
cold soils been checked, but where the wind has met 
with checks in belts of trees, and found that it could 
not always blow where it fisted, the sheltered plants 
have suffered less, although the sunshine there still was 
wanting. A burst of April, almost, indeed, of October, 
seemed to have fallen suddenly into the middle of June. 
A strong north-easterly wind blowing for several days 
and nights, with clouds heavy, cold, and blue, are not 
quite the features we look for at midsummer. 
