696 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
July 3, 1886. 
“THE ROYAL” AT LIVERPOOL. 
Favoured with glorious weather, and experiencing 
all the benefits of a capital site, good organisation on 
the part of the superintendents, Mr. Barron and Mr. 
Richardson, an abundance of entries, a grand lot of 
plants of all kinds in season, a brilliant display of cut 
flowers, a fair show of fruits and vegetables, and a very 
fine display of greenhouses, boilers and garden requi¬ 
sites generally, the Great Provincial Show was opened 
onTuesday by Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, President of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, under what must be 
admitted to be very favourable auspices ; and though 
the attendance throughout Tuesday and "Wednesday 
was much smaller than it has been at some other provin¬ 
cial shows, we hope that as it becomes more known what 
a really fine exhibition has been got together, there 
will be no lack of support on the part of the Liver¬ 
pudlians. The main display of plants will be found in 
the large marquee ; and though somewhat squatty in 
appearance, and not quite light enough, has really a 
fine effect, so admirable has the grouping to attain 
this object been carried out. The cut flowers will be 
found, with a host of other most interesting subjects, 
in a long tent in a line with the large marquee ; the 
fruits and vegetables are in another part of the ground, 
near the offices ; the bouquets in another, with the 
garden plans, garden literature, and artistic subjects, 
&c. Taken as a whole, the exhibition is a decidedly 
good one, but in some points is certainly weaker than 
some of the other provincial shows have been. The 
boiler contest is being carried on with vigour, and great 
interest appears to be taken in the trials by the prac¬ 
tical men, of whom, on the earlier days, we were pleased 
to see so many present. "We may also add here that 
Belgian horticulturists were represented by Mr. Edward 
Pynaert, of Ghent; Mr. Charles Van-Geert, of Antwerp; 
and Mr. J. Van Volxem, of Brussels ; and Mr. Charles 
Joly and Mr. H. Vilmorin, of Paris, represented France. 
STOVE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 
Viewed from the entrance, the grand marquee of four 
spans presents a clear view of a host of cleverly arranged 
groups of plants on either hand, while the sloping bed 
in front is occupied by some of the grandest specimens 
of Crotons that, perhaps, have ever been exhibited, that 
named Mortfontainensis, a most conspicuous one, with 
golden, scarlet, green, and olive-coloured leaves, being 
the beau ideal of a fine-foliaged plant. Passing to the 
other front of this group, we see a remarkably fine un¬ 
dulating mass of specimen flowering' plants, with tall 
Palms appropriately occupying the sides ; and from the 
centre of the tent, which is ornamented by a nicely 
executed bit of rockwork, with a basin and small cas¬ 
cade, by Mr. Clapham, of Stockport, the whole of the 
groups present themselves in a most attractive guise, 
fine effects being obtained at all points; and great credit 
is certainly due to Mr. Barron for the manner in which 
he allocated positions for the plants sent in, so as to 
form so harmonious a whole, and yet afford all reason¬ 
able facilities for comparison. 
The competitions in the various classes brought out 
some very fine specimens reminding one of the palmy 
days of greenhouse andstove flowering plant exhibitions, 
but for neatness and the excellent quality of the blooms, 
many of the examples here on view could not well be 
beaten, although some of the subjects may have been 
shown larger. In Class 1, for twelve stove and green¬ 
house plants, Mr. James Cypher, of Cheltenham, staged 
a grand lot, which takes the first prize. Allamanda 
Hendersoni, and Dipladenia amabilis are very fine ; 
Anthurium Schertzerianum, some 4 ft. over, with fifty 
fine spatlies ; Erica tricolor Wilsoni, good ; and Croton 
Queen Victoria and C. Prince of Wales are grand ex¬ 
amples of good culture. The second prize lot from Mr. 
Mould, of Pewsey, contains smaller but equally good 
plants, the Bougainvillea glabra being perfect; while 
Mr. James’s lot, which received the third prize, includes 
a beautiful Allamanda grandiflora, and a very good 
Stephanotis not quite ready. 
In Class 2, for plants in bloom, Mr. Cypher is well 
first with an even lot of well-bloomed plants not easy 
to beat. His Ixora Pilgrimii and Ixora Williamsii are 
fine, and Allamanda nobilis is very fresh and good. 
Mr. James also staged some good plants, the fine old 
Rondeletia speciosa and Dracophyilum gracile being 
among them ; and Mr. Mould has a nice lot of plants, 
among which Statice profusa and S. Buclieri are 
particularly good. In the Amateur’s Class, W. H. 
Watts, Esq., takes first with grandly-flowered Ixora 
coceinea, I. Dixiana, I. Regina, Statice Holfordi, 
Allamanda Hendersoni, and Clerodendron Balfouri- 
anum ; a very fine lot. S. Schloss, Esq., of Bowden, 
is second with Boronia elatior, Stephanotis floribunda, 
and other plants of extra merit. 
In Class 4, for twelve hard-wooded New Holland 
plants, the first prize falls to Mr. J. Cypher, who has 
staged a fine clean grown and well-flowered lot, which 
comprises, however, four Aphelexis. The fine foliage 
plants are well represented ; those sent by W. H. 
V atts, Esq., of Elm Hall, Wavertree, in Class 6, 
are superb ; few who had seen only ordinary plants 
of Calamus ciliaris, would imagine'that it could be 
grown into such an elegant plant, with many stems 
from 6 ft. to 9 ft. high ; his Crotons are also perfect. 
Those of Mr. Cypher are equally good, Cordylit.e 
indivisa and Gleichinia Mendeli being very cleanly 
grown ; both exhibitors named take the highest awards. 
The Palms and Ferns well performed their office, in 
giving relief to the eye, by their elegant and varied 
foliage, and by their stately growth filling up the tall 
bays wisely set apart for them. The first prize, 
collection of Palms from S. Baerlein, Esq., gr., Mr. 
Williams, has a fine feathery specimen of Phoenix 
rupicola, Pritchardia paeifica, Cocos Weddeliana, 
Geonoma gracilis, Iventias, &c. The second from Messrs. 
R. P. Ker & Son, includes also a good Phoenix rupicola 
and the lovely Licuala grandis; Mr. J. F. Mould also has 
a fine collection of Crotons, which takes the third prize, 
in Class 13. Certainly one of the great features in the 
show, is supplied by the grand specimens of Crotons, 
exhibited by Messrs. R. P. Ker & Son, who are far and 
away first. It is impossible to conceive anything more 
lovely and bright in coloured foliage. Those of Mr. 
C. Finnigan, of the Winter Garden, New Brighton, who 
took first in sixes, and also those from other exhibitors, 
cannot fail to bring these plants again into notice, an 
event which will also be assisted by the many hand¬ 
somely coloured small specimens, shown by Messrs R. P. 
Ker & Son, in their large, varied and interesting collection 
of plants, occupying a great space in the centre of the 
tents ; their Gloxinias and Dracaenas being very bright, 
and the whole collection, for quality and effective 
staging, can compare favourably with any of the 
exhibits in the show. In this section a word of praise 
must also be bestowed on the Caladiums of Messrs. 
John Laing & Co., Forest Hill, a grand lot of plants 
about 4 ft. each in diameter ; the Dractenas of Mr. 
Lambert, Onslow Hall Gardens, Shrewsbury; the 
Bromeliads of Messrs. R. P. Ker & Son, among which 
iEchmea spectabilis is finely in bloom ; the Nepenthes 
of Mr. Henry James, and Sarracenias of Mr. Schloss ; 
and the collection of succulent plants from Messrs. 
James Dickson & Sons. 
ORCHIDS. 
The Orchids, as it was anticipated, are the great 
attraction, and the whole of the exhibits are meritorious, 
not a poor plant appearing among them. The premier 
group of band fide specimens exhibited by G eorge Hardy, 
Esq., for the Liverpool Horticultural Co.’s Cup, are a 
grand lot of vigorous specimens, the immense piece of 
Cattleya Mossiae,over4 ft. across, being a superbly bloomed 
mass, his beautiful plant of a light coloured Odonto- 
glossum vexillarium, charming, another pink 0. vexil- 
larium, very bright, and Cattleyas Sanderiana, Mendelii, 
and Mossife, very fresh and good. The crowning plant 
is a grandly flowered Dendrobium Devonianum. In 
the competition for twelve exotic Orchids, Mr. Hardy 
has a huge Dendrobium Wardianum, two grand and 
distinct varieties of Odontoglossum vexillarium, some 
fine Cattleyas, and a beautiful specimen of Cypripedium 
Parishii, in better form than usual. The group from 
Enoch Harvey, Esq., gardener, Mr. Worth, includes a 
fine Cattleya Warnerii, with ten flowers, agrandly bright 
Masdevallia Harryana, a fine Epidendrum vitellinum 
majus, and a pretty form of Cattleya Mendelii. Mr. 
W. J. Thomson has an equally bright group, the best 
plants in which are Anguloa Ruckerii sanguinea, 
Anguloa Clowesii, and Lselia Boothiana. Holbrook 
Gaskell, Esq., also staged a good lot, his best plants 
being the pretty Dendrochilum filiforme, Masdevallia 
Veitchii grandiflora, and Dendrobium tortile. 
In Class 23, for a group of twenty-five Orchids, ar¬ 
ranged with foliaged plants, Mr. Hardy again appears at 
the bead of the list with a very effective lot, Odontoglos¬ 
sum vexillarium being immense, and Cattleya gigas, San¬ 
deriana and Mendelii, fine. In Mr. Cypher’s group of 
twenty-five, which are equally well arranged, Dendro- 
biuin suavissimum and D. Jamesianum show up well; 
and in Mr. H. James’s collection, the pretty Odonto-* 
glossum cordatum aureum is a novelty. In the sixes. 
Mr. Hardy again takes first honours with fine 
plants, and Enoch Harvey, Esq., has in his group the 
protty Epidendrum Wallisii. The Hon. and Rev. J. T. 
Boscawen shows a grand plant of a large and fine form 
of Lselia purpurata. Messrs. F. Sander & Co. have a 
fine group in which one of the spotted forms of Odonto¬ 
glossum crispum is veryfineand evidentlynew, and there 
are here besides many others of great merit. Their group 
is lighted up with orange-coloured Epidendrum vitelli¬ 
num majus, scarlet Masdevallias, and bright Cattleyas. 
The Liverpool Horticultural Co., Garston, also exhibit 
a very interesting lot which will be much appreciated, 
from the number of rare and curious species which it 
contains, such as Peristeria pendula, Dendrobium 
crepidatum, JErides crassifolium, Chysis, &c. A very 
interesting group of Orchids, prettily arranged with 
Ferns, Caladium argyrites, Panicum, and other foliage 
plants, come from Holbrook Gaskell, Esq., Woolton 
Wood, including Masdevallia Schlimii, M. Bella, M. 
Reichenbachia, M. Davisii, M. Harryana, some good 
Odontoglossum vexillarium, 0. citrosmum, Calanthe 
veratrifolia, &e. 
FERNS AND LYCOPODS. 
The exotic I eras exhibited by Mr. Charles Paul, gar¬ 
dener to S. Schloss, Esq., Bowden, are truly superb 
examples of high-class cultivation, and creditable to 
those who have grown them to such perfection. The 
Gleichenias, and the specimen of Brainea insignis, are 
grand and perfect in every respect. The show of 
hardy Ferns is one of the best we have seen, and the 
competing collections will be found in the cut flowt r 
tent—a very fine show indeed, made up of contribution 3 
from Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Sale ; Messrs - 
Rylance & Co., Ormskirk ; Mr. W. Troughton, of 
Preston ; Mr. Thomas Bolton, of Warton, Camforth ; 
and Messrs. Fleming & Co., Maghull, Liverpool The 
Messrs. Birkenhead, in their groups of Ferns, con¬ 
tribute a really representative lot, both as to botanical 
interest and beauty, so many rare species being seen 
among them. 
NEW PLANTS. 
The new plant section was decidedly weak, remem¬ 
bering the grand displays we have seen at former pro¬ 
vincial gatherings, and this time we have nothing from 
either Messrs. Yeitch, Bull, or Williams competing in 
the class for twelve plants sent out during 1884-85-86, 
in which Messrs. R. P. Ker & Son and the Messrs. 
Birkenhead are the only competitors, the first named 
being well first with good plants of Gymnogramma 
schizophylla gloriosa, Davallia fceniculacea, Croton 
Aigburthensis, a lovely yellow, narrow-leaved form, &c. 
The Messrs. Birkenhead show some very interesting 
new Ferns, which are a speciality with them. 
A great number of plants were entered as new, and 
on W ednesday brought under the notice of the Floral 
Committee, which was composed of James O’Brien, Esq., 
as chairman, -Major Lendy, Shirley Hibberd, Esq., Mr. 
Herbst, and Mr. Dean. The following First Class 
Certificates were awarded:— 
To Messrs. James Yeitch & Sons, King’s Road, 
Chelsea, for Philodendron grandidens, a noble plant, 
with handsome narrow shield-shaped foliage of a 
bronzy hue ; Nephrolepis rufescens tripinnatifida, with 
elegant overlapping frondage ; Pteris tremula foliosa. a 
giant form of Pteris, seemingly intermediate between 
P. tremula and P. arguta, with fine crimped foliage, 
and noble habit ; Rhododendron aurore, a greenhouse 
kind, with bright yellow flowers tipped with orange ; 
and Gymnogramma schizophylla gloriosa, an extremely 
elegant and finely cut form, of more robust habit than 
the ordinary form. The committee also confirmed 
the Botanical Certificate provisionally awarded to the 
singular Protea cynaroides. 
To Mr. B. S. Williams, Upper Holloway, London, 
for Araucaria excelsa Vervaetiana, a noble plant of the 
A. e. glauca form, but with a clear green tint. 
To Messrs. Backhouse & Son, York, for Polypodium 
vulgare trichomanoides, a charming finely divided 
fronded Fern ; Asplenium marinum plumosum, with 
broadly toothed pinnae ; Hymenophyllum pectinatum, 
which has curiously recurved pinnules; Trichomanes 
meifolium, a rare species, with something the habit of 
Todeapellucida ; and Chrysanthemum leucanthum, Puy 
de Dome, a large white Marguerite. 
To Messrs. R. P. Ker & Son, nurserymen, Aig- 
burth, Liverpool, for Gymnogramma schizophylla 
gloriosa, as exhibited by Messrs. Veitcli ; Croton Aig¬ 
burthensis, a lovely narrow yellow leaf kind ; and Croton 
Newmanii, with brilliantly tinted red, yellow and 
bronze leaves. 
To Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, Fern Nursery, Sale, 
for Nephrodium Sanwelli, a pretty Fern, with finely 
serrate fronds, and Lastrea montana coronans, a fine 
crested form. 
To Messrs. Kelway & Son, Langport, Somersot, 
for Gail lard ia Ormonde, a fine large flower, of yellow 
and crimson colour, ancj Pyrethrum Lawtonburgh, a 
magnificent pure white, quilled double. 
Mr. E. Claxton received a Commendation for Tea 
Rose Madame Cusins. 
GROUPS OF PLANTS. 
In this section Mr. B. S. Williams, Holloway, has a 
fine group of Orchids and other flowering and fine- 
foliaged plants ; among the former being some richly 
coloured varieties of Cattleya Mossife and C. Mendelii, 
Cypripedium Druryi, and several bright forms of Mas- 
devallia Harryana; among the other subjects Nepenthes ■ 
Mastersiana is in fine form, and the whole group is 
well arranged and worthy of Mr. William's reputation. 
Messrs. James \ eitch & Sons, of Chelsea, make a great 
display with some really, noble plants of Anthuriums, 
Philodendron grandidens, Nepenthes, &c.; a neat 
collection of Insectivorous plants ; the curious Protea 
cynaroides, the new Nephrolepis rufescens tripinnati¬ 
fida, and other good things. Messrs. R. Smith & Co., 
Y orcester, have a fine group of specimen and small 
flowered Clematises, small Heaths, Japanese Acers, and 
cut blooms of many good herbaceous plants, such as 
IYeonies, Pyrethrums, Spanish Irises, &c. Messrs. 
Kelway & Son, Langport, have a truly remarkable 
display of herbaceous Pieonies, single and double 
Pyretlirums, &c. Messrs. AY. Cutbush & Son, High- 
gate, have an admirable group of small New Holland 
plants, Heaths, Ivalosanthes, and other showy flowering 
plants, full of flowers and very attractive. Messrs. 
James Carter & Co. have a charming group of annuals 
in pots ; and Mr. Jennings, gardener to Leopold de 
Rothschild, Esq., Ascott, has an exceedingly fine group 
of Souvenir de Malmaison Carnations ; and Mr. Turner, 
Slough, also shows a fine set of tree-flowering varieties. 
In the competitive classes there are fine displays by 
S. Barlein, Esq., W. H. Watts, Esq., and F. H. 
Gossage, Esq. Messrs. James Backhouse & Son, York, 
have a magnificent collection of Alpine Plants, to which 
we must refer more fully on another occasion. 
