July 28, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
755 
JOHN LAING & SONS’ 
THE GRANDEST FLORAL DISPLAY 
IN LONDON. 
Open to the Public Every Day (Sundays excepted) 
from June to September, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. 
ADMISSION FREE. 
OUR EXHIBITIONS OF BEGONIAS 
Have been celebrated for their varied beauty 
and extent for the past few years, but the 
COLLECTION now on view is superior to any 
of the kind ever yet seen, both in single and 
double varieties, the shades of colour being quite 
indescribable, and must be seen to be appreciated. 
All lovers of flowers are cordially invited. 
Nearest Railway Stations are Catford Bridge, 
Mid Kent Line ( S. E. R .), from Charing Cross, Waterloo, 
Cannon Street, and London Bridge; and Forest Hill 
{L.B. <£• S.C.R .), from Victoria, Kensington and West 
End, Croydon, <£’C. ; also from Liverpool Street. 
Registered Telegraphic Address: Caladium, London. 
JOHN LAING & SONS, 
Seed, Plant and Bulb Merchants, 
FOREST HILL, LONDON, S.E. 
KENT: The Garden of England. 
STRAWBERRIES 
GEO. BUNYARD & Co.’s 
New List, embracing Noble, Waterloo, etc., and the 
30 best kinds, may now be had on application. 
Splendid plants in little pots, and runners. 
THE OLD NURSERIES, JYIAIDSTQNE. 
TEA ROSES. 
GARAWAY & Co. offer 12 best varieties of Tea Roses, in¬ 
cluding MARECHAL NIEL and NIPHETOS, in 5-inch pots, 
packed upright in open boxes, for 10s. Cash with order. 
GARAWAY & Co., 
Durdham Down, Clifton, Bristol. 
SPECIAL CULTURE OP 
FRUIT TREES AND ROSES. 
A Large and Select Stock is now offered for Sale. 
The Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue of Fruits 
Post Free. 
The Descriptive Catalogue of Roses Post Free. 
THOMAS RIVERS & SON, 
NURSERIES, SAWBRIDGEWORTH, HERTS. 
ROSES in POTS. 
All the best New and Old English and Foreign sorts, 
from 18s. to 36s. per dozen. 
Descriptive List free on application. 
RICHARD SMITH & Co., 
Nurserymen and Seed Merchants, 
WORCESTER. 
National Co operative Flower Show, Crystal 
Palace, August 18th, 1888. 
PKAA AND MEDALS in Prizes for 
tMJli Flowers, Fruit, Vegetables, and Honey, open 
to members of Co-operative Societies throughout the Kingdom ; 
also for Skill of Workmen in all Trades for Amateur Work 
and Entomological and other specimens. 
Schedules of Prizes on application to 
WM. BROOMHALL, Secretary. 
1, Norfolk St., Strand, W.C. _ 
Abbey Park, Leicester. 
GRAND FLOWER SHOW and GALA 
will he held on Tuesday, August 7th, 18SS, under the 
patronage of the Mayor and Corporation. 
SCHEDULES will be sent upon application to the Secretary 
and Curator, Mr. JOHN BURN. 
Next Week's Engagements. 
Tuesday, July 31st. — Buckingham Horticultural Society's 
Show. Special Sale of Orchids in Flower at Protheroe & 
Morris’ Rooms. 
Wednesday, August 1st.—Flower Shows at Acton and Luton. 
Sale of Imported Orchids at Stevens' Rooms. 
Thursday, August 2nd.—Sale of Imported and Established 
Orchids at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Friday, August 3rd.—Sale of Imported and Established Orchids 
at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, August 4th.- Flower Shows at Liverpool and South¬ 
ampton (and on Monday following), and at Hebden Bridge. 
FOR INDEX TO CONTENTS, SEE P. 766. 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1888. 
Allotment Gardens. — The importance of 
allotment gardens, and- their bearing upon the 
social well-being of the working classes in 
encouraging habits of industry, steadiness, and 
thrift, was seen in a remarkable manner at the 
exhibition of the Ealing, Acton, and Hanwell 
Horticultural Society, on Wednesday, July 
11th. A large number of prizes was offered for 
the productions from these allotment gardens, 
and though Ealing has been famous in the past 
for the high merit of the cottagers’ productions, 
they, on this occasion, seemed to surpass every¬ 
thing that bad gone before, and the display was 
not only very extensive, but wonderfully fine, 
with but very few exceptions, throughout. The 
Ealing show is always an early one, generally 
taking place during tlie first, and never later 
than the second, week in July, and the pro¬ 
ductions were all tlie more praiseworthy because 
the season lias proved a very retarding one. 
There were twenty-seven classes set apart 
for the productions of vegetables, plants, and 
flowers from cottage and allotment gardens. 
There were 418 entries in these classes, the 
highest number in any one class being twenty- 
four, and the smallest three. The plant classes 
were weakest, and this was accounted for from 
the fact that no allotment holder is allowed to 
erect anything like a greenhouse upon his allot¬ 
ment, and they have only the windows of their 
dwellings in which to grow their plants. In a 
very few of the classes four prizes are offered, 
and in some six, but in tlie great hulk of them 
there are eight. The competition is exceedingly 
keen, and the task of the judges a very heavy 
one. 
A very large number of tlie first prizes— 
and, in a few cases, the second and third—are 
given by tradesmen, who, while slow to sub¬ 
scribe money, willingly give goods. Some of 
the special prizes are worth enumerating :—A 
dress piece, value 10s. 6ri. ; a pair of curtains 
or a counterpane to the same value ; a silver 
watch, value 30s. (this is offered for six dishes 
of vegetables, and there were fifteen com¬ 
petitors) ; a striking clock, value 16s. ; a fork 
and spade, value 10s. 6<Z. (in two other classes 
also); drapery goods, value 10s. 6<L, from two 
or three sources ; cakes, packets of tea, ranging 
from 2 lbs. to 6 lbs. ; a leg of mutton, a man’s 
hat, pictures, &c. Iirithe classes for gardeners, 
many special prizes of this character are given, 
including one of a sewing machine, value four 
guineas: and two local coal merchants give a 
half ton of coals each for cottagers, which are 
awarded in extra prizes of 2 cwt. each, and 
delivered during the winter. 
Ealing is rich in allotment gardens. Forty 
years or so ago, the then Bishop of London pre¬ 
sented to the parish several acres of ground in 
perpetuity, to be divided into allotments for 
sober and industrious labourers and journeymen 
working for weekly wages, and this was divided 
into 145 allotments of one-eighth of an acre 
each, at an annual rent of 5s. each plot, in 
addition to which there are two small plots, the 
annual rent of which is 2s. each. These allot¬ 
ments are managed by a committee of ratepayers 
elected by the vestry, and this committee make 
a return every year of their receipts and ex¬ 
penditure, any income being devotedto charitable 
purposes. The -parish officers have the land 
vested in them as trustees. Ho Sunday labour 
is permitted, though crops may he gathered in 
the early part of the day. A kind of tenant- 
right is allowed wdien a plot is vacated if it 
contains crops likely to he advantageous to the 
incoming tenant. The whole of the tenancies 
are renewed every year at Michaelmas. 
In addition, there are in Ealing two fields, 
held under Lady Rawlinson’s Charity, and 
recently some nine acres or so were cut up into 
allotments of one-eighth and one-sixteenth of 
an acre, there being, in all, ninety-eight of these 
plots. Here much higher rents are paid. The 
one eighth of an acre plots are let at 12s. per 
annum, and the sixteenth of an acre ones at 
6s. per annum. The advanced rent, as com¬ 
pared with the other allotments, is accounted 
for from tlie fact that the two fields, when used 
as Grass land, brought so much money, and the 
trustees of the charity were unwilling to have 
tlieir income reduced, especially as the proceeds 
of the charity are devoted to educational and 
other purposes. A further six acres of the land 
is shortly to be broken up for allotment gardens, 
so great is the demand for them. 
Prizes are also offered for the best-kept 
allotment gardens. The amount necessary for 
the purpose is obtained by private subscription. 
A sum of £10 14s. is divided into twenty-seven 
prizes, as follows:—A first prize of 20s., a 
second of 18s , a third of 16s., a fourth of 14s., 
and a fifth of 13s.; two sixths at 12s, three 
sevenths at 10s., three eighths at 9s., two ninths 
at 8s., two tenths at 7s., two elevenths at 6s., 
and eight twelfths at 5s. Tlie prizes are 
awarded during June by some competent prac¬ 
tical gardeners, and they always report that 
they have great difficulty in reaching con¬ 
clusions, so closely do many of the gardens 
approximate each other in points of admirable 
maintenance. 
Notwithstanding the wet spring, which is 
causing ill weeds to grow apace, tlie judges of 
the allotment gardens reported that they were 
generally in admirable condition, there being 
but very few plots that are badly kept. A list 
of these is taken, and a report sent by the 
judges to the allotment committee, sb that 
the laggards in culture may he reproved and 
cautioned for tlie future, as the committee have 
tlie power to withdraw any plot that is not 
properly cultivated. 
-- 
The Carnation and Picotee Union.— In consequence 
of tlie backward state of the flowers, the annual meeting, 
originally fixed for August the 7th, was on Wednesday 
postponed to the 14th pros. 
Gardening Engagement. —Mr. J. M. Seahright, 
gardener to A. Brown, Esq., Pine Ridge, Orpington, as 
gardener to G. Grindling, Esq., Harrow Weald House, 
Stanmore. 
Trade Mem _We understand that Mr. William 
Denman, 7, Catherine Street, Strand, has added to his 
business as a horticultural agent, that of a shipping 
and forwarding agent. This branch will be conducted 
' under the style and title of Denman & Co., at 12, 
Cooper’s Row, Crutclied Friars, E.C. 
