August 24, 1889. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
810 
Tritonia secuiugera. 
A Botanical Certificate was granted for specimens of 
this plant exhibited by Mr. James O’Brien, Harrow- 
on-the-Hill. The flowers are of good average size, and 
pale orange-yellow or pale brown, with darker veins. 
On each of the three lower segments there is a yellow 
blotch, with a yellow, bluntly-pointed process pro¬ 
jecting from each of the three yellow blotches. They 
are not, however, always present, so that, when missing, 
the specific name, which means hatchet-bearing, seems 
inapplicable to the species. The leaves are narrowly 
ensiform and considerably shorter than the flower- 
scapes. There is a figure of the plant in the Botanical 
Magazine, t. 383, under the name of Gladiolus 
securiger. 
-->X<-- 
Gardening Notes fromIreland. 
Dunmore East Flower, Fruit, and Vege¬ 
table Show. 
Tuts is an annual local event of great interest to the 
gardening fraternity around this fashionable watering- 
place on the Irish south coast. It is generally held on 
the 15th of August (“ Lady-day,” and a holiday in this 
country), and, as usual, large crowds collected from all 
directions. This year there were additional attractions. 
In the bay immediately in front, and engaged in naval 
manceuvres, were the Channel and torpedo fleets, among 
the officers being Prince George of Wales, who 
landed and mingled with the people, freely conversing 
with all he met. What a pleasure it must have been 
to this royal prince to see the people as they are, 
without scaring them away by a gorgeous retinue or a 
lot of snobbish sycophants ! 
The society is under the presidency of the Hon. 
Dudley Fortescue, D.L., Summerville, who is assisted 
by an excellent committee, consisting of the local 
clergymen, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, and 
employers and gardeners — an arrangement worth 
imitating, and pretty sure to be followed when peace 
and tranquillity prevail in Ireland. 
The schedule is divided into four sections, and plants, 
cut flowers, fruit and vegetables are thus provided for. 
I will not intrude on the limited space likely to be at 
your disposal by more than a reference to each section. 
Plants. —First prizes for exotic Ferns (admirable 
specimens), tree Ferns, plants of ornamental foliage, 
and a miscellaneous collection of Crotons, Dracsenas, 
Palms, Caladiums, &c., went to the hon. president 
(gardener, Mr. J. A. Calthorpe). Lady Carew, Woods- 
town (gardener, Mr. O’Brien), had first prize for 
tuberous Begonias, and second for Coleus. Mrs. 
Malcolmson, Villa Marina, Dunmore, and Ballinakill, 
Waterford (gardeners, Messrs. Dumpley and Noonan 
respectively), had the first prize for the finest Palm in the 
show—a large Chamcerops excelsa—and second for very 
fine exotic Ferns, and stove and greenhouse plants of 
ornamental foliage. The first prize for native Ferns went 
to Mrs. Jacob, Waterford. 
Cut Flowers. —First prizes for Roses, Asters, and 
Gladioli, and the second for a hand-bouquet, went to 
Lady Carew. First prize for Dahlias, Asters, and 
zonals went to Sir Robert Paul ; Mrs. Jacob getting 
first for a magnificent hand-bouquet and Pansies, and 
second for Zinnias and Dahlias. The Hon. M. 
Fortescue scored for Carnations, Picotees, Gladioli, 
Marigolds, and Zinnias. 
Fruit. —The exhibits in this section were first-rate 
generally, though early. The Hon. M. Fortescue got 
first for Black Hamburgh and White Muscat Grapes, 
and second for Lady Downes, the latter being cut a few 
days too soon. The same applied to his scarlet-fleshed 
Melon, while first place for a green-fleshed variety went 
readily to Horticultural Prize. Mrs. Malcomson’s 
Peaches were splendid, and very creditable to Mr. 
Noonan, as also were Morello Cherries, each gaining 
first prize. Lady Carew came first for Plums, baking 
and kitchen Apples, but her Pears were just past. Mr. 
Jacob gained first for Gooseberries. 
Vegetables. —This show is always strong in these 
indispensable garden products, and six and eight 
entries of almost equal merit in a class tested the judges’ 
discernment. The largest number of prizes went to 
Ballyglan, Sir R. Paul getting first prizes for Carrots, 
Cauliflowers, red Beet, fifty pods of Peas, white Turnips, 
Salsafy, and fifty pods of Beans. Prizes for Lettuce, 
Cabbage, seedling Onions, Globe Artichokes, and 
Tomato3 (Perfection), went to Summerville. Woods- 
town had first prizes for Tripoli Onions, French Beans, 
Scarlet Runners, and four dishes of Potatos, with 
second for Parsnips and red Beet. The majority of 
the remaining prizes went to Villa Marina and 
Ballinakill; the individual specification would take 
more space than you can afford me, and would be 
ch'efly of local interest only. 
Two creditable departments in addition were the 
children’s exhibits—first prizesf or garden and wild 
floweis, among several entries, going to Miss Susan 
Calthorpe and Miss Gilmour (daughter of the Rector) 
respectively—and also for outdoor window gardening, 
patronised and encouraged by Lord James Butler. No 
report would be complete without a special meed of 
praise to Messrs. Saunders, Friar’s Walk, Cork, for 
their public spirit in sending—a show in itself—more 
than 100 miles. One great advantage of such to a 
local show—and I direct the Editor’s attention specially 
to it—is to enable gardeners, who do not travel out of 
their immediate locality, to see what they must aim at 
to attain the perfection to which such firms grow their 
plants and flowers. More than 300 individual blooms 
were staged, and consisted of very fine hybrid per¬ 
petual and Tea Roses for the time of the year ; double 
tuberous Begonias, splendid, such as Fleur de The, 
Louise Goussancourt, Pavilion Jaune, M. Paul Vicq, 
Mdme. Marie, Blanche Duval, Virginalis, &c.; forty- 
eight varieties of single and double zonals in trusses of 
three ; and really fine double Dahlias for this early 
period. A special feature was the exhibit of hardy 
outdoor flower-spikes, which I had better reserve for 
special notice. It only remains to say that Mrs. 
Malcomson, who is a tower of strength to this society, 
hospitably entertained the officers, the press, and the 
judges at her magnificent residence, the Villa Marina. 
Thelatter were Mr. HughCrawford, IvilcronaghGardens, 
Mr. John Crehan, Minella Gardens, and your own 
correspondent, IV. J. Murphy, Clonmel. 
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IfOTES FROM SCOTLAND. 
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The Antirrhinum as a Bedding Plant.— 
It is not often that we see the Antirrhinum used in the 
flower garden as a bedding plant, but the other day 
when looking through the nurseries of Messrs. Ireland 
& Thomson at Golden Acre, Edinburgh, I was very 
much struck with a fine bed of a very pure white 
variety, of a neat and compact habit of growth, and 
about 1 ft. in height, and which, being used in large 
beds against other colours, had a very decided effect. 
I think for a hardy and pure white plant for bedding, 
this is worth a place in the flower garden for effect. 
— IV. S. O. 
Peas. —The supply and the quality of Peas have 
been more satisfactory this season than for many years 
past, and even in poor gardens which have not raised 
good crops in former years they have done ample 
justice to the care bestowed on them. The fine growing 
May and mild June, before the absence of rain was 
much felt, caused Peas to become well established in 
the soil, and where kinds were carefully selected to give 
successional crops, good supplies have been realised. 
After the copious rainfall in July the haulm started 
with fresh vigour, and flowering and fruiting goes on 
at present simultaneously. Topping the gross kinds is 
most advantageous in preventing premature cessation 
of podding. The same rule applied to Sweet Peas is 
attended by the best results, as we never saw them do 
better than this season. Fresh growths are starting 
vigorously, and we expect a fine display of these very 
appreciative flowers till frost puts an end to them. 
Among the be3t older kinds of Peas which have been 
extra good and are yielding abundant supplies at 
present (middle of August) are Champion of England, 
Telephone, Ne Plus Ultra, and Dr. McLean. Veitch’s 
Autocrat and Sharpe’s Queen, grown here for the first 
time, are of fine quality and very prolific.— Stirling. 
Strawberry Planting.—Those who have work 
of this kind remaining unfinished should not lose an 
hour now in completing such operations. Small plants 
are often inserted in the soil at this season by the inex¬ 
perienced, and the complaints next spring are that they 
were thrown out by frost or drawn into the soil by 
worms. When one gets behind (in Scotland especially) 
with Strawberry planting, it is a good practice, which 
we have adopted more than once, to take the outside 
growths off the old stools, clear them of old roots, and 
plant them in heavily-manured ground in the usual 
way. We have practised this system during September 
and had excellent crops the following season. Young 
plants would have barely lived through tho winter, 
besides occupying ground the following summer without 
giving any tangible return. Three years ago, when 
pressed for time, we planted Strawberries about the first 
week in September, placing three strong plants 
together. Each trio formed fine fruiting stools the 
following summer. The crop was not heavy, but the 
fruits were of great size. Soot and fine ashes were dusted 
frequently among them during wiuter to ward off 
worms. — Stirling. 
Onions. —We happen to live in a district where 
Onions have much attention. The sowing of them 
in pots, and subsequent treatment to attain the object 
in view, seem to meet the reward due to such arduous 
attention as they receive ; and we hear of some 
growers out-distancing all their previous efforts. One 
veteran (Mr. Neilglass, at Carbrook) is said to have 
bulbs 21 ins. in circumference. I do not think we 
have seen such dimensions by any of the great growers 
in the best districts. We are well acquainted with the 
great attainments of the Banbury growers (having 
acted as a censor at one of the greatest of their 
Onion shows), but do not think we saw any of their 
specimens over 18 ins. round. It would be interesting 
to learn what have been some of the heaviest weights 
of Onions. Weight is a more important item than 
circumference, as weight, when in proportion to size, 
indicates good keeping qualities. The latter is what 
we aim most at, and last year kept our latest stock of 
several kinds to June, and they were then not at all spongy 
or soft. By far the finest Onion in our stock of some 
half-dozen kinds is Bmbury Improved, along with it 
are grown Giant Zittau, Rousham Park, Cranston’s 
and Danver’s Yellow, which are good, but the Banbury 
Improved is very superior to all its fellows, holding a 
position equal to Veitch’s Main Crop last year.— 
Stirling. 
Vale of Alford Horticultural Associ¬ 
ation. —On Thursday, the 15th inst., the annual 
show in connection with the above society was held in 
the Town Hall, Alford, Aberdeenshire. This was the 
twenty-third annual exhibition under the auspices of 
the society, and in every respect it was worthy of the 
district and the association. In the matter of its shows 
the Vale of Alford Association has always kept a leading 
place in the county, and a remarkable feature of it is 
that the successful competitors are not confined to a 
narrow circle, as is too often the case, but that out of 
the whole of the exhibitors at least three-fourths carry 
off prizes. This fact denotes healthy vitality in the 
association, and emulation in the art of horticulture, 
both amongst amateurs and professionals in the district. 
A substantial sum in prize-money is awarded, and the 
fund is generally contributed to by a large number of 
residents in the surrounding district, the landed pro¬ 
prietors subscribing handsomely. Thursday’s exhi¬ 
bition, in some respects, showed a contrast to its 
predecessors. The amateurs, for instance, although 
they held a highly creditable position, were not so well 
forward as they are wont to be—a fact which, in a 
great measure, may be due to the peculiar nature 
of the season. Flowers all over were a fine display, and 
notwithstanding the wet weather of the past few days, 
it may be said that the cut flowers were altogether a nice 
show. Dahlias were well shaped and above an average. 
Carnations were beautiful, but Roses and Pansies, 
owing to the wet, were not so nice as they might have 
been in more favourable circumstances. Stocks were a 
fair display, and annuals in bunches were good. Pot 
plants were simply grand, Fuchsias and Pelargoniums 
being very pretty. The display of fruit was greatly 
admired, including as it did monster Gooseberries, 
large and luscious Strawberries, nicely-shaped Apples, 
well-developed Cherries, and numerous entries of 
Blackberries and Currants. The table and hand 
bouquets were a nice feature of the show, their arrange¬ 
ment being done with much skill and taste. Perhaps 
the finest department of the exhibition, however, was 
the vegetable sections. Nothing could exceed the 
beautiful display of Potatos, which contained ma,ny 
perfectly-shaped and monster-sized esculents. Cabbages 
were enormous, Peas and Beans were more than ordi¬ 
narily large, and Carrots were fair, but Turnips were 
somewhat rough. Leeks were not up to their usual 
standard, but Onions left nothing to be desired. Al¬ 
together the show was interesting and superior, and 
gave evidence of the spread of horticultural knowledge 
in the district. During the day, although rain fell 
freely, largo numbers of the public visited the hall. 
Much of the success which has always attended the 
society is due to the energy displayed by the large 
executive committee, headed by Mr. Peter Murray, 
Upperhaugh, as chairman, and by Mr. George Nichol¬ 
son, teacher, Alford, the genial secretary. 
