740 
July 23, 1392. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
FLiORlCULiTURE. 
Pinks at Wolverhampton 
The Pink growers in the Midlands are in earnest, 
and they mean a revival of interest in the Pink, 
whatever others may do or refrain from doing. The 
Midland section of the National Pink Society held 
its annual exhibition in connection with the Wolver¬ 
hampton Floral Fete, on July 12th, and made a dis¬ 
play which did credit all round, and especially to its 
secretary, Mr. Chas. T. Thurstan, a promising and 
energetic chip from a good old Dianthus block. 
Happy is it for floriculture that some youngsters 
take on the floral fever, and never lose it again, and 
it is by no means desirable they should do so. 
The Pinks were staged in one of the cut flower 
tents, in a good light; and they were judged by John 
Ball, of Slough, and Joseph Lakin, of Cowley— 
Arcades Ambo, worthy justices both, “full of wise 
saws and modern instances.’’ The hero of the day 
was Mr. A. R. Brown, Handsworth. Birmingham. 
He piled up honours, one after the other, till they 
formed a column as high as himself, and, let it be 
said, they were in every case richly deserved. He 
also is a chip of a worthy old block. 
In the class for twelve laced Pinks, distinct, Mr. 
A. R. Brown was ist with Jeannette, Minerva, 
Boiard, Ethel, Modesty, Ernest, Empress of India, 
Bertha, Harry Hooper, R. L. Hector, Godfrey, and 
Amy — the last, a very fine purple laced ; all the 
blooms were finely laced, large, and full. 2nd, Mr. 
C. F. Thurstan, with Duke of York, a seedling of 
1891, red laced, pure white, fine shell petal, hand¬ 
somely laced, and highly promising ; Duchess of Fife, 
pale laced, in the way of modesty, but lighter in the 
lacing; Boiard, Modesty, Empress of India, John 
Dorrington, Lady Louisa, James Thurstan and 
seedlings. The class for twelve blooms of Pinks in 
not less than six varieties brought three stands, and 
Mr. Brown was again ist, having Boiard, Amy, 
Ethel, Ernest Bertram, Minerva, Godfrey, and 
Empress of India, two or three being in duplicate. 
2nd, Mr. R. Sydenham, Tenby Street, Birmingham, 
with Boiard, Ne plus ultra, Eurydice, Modesty, 
Minerva, and Harry Hooper. 3rd, Mr. C. F. Thur¬ 
stan. Out of six competitors, Mr A. R. Brown also 
had the best six blooms, distinct, staging Amy, Lady 
Louisa, Minerva, Ophelia, Bertha, and Empress of 
India. 2nd, Mr C. F. Thurstan, with Duke of York, 
Modesty, Duchess of Fife, Lady Louisa, Boiard, and 
a seedling. 3rd, Mr. R. Sydenham. 4th, Messrs. 
Thompson & Son, Sparkhill, Birmingham. 5th, Mr. 
James Thurstan, Cardiff. With six Pinks, not less 
than three varieties, Mr. Brown again took the ist 
prize. Mr. C. F. Thurstan was 2nd. Mr. Samuel 
Barlow, Stake Hill, Manchester, 3rd. 4th, Mr. J. 
Juster, West Bromwich. 5th, Mr. R. Sydenham. A 
similar class followed for those who had never won 
a prize for Pinks, and Mr. J. Juster was the only ex¬ 
hibitor, and was awarded the ist prize. The best 
three blooms of laced Pinks in three varieties came 
from Mr. C. F. Thurstan, who had seedlings. Mr. 
A. R. Brown came 2nd, with Amy, Godfrey, and 
Bertram. Mr. W. D. Bason, Wolverhampton, was 
3rd, with Galopin, Emily, and Godfrey. 
The best purple laced pink was Amy from Mr. 
A. R. Brown ; and he was 2nd with George White ; 
Mr. Sydenham was 3rd with Rector ; and Mr. C. F. 
Thurstan 4th and 5th with Mrs. Thurstan. The 
best red laced pink was Empress of India, the 2nd 
best Bertram, both from Mr. A. R. Brown ; Mr. C. F. 
Thurstan was 3rd with Eurydice, and 4th with 
Boiard ; Mr. Thomas Walkden, Sale, 5th with a 
seedling. 
The premier purple laced pink was Amy, shown 
by Mr. A. R. Brown in his stand of twelve blooms 
in Class I. The premier red laced was Duke of 
York, shown by Mr. C. F. Thurstan in the 2nd prize 
stand in Class I. 
The best six bunches of miscellaneous Pinks came 
from Mr. Thomas Walkden, Sale, who had Souvenir 
de Sale, Progress, Picotee Pink, white, charmingly 
laced with pink, W. Brownhill, white self ; Emily, 
laced, and a seedling. Messrs. Thomson & Son were 
2nd with Ascot, Lord Lyon, Derby Day, Pelican 
White, Her Majesty, and Daniel O'Rourke, laced 
varieties ; 3rd, Mr.W. D. Bason, unnamed. Messrs. 
Thomson & Son had the best bouquet of Pinks ; Mr. 
W. Brownhill, of Sale, was 2nd. 
HALSTEAD PLACE, 
SEVENOAKS. 
A walk of about a mile from Sevenoaks, through 
meadows and fruit grounds, brings us to the charm¬ 
ing residence of T F. Burnaby-Atkins, Esq., a place 
renowned for Roses, and specimen stove and green¬ 
house flowering plants, especially Dipladenias. On 
enquiry at the lodge we found it would be convenient 
for myself and friend to look round, and so we at 
once set out to find Mr. A. Gibson, the gardener, 
who when found accorded us a hearty welcome. 
We first had a look through the Roses, and truly 
they were a grand sight, the dwarfs, in our opinion, 
being much the best. Of hybrid perpetuals all the 
best varieties are grown, and a large quantity of 
Teas. The latter Mr. Gibson has to protect as 
much as possible during winter, the smallest being 
wintered in a cold frame ; most of these are grown 
on their own roots. 
Close by the Roses we noticed a splendid bed of 
Onions, a rare sight in this district this season. 
Seeing that some were much in advance of the bulk 
we inquired the cause, and learnt from Mr. Gibson 
that these early ones had been raised in pots and 
pricked out—an excellent plan when growing for 
exhibition. Peas were in fine condition, a 
seedling resembling Veitch's Perfection being 
specially noticeable on account of the size of the 
pods and its prolific nature. Passing on to the fruit 
houses we found Peaches and Nectarines an 
excellent crop ; the Vines too were in excellent con¬ 
dition and carrying good average sized bunches. 
The stove No. 1 contained a very fine batch of 
Gloxinias, an excellent strain of mostly erect flower¬ 
ing kinds. A batch of Calanthes was doing well on 
a shelf, and underneath we noticed a nice plant of 
Laelia purpurata, said to be a fine variety. Dendro- 
biums of the Nobile section were also doing well. 
Eucharis are in grand health, with large leaves of a 
deep green colour indicative of good culture. The 
spikes of bloom to be had from such plants must be 
very numerous. 
Stove No. 2 is devoted to the Dipladenias which 
are trained over the spacious roof; Brearleyana and 
Amabilisare the sorts grown for exhibition, although 
the smaller-flowered Boliviensis finds a place. They 
are looking in grand order, and will, we hope, be seen 
at the Sevenoaks Show, when we shall have an 
opportunity of referring to them again. Stephanotis, 
Allamandas, Clerodendrons, Bougainvillias, and An- 
thuriums are also all done well. 
Melons are a heavy crop, and the forward ones 
are ready to cut. In the fruit garden close by, 
Strawberries are an excellent crop of very fine fruit. 
From the front of the mansion you get a splendid 
view northwards between trees of grand dimensions, 
and much more could be said of this pretty place, but 
our time was limited on this occasion. We hope, 
however, at no distant date, to pay Mr. Gibson 
another visit, meanwhile we have vivid recollections 
of having seen at Halstead Place, gardening in its 
best style, and plants that reflect great credit on 
owner and grower. — S. C. 
-- 
THE CHICAGO EXHI¬ 
BITION. 
Horticultural Department. 
California will occupy the south interior court of the 
Horticultural Building, and about an acre on the 
midway plaisance for an exhibition of its semi-tropical 
trees. It expects, as holding the place of the principal 
vine-producing state of the Union, to exhibit largely 
in the department of viticulture. Specimens of its 
three principal trees, the Sequoia, the White Pine 
and the Redwood, will constitute part of the colonnade 
of the forestry building. 
People are divided in opinion as to the advisability 
of one exhibit from the State — that of one of its few 
remaining and jealously preserved giant Sequoias. 
This specimen, 300 ft. high, and 30 ft. in girth some 
distance from the ground, is private property, and its 
owner has been induced to sell it on patriotic grounds 
as an advertisement for his State. A barge will 
convey it, at a cost of 3,000 dollars, to San Francisco, 
thence, at a largely increased expense, by specially 
constructed train. It will be bored so as to admit of 
visitors passing through the array of booths lining 
its sides for the sale of native products and curios. 
It will be set up on a leased strip of ground directly 
opposite ihe miin entrance. 
One of the Australian Colonies purposes exhibiting 
190 specimens of a dozen species of Ferns, also large 
Lilies, Grass Trees, and many novel indigenous 
plants. The commissioner to Costa Rica is busily 
engaged in collecting and receiving ornamental 
plants, with which he intends to surround their pavi¬ 
lion. He has also formed a collection of over 3,000 
beautiful birds, which will be placed in the galleries 
adjoining the gardens. 
A preliminary address has been issued by the chair¬ 
man of the Auxiliary Committee on a Congress of 
Botanists, inviting savants of all countries to 
participate in the proposed congress and discussion. 
Great results are confidently expected. A man in 
Missouri proposes to send a curious Peach tree, 3 
years old, ij in. in diameter, and 37 ft. high, without 
a limb or branch. All hands are hard at work in the 
Landscape Department, in order to get the dredging 
and gardening completed. Large gangs are working 
sixteen hours a day. 
The Illinois State Board of Agriculture intend 
offering 6,500 dollars in prizes for farm, garden and 
orchard products. At the State Fair to be held at 
Peoria in September, desirable specimens will be 
selected to make up the best possible exhibits for the 
State in the National Building, and also in the State 
Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition. 
It is gratifying to note that the rumours of 
organized opposition to exhibits by German seed 
growers on the part of the American trade is utterly 
unfounded, and that, on the contrary, such exhibits 
will be welcomed and appreciated. Despite a mis¬ 
leading circular, exhibitors will be allowed to append 
prices, with and without tariff added, in order that 
purchasers from free-trade countries may not be 
debarred by seemingly high prices. The circular 
stated that onh prices showing cost in full, including 
tariff, could be attached.—C. Macquarie, Chicago. 
--*■- 
BEXLEY FLOWER SHOW. 
The annual flower show at the pleasant Kentish 
village of Bexley was held on Wednesday of last 
week, in the grounds of Oakwood, Crayford, the 
residence of S. White, Esq , one of the best garden¬ 
ing establishments in the district, and a capital little 
show it was, though not so much patronised by 
visitors as it deserved to be, owing to the day being 
wet and gloomy. Perhaps the groups and table 
decorations were the best features, but in other com¬ 
petitions there were also good things to be seen. 
The largest and finest group was arranged by Mr. 
Tomalin, gardener to S. White, Esq., a lovely 
arrangement of Orchids, Gloxinias, Streptocarpus, 
and Cocos Weddeliana, etc. In a smaller class, Mr. 
G. Leggett, gardener to Mr. T. O. Carter, Esq., was 
first with a nice light group. Two lots of six 
Caladiums were remarkably good, and both exhibi¬ 
tors, Mr. Tomalin and Mr. Wakeham, gardener to 
Mrs. Bean, who took the prizes in the order named, 
deserve high praise for the beautiful style in which 
the plants were turned out. Exotic and hard) - ferns, 
though only few in numbers, were exceedingly good, 
and with the latter, W. Marshall, Esq .again secured 
the premier award with beautifully-grown specimens 
of Scolopendrium vulgare crispum. Polystichum 
angulare plumosum, Polypodium alpestre flexile, and 
Cystopteris regia Mr. G. Leggett had the best four 
exotic ferns, Mr. Marshall being second, and showing 
one of the best specimens of Adiantum Le Grande 
that we have ever seen, the plant being quite 2 ft. over, 
and the fronds perfect. Mr. Marshall also had the best 
four Lycopodiums, beautifully done, three table plants, 
group of six foliage plants, twelve hardy herbaceous 
plants, etc. Mr. Wakeham had the best table 
plants amongst gardeners. The cottagers’ classes 
were all well contested, and among the window 
plants shown by Mr. William May we noted a 
charming specimen of Origanum Tournefortii 
trained to an upright wire trellis, and with the 
flowers all facing one way — one of the most interes¬ 
ting subjects in the exhibition. The fruits and vege¬ 
tables were very good all round, and in the gardeners’ 
classes, Mr. Tomalin was specially successful. 
The table decorations had a tent to themselves, 
and would have done honour to any show, for there 
was not a poor one among them. In the competition 
fer a table decorated with any flowers or foliage, 
Mrs. Barrett won the first prize, with a lovely 
arrangement of coloured foliage of trees and shrubs, 
hardy border flowers, grasses, and Adiantum 
