180 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 16, 1895 . 
Merrion, led the way in the class for thirty-six 
Japanese blooms. T. Torrens, Esq., made a good 
second; and the Marquis of Downshire, Hills¬ 
borough, took the third prize. In the class for 
twenty-four blooms, Smallwood Dalkey, Esq., took 
the leading award, and was followed by J. Rogden, 
Esq., and J. Torrens, Esq., respectively. The 
Marquis of Downshire led the way in the class for 
eight dishes of fruit. Gen. Pakenham closely 
followed him: and Lord Deramore took the third 
position. For twelve kinds of vegetables, W. 
Robertson, Esq., Netherlie, secured the premier 
award. J. Gunning Moore, Esq., followed him; 
and Lord Deramore took the third prize. 
Birmingham, Mou. 13.—The 35th annual exhibition of 
Chrysanthemums was opened on Wednesday, at the 
Town Hall, Birmingham. This show keeps its 
reputation up to its previous standard, and this year 
the entries are twenty per cent, more than last year. 
The centre of the hall was occupied by the large 
groups of Chrysanthemums and foliage plants. 
Eight of these groups were staged, the first prize 
going to J. Whitfield, Esq , Moseley. This group 
was composed almost entirely of Japanese varieties, 
interspersed with Cocos Wedelliana, and fronted 
with Crotons and other foliage plants. Lady 
Martineau, Edgbaston, received second prize. The 
smaller groups were staged under the gallery, the 
first prize going to Mrs. Scarfe. The specimen 
plants occupied the opposite side of the hall, G. 
Cadbury, Esq., Northfield, taking the principal 
prizes. His plants of Barbara and Golden Empress 
were very fine. Lady Martineau received first for 
three specimen Japanese, with Charles Davis, 
Viviand Morel, and W. Seward. 
The cut bloom classes were better filled and of better 
quality than ever, there being 600 blooms more this 
year than last in competition for the six prizes. For 
twenty-four Japanese no less than eighteen exhibits 
were staged, the first prize going to the Duke of 
Sutherland s gardener, whose collection comprised 
Mrs. H. Payne, Lincoln, Niveus, Mme. A. Chatin, 
Col. B. Smith, Wm. Bolia, T. Wilkins, Therese 
Rey, Good Gracious, Molyneux, Mr. D. Ward, Duke 
of Wellington, Primrose League, Van den Heede 
Rita Schroeter, Eva Knowles, Rose Wynne, Mme. 
Record, Pankoucke, Dorothy Shea, Sunflower, 
Morel, Edelweiss, Shrimpton. The second prize 
was awarded to the Dowager Lady Hindlip ; the 
Rt. Hon. J. Chamberlain, third; C. K. Boughton, 
Esq., fourth ; R. W. D. Harley, Esq., and S. Loder, 
Esq., fifth and sixth. There were twelve entries for 
the six prizes for twenty-four incurves, the first 
going to S. Loder, Esq. ; the Dowager Lady 
Hindlip taking second, Col. Attamblon third. 
A new feature is the class for twelve Japanese 
blooms with long stems shown among foliage. Eight 
competitors showed, and the effect of the fully 
developed flowers standing distinct among the leafy 
surroundings is very much better than when crowded 
on the ordinary stands. The basement was devoted to 
the exhibits in the fruit and vegetable classes 
which were so numerous as to form an exhibition 
in themselves; the first prize for six bunches of 
Grapes was awarded to C. Miller Mundy, Esq., 
Derby, Lord Bagot Rugeley taking second. 
Numerous other classes for fruit and vegetables 
were well filled, and the special prizes offered by 
Messrs. Thompson & Son, Pope & Son, and R. 
Sydenham for Primulas produced a fine display. 
Messrs. Thompson made a fine exhibit of vegetables 
and a display of floral decorations, and also staged a 
very effective group of plants. Messrs. Pope & 
Son made an interesting exhibit of Spiraea japonica 
in full bloom from roots retarded by being kept in 
artificially-produced low temperatures. 
-- 
THE FIRST ROUND-FLOWERED 
HYBRID BEGONIA. 
When I wrote (page 126) that Begonia Woodmanii 
was the first hybrid tuberous-rooted Begonia, I did 
so in good faith, and had no notion that any other 
had been published, and have never seen Mr. 
Wynne's book, nor had I any idea that I was tread¬ 
ing on such sacred ground. To use a figure of 
speech, the jealousy of Jove and his thunderbolts 
have since then been shied at my devoted head from 
different points of the compass; but when such a 
good and worthy hybridist writes so nicely to me, as 
Mr. John Seden has done, I can find pleasure in 
giving him every information in my power, which 
I did many days ago by letter, and can admit, and 
admit frankly too, any mistake I may have been 
guilty of. I, however, utterly detest anonymous 
criticism as being unfair in every respect, and, if my 
critic, who signs himself " A Lover of the Begonia ” 
(page 148), will come out of his den and sign his 
proper name like a true Englishman, I will give his 
fetching “ tarra diddle ” prompt and careful atten¬ 
tion. 
Some years ago I was rash enough to enter into a 
newspaper war in this journal on the origin of the very 
popular white Passion-Flower with another anony¬ 
mous critic, who signed himself as “ Devoniensis," but 
who, I afterwards heard, was no son of Devon at all; 
and although I succeeded in knocking all his sarcasm 
completely on the head, yet, in the opinion of so 
high an authority as the late greatly revered Dr. 
Woodman, my critic’s vantage-ground was not fair 
or favourable to me. In the present matter my 
oversight seems to be one of omission, and not com¬ 
mission ; that is to say, I ought to have written that 
Mr. Pope was the raiser of the first round-flowered 
hybrid tuberous-rooted Begonia, namely, B. Wood¬ 
manii, out of B. Veitchii x B. Pearcei, regarded by 
many as the progenitors or ancestors of the present 
race of tuberous-rooted Begonias of gardens. If 
“ Lover of the Begonia,’’ had been a Pinceite he 
would have been aware that B. Woodmanii had 
been fully described again and again in Lucombe, 
Pince & Co's catalogues about 25 years ago ; hence 
I can perceive in his pert remarks the cloven foot.— 
IF. Napper, Chelsea. 
SOCIETIES, 
Royal Horticultural, Nov. 12th .—The meeting on 
Tuesday last was smaller than usual. Orchids and 
Chrysanthemums were the most prominent features, 
and fruit was also present in fair quantity. A Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded to Messrs. F. Sander 
& Co., St. Albans, for a beautifully varied and 
interesting group of Orchids. Habenaria Susannae, 
with eleven spikes from one small pan, was most 
conspicuous and beautiful with its fringed white 
flowers. Cattleya labiata, Miss Clara Measures, and 
others in considerable variety, as well as Cymbi- 
dium winnianum, varieties of Cypripedium insigne 
montanum, Calanthe Clive, and Trichopilia brevis, 
and others of great beauty made up a fine group. 
A Silver Banksian Medal was also accorded to 
Thos. Statter, Esq. (gardener, Mr. R. Johnson), 
Stand Hall, Manchester, for a splendid collection of 
cut flowers of Cattleya labiata, C. dowiana aurea in 
great variety, and some Cypripediums. C. Ingram, 
Esq. (gardener, Mr. Bond), Elstead House, Godai¬ 
ming, exhibited two very beautiful hybrid Laelio- 
cattleyas and a hybrid Cattleya, which we shall 
describe later on. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart, (grower, Mr. White), 
Burford Lodge, Dorking, exhibited a grandly- 
flowered piece of Luddemannia triloba and Cypri¬ 
pedium pollettianum Burford variety. A hybrid 
Cypripedium named Olenus, Masdevallia abbre- 
viata, &c. were shown by R. I. Measures, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. H. Chapman), Cambridge Lodge, 
Camberwell. 
A Silver Flora Medal was awarded to Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, for a splendid group of 
Orchids, including Laelio cattleya callistoglossa 
ignescens, L. Semiramis, L. Pallas, Cypripedium 
Milo var. grandis, Cattleya dowiana, C. leucoglossa, 
and many others of great merit, and often very 
rare. 
A Silver Banksian Medal was accorded to Messrs. 
B. S. Williams & Son, Upper Holloway, for a group 
of Orchids, including fine pieces of Catasetum 
Bungerothii aureum, Pescatorea klabochorum 
superbum, P. Roezlii rosea, Coelogyne gardneriana, 
and several others. 
A Silver Banksian Medal was also accorded to R. 
Culzow, Esq., Bexley Heath, for a group of 
Cattleyas, set up with Adiantum farleyense, Palms, 
etc. Eriopsis rutidobulbum, Phalaenopsis, denti- 
culata, etc., were brought over from the Royal 
Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. 
Cut blooms of Chrysanthemums were represented 
in great force, a considerable number of growers 
exhibiting. Three dozen large blooms of the 
Japanese and incurved Japanese section were sent 
by Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, Devon, comprising 
such well-known varieties as Reine d’Angleterre, 
Wilson Addison, Madame Carnot, Mrs. G West, 
Cecil Wray, and Madame P. Lacroix in excellent 
condition. Sprays of the grand new decorative 
Clinton Chalfant, and of the pretty single Annie 
Heard were also very noticeable here. (Silver Bank¬ 
sian Medal). 
Mr. T. S. Ware, Hale Farm Nurseries, Totten¬ 
ham, made up a a neat little group of cut Chrysan¬ 
themums prettily arranged with Adiantum cuneatum, 
Isolepsis gracilis, Crotons, etc. Among the ranks of 
Queen of Autumn, Charles Davis, Golden Wedding, 
Golden Gate, Madame Rozaine, Viscountess 
Hambledon, Bayard, and Rose Wynne, were well 
shown, all of which, together with numerous other 
sorts were cut with long stalks (Silver Banksian 
Medal). 
A similar group came from Mr. A. Pentney, gar¬ 
dener to Mr. Howard, Isleworth. This, although 
much smaller than the preceding, was yet very taste¬ 
fully arranged (Bronze Banksian Medal). A 
remarkably brilliant display was made by Messrs. 
H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent. Seven or eight 
dozen large blooms chiefly of the Japanese varieties 
of Chrysanthemums formed one of the features of 
this exhibit. Mr. C. H. Payne, Kentish White, 
M. Pankoucke, Thos. Wilkins, Rose Wynne, 
Lady E. Saunders, Viviand Morel, and H. 
Hammond Spencer were all remarkable for size 
and refinement of bloom, whilst Robt. Owen and the 
new Major Bonnaffon, were good examples of the 
incurved section. Not less noteworthy was a bank 
of trusses of winter flowering zonal Pelargoniums. A 
great number of sorts were present, of which Duchess 
ofYork, St. Cecilia, Red Eagle, Lady Newton, Red 
Bartram, Blue Beard, Lord Iddesleigh and Delicata 
were some of the most meritorious although the 
truth of the old saying that “ comparisons are odious ” 
was here well illustrated, for all were good. A 
Silver Gilt Banksian Medal recompensed Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons for their bright and effective exhibit. 
A number of cut blooms of Chrysanthemums 
also came from Mr. G. Wythes, gardener to Earl 
Percy, Syon House, Brentford, for which a Silver 
Banksian Medal was awarded. The flowers, although 
not large, were neat and well-coloured examples ; 
Etoile de Lyon, Wm. Seward, and the inevitable 
Chas. Davis, and Viviand Morel being some of the 
best. A very pretty group of plants of the grand 
decorative white Ewan Cameron came from Mr. 
Goble, Walcot Nursery, Ryde, Isle of Wight. The 
plants were well grown, dwarf, and marvellously 
floriferous. Mr. Slogrove (gardener to Mr. Craw¬ 
ford, Gatton, Reigate) contributed twelve grand 
blooms of Thunberg, and a like number of the 
lovely white Mdlle. Marie Hoste, all of which bore 
evidences of superior culture (Bronze Banksian 
Medal.) H. Briscoe-Ironside, Esq., Burgess Hill, 
showed a number of good blooms, amongst which 
Monte Rosa, Arona, and Aggebbio figured conspicu¬ 
ously. Mr. Jones (gardener to Mrs. Jones, Greenford 
Place, Sudbury), showed bunches ot single Chrysan¬ 
themums, amongst which some wonderfully pretty 
shades were to be observed (Bronze Banksian 
Medal). Mr. Robert Owen, Maidenhead, also ex¬ 
hibited blooms of new varieties of Chrysanthemums, 
Vicar of Bray, M. Aug de Lacvivier, and John 
Lightfoot being a few of the finest. A splendid 
specimen of Dracaena latifolia came from Mr. C. 
Last, (gardener to H. O. O'Hagan, Esq., River 
House, Hampton Court. 
Vegetables were absent entirely from the exhibi¬ 
tion tables, but fruit was fairly represented. A 
Silver Gilt Knightian Medal was awarded to Mr. 
W. H. Divers, gardener to the Duke of Rutland, 
Belvoir Castle, Grantham, for a superb exhibit of 
Apples and Pears. About one hundred dishes were 
staged ; such Apples as Duke of Gloucester, Annie 
Elizabeth, Flower of Kent, King of the Pippins, 
Golden Noble, Lady Henniker, and Golden Winter 
Pearmain ; and Pears like Beurre Clairgeau, Mare- 
chal de La Cour, Cattillac, and Louise Bonne of 
Jersey were all in splendid order. Silver Gilt Bank¬ 
sian Medal. 
A Silver Banksian Medal for a smaller exhibit, 
comprising fifty dishes of Apples and Pears fell to 
the share of Mr. H. Becker, Jersey. The Pears, 
especially were of large size, notably Triomphe de 
Jodoigne, Beurre Diel, Doyenne du Domice, and 
Duchesse d’Angouleme ; whilst the Apples, although 
not large, were of good shape and well-coloured. 
Mr. Owen Thomas, gardener to Her Majesty The 
Queen, Frogmore, obtained a Silver Gilt Banksian 
Medal for a dozen and a half Pineapples, large and 
well-finished. Bunches of Grape Chasselas 
Napoleon, from a graft upon Muscat of Alexandria 
that w'ere contributed by Mr. J. Smith, gardener to 
Lord Rosebery, Mentmore, Leighton Buzzard, 
received a cultural commendation. A very interest¬ 
ing exhibit was that made by the Rev. J. R. Dumme- 
low, Membury Parsonage, Devonshire, of Black 
Hamburgh Grapes grown and ripened out-of-doors. 
