August 25th, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
819 
SPIRAEA ARUNCUS. 
The Goat's Beard Spiraea is one of the most con¬ 
spicuous and beautiful objects of its kind during the 
months of May and June, when the tall stems are 
surmounted by their fluffy or plumy mass of creamy 
yellow flowers. The accompanying illustration was 
prepared from a photograph taken in The Abbey 
Pleasure Grounds, Cirencester. The plant was 
between 5 ft. and 6 ft. in height, and more than that 
in breadth. It was growing on a sloping bank and 
backed up with shrubs affording shelter and pro¬ 
tection from that quarter. Protection, however, is 
not absolutely necessary beyond the fact that shelter 
prevents the stems and flowers from being lashed 
about by the wind, should the weather happen to be 
rough about that time. The plant is by no means 
particular as to soil, and will grow in anything that 
is not too dry and barren. It is well suited for the 
upper reaches of a rockery when the latter is 
sufiflciently large to afford the necessary space. The 
plant may also be grown in the back line of the 
border, in clumps or beds in the pleasure grounds or 
on the margins of lakes, ponds, and ornamental 
water generally. Mr. W. Taylor, the gardener, 
may be congratulated on his possession of so 
thrown together. The Silver Cup has never been 
better won than on this occasion, and the fact that 
an ex-champion of years standing was relegated to 
third place shows that the competition was keenly 
contested. The collection consisted of Veitch’s New 
Intermediate Carrots, Bobbie’s Champion Leek, and 
Invincible Celery, Ailsa Craig Onion, Perfection 
Tomato, Veitch's Autumn Giant Cauliflower, 
Sutton's Peerless Cucumber, and Prizewinner 
Runner Beans, Veitch's Exhibition Brussels Sprouts, 
Alderman Pea, Satisfaction Potato, and Veitch's 
Red Garden Globe Turnip, all without exception 
being marvels of good cultivation. The first prize 
lot were much ahead of the second and third, 
although these would in an ordinary competition 
have been more than creditable. 
As gardeners are always interested in what 
varieties come to the front at these exhibitions, it 
may be well to state that in Cucumbers, Telegraph 
came in first; Lockie’s Perfection, second; and 
Sutton’s Improved Telegraph, third. In Peas, 
Alderman was closely followed by Duke of Albany. 
Veitch’s Autumn Giant Cauliflower stood alone 
in its class, while first, second, and third prizes 
for Tomatos were awarded Perfection. In 
Carrots, first, second, and third prizes went to 
varieties Mr. Mairs was first with Satisfaction, The 
Dean, Sutton's Reading Ruby, Pink Perfection, 
Webb’s Renown, and a variety which appeared to be 
Jarman’s Matchless. 
The fruit classes were weaker. In Apricots the 
first, second and third prizes went to the Moorpark, 
the first in Peaches to Sea Eagle, and the first 
in Nectarines to Pineapple. In Sir John Amory’s 
(gardener, Mr. Grigor), collection of six dishes which 
took first place were Muscat of Alexandria Grapes, 
Sunnybank, Gem Melon, Transparent Gage, 
Morello Cherries, Moorpark Apricot and late 
Admirable Peach. 
For the twelve stove and greenhouse plants (six in 
flower and six foliage), premier honours (the Silver 
Cup), went to W. Brock, Esq., (gardener, Mr. 
Rowland); as did the three flower and three foliage 
in the next class, and the six stove and greenhouse 
plants in the following class. An old exhibitor, Mr. 
Barnes, now gardener to the Rev. A. H. Hamilton 
Gell, of Winslade Park, re-entered the lists and 
made his presence felt by scoring well in the classes 
he entered for, taking premier place in stove and 
greenhouse, and first with his Dracaenas. The 
tuberous-rooted Begonias, single and double, shown 
by Mr. F. Kneel and Mr. A. Kneel (father and son). 
Spiraea Aruncus. 
a specimen, 'and so valuable an adjunct to the 
pleasure grounds. The photograph was taken by 
Mr. T. Gardener, an amateur photographer of 
Cirencester. 
♦ . 
- 
EXETER FLOWER SHOW. 
The famous old Devon and Exeter Horticultural 
Society held its one hundred and seventy-ninth ex¬ 
hibition last Friday, in the beautiful grounds of 
Northembray, adjacent to Rougemont Castle, the 
view from the higher plateau commanding a magni¬ 
ficent and typical Devonshire landscape with the 
rugged tors of Dartmoor flanking the horizon. 
Although rain held off for the day—an unusual thing 
at this show—the weather was dull, rather cold, and 
threatened for rain, thereby interfering with the 
attendance to some extent. The three large 
marquees in which the exhibition was held were 
taxed to their utmost capacity, and, speaking 
generally, the show may be put down as a great 
success. Vegetables are always a great feature at this 
show, and the season was no exception. The great 
attraction in this vegetable tent was the collection 
shown by Sir John Shelley, Bart, (gardener, Mr. 
Mairs). It was a magnificent collection, and there 
was such an all-round excellence in the twelve kinds 
which composed it that it looked as if the first prize 
lots had been collected from the separate classes and 
Veitch’s New Exhibition Carrot for the intermediate 
class, and to Veitch’s Scarlet Model for the Horn 
Carrots. The dish shown by the Rev. A. H. Crewys 
were indeed models of excellence, and were absolutely 
perfect in form and colour, while being of a good 
size at the same time. The rector has long held first 
place in these classes. Canadian Wonder still holds 
its own as a winning variety in dwarf French Beans, 
and so does the old Veitch's Red Garden Globe 
Turnip among white-fleshed turnips. Moore’s 
Cream was first among the Marrows, and no other 
kind was staged. Bobbie’s Blood Red Beet came in 
first, and was very fine, Goldie’s Beet alongside of 
it being very similar in appearance. Some good- 
looking Beet were not cut at all. This is a mistake, 
for Beet cannot be properly judged unless it is cut 
to see the grain. Veitch’s New Exhibition Shallot 
—a purple-skinned variety—took all before it, the 
winning Lettuces (Cos) being Veitch’s Mammoth 
Cos. 
As is always the case at this show, Potatos were 
strongly represented. In white kidneys,' Supreme 
was first and Jarman’s Surprise was second; while 
in coloured kidneys the latter variety was both first 
and second. In white, round. Satisfaction was first 
and Renown second ; and in coloured round. The 
Dean was first and Vicar of Laleham second. For 
quality Cannell’s Victory came first. Schoolmaster 
second, and Prizewinner third. In the class for six 
were magnificent. They held the honours between 
them. The Messrs. Kneel are amateurs, connected 
with the Corporation 'Waterworks in Exeter. 
The great bone of contention among the local 
experts was the group of plants arranged for effect, 
this always being strongly contested. In the open 
class for a group of 12 ft. and 16 ft., oval shape, the 
silver cup went to the Rev. Hamilton Gell, (gardener 
Mr. Barnes,) although he was run very close by W. 
Brock, Esq., (gardener Mr. Rowland.) The prevail¬ 
ing idea in grouping seemed to be much the same 
throughout the competitions. Mr. Barnes, (winner 
of the Cup,) had a light centre of Bamboos flanked 
with grand plants of Campanula pyramidalis alba, 
Agapanthus umbellatus and Hyacinthus candicans, 
Caladium Crotons, Coleus and Cannas were success¬ 
fully used as dot plants, while Francoas and Lilium 
speciosum, helped to give the group an air of 
lightness and grace. An imitation lake in miniature 
with a swan out of all proportion to it did not much 
help the effect, though had the swan been smaller 
the idea would not have been a bad one. Taken all 
round however the group was excellently arranged, 
and did Mr. Barnes much credit. Mr. Rowland’s 
group was also excellent but was deficient in colour. 
The Roses shown in competition by Messrs. 
Curtis, Sanford and Co., were very good. The 
twelve consisted of Marie Baumann, Her Majesty. 
Madame Victor Verdier, Marchioness of London- 
