December 25, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
269 
109 points for twenty-four dishes of Apples and 
Pears ; the Pye Trophy (£5 5s ), for twelve sprays of 
Vio'as to Mr. R. T. Dougall; Barr Trophy (£y ys.), 
for Daffodils, to Mr J. W. Jones, Woking, who also 
takej the Club Trophy and two Silver Medals; 
Carler Page Trophy for Chinese Chrysanthemums, 
to Mr. F. M. Vokes, Southampton. Mr. A. J. 
Foster, Mrs. Harman, and Mr. A. Lewis received 
certificates ; and Mrs. Norris won the leading aggre¬ 
gate prize fur the highest number of points (142) 
scored during the period from March to December. 
The Sutton Trophy (£21), the Cannell Trophy, the 
Fidler Trcphy, together with the special priz'S 
offered by Mr. H. J. Jones and Messrs. Carter, Page 
& Co., all found worthy recipients. 
All these prizes were announced by Mr. L. Brown, 
the hon. secretary, who then delivered an entertain¬ 
ing and humorous speech, proposing the toast of 
"The Trade and Donors of Trophies and other 
Prizes,” coupling with it the names of Mr. Robert 
Fife and Mr. Frank Cant, of Colchester. Mr. R. 
Fife responded with thanks on behalf of his col¬ 
leagues for the reception with which they had been 
greeted, and said that the gratification of the 
receivers of the prizes was equally shared by the 
givers, and they looked forward to many years of 
successful working by the N A G.A. Mr. F. Cant 
said that the absence of a Rose Trophy hitherto in 
the society's schedule would be repaired next year,the 
announcement being received with great enthusiasm. 
Mr.C.T.Green proposed “The Ladies ” in an appre¬ 
ciative and humorous manner, and was well received, 
it being generally realised that a very great eclat had 
been lent to the proceedings by the presence of so 
many of the fair sex. Mr. F. G. Swales (assist, hon. 
gen. secretary) in responding, expressed a sentiment 
which was unanimously endorsed. "The Press" 
was proposed by Mr. D. B. Crane (deputy chair¬ 
man), and responded to by Mr. Geo. Gordon and 
Mr. A. E. Stubbs. The former proposed “The 
Chairman ” which was received with musical 
honours. Mr. T. W. Sanders responded assuring 
them of his earnest and continued interest in the 
affairs of the association, and thanked them for their 
support and attendance that night. The plants used 
in the decoration of the hall were supplied by Messrs. 
J. Laing& Sons, and the cut flowers by Mr. Norman 
Davis, and on the motion of the chairman, Mr. J. H. 
Laing and Mr. Davis addressed the meeting. The 
speeches generally were short, and a long pro¬ 
gramme of music rendered the evening highly 
enjoyable. 
CATTLE, FRUIT, AND FLOWERS AT 
IPSWICH. 
The annual show of the Suffolk Fat Cattle Club and 
Fruit and Flower Exhibition was held at the Drill 
Hall, Ipswich, on Monday and Tuesday, December 
13th and 14th. The weather being very unfavourable, 
there were not quite so many visitors as usual. 
The H ill or ladies' compartment containing the 
flowers, fruit, &c., which concerns us most, had 
undergone a complete transformation, being artisti¬ 
cally arranged to represent " Ye Olde Gyppes wicke.” 
In the centre was a representation of the Old 
Market Cross, which was used as a band-stand upon 
which the band of the Han. Artillery Company, 
under the able conluctorship of Mr. E Walker, 
bandmaster, performed. A little further down was 
a solid-looking and imposing structure representing 
the Old West Gate, guarded on either side by four 
mm in steel armour with drawn swords. At the 
end of the hall was a representation of " Ye Olde 
Town Hall.” This was utilised for the display of 
butter, bread, and poultry. 
The groups of foliage plants, and flowers were a 
grert attraction, as also were the table decorations. 
Miss A. Orpen, West Bergho’.t,secured the first prize, 
and Miss A. Dudley, The Hermitage, Melton, took 
second ; while Miss Steward, Grayham House, 
Ipswich, came third. For baskets of flowers, Miss 
Orpen of West Bergholt came first ; and Miss Elli- 
ston,Stoke Hall,Ipswich,took second. Mr.C. Clover, 
Westgate Street, Ipswich, was the winner of the first 
prize for groups of foliage plaots and flowers; Mr. 
R. C. Notcutt, Ipswich, second; and Mr. H. T. 
Southgate, Spring Road, Ipswich, took the th'rj. 
There was quite a display of shoulder bouquets and 
buttonholes. Miss Orford, Castle Hill, Ipswich, 
obtained first prize ; Miss Orpen came second ; and 
Miss Elliston third. 
Fruit was not strongly represen'ed, much of it 
being shown not for competition. Mr. F. Cresswell, 
Stoke Gardens,Ipswich, secured first with six dishes 
of desert Apples; and Mr. W. L. Fox, Werstal 
Road, Ipswich, was a good second. In Pears, Mr. 
F Cresswell was again to the front. 
In the vegetable department there was a strong 
competition, especially in the collections of six 
varieties. Mr. F. Prythe, Bromford, took first; and 
Mr. A. Wagstaff, Werstal Road, Ipswich, 
secured second. There was a large quantity of 
Potatos, Mr. A. L’llistone, of Stowmarket, taking 
several prizes. 
--f-- 
SYON HOUSE. 
Year by year the indefatigable energy of Mr. Wythes 
is adding to the beauty and efficiency of the fine old 
gardens at Syon House. A huge establishment, such 
as this, has many demands upon its resources, but in 
addition to the work the supply of these entails, time 
is found for projecting and executing various improve¬ 
ments. 
We found a noticeable instance of this during a 
recent visit, in the subject of the large conservatory 
wh ch is such a feature of the place, and in the 
internal arrangements of which some alterations that 
cannot fail to be also improvements were being 
made. As most, if not all, of our readers are fully 
aware, this huge conservatory describes a crescent 
with its horns pointing due south. The central block 
is a rectangular building of great height surmounted 
by a dome. This is filled with Palms and other 
plants requiring a stove temperature. 
From this centre there runs out at either end a 
comparatively narrow compartment which is kept 
cooler and is devoted to greenhouse plants. Until 
quite recently the wings were fitted with a single 
path down the centre and stages on each side of it, 
on which pot plants were stood. Naturally enough, 
a considerable amount of work was needed to keep 
these compartments well and suitably furnished at all 
seasons of the year. 
This arrangement has now been done away with, 
for beds, in which the various subjects may be 
permanently planted, are in process ol construction. 
Instead of the single central walk, there is a path 
right round, a roomy bed of soil occupying part of 
the site formeily taken up by the old path. Narrower 
beds have been formed next to the perimeter of the 
house. These will accommodate the climbers with 
which the roof is to be covered. When completed, 
this house will present a very much improved 
appearance, and its value as a winter garden will be 
much increased. 
In the smaller plant houses we found a good deal 
to interest us. In one was a fine collection of 
Nepenthes in robust health. The plants were well 
furnished with pitchers and suspended as they were 
from the roof, exhibited their distinctive features 
to the greatest advantage. N. mixta, N. hookeriana, 
N. rafflesiana, N. americana, N. Curtisii, N. C. 
superba, N. Morganiae, and N. dicksoniana helped 
to make up a representative collection. On the stage 
beneath the Nepenthes v as standing a general 
collection of warm Orchids. At the end of the house 
stood a row of fine healthy plants of Vanda teres. 
These were accommodated in 48-sized pots, and we 
were informed that they had bloomed freely this 
season. 
In a cool house a splendid batch of some sixty well- 
flowered plants of Cypripedium insigne was a great 
attraction. Here, too, we saw some neat specimens 
of the pretty Pinguicula caudata, the plants carrying 
a number of ihe bright rosy flowers. 
In other warm houses Vanilla planifolia is culti¬ 
vated largely, and wi.h considerable success by Mr. 
Wythes. The plants are trained up wires supported 
by the back wall. They are growing in a box running 
the whole length of the house, and measuring a fcot 
in depth by 15 in. in width. This is filled with peat 
and broken crocks, with a few nodules of charcoal 
here and there. The fruit houses held much that 
was interesting. The early Peach house containing 
healthy trees of such varieties as Amsden June, 
Alexandra, and Hales Early was started on the 
25th November, and will yield ripe fruit by about the 
third week in April. A very noticeable feature about 
these trees was the careful and wonderfully neat 
fashion in which they hid been trained, every shoot 
being in its proper place ; indeed, it would be difficult 
to imagine more perfectly fan trained specimens than 
these. We see so much slovenliness with regard to 
the tying in of fruit trees, thit a striking example 
such as this is all the more noteworthy. 
In the large vinery the Grapes were still hanging, 
such varieties as Lady Downes’ Seedling, Trebbiano, 
Alicante, Gros Maroc, and Barbarossa being repre¬ 
sented by some well finished bunches. 
The earliest Grapes will be gathered from two- 
year-old Vines of Mr. Wythe>’ own raising ; in fact, 
we may say here that all the canes necessary are 
raised at Syon House from eyes, and are not bought 
in. This earliest house was started on the 15th of 
October, Black Hambro'and Foster's Seedling being 
the varieties. 
A good deal of difficulty is experienced in dealing 
With winter Cucumbers, the fogs proving exception¬ 
ally troublesome. Nevertheless, success is attained, 
and we were much pleased with the appearance of a 
batch of plants in 12 in. pots that were just beginning 
to get a hold of the wires. Very little stopping or 
pinching is done, as it is found that the plants must 
be encouraged to grow as freely as possib'e if they 
are to do well. 
The forcing of Strawberries is one of the most 
important cultures in the establishment, for the 
demand for forced fruit is very great, and once the 
supply is started it has to be kept going until the out¬ 
door plants come to the rescue of the forced ores. 
Upwards of 5,000 Strawberry plants pass through 
the forcing houses in one season—a gigantic task. 
Royal Sovereign is now the variety chiefly depended 
on. Keens’ Seedling, and Auguste Nicaise, which 
have up to the present been forced in quantity, 
have been discarded this season. 
-— 
Hardening Miscellany. 
ROMAN HYACINTHS. 
I do not know if it is the general experience cf culti¬ 
vators of Roman Hyacinths to have them flower 
freely early in November without subjecting them in 
some form to forcing ? We potted, at three different 
times, bulbs to keep up a supply of cut flowers till 
spring, but I notice that those potted about the end 
September, and grown in an unheated pit, are 
throwing up their flowers strongly and abundantly. 
Those which have been flowering freely are assisted 
with liquid manure, and will likely throw up a second 
batch of flowers as a late supply. We never took 
less pains to get early flowers of these favourites, and 
never were better supplied. These are grown very 
extensively in many S sottish gardens. Some pot 
or pan them by the thousand. Sandy loam, in 
which a third of the compost is well decayed 
manure, is very suitable for Roman Hyacinths. To 
get fine spikes for cutting it is not judicious to plant 
the bulbs too thickly. They should be kept as near 
to the glass as possible when they are taken from the 
covering of ashes or whatever material they are 
started under.— M. T ., Ca ron, N.B. 
ACACIA CELASTRIFOLIA. 
The above name was given to a form of Acacia from 
Australia by the late Mr G. Bsntham ; but the 
plant has since been considered as a variety only of 
A. myrtifolia, so that it should now read as A. myr- 
tifolia celastrifolia. It was introduced from the 
Swan River in 1842, but at present is not at all com¬ 
mon in collections. The leaves are not unlike those 
of a Myrtle in shape, but in their deep sea-green hue 
they recall A. cultriformis, which is better known in 
private collections. A coloured figure of it is given 
in the Bulletlino della R. Societd Tiscam di Oriicultura, 
for Novemher, 1897. If has flowered with Sig. Fas- 
quale Motta, of Florence, who recommends it for the 
precocity, abundant and prolonged flowering of the 
plant, and its hardiness in Italy, la Britain, of 
course, it would require a greenhouse temperature. 
The glaucous leaves are ovate, and the small flowers 
are crowded in small globular heads, which again are 
arranged in long racemes drooping from the axils of 
the leaves. They are of a beautiful yellow and 
pleasantly scented. 
