756 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 30, 1858. 
des Cannes on the July 14th, 1896, and by 
Little William on the 28th of that month. 
A second prize only was awarded to the 
first named, and none to the other variety. 
The earliest Pear recognised with a first 
prize was Jargonelle, on August nth At 
the succeeding meeting, out of five Pears 
the first award was given to Beurre de 
l’Assomption, and during succeeding meet¬ 
ings of the same year similar awards were 
made in succession to Souvenir du Congres, 
Thompson’s, Doyenne du Comice, at two 
successive meetings, Beurre d’Anjou, 
Beurre de Buisson, Winter Nelis, (on two 
separate occasions), Passe Crassanne, and 
Beurree Ranee. The latter was shown on 
March 9th, 1897, after which no more 
first prizes were ' awarded till Jargo¬ 
nelle appeared on August 10th following. 
It will thus be seen that no Pear got more 
than one first prize, with the exception of 
Doyenne du Comice and Winter Nelis. 
This is probably explainable by the fact 
that they are of short duration after they 
become fit for use. Possibly this also ex¬ 
plains why Williams’ Bon Chretien only 
managed to secure one first prize during the 
two years’ competition. For market work it 
enjoys a greater popularity than any other 
Pear, and is grown in corresponding 
quantity, but is of very short duration. 
Competition was briskest during September, 
October and November, after which, as is 
well known to every gardener, Pears rapidly 
disappear from the show boards. 
-- 
Midland Carnation and Picotee Show.—Owing to 
the lateness of the season the annual exhibition of 
the Midland Carnation and Picotee Society has been 
postponed from July 27th and 28th to August 5th 
and 6th. 
Mr. Douglas at Southampton.—At the Southern 
Counties Carnation and Picotee Society's show on 
the 22nd inst., Mr. James Douglas, of Edenside, 
Great Bookbam, Surrey, was a very successful 
competitor. He won the Challenge Cup for bunches 
of undressed Carnations. He also secured the first 
prizes for twelve bizarres and flakes, twelve Picotees, 
and for twelve yellow ground Picotees, for which he 
can hold his own against anybody. Out of five 
premier blooms for which prizes are given in different 
classes of Carnations, he was the winner of three, 
namely, the premier flake or bizarre, with Phoebe; 
the premier yellow-ground Picotee with Mohican ; 
and the premier white-ground Picotee, with Fortrose. 
Jedburgh Amateur Horticultural Society. — The 
summer show of this enterprising little society took 
place at the Corn Exchange, Jedburgh, on Saturday 
last when an excellent all round display of flowers, 
fruit and vegetables was staged ; and taken as a 
whole the exhibition was most successful, and com¬ 
pared very favourably with previous years. Amongst 
the exhibits not for competition may be specially 
mentioned that of Mr. William Neil, Jedburgh who 
had a fine collection of plants grown with pure 
Ichihemic Guano for which he is the local agent. 
Messrs. Laing and Mathers, Kelso, and C. Itvine, 
Jedburgh, had also an exhibition of a first-class 
assortment of Rotes, etc. 
Table decorations at Tiverton.—At the recent show 
at Tiverton the most effective arrangement in the 
dinner table competitions was made by using white 
and pink Carnations, with Sweet Peas of pale pink, 
the whole lightened with grasses, light Ferns and 
Asparagus plumosa. This first prize table was 
much admired. The second was also very well 
done ; in this case, however, white Carnations were 
intermixed with a bright scarlet, and was not nearly 
so pleasing. In the vase or basket competition the 
viming stand was a most light and charming 
arrangement, and as it stood was doubtless a lesson 
to many in the way of making a little go a long way. 
One gilded basket with Pyrethrum uliginosum B 
grasses and an immense scarlet silk bow among the 
llooms did net meet with many admirers. 
The Maze.—Probably the best example of the 
maze, with its closely clipped hedges and its sinuous 
and mysterious paths, apparently never-ending, is at 
Hotel del Monte, Monterey, Cal., U.S.A. As an 
instance of topiary art, now gone out of fashion, the 
maze was at one time a popular feature in English 
public gardens. The one at Hampton Court is the 
best living example in this country of a past craze. 
International Horticultural Exhibition at Lyon.s— 
The programme of this exhibition, which the city of 
Lyons is organising for September 1st next, has just 
appeared. It will be sent to an}one asking for it by 
M., the president of the commission of organisation, 
16, Rue d'Algerie, Lyons. The exhibition is con¬ 
sidered ta have an exceptional importance. From 
September 1st—4th, Lyons will be the rendezvous of 
all who have a name in horticulture. 
Messrs. Alex. Lister & Son, at Newcastle.—The 
special Silver Banksian Medal of the R H S., 
awarded to this firm at the Newcastle show on the 
13th, 14th and 15th inst. was for twenty-four sprays 
of Violas, for which they also had the first prize. 
The same firm tcok the first awards for forty-eight 
Pansies, distinct; and twenty-four show Pansies, 
distinct; and the second award for twenty-four fancy 
Pansies also went to them. The heavy loamy soil of 
the Meadowbank Nurseries, Barone Road, Rothe¬ 
say, where Messrs. A. Lister & Son grow so many 
florists’ flowers, must be highly suitable for Pansies 
and Violas. 
Oxford Cottager’s Garden and Allotment Show 
Society.—The fourth annual exhibition of this society 
was held on July 21st in Cockfield Hall Park. 
There was an excellent and varied display of flowers, 
fruit and vegetables, and a nice collection of plants, 
not for competition, was staged by Mr. R. W. Dalby, 
local agent to the Ichthemic Guano Co. The classes 
for vegetables were by far the most numerous, as is 
natural in the case of a show for cottagers and allot¬ 
ment holders, and the prizes were in many cases well 
contested. Mostly all the prizes consisted of money, 
but for a collection of vegetables, six varieties, the 
first prize consisted of a pair of trousers, and the 
third of 2J cwt. of coal, which will be more appre¬ 
ciated after the hot weather is gone. 
The Palm Swindlers.—Some ingenious scoundrels 
in the United States have been making a good thing 
of it of late. Their particular “ lay " is to give orders 
for Palms to be delivered at the houses of well known 
residents of the various towns and cities they have 
chosen for their nefarious enterprise, and then under 
some pretext to get these plants into their own 
hands, afterwards selling them at ridiculously low 
prices. The favourite dodge is for the man who 
ordered the plants to obtain the permission of the 
servants of the houses at which the plants are to be 
delivered to stand a few plants in the background for 
a time. He then meets the delivery van and indi¬ 
cates the place at which the plants are to be set 
down. After the van has gone he then removes his 
plunder at his convenience. A number of such cases 
have been reported. 
Bulb Prospects for 1898 .—At the last meeting of 
the “ Verzendersbond ” (an association of Holland 
bulb-growers and exporters to the U. S. A. consist¬ 
ing of twenty-one of the leading firms in Holland) 
held at Lisse, Holland, on July 6th, 1898, the follow¬ 
ing report about the crop of bulbs for the season 
1898 has been made out As already reported to 
many trade papers in Europe and the U. S. 
America, this season will be a very disappointing 
one for all engaged in the cultivation and sale of 
bulbs. From Japan and France reports say that 
good stcck is scarce, and every grower in our 
country reports a poor crop. As known, this was 
caused by an abnormally mild winter, followed by 
one of the worst springs we ever had, and frost, 
winds and cold, wet weather have shattered the out¬ 
look for a good, even for a moderate crop. 
Hyacinths have suffered, most cf all, for they 
especially need, fine, warm weather, aDd the results 
are that the size of Hyacinths is very small, and 
that fine, well shaped bulbs are hard to find. Tulips 
have not suffered quite as much but still enough to 
bring mostly medium sized bulbs. Narcissus being 
more hardy came out best of all, but even here we 
can only expect fair, medium sized bulbs, and fine 
stock will not be plentiful. 
A new Explosive.—A serious but rather curious 
accident occurred recently at Bovey Tracey to a ser¬ 
vant at the King of Prussia Inn. He threw on the 
fire in an American stove a quantity of old French 
Beans. The result was that they exploded and blew 
off the top of the stove, whilst the servant and the 
aunt of the inn proprietor were both badly burnt 
about the face and arms. Both the victims of the 
accident are progressing favourably. 
Trifolium resupinatum.—This Clover is a native of 
Western Continental Europe and of the Mediter¬ 
ranean Region, yet it has found its way by some 
occult means or other to the banks of the upper, 
tidal Thames and above it. The tufted stems are about 
6 in. long,and lie all round the central rootstock, rising 
somewhat at their tips, and producing their bright 
rose heads of sprightly flowers poised on short, 
slender stalks. The standards are beautifully 
striped with a darker colour; and the flowers are 
quite as deliciously scented as Melilot. If it should 
become thoroughly naturalised it will be an interest¬ 
ing addition to the Thames Valley flora. 
The Consumption of Coffee.—The inhabitants of the 
United States are the greatest Coffee drinkers in the 
world, for they consume more than all the people of 
Europe put together. In 1897 Europeans used 
305,150 tons, as against 318,170 tons in the United 
States, according to the table quoted by the Board 
of Trade Journal. This is the first year that the 
balance has inclined to America in comparison with 
the whole of Europe, for in 1896 Europeans used 
about 27,000 tons in excess of the Yankees. Amongst 
the nations of Europe, Germany, with 136,390 tons, 
and France, with 77,310 tons, consumed the most 
Coffee. Britishers account for only 12,420 tons, and 
Italians for 12,500 tons. 
Carnations that do not split the calyx.—It is satis¬ 
factory to note that amongst the hundreds of Carna¬ 
tions being raised at the present day special attention 
is given to those which do not burst the calyx. This 
desirable quality is not the sole recommendation of 
the varieties selected, but it is cne of them ; and the 
gardener or raiser, who would discard an otherwise 
good flower, but deficient in this respect, deserves 
well of his fellow gardeners. Quite recently we 
noted a number of varieties having this recommenda¬ 
tion amongst those raised by Martin R. Smith, Esq. 
(gardener, Mr. C. Blick), The Warren, Hayes, Kent. 
The varieties we refer to are all Malmaison Carna¬ 
tions, specially liable, as a rule, to split the calyx if 
not prevented from doing so by tying. The under¬ 
mentioned require no such artificial assistance to 
expand properly. Nautilus is a delicately pale or 
blush form ; The Geisha is rosy-salmon ; and Mrs. 
de Satge, that recently received an Award of Merit 
from the Royal Horticultural Society, comes into 
the same category. Calypso is flesh-coloured and 
white, the outer petals being ultimately pure white ; 
the form is very fine and the flower fragrant, as are 
all, or most, of the Malmaison varieties. Iolanthe is 
the most fragrant of all the above varieties, and is 
bright scarlet with a rosy reverse. 
A Wonderful Beech Hedge.—On the Perth and 
Blairgowrie road, a little over a mile from Cargill 
railway station, and about half a mile from the 
village of Meikleour on some property belonging to 
the Marquis of Lansdowne, is what is probably the 
finest Beech hedge in the country. The trees com¬ 
posing it average about 80 ft. in height, and they are 
clothed with leaves and branches right to the ground. 
Local tradition has it that the trees were planted in 
the year 1746, a critical time in Scottish history. A 
dyke runs along the front of the hedge, and it is said 
that a number of the men employed in building it 
left to take up their claymores and follow Bonnie 
Prince Charlie to the fatal battle of Culloden in 
1746. At this rate the hedge is 152 years old. For 
many years it was allowed to grow as it liked, and 
as the result the branches spread across the high¬ 
road, and greatly impeded the traffic. This caused 
the cutting back of the branches, and steps were 
subsequently taken by the proprietor to have the 
hedge pruned every five or six years. The operation 
is performed by men mounted on ladders furnished 
with wheels which can be easily moved from one end 
of the hedge to the other, a distance of 480 yards. 
Large numbers of tourists annually visit the place 
in order to see this remarkable wall of green, which 
again in the autumn puts on the loveliest tints. 
