780 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 6, 1898* 
are well looked after and the collection contains 
every form of note or merit. 
In the open ground huge breaks of Roses and 
violas are to be seen, all the leading varieties of each 
being grown. Some of the Roses are induced to 
bloom early by enclosing large breaks with tempo¬ 
rary glass. Light wooden frameworks are run up 
and these are covered with lights. The variety 
General Jacqueminot seems to be the favourite, and 
our guide informed us that it was by far the best of 
the dark varieties for market work. It can be got 
into bloom comparatively early in the season by the 
method mentioned above. 
Both the establishment at Dyson’s Lane and at 
Millfield are eloquent witnesses of the great business 
energy’and executive ability possessed by Mr. May ; 
and it is therefore not surprising that prosperity has 
crowned his efforts. 
THE WEATHER AND THE CROPS. 
In my rambles through the eastern part of Surrey 
I find that so far as culinary vegetables are con¬ 
cerned, in almost all instances with the exception of 
being later than usual, they present, at the present 
time, a more promising appearance than has been 
the case for several years past, this result being due 
to a more copious rainfall at the required time. 
Peas are in most luxuriant growth, some varieties 
being at least a third above their usual height. The 
various members of the Brassica family, with 
Lettuces and such like succulent subjects, simply 
delight in the showers. Potatos, both in gardens 
and fields, are most promising. The hay crop is 
most abundant; some has been got in with very little 
rain upon it. 
Those of our gardening friends who have this 
extra burden thrown upon them, and have a wet 
time in which to make it are much to be 
commiserated, but now that we have had a good 
spell of haymaking weather we hope they have been 
making hay while the sun has been shining. At the 
same time there are hundreds of acres still standing. 
A scarcity of labour is the plea with the procrastin¬ 
ators. I have been through some districts where 
a few heavy showers would be most welcome. Peas 
and Carrots are evidently suffering from a deficiency 
of moisture. Root crops generally would be much 
benefitted by a downpour. Should Wheat secure 
anything approaching present prices during the 
coming autumn the farmers will have a high time. 
Judging by the present condition of the crops the 
promise of harvest is splendid. I have passed 
through some of the best fields of Wheat I ever saw. 
The same holds good respecting Oats. 
The fruit crop is very variable, with the exception 
of small fruits, which are generally abundant, Goose¬ 
berries and Strawberries remarkably so. Plums 
and Pears are almost a failure in some places, 
in others a moderate crop, and in a few, abundant. 
Apples are a poor crop in many places, and taking 
one variety with another, not more than a moderate 
crop anywhere American blight seems to be in 
stronger force this year than it has been lately, the 
condition of young trees telling a sad tale of careless¬ 
ness somewhere. Intending planters would do well 
to inspect the various nurseries and give those a wide 
berth where the pest exists. 
It may be added that, with the exception of being 
a late season, owing to a low temperature with dull 
weather, while during the last few years there has 
been warmth and sunshine, should we be favoured 
with warm rain shortly, followed by warmer and 
brighter weather, 1898 seems likely as respects the 
fruits of the earth at home, to come out well at the 
close of the year. Outdoor Tomatos will most likely 
prove an exception. They are everywhere in a too 
backward condition to inspire even the most sanguine 
with any bright hopes of success. Peaches and 
Apricots are a fair crop.— W. B. G. 
SOCIETIES. 
TIBSHELF FLORAL, HORTICULTURAL AND 
ROSE.— July 26th. 
The 23rd annual exhibition of this society was 
favoured by splendid weather, and an enormous atten¬ 
dance towards the close of the day. It was held in the 
Colliery Cricket Ground. The Tibshelf Society has 
been a leading organisation of its kind in the Midland 
Counties for many years, and not only holds its own, 
but its recent sho w would seem to have inaugurated 
a new era of prosperity for the society. Sir Charles 
Seely, Bart., of the Tibshelf Collieries close by, 
was present at the show, and congratulated the 
society on the excellence of its exhibition. Mr. A. 
Outram, of London, who was one of the judges, 
averred that the groups were the finest he had seen 
this year, although he had judged at over thirty 
shows. 
The groups in the open class had to be arranged 
for effect, and to occupy a space of 300 sq. ft. Eight 
competitors came forward and put the judges on 
their mettle to decide the relative merits of the ex¬ 
hibits. The prizes offered varied in value from £15 
to £1. The premier honour was secured by Mr. 
Joseph Ward, gardener to T. H. Oakes, J.P., Rid- 
dings House, Alfreton, who is well known as an 
eminent and successful exhibitor, particularly at 
Tibshelf, where he has won the first prize for many 
years in succession. His group was remarkable 
for the light and graceful character of the plants 
and their arrangement, some of them being of great 
beauty and value. He won easily. Mr. J. T. 
Nelson, gardener to A. Barnes, Esq , won the second 
prize. Messrs. W. Arlingdale & Sons, were third; 
Mr. Wagg came in fourth; Mr. W. Haslam, of 
Hardstoft, fifth ; and Mr. Vickers, the sixth. 
The Roses were good and the competition keen. 
Messrs. Harkness & Son, Bedale, Yorks., were in 
good form, and took leading prizes for seventy-four, 
forty-eight, and thirty-six blooms, respectively, of 
hybrid perpetual, Tea and Noisette varieties. Oiher 
leading exhibitors in this division were Messrs. D. 
Prior & Sons, Colchester; Messrs. W. Boyes, Derby ; 
and Mr. R. Mack, Catterick Bridge. 
Fruit and vegetables made a very fine display, 
particularly the latter, notwithstanding the unfavour¬ 
able character of the season generally. There was 
keen competition in the vegetable classes by cot¬ 
tagers residing in the parish of Tibshelf and the 
village of Newton. A large number of them are 
actually employed by Sir Charles Seely, Bart. The 
cottage gardens in the neighbourhood are a most 
interesting and wonderful sight. They are, in fact, 
pictures of high class or intense gardening. The 
cottagers may be seen by the dozen, each one trying 
to excel his neighbour with most commendable taste. 
The first class in the schedule, as usual, was devoted 
to the cottagers. The Potatos were clean, smooth 
and shapely, and some of the earlier sorts were of 
great size. Flowers and fruits were also as good as 
last year. Some of the principal exhibitors were 
Messrs. J. Johnson, T. Draycott, C. Searston, W. 
Gibson, and T. Riley. 
The class for amateurs was also well represented, 
and is always a feature of the show. The produce 
exhibited was considered superior to what it has 
been for some years past. The collections of fruit, 
particularly Gooseberries, were excellent. Every¬ 
thing passed off most satisfactorily and pleasantly, 
so that the society is to be congratulated on the 
holding of one of their most successful exhibitions. 
NATIONAL CARNATION ANDPICOTEE (Southern 
Section ).—July 27 th. 
There was a splendid display of Carnations and 
Picotees at the Crystal Palace on the above date, and 
the wisdom of postponing the show from the 21st to 
the 27th was strikingly demonstrated for, owing to 
the lateness of the season many of the flowers would 
have been immature on the earlier date. Upwards 
of 500 entries were staged, from sixty-nine 
exhibitors. The show was a conspicuous success, 
for not only was it well patronised by exhibitors and 
visitors alike, but the quality of the flowers was 
much above the average, particularly self-coloured 
and fancy varieties. 
Carnations. 
Bizarres and Flakes.— Mr. M. Rowan, Clapham, 
staged the leading collection amongst the four ex¬ 
hibitors of twenty-four blooms of Flakes and 
Bizarres in not less than twelve varieties. J. S. 
Hadderly, Robert Lord, Wm, Skirving, Robert 
Houlgrave, Geo. Melville, Merton, Gordon Lewis, 
Constance Graham, Sarah Payne and Admiral Cur- 
zon were his premier varieties. Mr. J. Douglas, 
Edenside, Great Bookham, was a close second, Mr. 
Chas. Turner, Slough, was third ; and Mr. Chas. 
Blick, gardener to Martin R. Smith, Esq., The War¬ 
ren, Hayes, Kent, was fourth. 
There were six competitors for twelve blooms of 
similar material in as many distinct varieties. Here 
the first award fell to the lot of Messrs. Thomson & 
Co , Birmingham, whose best flowers were Merton, 
Guardsman, Master Fred, Vulcan, Gordon Lewis 
and Magpie. Mr. F. A. Wellesley, Woking, was 
second; Mr. C. Phillips, Bracknell, third ; and Mr. 
J. Walker, Thame, Oxon, fourth. There were six 
entries in this class. 
Nine competitors entered for six blooms of Flakes 
and Bizarres, distinct. Here Mr. A. R. Brown, 
Handsworth, Birmingham, led. He was followed in 
order of mention by Mr. F. Hooper, Bath ; Mr. G. 
Cbaundy, Oxford ; Mr. J. Loveder, Bristol; and Mr. 
A. Greenfield, Sutton. 
Selfs. —There were fine stands of twenty-four 
blooms, in twelve varieties. Martin R. Smith, Esq., 
was first with a magnificent lot in which there were 
only five pairs of duplicates. Mrs. Geo. Buchanan, 
Cecilia, Falcon, Helmsman, Kelpie, Archie Norman, 
Hildegarde, Sir Bevys, Firebrand, Purity, Miss 
Judith Harbord, Bomba, Sir Francis Drake, 
Enchantress, Exile, Cordelia, Joan of Arc, Torfrida, 
and Friar Tuck were some of the best. Mr. Jas. 
Douglas was second with a capital lot of blooms. 
Mr. C. Turner was third; Mr. M. Rowan, fourth; 
and Mr. A. Smith, Downley, fifth. 
Seven entries were staged of twelve blooms, dis¬ 
tinct. Here the honours were won by Messrs. 
Thomson & Co., Sparkhill, Birmingham, who had a 
stand of very fine, even blooms. The varieties were 
Her Grace, Exile, Mr. E. Hambro, Percy, Seagull, 
Ruby, Germania, Lady Mary, Nabob, Britannia, 
James Douglas, and a seedling. Mr. C. Phillips was 
second with much smaller, but bright flowers. Mr. 
A. J. Rowberry, South Woodford, was third ; Mr. 
F. A. Willesley, fourth. 
No fewer than twenty competitors staged in the 
class for six blooms, distinct, the first award going to 
Mr. A. R. Brown, who had capital samples of 
Royalty, Mrs. Eric Hambro, Miss A. Campbell, Mrs. 
J. Douglas, Negress, and a seedling. Mr. W. Gor¬ 
ton, jun., Wolston, was second; Mr. R. C. Cart¬ 
wright, Birmingham, third; Mr. A. Chatwin, 
Edgbaston, fourth; and Mr. C. Harden, Dover, was 
fifth. 
For six seifs of any one variety there were seventeen 
entries. Martin R. Smith, Esq, was an easy first 
with the fine yellow Cecilia; Mr. Jas. Douglas, 
second, with Mrs. Eric Hambro ; Mr. C. Phillips, 
third, with Regina; Mr. R. C. Cartwright, fourth, 
with Niphetos ; and Mr. C. Harden, fifth, with Mrs. 
Eric Hambro. 
Fancies. —There were four entries for twenty-four 
fancy varieties. Here Martin R. Smith, Esq, 
added to his previous successes by winning the first 
award with a really magnificent lot. Aglaia, Mule¬ 
teer, St. Gatien, The Cid, Merry Duchess, Elaine, 
Renegade, Maid of Honour, Goldylocks, Zingara, 
Alexander, Electra, Eothen, Allegra, Hidalgo, Don 
Carlos, Lord Lieutenant, Guinevere, Fairy, and Per¬ 
simmon were the varieties. Mr. C. Turner was 
second with much smaller but bright and well 
shaped flowers, Mr. J. Douglas was third, and Mr. 
A. Smith, Downley, fourth. 
Four stands, also of twelve fancies, were staged, 
the first award going to Mr. A. J. Rowberry, the 
second to Mr. C. Phillips, and the third to Mr. J. 
Walker. 
Six fancies was a popular class, for fifteen com¬ 
petitors entered. Messrs. Thomson & Co. were first, 
a superb bloom of Cardinal Wolsey being a special 
attraction. The second, third and fourth prizes fell 
to the lot of Mr. J. W. Ffoulkes, Chester ; Mr. S. A. 
Went, Thames Ditton ; and Mr. F. Hooper respec¬ 
tively. 
In the class for six blooms of one variety there 
were fifteen entries. Mr. Martin Smith was first 
with Hidalgo, and Mr. A. W. Jones, Handsworth, 
second, with Golden Eagle. 
Single Specimens — Bizarres.— Mr. Robert 
Sydenham, Birmingham, had the premier scarlet 
bizarre in Richard Monk ; Mr. A. Chatwin being 
second with Robert Houlgrave ; and Mr. C. Turner, 
third, with the same variety. 
Mr. Sydenham had the best crimson bizarre in 
Master Fred, and was also second with the same 
variety; Mr. C. Phillips being third with J. S. 
Hedderly. 
William Skirving, shown by Mr. Robert Sydenham, 
was adjudged to be the best pink bizarre; Mr. 
