September 19, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
45 
and Egandale. A house devoted to the culture of 
Cacti attracted attention by reason of its curious 
and beautiful occupants. 
In the outside department, the Dahlias (in all the 
sections) were presenting masses of colour; the 
varieties, too, grown are only of the most select 
character. How very effective are the Cactus 
shaped varieties. Oporto Tait is considered to be 
the finest scarlet yet sent out. 
An immense stock of Chrysanthemums was noted, 
some 6,ooo plants, in fine health, promising well for 
future floral results. The selection of hardy her¬ 
baceous plants grown by the firm is a good one. 
Much more might be said with regard to Swanley 
did space permit. I therefore pass on to 
Eynsford, 
where a wonderful display of China Asters was 
observed. They were a gorgeous and delightful 
sight, representing as they did all the most note¬ 
worthy varieties in commerce, and occupying some 
three acres of ground. The display of hardy flowers 
(annuals, etc.), generally, has been a good one here 
this year. Owing, however, to the hot dry weather 
experienced, the flowering season has not been so 
prolonged as usual. Some fine beds of Onions 
were noticed, including such sterling sorts as Cran¬ 
ston’s Excelsior, Ailsa Craig, etc. 
Altogether, the deputation from Hammersmith 
spent an enjoyable day by the courtesy of Messrs. 
H. Cannell & Sons, and to some the visit was of 
great educational value .—One of the Visitors. 
-- 
LAW NOTICE. 
Unstamped Measures. 
A prosecution of no small importance to market 
gardeners and the general public was commenced 
before the Brentford Justices on the 5th inst. Mr. 
Alfred Reffell, Market Gardener, Staines, and of 
Brentford Market, was summoned under the Weights 
and Measures Acts, at the instance of Inspector W. 
Tyler, for using a measure that was not duly stamped. 
According to the evidence, John Mason asked 
defendant’s salesman at the Brentford Market, the 
price of Peas per bushel, and the salesman said 
“ two shillings.” Mason bought a bushel of Peas, 
which were tipped into his cart. Thereupon the in¬ 
spector, who was standing by, seized the bushel basket 
as an unstamped measure, and therefore illegal. 
The inspector gave Mr. Reffell’s salesman a chance 
to get a duly stamped measure and test the bushel 
basket he had used, or to come to the office and get 
it stamped ; but such a measure could not be found 
in the market nor was the basket taken to the office 
to be stamped even after the expiry of a month. 
Hence these proceedings. 
The case came on forasecond hearing on the 12th 
inst, when Alfred Reffell appeared to an adjourned 
summons, taken out by Mr. Walter Tyler, inspector 
under the Weights and Measures Act for West 
Middlesex, for having an unstamped measure in his 
possession. Mr. Stephen Woodbridge, solicitor, 
appeared on behalf of the inspector, and Mr. Biron, 
barrister, represented the defendant. For the 
defence, Mr. Biron contended that the basket in 
which the Peas were placed was not a measure, but 
simply used as an article of “ conveyance,” and, 
therefore, not liable to be stamped. It was known 
in the trade by the three different names of sieve, 
bushel and basket; but that the term " bushel ” 
never imp'ied that the article was used as a 
measure. 
Mr. Reffell on the first hearing of the case added 
to the evidence that it was the custom of the trade 
not to sell by measure, but that buyers took the 
baskets of fruit as they saw them. Mr. William 
Poupart, of Twickenham, and president of the 
Market Gardeners’, Nurserymen and Farmers’ 
Association said that the baskets were not known as 
measures in the trade, but that any buyer in the 
wholesale “ line ’’ had his Potatos and other produce 
served to him in such baskets, and never thought of 
asking to have the produce measured. Fruit and 
vegetables were sold by parcel and not by measure. 
The baskets could not be used as measures, because 
they were always varying in size according to age, 
the effect of the weather and bad usage. He con¬ 
sidered it would ruin the trade if these baskets had 
to be stamped. To each of these several statements 
brought forward as evidence, the chairman of the 
bench replied that the customs pursued were 
illegal. John Aspbee, superintendent of Covent 
Garden Market, and other witnesses gave similar 
evidence. After a leogthy argument between Mr. 
Biron, and Mr. Montague Sharpe, the Chairman of 
the Bench, Mr. Sharpe, said that the Bench were 
unanimous in their opinion that if a bushel basket 
was used in any transaction, it must be denominated 
as an Imperial measure, and must, therefore, be 
stamped. The defendant would be fined 203., and 
have to pay £3 10s. costs. The bench would be 
willing to grant a case, because they considered the 
point so important that it would be advisable to have 
it settled by a higher court. 
SOCIETIES. 
GLASGOW SHOW. 
The Autumn Show of the Glasgow and West of 
Scotland Horticultural Society was, as usual, held 
in St. Andrew’s Halls on Wednesday and Thursday, 
the 2nd and 3rd inst. Mr. J. G. A, Baird, M.P., 
formally declared the exhibition open. Mr. John 
Coats, who is now the Secretary and Treasurer, is 
to be congratulated upon the tout ensemble of a well 
managed exhibition. Mr. Baird, in his opening 
remarks, demurred to the practice of showing Pansies 
and Carnations with paper collars, and considered 
that these blooms showed themselves to much 
greater advantage if, instead of being decapitated, 
they were shown in a proper receptacle either of 
glass or pot-ware. 
Generally the season has been a favourable one 
for plants and vegetables, and of this the exhibits 
furnished ample evidence. Plants arranged for effect 
were considered best shown by Mr.H Millar,gardener 
at Auchenraitb,Bothwell,wbohad laid levy upon some 
excellent Crotons, Eulalia, Grasses, and Pancratiums. 
Mr. David Wilson Westmount was first with a very 
excellent lot of Orchids, whilst in the classes for 
bouquets and sprays, Mr.Mackintyre, of Helensburgh 
was adjudged first honours. The herbaceous flowers 
made a very strong show, and were in themselves an 
exceedingly fine feature. In the fruit classes that 
well-known cultivator, Mr. John Leslie, of Pitcullen 
House, Perth, again carried all before him, his 
Grapes being fully up to his average form. In the 
class for the heaviest bunch his entry scaled 9 lb. 
Messrs. Austin and McAslan had with commendable 
forethought presented for competition a Silver Cup 
for the best collection of vegetables. This naturally 
elicited a very keen competition, and af.er some 
difficulty in the adjudication, owing to the strong 
entries, the trophy was eventually carried by Mr. 
John Gray, of Uddington. The same firm also 
materially assisted in the interior display by a very 
effective decoration of the platform of the large hall, 
in which excellent use had been made in the tasteful 
arrangement of extra plants, Ferns, Lilies, Crotons, 
grasses of all kinds, interspersed with Begonias and 
Liliums in flower, flanked on either side with a fine 
group of bedding Begonias, and supported in the 
distance with several Japanese Maples. 
From Messrs. J. and R. Thyne, Great Western 
Nurseries,Glasgow,came a very striking contribution, 
which was, perhaps, one of the finest pieces of group¬ 
ing ever staged by this firm. Here were to be found 
fine Crotons and Dracaenas with a ground work of 
Ferns, and an effective edging of variegated Pani- 
cum. 
Messrs. Smith & Simons showed in a well designed 
group—Hydrangeas, Pancratiums, Orchids, and 
Scarborough Lilies in flower. 
Mr. T. S. Ware, of Hale Farm Nurseries, Totten¬ 
ham, staged a large collection of tuberous Begonias, 
for which he has gained so many distinctions during 
the past few years. 
Messrs. D. and W. Buchanan, of Kippen, showed 
as usual a tasteful exhibit, in which their vine leaves, 
Grapes, and Tomatos were prominent. 
Mr. M. Cuthbertson, of Rothesay, showed hardy 
flowers and vegetables, amongst the former being 
his two new Violas—Mrs. R. Kennedy Mitchell and 
Sweetness. 
Messrs. James Cocker & Sons, Aberdeen, also 
showed herbaceous flowers and early Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, whilst Mr. John Smellie, Busby, came in 
with a variety of blooms, including the seedling 
Viola, “ Lizzie Paul.” Mr. John Foibes, of Hawick, 
came with his favoured Carnation, ” Yuletide." 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, made a special 
feature of Dahlias, which in themselves formed 
quite a show of their own. Singles, doubles, Cactus, 
and, in fact, all the newest varieties were in evidence 
on their stand ; whilst Mr. Matthew Campbell, of 
High Blantyre, also showed a similarly fine exhibit 
in the same section, including the varieties with 
which he obtained so many first prizes at Shrews¬ 
bury a fortnight since. As usual the Ichthemic 
Guano Co. were there. 
Messrs. W. Paterson & Co., of Charing Cross, 
showed a chaste and delicate arrangement of the 
florists’ art, in bouquets, shower and otherwise, and 
some beautiful devices—all of which contributed to 
the success of the show. 
MILTON AND SITTINGBOURNE HORTI¬ 
CULTURAL. 
The ninth annual show of flowers, fruit, and 
vegetables, of the Milton and Sittingbourne Horti¬ 
cultural Society, was held in the Board Schools, 
Milton, Kent, on the 2nd and 3rd inst. It was 
declared by competent judges to be one of the finest 
displays of horticultural produce ever seen in Kent, 
and certainly the finest in that part. Hardy flowers, 
but particularly vegetables, were splendid, and in¬ 
cluded such things as Cauliflowers, Onions, Potatos, 
Marrows, Beans, Tomatos, Turnips, Carrots, and 
Beet, all in magnificent condition. 
The burning and most exciting question, however, 
which the judges had to settle, was which of the 
competing societies had earned the Kent Champion 
Belt, offered by Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, 
Kent. The belt accompanied by substantial money 
prizes, forms a competition which has already existed 
some years, and was instituted by the well-known 
Swanley firm. For a time the belt was retained in 
West Kent, but the Milton Society had an eye upon 
it, and made a great effort to secure the same, and 
succeeded the second time. Then the Rodmersham 
Society secured it in the following year for their own 
parish. The Miltonians were dissatisfied and car¬ 
ried the belt back again last year, in the face of 
great and exciting competition as recorded in these 
pages. The struggle was as keen as ever on the 2nd 
inst., when the Rodmersham Society was again vic¬ 
torious, and now holds the Champion Belt for the 
year. 
These competitions were originally instituted with 
the object of promoting the higher cultivation of 
vegetables by amateur and cottage gardeners. The 
scope of the exhibition was greatly enlarged last 
year, when Mr. H. Cannell, at last year’s exhibition, 
announced that the conditions of the competition 
would be altered for the future, and that fruit and 
flowers would be added to the vegetables. From a 
spectacular point of view there has, therefore, been 
an immense improvement, and the range of horti¬ 
cultural skill has been greatly supplemented. There 
were ten entries for this particular competition, on 
the present occasion, from the following societies : — 
Milton, Ash-next-Sandwich, Chatham, Eynsford, 
Gillingham and New Brompton, Ightham, Milsted, 
Murston, Rodmersham (the winner of the belt), and 
Rochester and Strood. The competition was for 
ten varieties of vegetables, six dishes of hardy fruit, 
and a stand of annuals or other hardy flowers. ' The 
Milton Society had the best display of flowers ; but 
the Rodmersham Society decidedly came to the 
front for fruit, The Apples and Pears were well 
coloured and properly matured. The Cauliflowers, 
Onions, Turnips, Marrows, Beans, Tomatos, Car¬ 
rots, and Beet, were particularly fine. The Milton 
Society was not very far behind, however, for the 
Potatos shown by it were considered the finest in 
the exhibition. The Onions shown by these two 
societies were considered the finest ever seen in 
Kent. 
Amongst other exhibits there was a great improve¬ 
ment in quality over that of former years. Mr. J. 
Butler, of Sittingbourne, had a grand stand of double 
Dahlias which readily secured for him the first 
award. Mr. A. Judges, gardener to Lord Teynham, 
Lynsted, and an old Dahlia grower was second. 
This class was open to nurserymen and gardeners. 
In the gardeners’ and amateurs’ classes, Mr. J. 
Fountain had the best China Asters in good competi¬ 
tion. Mr. W. Champ, gardener to F. C. Lowe, 
Bobbing, had the best Roses. Mr. W. Saunders, 
gardener to A. J. Thomas, Esq., Rodmersham, had 
the best three dishes of Grapes and the best four 
dishes of fruit. Rodmersham sent the best seven 
vegetables; but Mr. E. Chopping, Milton, showed 
the best six and four dishes of Potatos. Messrs. J. 
Carter & Co., offered some special prizes, which 
were taken by Mr. T. Mills, and Mr. G. Lurcock in 
the order named. 
BIRKENHEAD SHOW 
A two days’ exhibition was held on the 2nd and 3rd 
inst., in connection with the Agricultural Show. 
The entries numbered over 900, a considerable 
increase on former years. The exhibits were fully 
up to the usual form, the fruit (especially Grapes) 
and cut flowers being highly creditable. 
For five foliage and five flowering plants, W. H. 
Watts, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Bracegirdle) staged 
the premier lot, the pick being Kentia fosteriana, K. 
