August 7, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
781 
beautiful group of stove and greenhouse plants. 
Messrs. John Peed 6 c Sons, Roupell Park Nurseries, 
Norwood Road, London, staged a large collection of 
hardy cut flowers. The One and All Co., Agar St., 
London, had a fine exhibit of vegetables. Mr. Will 
Taylor, Osborn Nursery, HamptoD, showed three 
stands of Roses. Mr. G. W. Cummins staged a 
group of Cacti. 
LEICESTER. — August 3 rd anddth. 
The twelfth annual Leicester fete and gala opened 
on Tuesday morning under particularly favourable 
conditions. Queen’s weather reigned supreme, and 
with a largely increased entry in all departments, 
the staging, grouping, and what not proceeded with 
a briskness and enthusiasm which a fine day does so 
much to foster and develop. A magnificent range 
of marquees had been requisitioned for housing the 
show, and arranged as they were in the choicest 
part of the Abbey Gardens a more beautiful setting 
to the show could hardly have been desired. The 
system upon which the show is managed is an ex¬ 
cellent one. At the head of affairs is Mr. John 
Burn, the well-known and popular curator of the 
Abbey Park. Himself a man of direction and 
superintendence he has the faculty—often rare—of 
attracting around him able and facile assistants, who 
delight equally with their chief in the success and 
popularity of the great Abbey Park Fete. It follows 
naturally, that there is a big gate, and for those who 
possibly might find an entire day inside the tents 
somewhat relaxing, there are the water sports and a 
variety of other outdoor events and performances 
which go to form the spice of life. 
First and foremost in the exhibits came the really 
magnificient collection of Caladiums from Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, of Forest Hill. Wealth and breadth 
of colour are here exemplified in Nature's most 
beautiful forms. Range of colour is another grand 
feature of this exhibit, and when we say that neither 
the Temple Show exhibit nor that at Manchester from 
the same firm approached this in beauty, we shall 
perhaps faintly convey to our readers what this really 
beautiful exhibit was like (Gold Medal]. 
The Ichthemic Guano Company have possibly 
some notion that their many competitors and 
occasional imitators are getting ahead of them, but 
one may be equally sure that a stiff race is in store 
for any who enter the lists. We are all of us 
familiar with the characteristic displays this enter¬ 
prising firm periodically makes at theRoyalAquarium- 
Well, a good deal of the Royal Aquarium has been 
brought to Leicester, for here we saw staged the 
Octagon group rising in tiers from the ground line 
to the height of 30 ft. or so, the exhibit being 
necessarily staged in a huge circular tent by itself; 
and the choice flowering and foliage plants used in 
its decoration formed a prettily conceived group upon 
which, from the cool garden seats placed on the out¬ 
skirts ot the tent one could enjoy a really unique 
feature of the sho.v. Well done Ichthemic ! (Gold 
Medal). 
That Mr. Henry Eckford should make and could 
make a striking and very beautiful display goes 
without saying. Not only were the judges unani¬ 
mously in favour of a high award, but the general 
public found it difficult to pass his exhibit of Sweit 
Peas without a lengihy and interesting perusal. 
(Gold Medal). 
Messrs. Dobbie & Co., Rothesay, had an extensive 
exhibit of Dahlias, Sweet Peas, Pelargoniums, Violas, 
and herbaceous plants in variety, occupying a space 
of 200 sq. ft. Many varieties new to each class were 
shown, including the fine new white Cactus Dahlia 
Miss Webster. Of Violas such fine varieties as 
White Hart, Romeo, and Lord Malcolm were staged. 
This exhibit was very tastefully arranged, with a 
fine back ground of herbaceous flowers. (Gold 
Medal). Each of the above four awards consisted of 
the Corporation's large Gold Medal. 
A Gold Medal also goes to Messrs. W. Clibran & 
Son, Altrincham, who justly deserve this well-merited 
honour for their characteristic exhibit. A silver 
medal goes to Mr. George Draycott, Granby Street; 
to Mr. Goodacre, Elvaston Castle Gardens ; Messrs. 
Edwards & Son, Nottingham ; Messrs. Brown & 
Sons, Peterboro’ ; Messrs. G. Fox & Sons, and Mr 
H. Rogers. The latter exhibitor stages a good 
group from the Gipsy Lane Nurseries, Lexester, 
prominent being the Caladiums, well-grown, Crotons 
and various other foliage plants. Mr. Rogers also 
shows well in the vegetable and fruit classes. He 
was also responsible for one of the best groups ever 
shown in Leicester ; the Crotons were perhaps small 
in comparison with Mr. Mee’s, but they were 
exceptionally well-coloured and all grown in the 
proper way. He was first also for Begonias, mostly 
seedlings ; and Coleus, well and nicely grown ; 
Fuchsias, also good work. For Zonals he was also 
first—a long way ahead. 
Mr. Charles J. Mee, of Floral Depot, Nottingham, 
takes first in the group class, in which Orchids are 
conspicuous, and a splendid arrangement through¬ 
out. The centre part was a magnificent Kentia 
fosteriana, well-grown, and some r2 ft. from tip to 
tip and 14 ft. high. Odontoglossum and Cypripe- 
diums looked healthy and superb, and various 
Crotons, Warrenii, Nestor and Princess of Wales 
worthy of special note. Dracaenas also good. 
Messrs. Harrison & Sons, of Leicester, exhibit a com¬ 
prehensive collection of vegetables, Peas, Onions, 
Beets, Tomatos, hardy herbaceous plants, &c. 
Mr. Jas. Wright, Granby Street, Leicester, Seeds¬ 
man, also showed well, as did also many others in, 
and connected with, the trade at Leicester. 
Mr. W. J. Empson, Ampthill House, Beds., takes 
first—a well merited award for table plants, Golden 
Ring standing out in exceptional beauty, and first for 
twelve bunches of cut stove and greenhouse flowers, 
besides other awards. 
The Luncheon to the judges took place at the 
Great Northern Hotel, conveniently adjacent to the 
Station, where at 2 o'clock,a goodly company sat down 
under the presidency of Mr. Councillor Flint, Chair¬ 
man of committees, supported on his right by the 
Mayor of Leicester, Mr. Councillor J. H. Marshall, 
and amongst others, Mr. Jas. H. Laing, Mr. Alfred 
Outram, Mr. Richard Dean, Mr. Burton, Mr. Jno. 
Harrison, Rev. J. H. Pemberton, Mr. John Burn, 
Mr. A. E. Stubbs, Mr. Jas. Wright, &c. The 
Chairman suitably submitted the customary loyal 
toasts, and immediately followed with the toast of 
the judges, saying that whilst regretting the loss 
through death of some of the faces they had been 
accustomed to welcome he was glad to feel they still 
had an excellent staff of judges in whom they had every 
confidence and who he thought would be gratified to 
see that the Leicester Show had adopted many of 
the suggestions which the judges in the previous 
j-ear had advocated. 
Mr. Laing, in responding, in a suitable and 
animated speech said : The very best had been 
done. It was a good and really excellent show, and 
they were pleased to congratulate the society on so 
good a meeting. 
Rev. J. H. Pemberton also spoke, claiming that 
he was mainly qualified as a Rose cultivator, and he, 
adverting to the Jubilee festivities, said it was fitting 
and appropriate that day the chief award was 
voted to an excellent bloom of Her Majesty. The 
Rose season had been a trying one, and although a 
good year for Roses he thought it was hardly equal 
to last year’s blooms. He advocated strongly a 
fusion with the National Rose Society, and recom¬ 
mended the Leicester Show to seek and secure the 
occasion of one of their provincial fixtures. 
Mr. Richard Dean proposed success "To the 
Abbey Park Flower Show,” in his characteristic and 
able way, alluding feelingly to the loss by death of a 
personal friend in the person of the Rev. R. Pochin, 
a one time well-known face at their show. Mr, 
Dean proceeded to say that as a mark of progress in 
keeping with the Victorian Era was there ever such 
an object lesson as the innumerable types of go- 
ahead character as seen in the plants and flowers 
sho vn there that day ? Surely a sufficient indication 
of the progress made by horticulture in the sixty 
years record reign. 
The Mayor responded in an earnest and thought¬ 
ful speech promising that Mr. Dean's practical 
suggestions had not fallen on barren ground. Mr. 
Burn,their curator, ought he affirmed, to be well sup. 
ported. That public spirited officer had indeed done 
his work well, and he deserved well of the town. 
Mr. Alderman Wood, followed commending the 
toast of the parks committee, as the custodians of 
the public health, to whom they were deeply indebted 
for the breadth and depth of their work. He coupled 
with the toast the name of their worthy chairman, 
Mr. Councillor Flint, who suitably responded. 
--i-- 
The Windflower blows and shows which way the 
March wind blows; hence I suppose its name,— 
Snaggs. 
||iscellanY. 
CAMPANULA BALCHINIANA. 
Last year this Bellflower first made its appearance 
in public and was notable for the amount of varie¬ 
gation possessed by the leaves, the greater portion 
of most of them being white. The flowers are 
pale blue, but the value of the plant depends entirely 
upon the foliage. It was raised from Campanula 
isophylla alba crossed with C. fragilis ; but it seems 
strange that this parentage should have given rise to 
Such an amount of variegation. Since it was first 
exhibited in public it has passed into the possession 
of Messrs. J. Veitch 6c Sons, Ltd , Chelsea, who are 
rapidly propagating it. The leaves have a broad 
white margin, are sometimes almost wholly white, 
and the young leaves are tinted with rose. Being 
hardy it should make a good bedding subject, either 
for small beds or edgings. It is also very suitable 
for baskets in the greenhouse or conservatory, and 
appropriate as an edging to the stages. 
1 ■ • 
A UNION FOR GARDENERS. 
This is, we think, a dream of the remote future, un¬ 
less some one with ample means and leisure should 
step into the breach ahd champion the cause. We 
are too isolated from each Other, far a movement of 
the kind to be carried out at anything near the very 
moderate cost that gardeners as a class could afford 
to bear. The initial expenses must for the reason 
stated be much in excess of those connected with 
unions of factory workmen ; and a very large amount 
of personal visitation must be given before a really 
strong movement could be floated, and should it 
ever be accomplished it will not be done without a 
good many martyrs being added to the role of those 
who have sacrificed themselves for the benefit of 
their fellows.— W. B. G. 
SWEET PEA QUEEN VICTORIA. 
This is without doubt the finest yellow Sweet Pea 
in cultivation. It grows vigorously even compared 
with those that are considered strong growers. 
Yellow is a colour that is difficult to evolve from 
Lathyrus odoratus, and it cannot yet be said that we 
possess a real and decided yellow. The variety 
under notice is no exception, but it is tne nearest 
approach, though whether it can be intensified 
remains to be seen. The Rev. W. T. Hutchins went 
into raptures over it two years ago before it was put 
into commerce. Mr. Henry Eckford, of Wem, 
Shropshire, who raised it describes it as " soft yellow 
subtly overlaid with faint purple, imparting a lustre 
mostdesirablebut difficult to describe. ’ Mr.Hutchins, 
if we remember, found an apricot tint in the standard. 
We should say that the latter is cream beautifully 
tinted with salmon, and having apricot veins. 
The wings are of a deeper creamy-yellow, and fade 
slightly with age. The standard finally becomes 
pale cream. An Award of Merit was accorded it by 
the Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick on the 
14th inst., but this seems to have been overlooked. 
RESEDA ALBA. 
Who ever thinks of Mignonette as an ornamental 
plant apart from scent, that is, apart from the 
scented Mignonette (R. odorata) ? Yet an orna¬ 
mental species is an actual reality. The dark green, 
finely cut foliage and the long spikes of white flowers 
of the White Mignonette (R. alba) render it highly 
ornamental when seen as an isolated and shapely, 
branching, border plant, or even better when grown 
in beds or masses. We have been familiar with the 
species for many years in small clumps, but had no 
idea of the effect it was capable of producing when 
used as a bedding plant. A large bed or plantation 
of many square feet of it may be seen in the nursery 
of Messrs. H Cannell& Sons, Swanley, Kent, where 
it has been flowering for weeks past and shows no 
siga of giving over. It is not exactly scentless, 
though in this respect it cannot compare with the 
scented Mignonette. From an ornamental point of 
view, however, the latter is a weed by comparison ; 
its leaves are uninteresting and its stems are weighted 
down by the seeds, while the flowers are dingy and 
relatively inconspicuous. It should not then pre¬ 
judice the public against R. alba. "What is a 
Mignonette without scent ? ” is the usual query, to 
which we reply "What is a Rose or Carnation without 
scent ?" Such things exist probably by the hundred- 
