812 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
August 21, 1897. 
which secured him the premier place in the open 
class. The Rev. W. J. Buckley, Llandaff, was 
second with a beautiful arrangement of Orchids, 
Sea Lavender, and Ixoras. G. Rutherford Esq., 
Cardiff, was third. C. Waldron, Esq., had the best 
group of 25 sq. ft. Wm. Geen, Esq., Penylan, had 
the best collection of tuberous Begonias. 
Certificates of Merit were awarded to Morgan S. 
Williams, Esq , for his vegetables grown from 
Messrs. Sutton’s seeds ; to Ralph Crossling, Esq., for 
a collection of Cannas ; to Messrs. Phelps & Co., for 
Roses; to Mr. H. Eckford, Wem, for Sweet Peas; 
to Messrs. Edwards & Son, Nottingham, for rustic 
basket of Ferns; to Messrs. W. & J. Birkenhead, 
Sale, Manchester, for Ferns ; to Messrs Clibran & 
Sons, Altrincham, for cut flowers; to Mr. G. David¬ 
son, Ammanford, for a new Pelargonium ; and to Mr. 
H. Eckford, for four new Sweet Peas. 
LADYWELL AND LEWISHAM. 
August nth and 12th. 
This, the Ladywell, Lewisham and District 
Cottagers' Horticultural Society held a most 
successful show on the above dates at Lewisham. 
Between 400 and 500 exhibits were staged, all ot them 
being of most excellent quality. Amongst the most 
successful competitors was Mr. Stevens, of 15, Bruns- 
combe Street, Lewisham, who carried off the prize 
offered by the Ichthemic Guano Co , Ipswich, viz., 
an elegant case of silver salts for the best 
miscellaneous group of plants which had been grown 
with Ichthemic Guano. Mr Stevens also carried 
off the Silver Medal offered by the president of the 
show and the Silver Gilt Medal of Messrs. 
Dobbie & Co., of Rothesay; in fact Mr. Stevens 
gained a prize for every exhibit, scoring forty-eight 
points out of a possible sixty. The visitors to the 
show were very numerous and the weather being 
especially favourable the show went off very well. 
Mr. Albert Pratt very capably discharged the duties 
of honorary secretary, and very great credit is due 
to that energetic worker. 
SHROPSHIRE HORTICULTURAL. 
August 18 th and 19 th. 
We have this week much pleasure in recording an 
event which we believe will be read with great interest 
by friends and admirers of the hon. secretaries of 
the above society (Messrs. H. W. Adnitt and 
W. W. Naunton, see p. 809). A wish having been 
expressed by many of the leading horticulturalists 
and exhibitors at this society’s show for the past 
twenty-two years to mark their appreciation of the 
long and gratuitous services rendered by these gentle¬ 
men during such period, it was thought the present 
being Jubilee year, and one in which a great com¬ 
memorative horticultural exhibition under the 
auspices of the Royal Horticultural Society would 
be held in connection with the above society’s show, 
on Wednesday and Thursday at Shrewsbury, that 
the occasion offered an excellent opportunity for 
some suitable recognition of such services. Accor¬ 
dingly, an influential committee with Mr. Owen 
Thomas, treasurer, and Mr. A. Outram, hon. secre¬ 
tary, was formed for the purpose of soliciting sub¬ 
scriptions, which we are pleased to learn resulted 
in a sum sufficient to purchase for each gentleman a 
silver flower stand of handsome design. 
Before giving an account of the presentation it 
may interest our readers if we give a short epitome 
of the origin of this, one of the most important 
shows held in the United Kingdom, and which in a 
large measure is due to the indefatigable exertions 
and assiduous courtesy of these gentlemen in the 
multifarious duties discharged during the long period 
before-named. It was in July, 1875 that the Shrop¬ 
shire and West Midland Agricultural Society held 
their first meeting in the beautiful Quarry Grounds 
at Shrewsbury. A few weeks previously these 
gentlemen and the late Mr. Pritchard (a leading nur¬ 
seryman in the town) consulted as to whether a 
floral exhibition would not prove an interesting 
attraction in connection with the agricultural show, 
and they eventually resolved to try the experiment. 
They accordingly headed a subscription list with £20 
each and immediately obtained the names of several 
other influential townsmen to a fund for guaranteeing 
the necessary expenditure in prizes and expenses and 
thereupon set to work in earnest, formed committees, 
prepared a prize schedule and engaged the band of 
the Coldstream Guards, being the first time the 
Shrewsbury public nad had the pleasure of listening 
to this splendid band. The show resulted in a hand¬ 
some profit of £409 4s. 2d. 
Thus from a small and unpretentious beginning, 
the society has gone on from year to year with an 
unbroken record of unqualified success, until it has 
attained the colossal magnitude it now enjoys in the 
horticultural world. As an illustration of the growing 
interest taken by the general public in the display of 
horticultural products and other entertainments in 
connection therewith, which are annually provided 
at this society’s show, the following statement of 
receipts, &c., may prove interesting : — 
for all classes of the community, the society con¬ 
tinues to occupy and enjoy an unique position in 
outdoor fetes of the day. 
Without the least flattery, we may fairly assert that 
the ramifications of this society have been the means 
not only of encouraging an increasing taste for the 
innocent and important study of horticulture in its 
various branches as evidenced by the large number 
of shows now annually held for many miles round 
the old county town, but also of considerably 
educating the musical ear of the public by providing 
the very best of military bands. 
Takings ax the Gate. Sundry receipts. 
Subscriptions. 
Cheap Tickets. 
First Day. 
Second Day. 
inc'ding 
interest. Total. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
1875—313 
18 
0 
77 
10 
0 
286 
15 
1 
IO7 
9 
8 
O 
19 
3 
791 
12 
0 
1876 — 259 
10 
6 
Ic 5 
11 
0 
82 
4 
6 
189 
5 
2 
48 
14 
0 
685 
5 
2 
1877—277 
13 
0 
154 
12 
0 
92 
1 
10 
381 
3 
8 
69 19 
4 
975 
9 
10 
1873—316 
2 
6 
219 
15 
6 
104 
7 
3 
528 
6 
1 
112 
19 
2 
1281 
10 
6 
1879—318 
1 
0 
210 
3 
8 
65 
8 
2 
398 
8 
10 
151 
7 
3 
1206 
8 
11 
1880—388 
17 
6 
217 
13 
0 
121 
4 
9 
6 53 
12 
8 
135 
19 
0 
1517 
6 
11 
1881—397 
1 
0 
260 
19 
0 
104 
17 
10 
725 
2 
• 0 
153 
16 
2 
1641 
16 
0 
1882—393 
6 
6 
3i9 
9 
6 
134 
7 
0 
824 
15 
0 
159 
!7 
5 
1831 
15 
5 
1883—400 
18 
6 
390 
11 
6 
156 
1 
0 
1055 
7 
0 
190 
!3 
4 
2199 
11 
4 
*1884—400 
5 
0 
3 01 
7 
3 
154 
18 
3 
678 
2 
11 
206 
T 
3 
1740 
17 
8 
1885—402 
6 
0 
346 
18 
3 
218 
9 
7 
1074 
19 
0 
207 
8 
1 
2250 
0 
11 
1886 -403 
9 
6 
372 
11 
2 
216 
0 
4 
1157 
1 
4 
252 
6 
6 
2401 
8 
10 
1887—409 
18 
6 
500 
9 
6 
130 
17 
8 
1142 
17 
7 
253 
6 
9 
2437 
10 
0 
1888—414 
9 
6 
504 
10 
2 
247 
1 
3 
1317 
18 
0 
291 
6 
5 
2775 
5 
4 
*1889 — 416 
18 
6 
525 
1 
8 
225 
12 
6 
981 
4 
6 
280 
9 
4 
2429 
6 
6 
189:—428 
3 
0 
551 
3 
9 
311 
13 
9 
1317 
11 
9 
354 
13 
2 
2963 
5 
5 
18^1- -428 
7 
6 
633 
3 
2 
351 
16 
2 
1413 
11 
4 
507 
12 
4 
3334 
10 
6 
1892—414 
19 
0 
667 
4 
8 
434 
19 
6 
1633 *4 
8 
59 r 
7 
4 
3742 
5 
2 
1893—404 
18 
0 
496 16 
10 
524 
15 
8 
1459 
6 
2 
745 
15 
9 
3631 
12 
5 
1894-415 
13 
0 
484 
3 
5 
583 
11 
3 
1262 
8 
9 
*733 
7 
8 
3476 
4 
1 
1895—449 
2 
6 
491 
15 
7 
727 
0 
0 
1533 
H 
3 
8 ->9 
0 
10 
4010 
13 
2 
1896—444 
19 
0 
547 
5 
10 
679 
9 
5 
1735 
4 
2 
821 
4 
5 
4228 
2 
10 
£ s. d. 
We think it only fair to supplement the above with 
a list of donations, &c., showing how the society has 
disposed of some of its profits year by year for the 
benefit of the various institutions connected with 
Shrewsbury :— 
1878— Donation to Shrewsbury Corpora¬ 
tion for Improvements to Quarry 
Grounds 
1879 — Erection of Band Stand in Quarry 
1S81 — Erection of Gates at Quarry En¬ 
trance 
1881— Donation to Salop Infirmary 
1882 — Donation to Fund for Purchasing 
Grammar Schools 
1883— Gates in Quarry Place, and Seats 
and New Music Stand in Band Stand 
1886— Building Lodge at Quarry En¬ 
trance 
1887 — Presentation of Books to Free 
Library .. 
1887 — Railiugs and Fittings at Quarry 
Entrance., 
1887— Enlarging and Painting Band 
Stand 
1S87— Donation to Building Ladies"' 
Cloak Room in Quarry, and .. .. ( 
1888 — Painting Inside of Lodge and ( 
Band Stand .. . . .. .. J 
1888— Donation to Shrewsbury Severn 
Angling Society for Construction of 
Rearing Ponds in Dingle 
188S— Donation to Shrewsbury Public 
Baths Fund 
1890- Donation to Mayor’s Fund for 
Clearing off Debt on Free Library .. 
1891— New Seats in Quarry 
1891—Alterations Round Band Stand.. 
1891—Improvements to Bank of River 
in the Quarry. Contract 
1891 —Grass and Lawn Mowers, Rollers, 
&c., Presented to the Corporation .. 
| Donations to Band Fund and) 
i88j j Small Local Subscriptions .. j 
to - Steps to Boat House and Extend-J 
1896 J ing Water Supply to Quarry - 
o f Purchase of Land for future .. 1 
^ 92 : XT vf rrt ci An nf Duarrw tTmnnrjs. J ’ 
12 O 
12 O 
to 
1896 
Extension of Quarry Grounds. 
Purchase of Foreshore of River) 
and Recreation Ground .. , 
1897— Cost of Bronze Statue of Charles) 
Darwin presented to the Town .. j ' 00 
Let us now consider the ' why and wherefore,” 
such brilliant successes have been attained. All 
will admit that satisfactory results naturajly depend 
upon good management; and that this society has had 
at its helm two most able secretaries is beyond dis¬ 
pute Their suggestions for improvements from 
time to time have been encouraged and approved by 
an influential and excellent working committee who 
have annually provided a liberal schedule of prizes 
for competition by exhibitors, and to the general 
public they have given the best ol music, and up-to- 
date talent in the “ side shows,” and by thus catering 
Some of our readers may perhaps object to the 
introduction of “side shows” in the programme of 
events in connection with horticultural exhibitions, 
but we are obliged to admit, however reluctantly, 
that a show confined to horticulture pure and simple, 
seldom in these days, draws the populace in sufficient 
numbers to make it a financial success. These 
gentlemen were wise in their day, and from the 
commencement of the society’s career they deter¬ 
mined to cater for the tastes of the general public, 
with the result that this society has every year 
cleared a handsome surplus which, last year, reached 
over ^1,000. This sum the committee have most 
liberally spent in erecting, on a site opposite the Free 
Library, a bronze statue to the memory of their 
fellow townsman, the late Charles Darwin, the 
greatest scientist the world has ever known, and 
which was unveiled by the society's president, The 
Right Hon. Lord Kenyon, in the presence of a 
distinguished assembly on the 10th inst. 
Long may such a society continue to flourish and 
do good in its beautiful home and surroundings is 
our earnest wish. 
BY TELEGRAPH. 
On Tuesday the work of arranging the principal 
exhibits was in full swing when, owing to the high 
wind, the large marquee containing the groups and 
specimen plants was blown down, and considerable 
damage done to the exhibits in process of being 
arranged. The principal sufferer was Mr. Jas. 
Cypher, of Cheltenham, whose large plants were 
very much knocked about and damaged, and the 
group which was in course of construction had to be 
entirely dismantled. Steps were at once taken to 
erect another marquee, and the groups and specimen 
plants were transferred thereto. Several other tents 
were blown down and damaged, but being empty no 
great harm was done. 
On Wednesday the first prize for the large group 
was carried off by Mr. Jas. Cypher, Cheltenham ; 
Mr. C. J. Mee, Nottingham, was second ; and Mr. 
William Finch, Coventry, was third. For a group 
of ornamental foliage plants, etc., C. H. Wright, 
Esq., Oswestry, was first ; Mr. Jas. Cypher was 
second ; and Mrs. Gurney Price, Darlington, came 
in third. The special prizes offered for fruit and 
vegetables grown with Ichthemic Guano were 
awarded to Mr. J. Mclndoe, Hutton Hall, Guis- 
borough, and Mr. W. Pope, Highclere, Newbury. 
In the class for twenty stove and greenhouse 
plants, Mr. James Cypher, Cheltenham, took the 
premier honour ; and was followed by Mr W. 
Finch, Coventry. For six plants in flower, Orchids 
excluded, Mr: James Cypher took the lead ; Mr. 
Wm. Finch was second ; and Lord Harlech came in 
third. For six stove and greenhouse plants, Lord 
Harlech came to the front ; H. H. France Hay- 
