September 8, 1900. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
25 
post of turfy loam, peat, and lots of sand being 
mixed should be filled in to form a rooting area for 
the Ferns you could then plant. 
- 
WEBBS’ VEGETABLES AT 
SHREWSBURY. 
In our brief report of the Shrewsbury show in last 
week's issue, we noted that Messrs. Ed. Webb & 
Sons, Wordsley, Stourbridge, made a grand display 
with flowers and vegetables, for which they received 
a large Gold Medal, the highest award made at the 
show. The accompanying illustration gives a view 
of the vegetables put up by the Wordsley firm. 
Silver Ball Turnip were also specialities shown in 
this exhibit. The various kinds were shown in 
quantity and set up to the best advantage for effect, 
so that the exhibit, as a whole, had a very imposing 
appearance, interesting a large number of the 
exhibitors. 
TREE AND SHRUB GROWTH ON 
CONEY ISLAND. 
This beautiful island, recently purchased by the Earl 
of Charlemont, is situated on Lough Neagh, about 
two miles from the village of Maghery, on the south¬ 
eastern side of the lake. It is an ideal place of abode 
Irish Yew and other trees which are planted pro¬ 
miscuously about ?—the only favour asked being that 
the visitor will assist in preserving plant life, and 
refrain from committing damage. 
The Irish Yew referred to is, indeed, a noble 
specimen, about 30 ft. high, and a spread of branches 
8 yds. in diameter, the foliage being remarkably 
healthy, and of a glossier green tint than I have ever 
before noticed in this particular species. 
The rare and curious Japanese Yew, Cephalotaxus 
pedunculata fastigiata, is represented by two sturdy 
specimens, one at each end of the dwelling house, 
and in which the curious double habit of growth—up¬ 
right and spreading—is well illustrated. Never before 
Webbs' Vegetables at Shrewsbury, 
Tomatos, which were set up along the back of the 
collection, were highly conspicuous on account of 
their fruitfulness. Very prominent were the new 
Tomatos named Royal Sovereign, Viceroy, and 
Regina. The two first named are good for exhibition 
as well as for general purposes. Tomato Regina is 
a smooth, early variety, useful for open-air culture 
or under glass. Other vegetables shown in fine con¬ 
dition were Potato Webbs' Express, Webbs' Selected 
Hollow Crown Parsnip, and Little Winter Savoy, a 
small and neat variety for table use. Market 
Favourite Carrot, a large variety of the short horn 
type, Webbs’ Stourbridge Marrow, and Webbs' new 
for rest and quiet, and is so taken advantage of by 
its noble owner for a week or so now and again 
throughout the summer season. Well wooded, well 
watered, with beautiful views of the adjacent moun¬ 
tains and valleys, and with a lawn by the house 
front, which for elasticity and tint of green has no 
equal in the British Isles, one might well envy the 
owner of his occasional stay on this lovely but lonely 
island. But his lordship is considerate, for does he 
not allow visitors to ramble at will—see the remains 
of the round tower, the tree with a never failing 
supply of water, the beautiful residence which he has 
lately erected, the extensive views, and fine old 
have I seen the pretty Thujopsis dolabrata so covered 
with cones as on this island, and strange, too, the speci¬ 
men producing these is only of moderate dimensions. 
Retinospora (Cupressus) plumosa and R. plumosa 
aurea here will bear out their names, for certainly 
plume-like is the soft bluish branchlets of the 
former, and deep golden-yellow the hue of the 
latter, the results, no doubt, of ample moisture and 
an insular position. Both the Magnolia and Fig do 
well on the house front, while Roses, Lilacs, 
Berberis, and hosts of other flowering subjects would 
seem to revel in the pleasant climate of this part 01 
the Emerald Isle. 
