September 26, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
819 
SOCIETIES. 
LONDON DAHLIA UNION. 
September I6th and I7th. 
Despite the very unpropitious season through which we have 
passed, this show, held in the Prince’s Hall, Earl’s Court, on 
above dates may be fairly described as a success, the now 
deservedly popular Cactus varieties being a feature, the com¬ 
petition in which section we will first deal briefly with. 
Twelve varieties, in bunches of six : Here the leading position 
was well taken by Messrs. Stredwick and Son, Silverliill Park, 
St. Leonards-on-Sea, who showed, amongst others, very fine 
flowers of Pearl, Florence M. L. Stredwick, Comet, and Mrs. 
H. L. Brousson ; a creditable second were Messrs. J. Burrell 
and Co., Howe House Nurseries, Cambridge; third, Mr. J. 
Walker, Thame ; fourth, Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons. There 
were seven entries in the class for 24 blooms, distinct, the 
prizes, in the order named, being taken by Messrs. Burrell and 
Co., J. Stredwick and Son, and Keynes, Williams and Co., 
Salisbury. 
Twelve blooms: First, Mrs. M. Y. Seale, The Nurseries, 
Sevenoaks ; here were fine flowers of Coronation, H. F. Robert¬ 
son, Etna, and Mrs. Carter Page ; second, Messrs. J. Stredwick 
and Son ; third, Messrs. Keynes, Williams and Co. ; fourth, 
Mr. S. Mortimer, Farnham, Surrey. 
In the amateurs’ division, the Hobbies Challenge Cup for 
nine bunches, in trebles, was taken by Mr. H. A. Needs, Hor- 
sell, Woking; second, Mr. W. Peters. There was nothing 
striking, however, in either exhibit. 
Six varieties, in bunches : First, Mr. M. H. Brown, 174, North 
Street, Luton, who had fine flowers of P. W. Tulloch, Mrs. 
C. Page, Zephyr, and Ajax; second, Mr. E. Mawley, Berk- 
hamsted ; third, Mr. W. C. Pagram, gardener to J. Courtney, 
Esq., Weybridge. Twelve blooms: First, Mr. H. A. Needs; 
second, Mr. W. Stephen, Isleworth ; third, Mr. H. Brown. 
Three vases : An effective class, in which the prizes went to 
Mr. J. Walker, Messrs. J. Burrell and Co., Messrs. Keynes, 
Williams and Co., and Mrs. Seale. 
A delightful display was furnished by the Pompon flowers. 
Mr. Charles Turner, Royal Nurseries, Slough, secured the blue 
ribbon in the class for 12 varieties, in bunches, with, amongst 
others, charming flowers of Silvia, Queen of Whites, Darkest 
of All, Jessica, and Bacchus ; second, Mr. J. Walker ; third, 
Messrs. J. Burrell and Co. ; fourth, Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons. 
In the amateurs’ class for six varieties the honours were 
divided between Mr. J. F. Hudson, Gunnersbury House, Acton, 
Mr. H. M. Brown, and Mr. W. C. Pagram. 
In the six bunches of what is called the Pompon-Cactus sec 
tion, Messrs. Keynes, Williams and Co. were first with Corona 
tion, Dolly, and Fairy; second, Mrs. Seale ; third, Messrs. J. 
Burrell and Co. 
Singles were numerously and beautifully shown. For 12 
varieties Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons gained first position ; here 
were good flowers of Vesuvius, Madge, Amos Perry, Darkness, 
Leslie Seale, and others; second, Mrs._M. V. Seale; third, Mr. 
Walker; fourth, Rev. S. Spencer Pearce, Woodstock, Oxon. 
For the special prizes offered by Hobbies, Limited, and Messrs. 
R. Dean and W. Stevens, for a display of Dahlias in a space 
12ft. by 6 ft., there was only one exhibitor, Mrs. M. Y. Seale, 
The Nurseries, Sevenoaks, deservedly taking the first prize. 
Her arrangement was most charming ; the flowers were raised 
on Bamboo tubs some 6 ft. high in the centre, being effectively 
associated with Berberis Darwinii, Asparagus, Golden Elm, 
and Eulalia gracillima. 
Twelve show and fancy, distinct (amateurs) : First, Mr. T. 
Anstiss, Brill, Bucks ; noteworthy here were John Hickling, 
Duchess of Albany, Mrs. Gladstone, and John Britten ; a good 
second being Mr. W. Peters, gardener to Miss Penrhyn, Holm- 
hurst, St. Leonards. 
Six show and fancy, distinct: First, Mr. E. West, jun., The 
Laurels, Henley-on-Thames ; striking flowers were John Walker, 
Mr. Glasscock, R. T. Rawlings, and Arthur ; second, Mr. J. 
Findlay, Kingham, Oxon. 
Twenty-four show and fancy (open) : An imposing display 
was made in this section. The premier position was assigned 
to Mr. J. Walker, who had fine flowers of Muriel Hobbs, John 
Y alker, Golden Gem, W. Rawlings, Earl of Ravensworth, 
Duchess of York, and others; second, Mr. Charles Turner; 
here were admirable examples of Chieftain, Goldsmith, Grac¬ 
chus, Mrs. Langtry, Warrior, and Rebecca ; third, Mr. S. Mor¬ 
timer; fourth, Mrs. Seale. 
Twelve show and fancy (open) : First, Messrs. J. Cheal and 
Sons; second, Mr. J. R. Tranter, Henley-on-Thames; two 
capital contributions. 
The non-competitive section was a strong and really beautiful 
one. Messrs. Dobbie and Co., The Nurseries, Rothesay, N.B., 
exhibited a large, representative, and beautiful collection of 
Dahlias, arranged without formality in Japanese vases. The 
back consisted of light Bamboo stands filled with Pompon buds 
Thuya plicata aurea. (Seep. 812.) 
and foliage left on—-about .30 sorts of Pompons in large, loose 
bunches, the same number of single and single Cactus varie¬ 
ties, all without wires, the centre being composed of 50 varie¬ 
ties of Cactus sorts arranged with autumn-tinted foliage. A 
large number of single blooms of Cactus, show and fancy 
varieties, were arranged on the front of the stand on velvet— 
a striking and meritorious exhibit. 
Alessrs. H. Cannell and Sons, Swanley, sent a most attractive 
