August 15, 1903. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
705 
and the second and third prizes to the Banbury and District 
Horticultural Union, Oxon, and Irthlingborough, Northants, 
respectively. The Duchess of Marlborough presented the prizes 
in the presence of several thousands of spectators, and Lady 
Warwick handed the Cup to the representative of the Tysoe 
Horticultural Society. The scheme having been so successfully 
launched, it is expected that the competition will be held 
next year in Warwickshire. 
* * * 
Moseley Flower Show. —Success attended the twenty-fourth 
annual show, held on the 4th inst. under the auspices of the 
Moseley, King’s Heath, and Balsall Heath Horticultural Society 
in the beautiful grounds of Pitmaston, Moor Gieen, Birming¬ 
ham, by permission of Sir John Haider, Bart. The exhibition 
was from all points of view superior to those held during recent 
years by the society. The schedule was slightly enlarged, and 
the classes, which numbered about 130, so rearranged as to 
lessen the limit restriction. In the number of exhibits there 
was an advance of nearly 100, and in the open classes most 
were well filled, and competition was remarkably keen. A 
feature of the show was the large groups of plants arranged 
for effect, and the collections of greenhouse plants, Palms, and 
Ferns. Nurserymen were also responsible for a superior dis¬ 
play, and the special classes created a highly competitive show 
which called for general admiration. This was especially the 
case in the section for vegetables, which, having regard to the 
peculiarities of the season, was of a high standard of quality. 
Speaking generally, fruit was well represented, vegetables were 
a fair show, being a trifle small in the cottagers’ classes, and 
there was an interesting display of cut flowers. There was a 
very fine show of herbaceous plants, and Carnations and Sweet 
Peas were distinctly above the average of local shows. At 
this, as at most other flower shows, there was abundant evidence 
of the increasing popularity of the Sweet Pea, the bloom of 
which was to be seen in every conceivable shade. The Viola, 
too, seems as much a favourite as ever before, and some of 
the exhibits were specially meritorious. The chief prize offered 
by the society was secured by Mr. G. Hancox, of West Brom¬ 
wich, who displayed a group of miscellaneous plants, many 
very choice, the artistic arrangement leaving nothing to be 
desired; second honours fell to Mr. J. A. Kenrick, of Edg- 
baston, with a meritorious collection, Mr. Burden, of King’s 
Heath, being third. There were representative collections of 
plants in pots, notably the stove or greenhouse plants, and in 
this class competition was keen ; the leading award deservedly 
fell to Mr. Kenrick. 
NEWS OF THE WEEK. 
In Lincolnshire Potato 
on their crop. 
growers are making £11 per ton clear 
* * * 
Compensation eor a Seedsman. —Mr. J ames Melady, a seeds¬ 
man, has agreed to accept £1,825 as compensation for the com¬ 
pulsory acquisition of his interest in premises in Down Street, 
Piccadilly, required for the Great Northern, Piccadilly, and 
Brompton “Tube.” 
* * * 
Belated Blossoms.— The Catalpa trees in the London dis¬ 
trict, the handsome and fragrant flowers of which constitute 
in normal summers an agreeable feature of the first week of 
August, are hardly showing bloom at all this season. In par¬ 
ticular, there is no sign of blossom on the parent specimen, that 
planted in the gardens of Gray's Inn, as tradition alleges, by 
Lord Bacon. 
* * * 
St. Anne’s Park Offer. —St. Anne’s Urban Council, Man¬ 
chester, on the 4th inst. confirmed new proposals in connection 
with Mr. Clifton’s offer of land for a public park. The nine 
acres originally offered have been increased to thirteen, and 
the council now ask the donor to allow ten years in which to 
complete the laying out and making of roads, at a total cost 
of £5,600, £2,600 of which would be refunded for street making 
as the surrounding land was built upon. An amendment to 
refer the proposals back was moved by Councillor Thompson, 
tut was defeated by five votes to two. Councillor Thompson 
contended that the sea front was the natural playground for 
visitors, and a park was not required. The offer was not a 
gift in the ordinary sense of the term. It was a business trans¬ 
action, a deal on the part of the lord of the manor for the 
benefit of his estate. If the town accepted the offer, he would 
protest against the rates being saddled with the cost of laying 
the park out. The Chairman promised that if Mr. Clifton 
accepted the council’s amended proposals, the ratepayers should 
be consulted. 
* * * 
Strawberry-flavoured Germs. —A microbe which imparts 
to the medium in which it thrives a strong flavour of Straw¬ 
berries has been discovered by a French chemist. Its tooth¬ 
some qualities even affect beef-tea, but fail before mashed 
Potatos. Will Italian ice-cream vendors and makers of cheap 
jam find the new microbe useful ? 
* * * 
Bulbs for the London Parks. —For supply of bulbs for parks 
and gardens, for the London County Council, Messrs. W. Cut- 
bush and Son, Highgate Nurseries (accepted), £494 0s. 6d. ; 
Messrs. J. Carter and Co., High Holborn, £500 ; Messrs. J. 
Murray and Son, Deptford, S.E., £636 15s. Id. ; and Messrs. 
Little and Ballantyne, Carlisle, £728 12s. 4d. 
* * * 
The Home Counties Nature-study Exhibition. —I have the 
pleasure to inform you that the Home Counties Nature-study 
Exhibition will be held, by kind permission, at the offices of 
the Civil Service Commission (formerly the buildings of the 
University of London), Burlington Gardens, London, W., from 
October 30th to November 3rd. Prospectuses, regulations, and 
prize lists may be obtained from me.— Wilfred Mark Webb. 
* * * 
The Banana Trade. —It is now just over two and a half years 
since the first cargo of West Indian Bananas was brought to 
Bristol from Jamaica. At the present moment there are seven 
specially fitted steamers running regularly in this trade, each 
bringing from 25,000 to 28,000 bunches every trip. Messrs. 
Elders and Fyffes, Limited, have just ordered three larger 
steamers capable of carrying 40,000 bunches each. It would 
seem that the English market is rapidly following the American, 
and taking to the West Indian Banana. 
* * * 
Perfume of Flowers. —Recent investigations have shown that 
the perfume of flowers is often increased by growing under 
coloured glass, that some plants are fragrant only at night and 
others only in hot sunshine, that the seasons affect the odours, 
and that temperate climates are more favourable than tropical 
ones. These perfumes powerfully affect the human organism, 
often producing a kind of intoxication, and sometimes even 
giving rise to serious nervous troubles. The vapours of most 
essences—such as Cinnamon, Lavender, and Eucalyptus—have 
proved powerful antiseptics, and flowers of delicate perfumes 
quiet the nerves of invalids. Flowers harmful to the sick, on 
the other hand, are the Violet, Lily of the Valley, and Car¬ 
nation. 
* * * 
Fruit Growers and Railway Rates. —Addressing a public 
meeting at Maidstone, Lord Onslow particularly referred to 
the grievances of the fruit grower and farmer against the rail¬ 
way companies. He congratulated the Fruit Growers’ Federa¬ 
tion upon the work it had done in the direction of securing 
facilities and cheaper rates, and laid emphasis upon the im¬ 
portance and efficacy of combination. Referring to the recent 
conference between his Board and the general and traffic 
managers of the leading railway companies, Lord Onslow said 
he was bound to say that the spirit in which those gentlemen 
met them augured well for the prospects of inducing them to 
do more for farmers. The railway companies had to consider 
their shareholders ; at the same time, their business was not 
to repel, but to attract traffic. He suggested whether it was 
not worth the while of growers to depute to one of them the 
duty of aggregating a large consignment of fruit, and thus 
obtain a reduced rate, as he was assured by the railway managers 
that where large parcels could be secured they were willing 
to quote lower rates. Colonel Warde had spoken of the allega¬ 
tion that railway companies granted a preference to foreign 
goods over the home-produced article. This was absolutely 
fllegal, and if anybody could show that, under similar condi¬ 
tions, the railway companies were granting a preference to any 
foreign trader, the Board of Agriculture would take up the 
