April 8, 1905. 
“ Sweet April! 
VEEKLY PRIZES 
FOR 
SHORT ARTICLES. 
l'he Proprietors of The Hardening World 
ill o-ive a cash prize of Seven Shillings and 
XPJSNCE F0 R THE BEST PARAGRAPH, OR SHORT 
mcLE, sent by readers during the week, and 
wo Shillings and Sixpence as a second 
■ize. The Editor's judgment must be cen¬ 
tered final, and he will be at liberty to use 
iy of the contributions sent in. The para- 
•aph, or article, must not exceed one 
iluhn in length, but the value, rather than 
ie length, of the article will be considered in 
aking the award. Competitors may send in 
'ems OF news or comments on news ; hints of 
Tactical interest to gardeners or growers of 
ants, fruits, or liowers; successful methods of 
ropagating plants usually considered difficult; 
r contributions on any subject coming 
1THIN THE SPHERE OF GARDENING PROPER. 
etters should be addressed to Tub Editor, 
larked “ Competition,” and posted not later 
lan Friday fright to ensure insertion in the 
isue of next week. 
The following Coloured Plates 
have appeared in recent num¬ 
bers 
September 12.—SIX NEW DAFFODILS. 
October 3 — LILIUM AURATUM PLA- 
FYPHYLLUM SHIRLEY VAR. 
Novembei 14.—ROSE MME. N. LEVA- 
/ASSEUR. 
January 2.—HYBRID TEA-SCENTED 
I0SE IRENE. 
January 30. — TUBEROUS BEGONIA 
SOUNTESS OF WARWICK. 
February 27—A FINE STRAIN OF 
GLOXINIAS. 
April 2. — WISTARIA MULTIJUGA 
RUSSELLIANA. 
May 7—CACTUS DAHLIA DAINTY. 
June 4.—CACTUS DAHLIA SPITFIRE. 
July 16—ROSE LADY BATTERSEA— 
October I- — GEUM HELDREICHI 
SUPERBUM. 
October 15—ROSE HUGH DICKSON. 
Back numbers may be obtained from the 
" blishers, price 2Jd. post free. 
This week we present a Half-tone 
Plate of 
MAGNOLIA LENNEI. 
Next week we shall give a Half-tone 
Plate of 
ANEMONE BLANDA. 
The first prize last week in the 
^® a ^ ers ’ Competition was awarded to 
Oides, ’ for his article on “Ventilation 
of Plant Houses,” p. 261; and the second 
u° 0 i Thatcher,” for his article on 
'Salvia Horminum violaceum,” p. 264. 
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK: 
—many a thought is wedded unto thee.”— Longfellow. 
Views and Reviews. 
Colonial Fruit. 
The second exhibition of colonial fruit was 
opened by tlie Royal Horticultural Society 
on Wednesday afternoon, the 29th ult., which 
was practically a Press view. The show was 
open to the public during the following two 
days. The aspect of the exhibition was very 
similar to that which was held on the 13tli 
and 14th December last, but there was a 
greater amount of variety owing to the inclu¬ 
sion of exhibits from various parts of South 
Africa. Prizes were offered in twenty-four 
classes for fresh and preserved fruits 
as well as preserved vegetables. Some at- 
tempt was made to follow out the classes in 
ibe schedule, but the larger exhibitors occu¬ 
pied a table to themselves of greater or less 
extent, so that the classes as represented by 
them were mixed up in their general exhibit, 
and in such cases the medals awarded were 
usually for the exhibits as a whole. 
in Class 1, for a collection of fruit, the 
Fruit Exporters’ Association of South Africa, 
acting in conjunction with the Western Pro¬ 
vince Agricultural Society of Cape Town, 
staged Grapes, Pears and Apples, showing 
the capabilities of South Africa in these 
respects. The red, white and black Grapes 
were rather small in berry, and evidently 
had not been thinned as in some of the other 
exhibits from that country. The Society 
had, however, fine examples of Pears, Beurre 
Clairgeau, Duchesse d’Angouleme, Louise 
Bonne of Jersey, and Keiffer. These, it will 
be seen, are European varieties with the ex¬ 
ception of the last named. Rhode Island 
Greening and Versfeldt were good examples 
of Apples evidently adopted from North 
America. A Silver-Gilt Banksian Medal 
was awarded this exhibit. 
The Cape Orchard Company, Limited, 
Hex River, Cape Colony, exhibited collections 
of Apples and Pears, thus participating in 
two classes. Their best examples of Apples 
were Versfeldt, King of Tomkins County, 
Stunner and King of the Pippins. The last 
named was notable for its great width in 
comparison with the height of the fruit as 
seen in this country. The samples on the 
whole were of large size, but rather pale in 
colour, similar to those which come from 
Australia. The Pears were certainly much 
finer samples of thrir kind, and did credit to 
South Africa. The finest samples in the 
exhibit were Beurre Bose, Beurre Capia- 
mont, Keiffer, Beurre Clairgeau, Easter 
Beurre, Vicar of Winkfield, Williams’ Bon 
Chretien, Forelle and Doyenne du Cornice. 
The three last named were really of wonder¬ 
ful size, and in the best form as to colour. 
If such Pears could he brought to this country 
at the present time they ought to find a good 
market, especially if the flavour is in keeping 
with their general good appearance. The 
same company had a collection of cooking 
Apples, including Spy, Blenheim, Ballarat 
Seedling, Reinette de Canada and Rome 
Beauty. It will thus be seen that South 
Africa has been selecting Apples and Pears 
from any country which offers varieties that 
aio likely to succeed in the climate of South 
Africa. A Gold Medal went to the company. 
The Rhodes Fruit Farm, Limited, Croot 
Drakenstein, Cape Colony, had a collection 
of dessert Apples, the finest examples of 
which were Versfeldt, Jonathan and Rhode 
Island Greening. This company also sent a 
collection of Pears, including fine samples of 
Forelle, Louise Bonne of Jersey, Keiffer, 
Beurre Diel, Beurre Hardy and Beurre 
Clairgeau. All of these Pears ripen in the 
autumn in this country and could not, there¬ 
fore, compete with home produce. A Silver 
Knightian Medal was awarded to the com¬ 
pany.^ 
A Silver Banksian Medal was awarded to 
Thomas Michlem, Esq., Stellenbosch, Cape 
Colony, for a fine dish of Pear Forelle, also 
known as the Trout Pear in this country, and 
remarkable for its beautiful markings. In 
this country it ripens in November, hut it is 
not reckoned a first-class variety for flavour. 
The colour of the South African fruits was so 
deep a crimson on the sunny side as to nearly 
obscure the beautiful spotting so character¬ 
istic of the variety. A similar award went to 
A. Nicholson, Esq., South Africa, for a dish 
of Cape Nectarines, which were pale in colour 
and notable for the long beak which seems a. 
characteristic of various African-grown fruits, 
including Peaches and Plums. It may be 
that the inhabitants encourage varieties of 
this peculiar form. A similar award likewise 
went to 0. C. M. Barry, Esq., Rustenburg, 
for Louise Bonne of Jersey Pears, which were 
of large size and fair colour. A Bronze 
Banksian Medal went to Henry Me 3 r er, Esq., 
Cape Colony, for Pear Beurre Bose and 
Bergamot, which left nothing to be desired in 
point of size. 
Mrs. Mary Hawkins, South Africa, was 
accorded a Silver Knightian Medal for a col¬ 
lection of Grapes. The bunches of berries of 
Barbarossa were small compared with those 
we generally see, hut those of Raisin Blanc 
