THE GARDENING WORLD, 
November 11, 1905. 
672 
He was followed by Mr. James Eockj Mr. 
Georg© Halsey, gardener to> Mrs. Jeremiah 
Lyon, Biddings Court, Caterliaan Valley; 
Mr. W. Tebay, gardener to Colin jF. Camp¬ 
bell Esq., Everlands, Sevenoaks; Mr. 
George Hall and Mr. W. Mease, the last 
being awarded an extra prize in this keenly- 
contested class. 
The other classes were fairly well repre¬ 
sented, but called for no special comment, 
Many amateurs had also 1 fine exhibits 1 in the 
classes specially set apart, for them. 
Numerous prizes in thirteen classes were 
offered by Mr. Bobert Sydenham, Tenby 
Street, Birmingham, for vegetables. These 
classes were open to all, and brought a large 
table of well-grown vegetables. The chief 
fault we should place against them is that 
the roots and tubers are now getting too 
large for table purposes. As an example of 
the gardener’s art, they, no doubt, show what 
the skill and enthusiasm of British gardeners 
can do. Several collections of vegetables! in¬ 
cluded remarkable samples of Onions, Car¬ 
rots, Parsnips, Celery, Potatos, Beet, 
Brussels Sprouts, and Cauliflowers. All of 
these were certainly wonderful productions in 
their way. There were also classes for the 
exhibition of each of the above and other 
types of vegetables separately, and, all of the 
competitors were evidently men who know 
how to grow vegetables. 
Miscellaneous exhibits were fairly nume¬ 
rous, and consisted chiefly of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and tree or wintering-flowering Carna¬ 
tions. Boses from the open and retarded 
plants now flowering were also' noteworthy. 
Mr. H. J. Jones, Byecroft Nurseries, 
Hither Green, Lewisham, had an extensive 
exhibit of Chrysanthemums at the end of the 
central transept facing the organ. A large 
proportion of the blooms were arranged oni 
bamboo stands, and displayed in a very effec¬ 
tive manner tier above tier. Several of the 
sections were represented, the big blooms 1 - 
being on the taller stands high up at the back 
of the group. Cut blooms in a large number 
of varieties occupied the front, including 
splendid blooms of Lady Lennaxd, Mrs. 
A. T. Miller, Mrs. J. Dunn, Torn King (a, 
very I’ichly coloured sport from Mildred 
Ware), Mrs. B. C. Pulling, Mrs. W. Knox, 
Mrs. G. Heaume, Lady Henderson, Mrs. C. 
Beckett, and others. (Lange Gold Medal.) 
Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, Devon, also 
set np a large bank of Chrysanthemums, the; 
big blooms being chiefly arranged in bamboo 
tripods, with the shorter-stemmed blooms hr 
front. Amongst others, he had grand blooms 
of Viscountess V. Venosta, Mrs. Walter 
Jinks, Godfrey’s Eclipse (a new yellow in¬ 
curved), W. A. Etherington, Mrs. W. Knox, 
Wm. Gooding, Valerie Greenham, Maud Du 
Cros, and others'. These were interspersed 
with Asparagus Sprengeri and autumn-tinted 
foliage. (Gold Medal.) 
Messrs. W. Wells and Co., Merstham, 
Surrey, had a large collection or group, off) 
their new and recently-introduced Chrysan¬ 
themums. New varieties of splendid quality 
were Mrs. W. Knox, Mme. M. de Mons, E. J. 
Brooks, Mrs. D. W. James, and Beatrice 
May, all of which received First-Class Cer-i 
tiiicates at a, previous meeting of the society. 
Other fine blooms which lie had were Mrs. G. 
Heaume, Mrs. C. J. Salter (brilliant crimson), 
Gothland Beauty, Elsie Fulton, and many 
other Japanese varieties. Mary Bichardsion, 
a single variety, was in very fine form, and 
showed up well by artificial light). (Silver 
Gilt Medal.) 
Messrs. John Peed and Son, West Nor¬ 
wood, had a, fine group of Begonia Gloire de 
Lorraine and its spborts, for which they re¬ 
ceived a Silver Medal. They also 1 had a 
group of Carnations, including Enchantress, 
Mrs. T. W. Lawson, Indianapolis, and others. 
Messrs. W. Clibran and Sons, Altrincham, 
put up a larger group of Chrysanthemums 
than they have hitherto done, consisting 
chiefly of Japanese varieties and singles'. 
(Large Silver Medal.) 
Mr. H. Lovegrove, gardener to TI. Spicer, 
Esq., 14, Aberdeen Park, Highbury, London, 
N., exhibited a group cf Cypripediums, con¬ 
sisting chiefly cf C. spioerianum. (Bronze 
Medal.) 
Hobbies, Ltd., Dereham, Norfolk, bad a 
very large group of Boses, cut- from the open, 
consisting chiefly of Teas and Hybrid Teas,, 
with a few other autumn-flowering varieties. 
The weather in Norfolk must surely have 
been much in their favour. (Large Silver 
Medal.) 
Messrs. George Boyes and Co., Aylestone, 
Nurseries, Leicester, had a very fine collec¬ 
tion of tree Carnations in variety. 
Mr. S. Mortimer, Bowledge, Farnliam, had 
a table of tree Carnations. 
Messrs. William, Cutbush and Son, High- 
gate, London, had a fine collection of tree 
Carnations, including Enchantress, Lord 
Charles Beresford, Cardinal, and many other 
choice varieties now in bloom. 
Mr. David Bussell, Essex Nui’sery, Brent¬ 
wood, had a fine exhibit of Conifers, tree 
Ivies, Aucubas in berry, and various other 
evergreen shrubs. (Large Silver Medal.) 
Messrs. John Laing and Sons!, Forest Hill, 
London, set up a group of plants of Japanese 
Chrysanthemums on the floor. 
Messrs. Thomas Bochford and Sons, Brox- 
bourne, had a very fine and interesting ex¬ 
hibit of retarded Lilies, Azaleas, and Lily of 
the Valley, the last being delightfully scented. 
Mr. Geo. H. Sage, 71, Manor Bead, Bich- 
mond, Surrey, had an exhibit of Bruce flower 
displayers and other sundries. The) dis- 
players are intended for the economical use 
of flowers in the cut state. 
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ++ + + + + + + + + +T+ + 
Suitable Land Needed. 
Continuing my notes on egg production, the 
question of suitable land presents itself as an 
important factor. It is useless expecting to be 
successful in this business if one's surround¬ 
ings are unsuitable, and it, is not all land which 
is suitable. On heavy clay soil, or on land 
’which only possesses a thin covering of soil on 
top of solid rock, such as is found in those 
parts of the country where stone quarries 
abound, it is useless expecting fowds to lay 
arge numbers of eggs. No matter how virile, 
how prolific a breed may be selected, or how 
precocious the individual numbers of your stud 
may be, it is useless, worse than useless, ex¬ 
pecting eggs in any quantity from them if you 
put them on land such as I have mentioned. 
An Ideal Situation. 
How many of us spend our time in this life 
seeking ideals we cannot find. Still, in this 
matter of poultry breeding and egg production 
ideal situations can be found, although not at 
the doors of all. The ideal spot for poultry 
farming is on the slopes of some fertile and 
sheltered valley where the land is light, and 
the northerly and easterly winds are not very 
prevalent. In an exposed situation, one where 
the cold dry, east winds have full play, few eggs 
will be piroduced during the winter months no 
matter what breed is kept. 
A Great Advantage. 
The great advantage sloping land possesses 
over fiat land for poultry keeping is found in 
the fact that on sloping land all the water 
which falls drains away, and thus there is far 
less liability to disease. Fowls quickly become 
unhealthy when kept on land which is cold, 
heavy, and wet, and an unhealthy stock means 
the egg supply is small. From this my readers 
will gather that no big egg averages can be 
expected unless a dry and sheltered situation 
is selected. 
Systems Considered. 
When one comes to consider the methods of 
many of our farmers and the conditions under 
which they keep their poultry, one is forced to 
the conclusion that it would be a good thing 
did every farmer have two or three years’ com¬ 
mercial training ere starting his life’s work. 
Houses, land, and food are generally all wrong. 
Birds are kept in badly-ventilated houses, shut 
up closely at night to inhale a most vitiated 
atmosphere, and then let out early in the morn¬ 
ing whilst it is still freezing to catch cold and 
get their combs frost-bitten, whilst the matter 
of cleansing the houses is seldom thought 
about, and for months and months the houses 
go without being cleaned out. Can success be 
expected under such conditions 1 
Satisfactory Methods. 
There are three methods of keeping fowls 
when once a suitable spot has been found. A 
short time ago I was on a farm in Norfolk, 
its owner is considered an up-to-clate, pro¬ 
gressive man, and he certainly is, not only in 
his general farming, but also in his poultry 
keeping. He considers poultry have their 
proper place on the farm, and should be 
considered as a factor in profit-making. He, 
however, does not confine his birds at all; they 
are allowed lull liberty to roam and range as 
they like. This means that a great deal of the 
energy which should go towards egg produc¬ 
tion is worked off in exercise. Fowls need 
plenty of space we know, but it is jrossible to 
have too much of a good thing. Birds which 
have unlimited space in which to range are 
not such good layers as those more confined. 
At another farm visited by me some time since, 
where the poultry are also considered, I found 
they were kept in a large field with fixed 
houses and runs. This system is very good 
when one’s space is limited, but it is not one 
from which to get the best results on a farm. 
The reason why being that the ground gets 
used too much, and often becomes sour because 
it does not get sufficient rest. What I consider 
the best method of keeping poultry on a farm 
must be left till next week,* as my space is 
exhausted. 
Answers to Correspondents. 
Cat with Eczema (Cherry Lass).—There 
is no need tor you to apologise for asking a 
question about your cat. Poor puss is a great 
friend of mine, and she certainly comes under 
our title of “Pets.” Your cat has an attack of 
eczema, caused possibly by over-feeding with 
heating food. Cats are very difficult things to 
doctor, owing to the great sensitiveness of their 
internal' organs. You might put as much 
magnesia in its food as will cover a sixpence. 
Do this at each time of feeding, that is morn¬ 
ing and night. The spots that are to be seen 
on the head and neck should be rubbed twice 
a day with a little ointment made of lard and 
