Kovbmbeb 15, 1913. 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
I BIRMINGHAM CHRYSANTHEMUM | 
t AND FRUIT SHOW. t 
Bindley Hall, Birmingham, on November 
11, 12, and 13, was well filled with beautiful 
flowers, plants, and other horticultural pro¬ 
ducts, the occasion being the show of the Bir¬ 
mingham and Midland Counties’ Horticul- 
tuipal Society. There were those present who 
could look back upon bygone years, and 
could remember shows that were more exten¬ 
sive and of higher quality than that of this 
year, but, for our part, we were well pleased 
to note that, on the whole, things were about 
as good as usual, whilst there were in minor 
details of arrangement undbubted improve¬ 
ments that ad&d to the enjoyment of 
visitors. 
of good quality were used to finish off the 
fibnt, together wuth small crotons, ferns, 
and grasses. Mr. Ciy^er was also alone in the 
g^ioup of decorative chrysanthemums, occu¬ 
pying 12ft. by 8ft. Single varieties of bright 
colours were freely used, with small-flowered 
Japanese, the w'hole being tastefully grou|)ed 
to present a very pleasing effect. 
In the smaller group, combining laige- 
flowered and decorative rarieties, there were 
two entries, the first prize being secuixd by 
F. W. Ix>ve, gardener to the Situdloy 
Horticultural College, Studley, Warwick¬ 
shire. There were some nicely growm Japa^ 
nese flowers, but the greater ^portion of the 
857 
trailing .selaginellas. This exhibit secured a 
silver challenge shield in addition to the cash 
prize of .£'8. Mr. H. Wooiman, Shirley, Bir 
iniiigham. came a good second w'ith tall 
.stands of big blooms, and smaller vaaee of 
.incurves, the decorations being crotons, 
ferns, and small palms. Mr. John Slierratt, 
Burton-on-Trent, received third prize, his 
exiiibit lacking something in. boldnees of 
arrangement. 
Tile claas for six vaaes of Ja|>anese varie¬ 
ties, each containing three blooms, all dis¬ 
tinct \'arioties, had three entries, tlie first 
prize being aw*arded to Mr. K. J. Brooks, 
gardener to Lieut.-Colonel Beech, Brandon 
Hall, Coventry. The Hon. Mrs. Lopes, Mias 
A. E. Roope, Lady Talbot, and F. S. Vallis 
were all good yellows; Queen Mary and Wil¬ 
liam Turner, whites; and William Meaee, 
Frances Row, and C. A. Broomhead were 
good bronze and red varieties, all well, 
formed, fresh, and law blooms. .Mr. H. 
Wooiman, Shirley, took second prize with 
somewhat smaller, but still very uice flowers, 
wlidch included Thomas Lunt. Mrs. T. 
FIRST PRIZE EXHIBIT OF TWELVE C HRYSANTHEMUMS, WITH DECORATIVE FOLIAGE. 
At Birmingham Show, exhibited by Mr. J. B. Tooley, gardener to Hugh Andrews, Esq., Toddington Manor. Winchcombe. 
PLANTS. 
Ymr by year the popularity of the trained 
specamen plants of chrysanthemums seems 
to wane, and in the half-dozen classee pro- 
^'ed there was practdoally no oomp^tdon, 
Alfred Cryer, gardener to J. A. Kenrick, 
Borrow Oourt, E<^baston, being 
awarded first prizes for six large-flowered 
Jap^ese, and for three plants, and a single 
s^imen. The same exhibitor had the 1^ 
tnree plants of single-flowered varieties, 
^<^nd prize in this -blass going to Mr. 
:^yner Bullock, gardener to T. W. Piggott, 
The Lions, Moseley. Mr. J. S. Higley, 
^rdmer to Godfrey Nettlefold, Esq., South 
Bdghaston, taking third prize. 
litM group classes there was again but 
^le competition, the principal group occu- 
by lOft., having only one entry, 
r^fiich came from Mr. Alfred Cryer. It was, 
a magnificent exhibit, in which 
plants were used with great skill and 
te. A ^ntral mound at the back rose to 
great height, and contained many immense 
ot the best varieties, and on either 
• ^ the foreground rose pyramids of choice 
curved and Japan^e varieties. Cut blooms 
group was made up of singles and decorative 
flowers, and of these there were decidedly too 
many for the 12ft. by 8ft. apace. Mr. L. 
Fewkes, gardener to H. Green, Esq., Gra¬ 
velly Hill, Birmingham, who was placed 
second, had a very good lot of large-flowered 
Japanese, which, on the whole, were of good 
quality, and were so arranged that each 
flower stood well out to show its merits. 
There was .some expression of opinion th^ 
this group more correctly fulfilled the condi¬ 
tions of the schedule than did the other. 
CUT FLOWERS. 
A most attractive class was that for a table 
of cut chrysanthemums, Japanese and in¬ 
curved, with ferns and foli^e plaints, the 
space allotted each exhibit being 18ft. by 5ft. 
There were three strong entries, and the 
leading position was well taken by Mr. Nor¬ 
man Davis, Framfield Nurseries, Sussex. The 
background was given up to huge blooms of 
beautiful white, yellow, and cnmson Japa¬ 
nese varieties, whilst in front there were 
ffrand stands of perfectiy-formed incurves, 
and the table base had other large flowers 
dispersed among pteris and nephrolepis, with 
Stevenson, Reg. Vallis, and other good varie¬ 
ties. Third prize went to Mr. J. R. Tooley, gar¬ 
dener to Hugh Andrews, Esq., Toddington 
Manor, Winchcombe. Mr. Brooks was again 
to the fore with three vases in three distinot 
varieties, three blooms of each. John Peed, 
a pale lilac mauve, F. S. Vallis, of wonderful 
size, and the massive white William Turner 
were the varieties used. Mr. H. Wooiman 
again followed for second place, his varieties 
'being Miss A. E. Roope, Mrs. H. J. Jones 
(both yellows), and Mrs. Gilbert Drabble, the 
latfler being beautifuilly-developed blooms. 
Mr. W. H. Weertbury, gardener to J. H. 
VTieatley, Esq., Berks well Hall, Coventry, 
received third prize. 
A class of special interest was that for 
twelve Japanese blooms placed on a table with 
small foliage plants and ferns as a setting. 
There were five capital entries, and some 
splendid flow'ers were staged. Mr. J. R. 
Tooley, gardener to Hugh Andrews, Esq., 
Toddington Manor, Winchcombe, was first- 
prize winner, his flowers being large, beauti¬ 
ful, fresh, and just fully developed, whilst 
they were well arranged against a back¬ 
ground of bilack velvet, with small crotons 
