74 
July  28,  1898. 
I 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
In  wood,  was  easily  first,  the  second  prize  going  to  Mr.  G.  Shewring, 
Llandaff,  and  the  third  to  Mr.  II.  Pitt.  Mr.  Wilkins  also  took  the  lead 
in  classes,  the  prizes  for  which  were  provided  by  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons, 
and  Webb  &  Sons.  The  best  Cucumbers,  a  handsome  brace  of  Cardiff 
Castle,  were  shown  by  Mr.  J.  Howe  ;  second  Mr.  H.  Pitt.  There  were 
also  classes  provided  for  all  other  popular  vegetables. 
Nurserymen’s  Exhibits. 
As  previously  intimated,  non-competitive  exhibits  wore  unusually 
numerous,  several  well-known  nurserymen  exhibiting  plants  and  cut 
flowers  on  a  large  scale.  Foremost  amongst  these  were  Messrs.  Sutton 
and  Sons,  who  had  a  grand  display  of  tuberous  Begonias,  the  varieties 
both  double  and  single  being  of  great  merit,  and  the  plants  well  grown  ; 
Gloxinias  representing  a  good  strain,  and  showing  what  can  be  done  in 
ten  months  from  sowing  seed.  Celosias,  Palms,  and  other  plants.  Mr. 
W.  Treseder,  Cardiff,  arranged  in  an  artistic  manner  a  fine  display  of 
Cactus  Dahlias,  Boses,  and  hardy  herbaceous  flowers,  these  occupying 
the  side  of  one  tent.  Messrs.  Dobbio  &  Co.,  Rothesay,  well  sustained 
their  reputation  for  Sweet  Peas,  Pansies,  herbaceous  plants,  and  Pelar¬ 
goniums,  and  Mr.  II.  Eckford.  Wem,  also  had  a  fine  collection  of  Sweet 
Peas  in  bunches.  Messrs.  Garaway  &  Co.,  Bristol,  arranged  a  large 
group  of  well-grown  stove  and  greenhouse  plants. 
Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons  made  a  most  imposing  display  of  hardy  herba¬ 
ceous  flowers,  and  Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey,  Exmouth,  showed  a  long  bench 
of  Carnations,  Cannas,  Sweet  Peas,  Phloxes,  and  numerous  other 
flowers.  Mr.  B.  R.  Davis,  Yeovil,  staged  a  good  assortment  of  double 
and  single  tuberous  Begonias,  while  Messrs.  Case  Bros.,  Cardiff,  arranged 
an  effective  display  of  choice  cut  flowers.  Mr.  A.  W.  P.  Pike,  Cardiff, 
exhibited  a  large  number  of  superior  Carnations  in  pots.  Garden  furni¬ 
ture,  by  several  local  tradesmen,  on  a  large  scale,  and  the  Newport 
Pottery  Co.  bad  an  imposing  exhibit  of  vases,  original  in  design  and 
otherwise,  flower  pots,  and  pans. 
ASHTEAD.— July  21st. 
Few  shows  anywhere  have  a  more  delightful  habitation  than  has  the 
small  one  held  annually  in  Ashtead  Park,  Epsoin,  t<he  residence  of 
Pantia  Ralli,  Esq.,  for  the  park  and  grounds  are  of  the  most  beautiful 
description,  and  form  a  powerful  attraction  of  themselves.  These  are 
thrown  open  to  visitors,  and  when  in  the  evening  dancing  takes  place  on 
the  extensive  lawn  near  the  mansion,  the  scene  is  a  very'  lively'  one. 
Mr.  G.  Hunt,  Mr.  Ralli’s  gardener,  always  sets  up  at  the  Show  a  fine 
group  of  plants,  and  on  this  occasion  was  nowise  behind  with  a  very 
effective  arrangement.  Foliage  plants,  including  noble  Palms  and  Ferns, 
were  in  great  variety,  and  flowering  plants  in  abundance.  A  special 
feature  of  attraction  was  a  handsome  flowering  plant  of  Acalypha  Sanderi. 
Tn  another  tent  were  fine  cut  Roses  and  other  flowers,  and  a  remarkable 
fruit  trophy  that  included  practically  every  description  of  ripe  fruit 
grown,  and  all  of  great  excellence.  This  trophy  was  as  much  a  marvel 
of  patient  skill  as  of  pomological  excellence. 
There  were  also  capital  groups  of  decorative  plants  from  Mr.  F.  Gold¬ 
smith,  gardener  to  the  Rev.  F.  G.  Lucas  ;  Mr.  Goldsmith,  gardener  to 
G.  Eadams,  Esq.  ;  and  Mr.  Corbett,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Denshire.  Mr. 
Will  Taylor,  Hampton,  sent  some  good  cut  Roses,  as  also  did  Mr.  J.  May 
of  Ashtead,  who  also  had  Carnations.  There  were  two  boxes  of  lovely 
Tea  Roses  sent  by  Air.  C.  J.  Grahame  from  Wrydelands,  Leatherhead, 
amongst  which  Muriel  Grahame,  Maman  Cochet,  Comtesse  de  Nadaillac, 
Ethel  Brownlow,  Madame  de  Watteville,  and  Innocente  Pirola  were 
beautiful. 
The  table  decorations,  judged  by’  ladies,  wore  lighter  and  more  pleasing 
than  used  to  be  the  case.  The  first  prize  was  awarded  to  a  simple 
arrangement  in  several  stands  of  pink  and  carmine  Sweet  Peas  ;  but 
the  soft  hues  of  the  flowers  were  killed  by  the  addition  of  florid  rose 
coloured  ribbons  and  other  fantastic  drapery.  The  second  prize  went  to 
a  dressing  of  pink  Carnations  and  Tea  Roses  dressed  with  Asparagus 
plumosus  and  Smilax  on  the  cloth.  A  very  bright,  pleasing  arrangement 
had  fresher  Smilax  on  the  table,  and  the  flowers — again  Sweet  Peas  solely 
— had  some  brighter,  though  not  conflicting  colours.  The  drapery 
seemed  to  influence  the  ladies’  decisions. 
The  cottagers’  exhibits  generally  were  excellent.  A  dish  of  Snowdrop 
White  Kidney  Potatoes  could  hardly  have  been  excelled  anywhere. 
There  were  also  capital  Carrots,  very  fine  winter  and  spring  Onions, 
excellent  Peas,  and  Longpod  Beans,  the  dark  green  close-fitting  pods 
being  much  the  best,  and  far  superior  to  the  huge  pale-podded  Sevllles. 
Cabbages,  as  is  so  generally  the  case,  were  too  large.  Fruit,  such  as 
Gooseberries  and  Red  and  Black  Currants,  were  very  fine,  some  dishes  of 
the  Black  Baldwin  could  not  have  been  excelled.  There  were  nine  trays 
of  six  vegetables  exhibited  from  the  boys’  school  gardens,  the  best  one 
having  remarkably  good  produce,  consisting  of  Kidney  Potatoes,  fine 
Onions,  good  Cabbages,  white  Turnips,  Longpod  Beans,  and  excellent 
Lettuces.  There  was  a  large  attendance  in  the  evening,  and  when  the 
prizes  were  distributed  and  short  addresses  given  probably  500  persons 
were  gathered  round  the  table. 
PRESCOT.— July  21st. 
On  Thursday  last  the  fourteenth  annual  Exhibition  was  held,  by  the 
kind  permission  of  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Derby,  K.G.,  G.C.B.,  in 
Knowsley  Park.  The  weather  was  perfect,  all  business  in  the  old  town 
suspended,  a  capital  gate,  and  financial  success  was  assured.  No  little  part 
of  all  this  was  assured  by  the  affable  and  courteous  Secretary,  Mr.  Case. 
Mr.  Norris  Mercer  marshalled  his  Committee  as  a  President  ought  to  do, 
and  they  did  their  level  best  in  the  various  offices  allotted  to  them.  The 
-exhibits  were  numerous  ani  of  splendid  quality,  the  vegetables  staged  by 
the  cottagers  ranking  with  anything  seen  in  the  kingdom.  The  stove 
and  greenhouse  plants  were  particularly  fine. 
The  fourteen  dozen  cut  Roses— not  for  competition — staged  by  Messrs. 
Alexander  Dickson  &  Sons,  Royal  Nurseries,  Newtownards,  Co.  Down, 
came  upon  visitors  quite  as  a  sensation,  nothing  like  the  quality  ever 
having  been  seen  in  Lancashire.  The  firm’s  new  seedlings  were  greatly 
admired— a  new  II.P.  climbing  Rose,  named  Ard’s  Rover,  with  vigorous 
growths  10  or  12  feet  long,  the  flowers  as  large  and  perfect,  and  colour  of 
exact  shade  of  Ge'ndral  .Jacqueminot,  and  borne  in  clusters,  making  it  a 
great  attraction.  A  first-class  certificate  was  immediately  granted,  and  a 
special  certificate,  which  is  the  highest  award  ever  given  hy  the  Society, 
was  unanimously  granted  for  the  collection  of  Roses.  A  similar  award 
was  made  for  thirty  stands  of  charming  Sweet  Peas,  also  for  forty 
varieties  of  herbaceous  plants. 
Messrs.  R.  P.  Ker  &  Sons,  Aigburth  Nursery,  Liverpool,  staged  a  fine 
assortment  of  stove  and  greenhouse  plants,  all  denoting  the  excellent 
culture  carried  out  by  the  firm.  The  Sweet  Peas,  Dahlias,  and  Carna¬ 
tion  blooms  staged  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Young,  Floral  Nursery,  West  Derby, 
Liverpool,  were  voted  a  groat  success.  Messrs.  Dicksons,  Ltd.,  Chester, 
as  in  former  years,  were  well  represented  by  a  table  of  herbaceous  plants 
and  cut  Roses,  the  whole  making  a  display  worthy  of  the  firm’s  reputa¬ 
tion  Mr.  Henry  Middlehurst  had  Sweet  Peas.  Certificates  were  granted 
to  all  the  above  firms. 
For  six  stove  and  greenhouse  plants,  three  in  flower,  tho  first  prize 
went  to  Mr.  J.  Bracegirdle,  gardener  to  W.  II.  Watts,  Esq.,  Elm  Hall, 
Wavertree,  with  a  large  Kentia,  Crotons  Queen  Victoria  and  Disraeli,  a 
magnificent  specimen  of  Bougainvillea  Randeriana,  Allamanda  Williamsi, 
and  Kalosanthes  coccinea.  Mr.  R.  Pinnington,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Banner, 
Blacklow  House,  Roby,  was  a  close  second,  his  Crotons,  Ixora  coccinea 
superba,  and  Clerodendron  Balfourianum  being  superb.  Mr.  II.  McFall, 
gardener  to  E.  C.  Leventon,  Esq  ,  Oakfield,  Roby,  was  third.  Mr.  Brace¬ 
girdle  also  won  with  four  Ferns,  four  greenhouse  plants  in  flower,  three 
Fuchsias,  and  one  Fuchsia,  also  with  a  tastefully  arranged  group  of 
plants.  In  the  second  prize  group  arranged  by  Mr.  William  Lyon, 
gardener  to  A.  M.  Smith,  Esq.,  Bolton  Hey,  Rob)-,  were  noticed  four 
huge  plants  of  Oncidium  Lanceanumin  rude  health  and  superbly  flowered. 
A  weil-flowered  Ixora  coccinea  superba  gained  Mr.  Pinnington  the  first 
prize  for  a  single  stove  plant,  and  he  was  also  a  good  second  in  Ferns. 
Mr.  Barnes,  gardener  to  J.  ('.  Gamble,  Esq.,  Ilarosfinch,  St.  Helens,  won 
with  Gloxiniasand  Begonias, Mr.  McFall  with  Cockscombs,  Mr.  Humphreys, 
gardener  to  E.  S.  Eccles,  Esq.,  Iluyton,  with  model  garden  and  single 
Begonia,  and  Mr.  J.  George,  Iluyton,  with  Coleus. 
Roses  wore  not  specially  good,  Mr.  P.  Greene,  gardener  to  Thos.  Gee, 
Esq  ,  Allerton,  winning  with  eighteen,  also  with  herbaceous  cut  flowers. 
The  classes  for  twelve  and  six  Roses  fell  to  Mr.  James  Parr,  gardenor  to 
Mrs.  Evans,  Knowsley  Park,  Prcscot.  Prizes  for  Carnations  and 
Dahlias  went  to  Messrs.  N.  Mercer  and  J.  Brown. 
Fruit  was  excellent,  Mr.  W.  Oldham,  gardener  to  Joseph  Beecham,  Esq., 
winning  the  classes  for  four  dishes  of  fruit,  two  bunches  Black  Hamburgh, 
two  white  (Muscat  of  Alexandria  excluded)  with  handsome  Buckland 
Sweetwater,  two  Madresfield  Court.  Mr.  J.  Rose,  gardener  to  ,T.  Atherton, 
Esq.,  Singleton  House,  Iluyton,  won  with  Musoats,  and  taking  seconds 
in  each  position  in  the  above.  Mr.  Oldham  won  all  tho  Currant  classes. 
Mr.  T.  Eaton,  gardener  to  J.  Barrington,  Esq.,  Roby  Mount,  Roby,  was 
second  with  four  dishes  of  fruit,  first  with  Cherries  ;  also  with  the  finest 
dish  of  Latest  of  All  Strawberry  we  remember  seeing.  Mr.  T.  Carling, 
gardener  to  Mrs.  Cope,  Woolton,  succeeded  in  taking  classes  for 
six  Peaches  and  green-fleshed  Melon,  also  with  splendid  three  dishes  of 
Tomatoes.  The  classes  for  culinary  and  dessert  Apples  ought  to  be 
discontinued  at  once,  being  entirely  out  of  character,  and  forming  no 
feature  to  the  Show.  Vegetables  were  excellent,  but  space  will  not 
permit  of  names  being  given. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Culture  of  Peaches  and  Nectarines. 
As  the  treatment  of  these  luscious  fruits  is  identical,  endeavour  will 
be  made  in  the  following  articles  to  give  rules  on  their  culture,  which  it 
is  hoped  may  be  of  service  to  readers  of  the  “  Domain.” 
By  a  judicious  selection  of  varieties  the  season  of  the  Peach  may  be 
made  to  last  from  the  middle  of  April  until  well  on  in  October.  In  order 
to  have  ripe  fruit  by  the  earliest  mentioned  time  the  house  must  be 
started  by  the  middle  of  November.  Previous  to  doing  this  the  glass  and 
woodwork  should  have  been  thoroughly  cleansed.  The  trees  must  receive 
a  dressing  of  Gishurst  compound,  used  as  directed.  In  performing 
this  operation  draw  the  brush  towards  the  points  of  the  shoots,  as  a 
preventive  against  rubbing  off  the  buds.  The  border  must  also  be  looked 
to,  clearing  off  the  surface  soil  to  the  roots.  If  at  all  dry  afford  a  good 
watering,  then  add  a  top-dressing  of  fresh  loam,  in  which  a  small  propor¬ 
tion  of  old  mortar  rubble  has  been  mixed.  The  trees  may  then  be 
trained  to  their  quarters,  and  all  is  ready  for  the  next  season’s  work.  A 
few  days  previous  to  starting  the  house  the  outside  border  should  receive 
protection  by  means  of  a  thickness  of  litter,  over  which  is  placed  some 
shutters,  or  hard  material,  to  ward  off  heavy  cold  rains.  This  protection 
must  be  removed  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year. 
STARTING. — For  the  first  fortnight  a  temperature  of  40°  to  45°  by 
night,  and  45°  to  50°  by  day,  will  be  sufficient,  afterwards  raising  it  5J. 
This  should  not  be  exceeded,  or  too  much  fire  heat  be  afforded,  or  the 
wood  buds  may  start  into  growth  before  the  flower  buds.  This  will  be  to 
the  detriment  of  the  latter,  consequently  is  an  evil  to  be  guarded  against. 
