August  11,  1898, 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
99 
WEBBS’SEEDS 
W  EBBS’ 
EMPEROR  CABBAGE 
THE  EARLIEST  AND  BEST. 
6d.  and  1/-  per  Packet ;  1/6  per  Ounce. 
From  Mr.  J.  TURNBULL,  The  School  House. 
July  9th,  1898. 
“I  sowed  some  seed  of  Webbs’  Emperor  Cabbage,  and 
the  cabbages  have  been  simply  grand  ;  they  get  better 
each  time  we  have  them.  ” 
WEBBS',  WORQSLEY,  STOURBRI DOE. 
CARNATIONS. 
Mr.  WEGUELIN’S  choice  collection  comprises  all  the 
newest  and  best  Exhibition  varieties  in  cultivation. 
CATALOGUES  FREE.  Seedlings  3/6  dozen,  26/-  100. 
H.  W.  WEGUELIN,  F  R  H.S„ 
ST.  MARY  CHURCH,  TORQUAY,  DEVON. 
LONDON  FERN  NURSERIES, 
Loughborough  Junction,  London,  S.W.— Ferns,  large 
and  small,  in  variety  ;  Aralias,  Grevilleas,  Cyperus,  Ficus, 
Ericas,  Palms,  Dracaenas,  Aspidistras,  Hydrangeas,  Pelar¬ 
goniums,  Fuchsias,  Marguerites,  Crotons,  &c.  Trade, 
send  for  Wholesale  List.  Special  List  for  Amateurs,  send 
for  one.— J.  E.  SMITH. 
CLEAN  HEALTHY  PLANTS  AT  LOW  PRICES. 
Always  worth  a  visit  of  inspection.  Kindly  send  for  Catalogue. 
Exotic  Nurseries,  CHELTENHAM. 
RIVERS’ 
FRUIT  TREES, 
Roses,  Vines, 
FIGS,  ORANGES, 
AND 
Orchard-House  Trees. 
A  LARGE  AND  SELECT  STOCK 
ALWAYS  ON  VIEW. 
ILLUSTRATED  AND  DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGUE, 
Post  Free,  3d. 
THOMAS  RIVERS  &  SON, 
SAWBRIDGEWORTH.  HERTS. 
HARLOW  STATION.  G.E.R. 
THE  GARDEN  MANUAL  :  for  the  Cultivation 
and  Operations  required  for  the  Kitchen  Garden, 
Fruit  Garden,  Flower  Garden,  and  Florists’  Flowers. 
Illustrated  with  Engravings  and  Plans.  By  the  Editors 
and  Contributors  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture.  REVISED 
Edition  now  ready.  Fcap.  8vo,  cloth,  price  1/6 ;  post 
free,  1/9.  ***  44,000  of  previous  editions  already  sold.— 
Journal  of  Horticulture  Office,  12,  MiTre  Court 
Chambers,  Fleet  Street,  E.C. 
Greenhouses  from  £3  5 /-;  vineries. 
Conservatories,  Frames,  Summer  Houses,  &c. 
Illustrated  List  Free.  Makers  to  H.M.  the  Queen  and 
H.R.H.  the  Prince  of  Wales. 
OTTER,  HAWTHORN  &  CO.,  London  Works, 
READING.  (Name  Paper.) 
No.  946.— Vol.  XXXVII  ,  Third  Series. 
Joiti’intl  of  horticulture. 
THURSDAY,  AUGUST  11,  1898. 
THE  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  can  be  obtained 
from  the  Office,  12,  Mitre  Court  Chambers ,  Fleet  St., 
London ,  post  free  for  a  Quarter ,  3/9.  Editorial 
communications  must  be  addressed  to  8,  Rose 
Hill  Rd.,  Wandsworth,  S.W. 
COMPETITION. 
OMPETITION  is  keen  everywhere,  and  perhaps 
nowhere  more  so  than  at  flower  shows. 
Gardeners  are  fully  imbued  with  the  spirit  to 
excel.  Competition  is  the  keynote  of  everything, 
for  its  presence  brings  out  the  best  that  is  in  us, 
and  any  undertaking  lacking  this  important  element 
is  destitute  of  that  which  stimulates  us  to  do  our 
best  work  in  order  to  achieve  some  cherished 
reward. 
Glance  through  the  pages  of  the  Journal  of 
Horticulture  as  it  comes  out  week  by  week, 
seldom  is  there  an  issue  that  does  not  contain  a 
report  of  at  least  one  horticultural  show,  while 
during  the  rush  of  Chrysanthemums,  Roses,  and 
so  forth,  its  pages  are  packed  to  overflowing. 
What  does  it  all  mean  ?  Simply  that  as  an  insti¬ 
tution  the  flower  show  is  yearly  becoming  more 
popular,  competition  is  growing  keener,  cultivation 
is  getting  better,  and  the  general  public  is  showing 
an  increasing  interest  in  the  work  of  the  gardener, 
be  he  amateur  or  professional. 
It  is  not  altogether  to  the  professional  gardener 
that  this  progress  is  due.  The  national  love  for 
horticulture  has  advanced  hand-in-hand  with  educa¬ 
tion,  and  amateur  gardeners,  as  growers  of  Roses, 
Chrysanthemums,  Orchids,  Carnations,  Tulips, 
Auriculas,  and  other  flowers,  as  well  as  fruit  and 
vegetables,  must  receive  credit  for  supporting  so 
well  many  old,  and  inaugurating  many  new, 
societies  and  connective  shows.  There  is  another 
fact  to  be  admitted— that  there  are  many  private 
gardeners  who  do  not  show — not  because  they  lack 
the  spirit  or  the  ability  to  grow  produce  worthy 
of  exhibition,  but  because  they  are  desired  not  to 
do  so.  Fortunately  this  prohibition  is  not  general, 
or  exhibitions  would  not  be  so  well  supported  as 
they  are. 
There  is  another  section  on  whom  horticultural 
societies  have  had  a  stimulating  effect  —  village 
shows,  now  being  held  all  over  the  country,  where 
cottage  gardeners  display  the  results  of  their  labour. 
The  competition  at  these  shows  is  just  as  keen, 
the  results  as  jealously  watched,  and  the  interest 
quite  as  great  as  the  annual  shows  at  Shrewsbury, 
NO.  2602  —VOL.  XCIX.,  OLD  SERIES 
