June  11,  1896. 
533 
JO  URN  A  L 
OF  HORTICULTURE  AND 
COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
N.R.S.  It  is  just  the  size  of  the  garden  of  Antinoils,  and  almost  as  fair 
and  fruitful.  The  owner  ia  too  wise  to  exhibit,  but  if  he  did  hia  Rosea 
would  hold  their  own  anywhere.  He  buys  them  by  the  bed,  and  gives 
them  away  by  the  barrowload.  Near  here,  too,  is  that  grand  old  Marechal 
Niel  which  requires  two  glass  houses,  a  hot  and  a  cold,  and  has  been 
giving  its  thousand  blooms  for  now  well  on  to  thirty  years.  Its  stem  is 
a  marvel  of  massive  ruggednes3. 
Yet  one  more  suggestion — Reading  is  pre-eminently  a  “city  of  waters.” 
The  Thames  alone  would  make  an  ordinary  town’s  fortune.  Reading  has 
also  the  Rennet.  There  are  boats  on  both,  the  Thames  certainly  for 
choice.  Aquatic  exhibitors  may  prefer  to  goon  the  water.  If  they  go 
upwards  they  will  pass  a  very  famous  island,  with  “  De  Montford  ” 
Street  running  down  to  it  from  the  Caversham  Road.  On  this  was 
fought  the  fierce  combat  between  Roger  de  Montford  and  Henry  Earl  of 
show,  are  obliged  to  come  in.  They  may  be  considered  an  humble 
adjunct  and  useful  background  to  the  royal  flowers.  A  paraphrase  fiom 
an  ancient  verse  may  appropriately  close  these  notes. 
The  month  of  months  is  the  month  of  Roses, 
Its  smiling  path  is  with  Roses  strewn  ; 
And  the  sight  of  sights — each  member  knows — is 
Our  N.R.  Show  at  the  end  of  June. 
— Alan  Cheales. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
Drill  Hall,  June  9th. 
The  exhibition  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  was  one  of  the  finest 
fiat  has  been  held  in  this  structure,  every  foot  of  available  Bpace 
Fig.  86.— A  GLIMPSE  OF  READING  ABBEY  RUINS— The  Way  to  the  Show. 
Eesex;[(see  “  The  Island  of  the  Combat.”  Miss  Langley,  London  Street). 
The  reach  is  lovely  above  Caversham  Bridge  and  under  the  Oxfordshire 
hills,  and  hardly  less  inviting  the  row  down  to  Sonning. 
One  last  word  as  to  access  to  the  show  place.  This  is  a  matter  of  no 
small  interest  to  arrivals  with  half  a  dozen  boxes.  How  well  I  remember 
those  terrible  wanderings  in  cabs  about  South  Kensington,  first  trying 
to  find  and  then  to  get  into  the  exhibition  arcade  1  At  Reading,  as  I 
hope  like  all  else,  the  arrangements  will  be  found  approaching  perfec¬ 
tion.  The  G.W.R  ,  the  S  E.R.,  the  S.W.R.  are  all  close  to  the  Forbury 
and  Abbey  ruins.  Arrangements  will  be  made  by  the  energetic  Secre¬ 
tary,  Mr.  Walker,  of  the  Reading  Horticultural  Society,  enabling  cabs 
to  enter  at  one  end  of  the  shady  road  along  the  Rennet  bank,  under  the 
Abbey  walls  already  mentioned,  to  put  the  boxes  down  at  the  very 
entrance,  and  then  go  away  by  Blake’s  Bridge.  Drivers  should  be  told 
to  enter  by  Abbey  Street,  close  to  Messrs.  Ridley’s  timber  yard  by  the 
side  of  the  Holy  Brook. 
It  may  be  a  surprise  to  some  to  find  that  it  is  not  entirely  a  Rose  show  ; 
but  some  £30  has  been  allotted  by  the  local  authority  (which,  after  all, 
is  horticultural)  to  other  plants.  These,  not  having  had  their  spring 
having  been  utilised  for  the  exhibits.  The  show  was  particularly  rich 
in  hardy  flowers,  which  were  magnificently  staged  in  great  variety. 
Orchids  were  superb,  one  table  being  wholly  devoted  to  them.  Fruit 
and  vegetables  were  both  numerous  and  of  excellent  quality,  Straw¬ 
berries  being  especially  fine. 
Fruit  Committee.— Present  :  P.  Crowley,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
with  Rev.  W.  Wilks,  Dr.  Hoger,  and  Messrs.  T.  F.  Rivers,  M.  Dudp, 
J.  Cbeal,  A.  H.  Pearson,  T.  Fife,  H.  Balderson,  J.  A.  Laing,  G.  W. 
Cummins,  F.  Q.  Lane,  A.  F.  Barron,  G.  Wythes,  A.  Dean,  and  J.  Wright. 
The  Committee  was  kept  busily  engaged  in  examining  the  several 
products  that  were  placed  on  the  table  or  arranged  in  the  crowded  hall 
for  examination.  Prominent  among  these  were  Strawberries  from 
Frogmore  and  Bedford,  Nectarines  in  pots  from  Gunnersbury,  and 
sundry  Melons  of  the  last  named.  The  season  has  opened  well  with 
varieties  of  excellent  quality. 
Mr.  Empson,  The  Gardens,  Ampthill  House,  sent  a  small  to  medium- 
sized  attractive  fruit  of  the  Melon  Anthony's  Favourite ,  for  which  an 
award  of  merit  was  now  granted  ;  it  is  a  rich  scarlet  flesh  and  rich  in 
flavour.  A  first-class  certificate  was  granted  by  eleven  votes  against  threp. 
Mr.  0.  Thomas  sent  a  golden  faintly  netted  fruit  of  Frogmore  Orange 
