'uly  So,  1886. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
105 
for  twelve  trebles,  distinct,  Mr.  Machin  was  an  undeniable  tirst,  with  1 
fine  blooms  of  Her  Majesty,  Louis  Van  Houtte,  Ulrich  Brunner, 
Duchess  of  Bedford,  Mrs.  J.  Laing,  Duke  of  Albany,  Gustave  Piganeau, 
Maman  Cochet,  A.  K.  Williams,  Susanne  M.  Bodocanachi,  Horace 
Vernet,  and  Francois  Michelon.  The  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton  had  massive 
and  excellent  blooms  of  Madame  Joseph  Bonnaire,  Mrs.  J.  Laing,  Gustave 
Piganeau,  Her  Majesty,  and  Earl  of  DuSerin,  as  his  best  tor  second 
place.  Mr.  Machin  also  won  with  twelve  Teas  or  Noisettes,  trebles, 
showing  Jean  Ducher,  Madame  Lambard,  The  Bride,  Ernest  Metz, 
Souvenir  d’EIise  Vardon,  Edith  Gifiord,  Catherine  Mermet,  Madame 
Hoste,  Maman  Cochet,  Souvenir  de  S.  A.  Prince,  Anna  Ollivier,  and 
Innocente  Pirola. 
The  same  order  was  maintained  for  twelve  Teas  or  Noisettes  Mr, 
Machin  also  won  for  twelve  yellow  Roses  with  Madame  Hoste ;  Rev. 
W.  H,  .Jackson  second  ;  the  Rev.  J.  H.  Pemberton  winning  in  the  class 
for  twelve  blooms  of  any  light  Rose  with  excellent  Mrs.  J.  Laing  ;  Mr. 
Machin  second  with  admirable  Maman  Cochet,  the  latter  gentleman 
again  beating  Mr.  Pemberton  with  twelve  of  any  crimson  Rose  with 
superb  Alfred  Colomb. 
The  district  Rose  classes  were  of  a  very  high  order  throughout,  and 
merited  the  best  commendation  possible.  For  twenty-four  distinct 
Roses  C.  Plumbley,  Esq.,  won ;  T,  S,  Jackson,  Esq  ,  second.  The  same 
exhibitor  won  for  twelve  distinct ;  J,  Brown,  Esq.,  was  an  excellent 
second,  and  T.  S,  Jackson,  Esq  ,  third.  Mr.  Burgess  won  for  six  distinct ; 
Mr.  Jackson  and  Mr.  Brown  being  second  and  third.  Names  are  not  given 
as  the  varieties  were  similar  to  those  mentioned  above.  Long  may 
Manchester  keep  up  its  reputation  for  great  things  in  horticulture.  No 
better  place  could  be  found  in  the  whole  kingdom  more  suitable  for  the 
work.  The  Society  is  entering,  as  it  were,  on  a  new  era,  and  it  is  to  be 
earnestly  desired  that  exhibitors  will  come  forward  with  real  energy,  for 
they  are  sure  to  be  made  welcome,  and  receive  a  more  than  hearty 
welcome. 
Miscellaneous  Exhibits. 
The  nurserymen’s  exhibits  were  more  than  good,  the  tuberous 
Begonias,  some  150  plants  from  Messrs.  Sutton  &  Sons,  many  under  six 
months  old,  being  arranged  in  a  charming  manner  with  regard  to  colour, 
the  whole,  edged  with  Maidenhair  Fern,  forming  a  table  of  exceptional 
beauty.  In  looking  over  colours  one  would  almost  fancy  that  every 
shade  was  to  be  seen  with  the  exception  of  blue  ;  but  more  striking 
perhaps  was  the  neat  habit  of  growth  with  the  corresponding  fine  flowers 
of  both  double  and  single  ;  many  of  the  former  were  very  difficult  to 
distinguish  from  Hollyhock  and  Camellia  blooms.  Truly  a  remarkable 
advance,  and  an  exhibit  to  which  the  Committee  and  Judges  had  no 
hesitation  in  awarding  a  gold  medal.  Dicksons  (Limited),  Chester, 
noted  as  they  are  for  herbaceous  plants  and  Roses,  put  up  a  beautiful  | 
assortment  of  various  Roses,  with  herbaceous  flowers  in  choicest  varieties  | 
as  a  background. 
Messrs.  Paul  &  Sons,  the  Old  Nurseries,  Cheshunt,  had  a  wonderful 
display  of  Phloxes  in  splendid  condition,  also  herbaceous  plants,  the 
beautiful  Rudbeckia  purpurea  attracting  great  attention.  Mr.  M. 
Cuthbertson,  Rothesay,  was  worthily  entitled  to  the  silver  medal  which 
he  received  for  his  interesting  collection  of  herbaceous  flowerp,  containing 
as  it  did  many  quaint  and  beautiful  forms  too  seldom  seen,  such  as 
Digitalis  Buxbaumi,  Allium  descendens,  Malvas  in  variety,  and  a  new 
Campanula  persicifolia  named  M.  Cuthbertson,  a  welcome  addition.  Of 
Bckford’s  Sweet  Peas  it  is  almost  superfluous  to  speak.  Their  merits  are 
so  well  known  that  the  name  of  Eckford  is  identified  with  only  those  of 
the  best  varieties  (silver  medal).  Messrs.  Dickson  &  Robinson, 
Manchester,  had  a  capital  stand  of  Gladioli,  named  forms  and  seedlings, 
also  Roses.  They  covered  a  large  space  and  were  much  admired. 
Messrsi  Dickson,  Brown,  &  Tait,  Manchester,  showed  an  excellent 
strain  of  tuberous  Begonia  flowers  in  variety  sufficient  to  please  the  most 
exacting.  Messrs.  Caldwell  &  Sons,  Knutsford,  put  up  a  pleasing  lelection 
of  Sweet  Peas,  Carnations,  and  Roses,  and  the  Misses  Hopkins,  Knuts¬ 
ford,  a  choice  assortment  of  herbaceous  flowers.  But  perhaps  one  of  the 
greatest  attractions  in  the  show  is  left  to  the  last  to  chronicle — viz , 
900  large  vases  of  outdoor  flowers  representing  florists’  annuals  and 
herbaceous  flowers.  Asters  and  Stocks  were  of  the  best  strains,  in  fact 
they  were  all  specially  selected,  a  beautiful  white  Stock,  much  superior 
to  Princess  Alice,  being  much  in  evidence.  This  collection,  which  was 
without  doubt  the  finest  that  has  ever  been  put  up  at  Manchester,  was 
grown  by  Mr.  F.  Law,  wholesale  flower  dealer,  at  Salemoor,  not  five 
miles  out  of  smoky  Manchester,  and  is  a  tribute  of  what  hard  work 
and  good  culture  can  do.  Thoroughly  deserved  was  the  gold  medal 
awarded.  A  silver  medal  was  awarded  to  Mr.  McKellar,  gardener  to 
J.  Watts,  Esq.,  Abney  Hall,  Cheadle,  for  a  grand  collection  of  fruit  and 
stove  and  greenhouse  flowers . 
F’wiiJ.— The  fruit  classes  were  not  well  filled,  but  there  was  a 
certainty  that  quality  was  not  lacking,  the  Grapes  more  especially 
being  worthy  of  all  commendation.  Three  competed  for  twelve 
bunches  of  Grapes,  Mr.  Goodacre,  gardener  to  Lord  Harrington, 
Blvaston  Castle,  Derby,  winning  with  splendid  Muscat  of  Alexandria, 
Muscat  Hamburgh,  and  Black  Hamburgh.  Mr.  Richardson,  gardener  to 
J.  E.  Platt,  Esq.,  Cheadle,  was  second  with  good  Muscats  and  Madreifleld 
Court.  In  Mr.  Elphinstone’s  third  prize  stand,  gardener  to  B.  M. 
Munday,  Esq.,  Shipley  Hall,  Derby,  the  Muscats  were  well  finished, 
whilst  three  bunches  of  Mrs.  Pince  commanded  attention.  Two  staged 
nine  dishes  of  fruit.  Mr.  Goodacre  again  scored  easily  with  Muscats, 
Black  Hamburgh,  Brown  Turkey  Figs,  Countess  Melon,  Pineapple 
Nectarines,  Queen  Pine,  Bellegarde  Peaches,  Hemskirk  Apricots,  and 
La  Grosse  Sucrde  Strawberries.  Mr.  Ward,  gardener  to  T.  H.  Oakes, 
Esq.,  Alfreton,  was  a  moderate  second. 
Events  of  the  Week.— The  event  on  which  the  interests  of  horti¬ 
culturists  will  be  centred  during  the  coming  week  is  the  Chester  show 
on  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  August  5th  and  6th.  Nearer  London  we 
shall  have  the  Beddington  and  Carshalton  show  on  Bank  Holiday. 
-  London  Weather. — With  the  exception  of  heavy  showers 
which  prevailed  over  almost  the  entire  area  of  the  metropolis  on  Sunday 
last,  the  week  has  once  more  been  a  dry  one.  The  rain  which  fell 
penetrated  from  1  to  2  inches,  and  more  is  very  badly  needed. 
-  Sheffield  Floral  and  Horticultural  Society.— Mr. 
T.  Birkenshaw,  gardener  to  W.  A.  Milner,  Esq.,  J.P.,  Totley  Hall,  gave 
a  most  interesting  essay  on  the  Narcissus  before  the  members  of  the 
above  Society  on  the  22nd  inst.,  dealing  with  the  culture,  and  describing 
some  of  the  best  varieties  in  cultivation.  A  lively  discussion  followed. 
-  Cases  or  Troughs  for  Tomatoes.— A  slight  error  has  crept 
into  my  article  on  Tomatoes  (page  75).  The  wooden  cases  are  con¬ 
structed  on  the  square,  not  triangular.  Two  boards  of  the  required 
length  are  placed  on  edge  1  foot  apart,  short  pieces  are  then  nailed  at 
each  end,  with  sufficient  in  the  centre  to  prevent  warping. — J.  J. 
Craven.  [The  word  “  triangles  ”  in  the  article  was  the  printer’s  way 
of  spelling  troughs,  and  ought  to  have  been  corrected.! 
-  Wakefield  Paxton  Society.— The  Mayor  (Councillor 
Milnes)  presided  over  a  large  attendance  of  members  at  the  weekly 
meeting  on  Saturday,  July  8th.  Mr.  J.  W.  Spencer  gave  a  very 
interesting  and  instructive  description  of  the  flower  gardens  and 
bedding-out  operations  in  the  park,  illustrating  his  remarks  with  plans 
of  designs.  In  the  course  of  his  essay  Mr.  Spencer  referred  to  the 
Wakefield  Public  Park,  speaking  in  high  terms  of  its  situation,  condition, 
and  appearance,  and  saying  it  bid  fair  to  become  an  exceedingly  pretty 
park,  of  which  the  citizens  had  every  reason  to  be  proud.  A  good 
discussion  on  bedding-out  plants  followed  the  reading  of  the  paper. 
At  the  close  Mr.  Spencer  received  a  very  hearty  Vote  of  thanks. 
-  Campanula  pyramidalis  alba  gompacta. — The  beauty 
and  utility  of  the  pyramidal  Campanula  have  long  been  recognised  and 
appreciated,  especially  perhaps  by  reason  of  their  adaptability  to 
effective  utilisation  in  conservatories  and  in  groups  of  plants  in 
mansions.  For  the  latter  purpose  the  white  variety  is  probably  the 
best,  but  it  must  now  give  place  to  a  new  variety  that  has  been 
introduced  by  Mr.  G.  Wythes,  the  well-known  gardener  at  Syon 
House,  Brentford.  The  name  is  rather  cumbersome,  but  will  be 
accepted  without  regret  when  attached  to  such  a  charming  flower. 
The  new  variety  is  an  improvement  on  the  type  in  several  respects, 
of  which  the  chief  are  a  dwarfer  and  much-branching  habit, 
greater  freedom  in  flowering,  and  the  purer  whiteness  of  the  blooms. 
It  is  a  variety  that  will  surely  become  very  popular  when  it  becomes 
known.  The  spikes  shown  at  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  attracted  a 
considerable  amount  of  attention,  and  received  an  award  of  merit  from 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society. — Visitor. 
- American  Peach  Prospects. — This  year’s  crop  of  Peaches 
at  Flemington,  N.J.,  promises^  to  be  a  total  failure,  owing  to  recent 
storms.  There  are  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  invested  in  Peach 
culture  in  Hunterdon,  Warren,  and  Somerset  Counties,  and  the  failure 
of  the  crop  will  be  a  severe  blow.  The  reports  from  Maryland  are 
better.  Though  the  present  crop  is  not  one  of  phenomenal  proportions, 
it  will  be  a  great  one  in  Kent  County.  An  extensive  Peach  and  Pear 
grower  near  Still  Pond  estimates  his  crpp  at  30,000  baskets,  and  from  a 
total  of  65,500  trees  in  the  same  vicinity  the  crop  is  estimated  at  90,000 
baskets.  In  Quaker  Neck,  from  a  total  of  70,000  trees,  the  crop  is 
estimated  at  90,500  baskets.  In  the  vicinity  of  Chestertown  the 
estimate  is  81,300  trees,  105,750  baskets,  by  what  is  generally  conceded 
a  conservative  estimate.  Kent  County  fruit  growers  are  preparing  to 
market  at  the  lowest  estimate  a  crop  aggregating  921,550  packages, 
while  just  across  Chester  River  from  Chestertown,  in  Queen  Anne’s 
County,  are  fully  200,000  baskets  more.  According  to  “  American 
Gardening,”  smock  Peaches  are  scarce,  and  the  yellow  varieties  are  not 
so  heavily  loaded  as  are  the  trees  of  white  fruit. 
