146 
'lOrk^AL  Ok  tfonfwntwkk  ANd  OOTTAOk  GARDMBU. 
Aagaat  1^, 
A  ipeciftl  ck93  io  this  department  will  create  interest  among 
exhibitors  and  on -lookers,  not  so  much  for  its  novelty  as  from 
the  fact  that  the  judging  has  to  be  done  by  points,  and  these 
placed  on  the  exhibits.  The  class  is  entitled  a  Decorative  Dessert 
Table,  to  include  plants  and  cut  flowers,  as  well  as  as  many  dishes 
ot  fruits,  not  exceeding  sixteen,  as  exhibitors  like  to  arrange, 
choosing  from  the  list  in  the  schedule.  The  maximum  points 
allowed  are  as  follows  : — 
Decobative  Dessebt  Table. 
Black  Grapes,  each  bunch  Maximum 
White  ,,  ,,  ,, 
Pine  „ 
Peaches,  Apricots,  and  Nectarines  each  dish  „ 
All  other  fruits  ditto  „ 
Beauty  of  Flower  and  Foliage  „ 
Harmonious  Blending  of  Colours  „ 
General  Arrangement  for  Effect  „ 
6 
6 
10 
8 
6 
8 
8 
8 
The  prizes  offered  are  15,  12,  8,  and  5  guineas  respectively, 
while  a  gold  medal  or  its  value  will  be  pre.3ented  to  the  winner 
of  the  first  prize.  Good  competition  is  expected,  and  it  is  hoped 
will  be  forthcoming. 
Vegetables  follow — some  persons  of  a  utilitarian  turn  of  mind 
may  excusably  think  they  “  lead,”  so  extensive  is  the  show  of  them 
and  so  remarkable  the  evidence  of  cultural  skill  displayed  in  their 
production.  They  may  be  large,  and  some  of  them  even  open 
to  the  charge  of  unwieldiness  in  the  estimation  of  critics  who 
regard  the  greatest  refinement  with  moderation  in  size  as  the 
standard  of  merit.  Be  this  as  it  may,  one  thing  is  certain — 
namely,  the  wonderfully  fine  examples  staged  could  not  be 
produced  without  the  exercise  of  much  thought  and  well-guided 
industry,  or  in  other  words,  the  highest  cultural  skill.  But 
Shrewsbury,  always  on  the  alert,  this  year  provides  a  way  in  which 
size  shall  not  triumph  over  quality,  and  it  will  be  certainly 
interesting,  and  may  be  instructive,  to  note  the  results,  as  they  will 
be  noted  by  hundreds  of  cultivators  who  attend  the  exhibition,  for 
it  is  stated  that  in  one  class  at  least  “  vegetables  are  to  be  staged 
of  the  highest  possible  quality  consistent  with  adequate  size  for 
commercial  purposes.”  Whether  this  injunction  applies  to  all 
the  classes  or  not  does  not  seem  to  be  quite  clear.  At  the  first 
glance  we  thought  it  only  applied  to  a  new  class,  but  on  our 
attention  being  drawn  to  the  matter  we  are  bound  to  say  it  seems 
to  cover  all.  Exhibitors  must  decide  for  themselves,  and  the 
results,  in  the  aggregate,  are  not  likely  to  be  disappointing. 
The  “  new  ”  class  referred  to  is  thus  set  forth  : — 
Garden  Produce  Class. 
For  the  best  arranged  collection  of  garden  produce  to  occupy  a  space 
of  8  feet  by  T)  teet,  fruits,  vegetables,  plants,  and  flowers  to  be  represented, 
anv  foliage  may  be  employed  for  decoration.  The  collection  to  include 
— 8ix  dinhes  of  fruit,  oi  tinct  kind-*  (Pines  excluded),  black  and  white 
Grapes  (two  bunches  of  each)  to  count  as  distinct  kinds  ;  six  dishes  of 
vetieta'  le-;.  d'sfinct  kinds,  wit,h  table  plants  in  pots  not  exceeding 
6  inches  in  diameter,  ami  cut  flowers  in  any  form,  the  whole  of  the 
produces  to  be  arranged  according  to  the  taste  of  the  exhibitor  for 
meritorious  and  i  ffective  display.  First  prize,  £10  10s.  ;  second  prize, 
£8  8i.  ;  third  prize,  £6  6s. 
To  be  judged  by  points — Grapes,  each  bunch  Maximum  6 
All  other  fruit,  each  dish 
8 
Vegetables,  for  each  kind 
7 
Plants 
f) 
Cut  flowers  and  foliage 
8 
n 
Tasteful  arrangement 
it 
8 
The  object  of  this  class  is  to  enable  cultivators  of  gardens  to  show 
what  I  bey  consider  the  best  examples  of  varied  prooucts  such  as  are 
required  in  bi^ih-class  gardens.  Tlie  number  of  points  awarded  to  each 
exhibitor  will  be  published  on  the  collections  obtaining  prizes. 
This  class,  though  new,  is  not  entirely  novel.  We  think  some¬ 
thing  of  the  same  kind  was  once  tried  at  Liverpool,  and  the  result 
was  that  everybody  seemed  to  be  waiting  to  see  what  everybody 
else  would  do,  and  consequently  nobody  claimed  the  prizes.  Let 
us  hope  it  will  not  be  the  same  at  Shrewsbury,  and  it  ia  certain 
there  are  numbers  of  gardeners  who  could  fill  the  class  well. 
It  will  be  observed  that  here  again  the  points  will  be  exposed 
and  the  judgment  of  the  Judges  thus  put  to  tho  test  of  public 
criticism.  Whoever  the  gentlemen  may  be  who  will  be  entrusted 
with  the  adjudication,  they  must  have  no  fads,  or  they  will  be 
found  out ;  nor  most  they  be  nervous,  though  perhaps  it  might  be 
prudent  on  their  part  to  he  called  hurriedly  away  by  telegram 
about  the  moment  their  duty  is  done.  It  may  he  taken  for  granted 
that  Shrewsbury  will  be  a  great,  diversified,  and  interesting  show, 
and  a  thousand  owners  of  gardens  within  a  reasonable  distance 
might  do  worse  than  send  their  gardeners  to  see  it,  for  gathering 
hints  as  well  as  receiving  inspiration,  which  is  the  precursor  of 
strenuous  endeavour  that  might  be  expected  to  prove  of  advantage 
in  the  conduct  of  the  gardens  at  home.  High-class  horticultural 
exhibitions  are  great  educators,  and  have  done  much  in  placing 
not  a  few  of  the  best  of  British  gardeners  in  the  proud  position 
that  they  occupy  to-day. 
AUTUMN-SOWN  ONIONS. 
Onions  are  sown  in  autumn  for  various  purposes.  1,  Bunching. 
— Lisbon  is  the  most  popular  variety,  as  the  young  plant  grows 
quickly,  is  very  hardy,  and  forms  a  thick  white  stem.  About 
50  Ihs.  of  seed  per  acre  is  sown  broadcast  on  well- manured  and 
prepared  land  from  the  third  week  in  July  to  the  second  week  in 
August,  it  not  being  possible  to  have  the  Onions  too  early  in  the 
spring,  a.s  they  bring  better  prices  in  March  and  April  than  in  May 
and  J one.  The  Onions  are  pulled  and  sent  to  market  in  bundles, 
containing  as  many  as  a  man  can  hold  in  his  hand.  When  secured 
just  above  the  white  part  and  the  dirt  washed  off  they  have  a  very 
tempting  appearance,  especially  when  arranged  in  a  fan-like  shape. 
They  are  packed  in  layers  in  baskets,  and  sold  by  the  drzen 
bunches.  In  good  seasons  these  Onions  have  returned  £1  to 
£1  lOs.  per  pound  of  seed  sown,  or  £50  to  £75  per  acre.  About 
1200  dozen  bunches  is  a  full  crop  per  acre,  and  the  average  price 
Is.  per  dozen  bunches.  The  grower’s  bunch  makes  about^  four 
of  the  retailer’s. 
2,  Drawing  as  required  for  use  in  spring  for  salads,  also  allowing 
to  remain  at  suitable  distance  for  bulbing.  The  latter  are  also 
bunched,  the  bunch  usually  consisting  of  as  many  Onions  as  a  man 
can  grasp  in  the  hand  by  their  necks.  The  best  varieties  for  this 
purpose  are  Early  White  Naples  (syn.  Early  Nocera),  an  early  form 
of  the  Silver-skinned  section,  producing  very  useful  bulbs  early  in 
summer,  but  it  does  not  keep  long  ;  Lisbon,  before  mention^,  a 
very  hardy  variety,  and  bulbing  early  ;  Leviathan,  White  Italian, 
and  Globe  Tripoli. 
3,  Transplanting  in  the  spring  to  produce  large  bulbs.  The 
Tripolis  before  mentioned — Leviathan  and  Globe,  with  Fiat  Italian, 
mild  and  excellent,  but  with  a  soft,  reddish  flesh,  and  not  keeping 
long  ;  Giant  Rocca  and  Trebons,  both  obovate,  the  first  most 
rounded,  with  brown  skin,  and  fine  in  form,  are  the  best  varieties. 
4,  To  avoid  the  depredations  of  the  Onion  fly  (Antbomyia 
ceparum,  syn.  Phorbia  cepetorum).  Unfortunately,  the  Onion  fly 
does  not  always  confine  its  attacks  to  spring-sown  Onions,  for  when 
■these  are  sprayed  with  soluble  petroleum  at  frequent  intervals,  and 
the  flies,  by  so  doing,  entirely  prevented  from  depositing  their  eggs 
on  them,  the  instinctive  creatures  attacl^  the  autumn-sown,  though 
not  to  the  same  extent  as  the  spring-sown,  aoout  one-third  of  the 
former  having  succumbed  this  year  to  the  attacks  of  the  maggots 
where  the  latter  have  been  absolutely  free  for  the  reason  given. 
The  fly  that  attacks  the  autumn-sown  Onion  is  generally  considered 
to  he  the  hhallot  fly  (Antbomyia  platura),  end  may  be  such  in  most 
cases,  but  that  infesting  the  autumn-sown  Onions  in  this  particular 
case,  and  where  spring-sown  Onions  have  been  a  failure  for  several 
consecutive  seasons,  is  our  old  enemy,  A.  ceparum,  as  attested  by  a 
fly  reared  from  the  maggot. 
All  the  varieties  are  about  as  hardy  as  each  other,  none  being 
secure  against  a  very  severe  winter  without  being  sown  in  a  warm 
situation.  This  is  easily  obtained  in  gardens,  as  there  are  borders 
with  nearly  every  aspect,  and  in  cold  and  high  situations  a  south 
one  ia  necessary,  especially  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  country. 
Such  is  my  experience,  therefore  autumn-sown  Onions  can  hardly 
be  expected  to  supplant  spring-sown.  Besides,  autumn-sown 
Onions  are  bad  keepers,  and  not  a  few  collapse  altogether  about 
pulling  up  time,  being  quite  white  and  decayed  at  the  base  from  a 
certain  mould.  This  pest  attacked  the  autumn-aown  Onions  with 
me  so  inveterately  in  the  North  Riding  of  Yorkshire,  in  the 
Ouse  (Great)  Valley,  where  Onions  are  grown  to  great  perfection, 
and  in  the  'Thames  Valley,  as  to  destroy  the  larger  part  of  the 
crops  each  season,  the  worst  affected  being  those  that  bad  not  been 
transplanted  but  thinned,  and  left  to  bulb  in  their  warm  quarters 
where  sown.  , 
The  ground  for  autumn-sown  Onions  should  he  in  good  heart{ 
