198 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  27,  1886. 
1 
)  j  ^ 
Events  of  the  Week.— The  coming  week  brings  a  lull  amongst 
the  shows  that  everyone — even  successful  exhibitors — will  doubtless 
appreciate.  The  chief  of  those  to  be  held  will  be  found  in  our  adver¬ 
tisement  columns. 
- Weathes  in  London. — At  last  we  have  to  chronicle  an 
almost  wet  week,  for  every  day  since  our  last  issue  went  to  press 
some  rain  has  fallen.  This  has  done  a  considerable  amount  of  good, 
but  more  is  still  wanted  in  several  places  in  and  around  the  metropolis. 
Wednesday  opened  bright  and  clear,  but  a  sharp  shower  fell  during 
the  afternoon. 
- Lose  Exhibitor, s  and  the  Railway  Companies. — May  I 
venture  to  ask  through  your  columns  whether  other  exhibitors  have,  like 
myself,  been  excessed  during  this  summer  for  extra  luggage  in  going  to 
Rose  shows  ?  If  so,  would  it  not  be  well  to  make  a  representation  to 
the  various  railway  companies,  and  ask  them  to  discontinue  the  practice  ? 
These  companies  gain  more  by  shows  than  anyone  else,  and  in  excessing 
those  who  make  the  shows  I  consider  they  are  killing  the  goose  that  lays 
the  golden  eggs. — A  Supperee. 
-  Runner  Beans. — For  size,  length,  and  form,  allied  to  apparent 
tenderness,  the  pods  of  Scarlet  Runners  shown  by  the  prizewinners  at 
the  recent  Co-operative  exhibition  at  the  Crystal  Palace  beat  anything 
I  have  before  seen  in  quantity  and  evenness.  I  regarded  these  dishes  of 
Beans  as  being  the  most  interesting  and  marked  vegetable  product  there. 
Large  numbers  were  as  perfect  as  if  grown  in  moulds,  and  from  11  to 
12  inches  long.  I  have  seen  wonderfully  good  ones  previously,  but  those 
at  the  Palace  were  by  far  the  best.  They  were  all  of  the  beautiful 
Ne  Plus  Ultra  type.  I  am  tempted  to  ask,  however,  whether,  having 
attained  to  such  fine  form,  length,  and  beauty,  it  is  worth  attempting  to 
have  them  longer  ?  These  pods  it  is  obvious  were  the  product  of  plants 
standing  some  12  or  more  inches  apart,  grown  in  trenches,  liberally  fed 
with  liquid  manure,  and  the  pods  hard  thinned.  They  do  not,  of  course, 
represent  an  average  crop.  Judges  in  favouring  these  remarkable  pods 
may  well  give  that  fact  full  consideration. — A.  D. 
- Presentation  to  Mr.  H.  W.  Ward. — Mr.  H.  W.  Ward 
^8  was  announced  in  the  Journal  of  Horticulture  recently)  is  shortly 
leaving  Longford  Castle  Gardens,  after  a  period  of  twenty-five 
years’  service.  On  Monday  he  was  the  recipient  of  a  most  gratifying 
token,  in  the  shape  of  a  beautiful  writing  cabinet,  of  the  kindly  feeling 
and  goodwill  which  has  so  long  existed  between  him  and  those  among 
whom  he  has  spent  half  his  life,  The  presentation  was  made  by  Mr. 
Fred  Rowe,  foreman  in  the  glass  department,  who  read  the  following 
letter  before  making  the  presentation  : — 
“To  Mr.  H.  W.  Ward,  Longford  Castle  Gardens; 
“  Dear  Sir,— We,  the  men  employed  in  Longford  Castle  Gardens  and 
a  few  friends  in  the  neighbourhood,  beg  your  acceptance  of  the 
accompanjing  small  gift  as  a  remembrance  of  twenty-five  years  spent 
among  ns,  and  a  slight  acknowledgment  of  the  kindly  interest  you 
have  ever  shown  towards  us  during  that  period.  We  are  truly  sorry 
that  your  sojourn  among  us  has  come  to  a  close,  but  we  trust  that  Mrs. 
Ward  and  yourself  may  yet  have  many  happy  years  in  store,  and  we 
sincerely  hope  that  future  years  may  be  crowned  with  every  success  and 
prosperity.”  (Thirty-seven  signatures  were  attached  to  the  address.) 
Mr.  Ward,  in  replying,  thanked  them  not  only  for  the  intrinsic  value 
of  the  gift,  but  more  especially  for  the  kindly  feeling  which  prompted 
the  act  on  the  part  of  so  many  old  and  valued  friends.  He  had  the 
greatest  possible  pleasure  in  accepting  the  present,  and  he  should  always 
value  it  as  a  token  of  the  good  feelings  which  had  uninterruptedly 
characterised  their  relationship  during  the  last  twenty-five  years. 
It  would  be  a  wrench  for  him  to  leave  the  gardens  which  he  had, 
with  the  faithful  co-operation  of  men,  practically  made.  It  would  also 
be  a  wrench  to  have  to  leave  and  say  good-bye  to  his  co-workers,  some 
of  whom  had  been  with  him  from  boyhood.  He  valued  the  good 
-opinion  and  esteem  of  his  excellent  and  loyal  stafi  of  men,  and  also 
of  those  employed  on  other  parts  of  the  estate  as  highly  as  that  of 
anyone  left  behind  at  Longford.  In  conclusion,  Mr.  Ward  expressed 
a  hope  that  all  his  old  friends  would  get  on  as  well  with  his  successor 
as  they  had  done  with  him. 
-  Bulbs  for  the  Royal  Parks. — We  are  informed  Her 
Majesty’s  First  Commissioner  of  Public  Works  has  for  the  eighth  time 
entrusted  Messrs.  James  Carter  &  Co.,  of  High  Holborn,  London,  with 
the  Government  order  to  supply  the  whole  of  the  Hyacinths,  Tulips, 
Narcissi,  and  other  bulbs  required  for  the  Royal  parks  and  gardens  of 
London  and  suburbs. 
-  Tee  Bovey  Tracey  Horticultural  Society. — The  annual 
flower  show  of  this  Society  was  held  on  Tuesday  last,  August  18th,  in 
the  grounds  of  Mrs.  Bentinck.  This  is  one  of  the  oldest  shows  in  the 
county  of  Devon,  having  been  established  in  1863.  This  year’s  show  was 
an  exceedingly  fine  one.  The  fruit,  vegetables,  and  flowers  were  above 
the  average  of  former  years,  notwithstanding  the  drought. 
- Shirley  Gardeners’  Improvement  Association.  —  The 
monthly  meeting  was  held  at  the  Parish  Room,  Shirley,  near  South¬ 
ampton,  on  the  17th  inst.,  Mr.  B.  Ladhams  presiding  over  a  thin 
attendance  of  the  members.  Mr.  E.  T.  Wilcox,  The  Gardens,  Aldermoor 
House,  gave  an  interesting  paper  on  “  Garden  Annuals,”  restricting  the 
same  to  the  hardy  and  half-hardy  sections. 
-  The  Edgbaston  Gardeners’  Dividend  Club.  —  This 
newly  formed  Society  held  its  first  annual  outing  on  the  20th  inst., 
and  the  members  availed  themselves  of  the  kind  invitation  to  visit 
Messrs.  Richard  Smith  &  Co.’s  Nurseries  at  Worcester.  The  journey 
was  made  in  a  .saloon  carriage,  placed  at  their  disposal  by  the  Midland 
Railway  Company.  Upon  arrival  at  Worcester  a  cold  collation  was 
partaken  of,  after  which  a  stroll  through  the  nurseries  was  much  enjoyed 
by  the  company,  as  also  was  an  inspection  of  other  objects  of  interest  in 
the  city,  All  the  members  returned  home  well  satisfied  with  the  day’s 
outing. 
-  Planting  Bulbs. — One  of  the  most  important  operations 
that  the  late  summer  and  early  autumn  months  bring  with  them  is 
the  potting  and  planting  of  Dutch  and  other  bulbs.  In  the  purchasing 
of  these  it  is  always  well  to  be  as  early  in  the  field  as  possible,  as  the 
early  ones  are  practically  sure  to  get  the  best  bulbs,  the  worst  generally 
being  left  until  the  last.  We  would,  therefore,  call  our  readers’  special 
attention  to  our  advertisement  columns,  which  contain,  as  well  as  the 
announcements  of  our  leading  bulb  merchants,  particulars  of  some  of 
the  sales  to  be  held  by  such  firms  aa  Messrs.  Stevens  of  Covent  Garden, 
and  Protheroe  &  Morris  of  Cheapside. 
-  Tomatoes  on  Walls. — I  have  nowhere  seen  outdoors  such  a 
fine  lot  of  Tomatoes  as  I  noticed  the  other  day  on  the  garden  walls  at 
Wrest  Park,  Bedfordshire.  It  is  very  evident  that  Mr,  McKinlay,  who 
took  charge  here  last  Christmas,  understands  these  plants  well.  Every 
available  sunny  space  on  walls  is  utilised,  the  plants  now  ranging  from 
6  feet  to  8  feet  in  height,  and  carrying  heavy  crops  of  ripe  fruit  as  well 
as  of  successional  ones.  The  chief  variety  seems  to  be  Laxton’s 
Perfection  Open  Air.  That  is  of  the  Ham  Green  type,  but  i:  thrives 
wonderfully  here.  Of  course  there  are  plenty  of  plants  inside,  but  the 
demand  is  enormous  for  a  private  place,  a  bushel  of  fruit  being  asked 
for  at  once.  Mr.  McKinlay  believes,  once  fruits  are  set,  in  feeding. 
The  soil  i-s  made  fresh  in  the  first  place,  and  later  waterings  with  liquid 
made  from  deer’s  manure  are  freely  given.  Such  smaller  fruited 
varieties  as  are  employed  at  Wrest  Park  are  without  doubt  far  better  for 
outdoor  purposes  than  are  large  ones. — Wanderer. 
- Shanklin  Horticultural  Society. — The  seventeenth  annual 
show  of  the  above  Society  was  held  in  the  grounds  of  Rylstone,  by  kind 
permission  of  Mons.  Spartali,  on  the  20th  inst.  The  entries  were  larger, 
particularly  in  the  cottagers’  classes;  The  centre  of  attraction  was  the 
ladies’  table  decorations  ;  the  coveted  prize  was  taken  by  Mrs.  Morris, 
which  was  lightness  and  elegance,  harmonious  blending,  beauty  of 
flowers.  Messrs.  H.  Cannell  &  Son,  Swanley,  for  the  third  year  in 
succession,  offered  a  counties  championship  sash  and  prize  of  £3  for 
the  best  collection  of  flowers  and  fruit,  which  was  taken  by  the  Shanklin 
Society  ;  Southampton,  St.  Mary’s,  second  ;  Undercliff,  Ventnor,  third. 
Three  competitors  appeared  in  the  group  class,  but  they  were  not  up  to 
their  usual  form.  Bouquets,  ladies’  spray  and  buttonholes,  were  well 
shown  by  Messrs.  Banting  &  Son,  Shanklin.  A  fine  collection  of  Figs, 
which  are  well  grown  in  the  Island,  was  noticed.  Black  and  white 
Muscat  Grapes  were  also  shown.  Messrs.  H.  Drover  k.  Son,  Ventnor, 
exhibited  fine  dishes  of  the  Pitmaeton  Improved  Nectarines,  Princess  of 
Wales  Peaches,  and  Frogmore  Selected  Tomatoes.  The  Chairman,  Dr. 
Cowper,  rendered  every  assistance,  and  was  well  supported  by  the 
qualified  Hon.  Secretary,  A.  Carter,  Esq.,  and  the  Committee. — Corre¬ 
spondent. 
