162 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Attgu^  Id,  1887. 
patrons  of,  and  real  workers  in,  horticulture,  become  its  recipients, 
except  those  gentlemen  who  happened  to  be  members  ot  Council 
at  the  time — these,  in  virtue  of  a  self-denying  ordinance,  being 
regarded  as  ineligible.  It  could  not  well  be  otherwise  under 
the  circumstances,  but  there  ought  to  be  ways  and  means  by 
which  recipients  themselves  who  are  Fellows  of  the  Society  may 
claim  at  an  appropriate  time,  that  at  least  the  President  and 
Secretary  of  the  Society  shall  be  ex-officio  entitled  to  this  distinc¬ 
tion,  seeing  that  they  are  in  fact  more  than  fully  entitled  by  the 
commanding  services  they  have  rendered  in  the  world  cf  horti¬ 
culture.  This  may  be  somewhat  digressive,  though  it  is  strictly 
cognate  to  the  subject  under  discussion — the  commemoration  of 
the  great  reign  by  the  gardening  community. 
Adverting  to  other  forms  proposed  for  accomplishing  the  object 
in  view  in  the  most  effective  manner,  and  in  which  there  could 
scarcely  be  the  possibility  of  failure,  the  Journal  of  Horticulture 
ventured  to  distribute  at  the  time  the  following  pronouncement : — 
The  Shrewsbury  shows  never  fail ;  they  are  the  greatest  repre¬ 
sentative  exhibitions  in  Europe.  Nowhere  else  can  such  a  splendid 
combination  of  specimen  plants,  groups,  floral  decorations,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  be  seen  exhibited  by  such  a  great  number  of  culti¬ 
vators — nurserymen,  amateurs,  gardeners,  and  cottagers  ;  and 
nowhere  else,  so  far  as  we  know,  do  such  crowds  of  people  assemble 
to  inspect  the  productions.  The  shows  are  of  the  first  magnitude 
every  year,  and  if  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  and  Shrewsbury 
were,  so  to  say,  join  band  in  hand  in  honour  of  an  event  which  will 
stand  alone  in  history,  the  exhibition  resulting  would  be  of  a  regal 
character  and  worthy  of  the  great  occasion. 
A  cordial  invitation  was  received  by  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society  from  Shrewsbury,  and  as  cordially  accepted.  The  great 
National  and  strongest  of  provincial  Societies  joined  bands.  We 
have  said  the  “strongest  ”  of  provincial  Societies.  By  what  test  is 
it  so  adjudged  ?  By  the  test  of  success.  Since  1875  the  progress 
has  been  remarkable,  as  determined  by  the  financial  results. 
With  exceptions  so  small  as  to  scarcely  be  worth  notice,  the 
subscriptions  of  members  have  increased  year  by  year.  Visitors 
have  increased  in  numbers,  and  the  income  of  the  Society  has  risen 
correspondingly.  The  total  amount  received  from  all  sources  in 
1875  was  £791  128.  ;  in  1895  (we  have  not  the  returns  for  last 
year)  it  was  £4010  ISs.  2d.  Assuming  that  the  last  year’s 
amount  equalled  that  of  the  year  preceding,  the  aggregate 
receipts  in  twenty-two  years  have  exceeded  £50,000.  That  is 
an  indication  of  strength.  Even  in  1894,  when  the  rain  fell  in 
torrents  through  the  whole  of  one  day,  we  find  the  total  amount 
realised  £3476,  which  most  societies  would  rejoice  in  under  the 
favourable  influence  of  the  best,  flower  show  weather. 
Remarkable  also  have  been  the  disbursements  of  the  Shropshire 
Society — not  in  the  form  of  prizes  alone,  of  which  we  have  no 
record,  but  as  grants  for  various  public  objects  connected  with  the 
town.  These  have  exceeded  £10,000,  the  largest  amounts  being 
£5700  in  the  purchase  of  land  and  river  foreshore,  and  £1000 
for  the  Darwin  Memorial  Statue,  which  was  unveiled  on  the 
10th  inst.  by  the  Right  Hon.  Lord  Kenyon.  These  facts,  we  think, 
afford  sufficient  testimony  of  the  strength  and  stability  of  the 
Shropshire  Horticultural  Society,  of  which  his  lordship  is  presi¬ 
dent,  and  thus  appropriately  presented  the  statue  to  the  town.  We 
know  of  no  Horticultural  Society  at  home  or  abroad  which  has 
accomplished  so  much  in  the  time — twenty-two  years. 
We  may  now  briefly  refer  to  the  preparations  that  were  made 
for  the  present  commemorative  show,  and  inducements  offered  to 
competitors.  Not  only  did  the  Royal  Horticultural  tender  hearty 
co-operation  generally,  but  at  once  offered  its  gold  Banksian  medal 
for  the  exhibit  (not  for  competition)  which  in  the  opinion  of  the 
Council  best  represents  the  progress  of  horticulture  during  the  last 
sixty  years,  as  well  as  a  silver-gilt  Knightian  in  one  of  the  great 
fruit  classes,  with  such  other  medals  and  awards  as  the  Council 
may  decide. 
An  ancient  London  Guild  ■—  the  Worshipful  Company  of 
Fraiterers—make  a  handsome  donation  in  the  form  of  a  gold 
medal  to  go  with  the  fii  st  prize  of  £30  in  the  Victorian  fruit  class. 
This  may  be  regarded  as  the  blue  ribbon  of  the  Show.  The 
Company  also  provides  three  silver  medals,  one  for  a  collection  of 
fruit,  the  other  two  in  the  Grape  classes.  Then  there  is  the 
Veitch  Memorial  medal,  two  Victorian  medals  by  the  President, 
specially  designed,  and  of  which  no  duplicates  will  be  issued.  Of 
the  same  unique  character  are  the  three  first  dessert  services^ 
provided  by  the  Shropshire  Society,  which  is  also  prepared  to 
grant  gold  and  silver  medals  for  new  plants,  also  for  products  of 
special  merit. 
It  will  be  seen  that  generous  provision  is  made  for  exhibitors, 
apart  from  money  prizes,  some  of  which  are  of  exceptional  value. 
For  instance,  upwards  of  £130  are  allocated  to  groups  in  two 
classes,  and  £45  for  specimen  plants  in  two  prizes  ;  while  £48  are 
devoted  to  seven  collections  of  cut  flowers,  and  £37  in  a  class  for 
floral  arrangements.  Generous 'provision  is  made  for  vegetables 
by  Messrs.  Sutton,  Carter,  Webb,  Sydenham,  Eckford,  and  others, 
as  may  be  seen  by  the  schedule. 
It  will  thus  be  perceived  that  encouragement  is  not  lacking  in 
any  sections,  and  as  the  entries  are  greater  than  ever  in  the 
principal  open  classes,  it  may  be  expected  (writing  on  the  eve 
of  the  show)  that  a  realisation  worthy  of  the  occasion  will  soon 
be  reported  to  the  world. 
Shrewsbury,  Tuesday. — An  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the 
show  may  be  gathered  from  the  extent  of  the  accommodation 
provided  for  the  products.  The  extensive  park-like  quairy 
grounds,  bisected  and  partly  encircled  by  noble  avenues,  seem 
to  be,  in  the  show  section,  almost  full  of  canvas.  Other  sections 
are  clear,  as  must  be  the  case  when  some  50,000  persons  assemble 
at  once.  We  tbink  the  total  attendance  amounted  to  70,000  last 
year.  There  are  seven  marquees  of  the  following  dinaensions  : — 
Large  plant  tent,  180  X  80  feet ;  second  plant  tent,  135  X  40  feet ; 
flower  and  fruit  tent,  310  X  50  feet ;  second  flower  tent,  100  x  36 
feet  ;  vegetables,  120  X  30  feet  ;  cottagers,  130  X  36  feet ;  small 
tent,  35  x  20  feet — a  total  of  47,880  square  feet  of  canvas. 
The  number  of  judges  (26)  farther  indicates  the  extent  of  the 
exhibition,  and  in  the  following  list  there  is  not  one  too  many  for 
the  work. 
Groups  and  Specimen  Plants. — Mr.  A.  Oatram,  F.R.H.S.,  Moore 
Park  RoaH,  Fulham,  London,  and  Mr.  H.  Ranger,  R.  Kerr  &  Sons, 
Aigburth  Nurseries,  Liverpool. 
Floral  Designs,  Bouquets,  and  Cut  Flowers.  —  Mr.  J. 
Hudson,  V.M.H.,  F.R.H.S  ,  Gardener  to  Messrp.  Rothschild,  Gunners- 
bury  ;  Mr.  P.  Blair,  F  R.H.S.,  Gardener  to  the  Duke  of  Sutherland, 
Trentham  ;  Mr.  A.  McKellar,  Gardener  to  H. R.H.  The  Prince  of  Wales, 
Sandringham  ;  and  Mr.  S.  T.  Wright,  Superintendent  R  H.S.  Chiswick. 
Dessert  Tables. — Mr.  Owen  Thomas,  V.M.H.,  F.R.H.S.,  Gardener 
to  H  M.  The  Queen,  and  Mr.  A.  F.  Barron,  V.M.H,,  F.R.H.S.,  late 
Superintendent  R.H.S.,  Chiswick, 
Victorian  60  Dishes  Fruit  Class. — Mr.  J.  Wright,  V.M.H., 
F.R.H.S.,  Journal  of  Horticulture,  London  ;  Mr.  C.  Slade,  Gardener  to 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  Clumber  ;  and  Mr.  W.  Coleman,  Eastnor  Castle, 
Ledbury. 
General  Fruit  Classes. — Mr.  B.  Gilman,  F.R.H.S.,  Gardener 
to  the  Bari  of  Shrewsbury,  Alton  Towers,  and  Mr.  W.  Miller,  F.R.H.S. 
Gardener  to  the  Bari  of  Craven,  Combe  Abbey. 
Collections  op  Vegetables.— Mr.  J.  Muir,  Gardener  to  Miss 
Talbot,  Margam  Park,  Glamorgan,  and  Mr.  J.  Lambert,  Gardener  to 
the  Earl  of  Powis,  Powis  Castle,  Welshpool. 
Special  Vegetable  Classes, — Mr.  A.  Dean,  F.R.H.S.,  62,  Rich¬ 
mond  Road,  Kingston,  and  Mr.  H.  W.  Ward,  F.R.H.S.,  Rayleigh 
Nurseries,  Rayleigh. 
General  Vegetable  Classes. — Mr.  N.  Pownall,  Gardener  to 
F.  Wright,  Etq ,  Lenton  Hall,  Nottingham,  and  Mr.  J.  Wallis,  Gardener 
to  R.  Sneyd,  Esq.,  Keele  Hall, 
Wild  Flowers. — Messrs.  W.  Beacall,  Shrewsbury;  T.  P.  Blunt, 
Shrewsbury  ;  and  Rev.  W.  Serjeanison,  Acton  Burnell. 
Cottagers'  Classes. — Mr.  Farrant,  Gardener  to  Mrs.  Juson, 
Shrewsbury  ;  Mr.  Beilis,  Gardener  to  Sir  C.  H.  Rouse  Boughton,  Bart., 
Downton  Hall ;  Mr.  Townsend,  Gardener  to  Col.  Lloyd,  Aston  Hall, 
Oswestry;  Mr.  Bremmell,  Gardener  to  H.  France- Hay  hurst,  Biq., 
Overley,  Wellington. 
Something  like  a  calamity  has  now  to  be  recorded.  The  wind 
was  gusty  before  noon,  and  just  when  Mr.  Cypher  had  arranged  five 
van  loads  of  plants  in  the  large  tent,  it  collapsed,  doing  irreparable 
damage  to  his  specimens.  There  was  no  such  storm  as  at  York 
