August  26,  1897. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
191 
The  third  position  was  secured  by  Mr.  Harris,  gardener  to  Lady 
Henry  Somerset,  hiastnor  Castle,  Ledbury,  for  fruit  and  an  effective 
arrangement,  which  received  99  j  points,  jNIr.  Gleeson,  Stanmore,  coming 
fourth  with  96^  points.  Five  exhibitors  competed. 
Victorian  Fruit  Class. 
To  illustrate  the  produce  of  British  gardens  three  prizes  were  offered 
for  sixty  dishes  of  fruit  arranged  on  side  tables,  in  a  space  16  feet  by 
4  feet  6  inches,  artistically  displayed  with  cut  flowers,  foliage,  and  not 
more  than  twelve  plants  in  pots  not  exceeding  5  inches  in  diameter.  The 
fruit  had  to  be  selected  from  a  list  given  in  the  schedule,  the  whole  to  be 
judged  by  points  up  to  the  maximum  for  each  kind  in  the  H.H.S.  Code, 
1896,  a  maximum  of  twenty- four  points  allowed  for  decoration  and 
artistic  arrangement.  The  first  prize  was  the  handsome  one  of  £30  and 
the  gold  medal  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of  Fruiterers  ;  second,  £25 
and  the  silver-gilt  Knightian  medal  of  Boyal  Horticultural  Society  ; 
third,  £20  and  the  silver  medal  of  the  Shropshire  Horticultural  Society. 
Three  doughty  champions  entered  the  fray,  and  tough  work  the 
•Judges  must  have  had  in  deciding  on  the  relative  merits  of  the  collections 
in  this  the  greatest  fruit  class  on  i-ecord,  the  number  of  dishes  stipulated 
for  corresponding  with  the  years  of  her  Majesty’s  reign.  Evidently  no 
pains  were  spared  by  the  adjudicators  in  scrutinising  every  dish,  and  the 
result  of  their  decision  met  with  general  approval,  which  indeed  it  could 
scarcely  fail  to  do,  as  it  was  arrived  at  by  method  and  calculation  as  in 
the  previous  class,  in  other  words,  by  scientific  judging.  The  winners  of 
the  prizes  were  ; — Mr.  Mclndoe,  first  (and  a  proud  and  happy  man  he 
seemed)  ;  Mr.  K.  Dawes,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Ingram,  Temple  Newsam, 
second,  Mr.  Goodacre  being  a  close  third.  Below  is  given  a  detailed 
account  of  the  “  pointing,”  and  a  description  of  each  collection  separately. 
Black  Grapes 
Ist  prize 
points. 
23  ... 
2nd  prize 
points. 
29 
3rd  prize 
points. 
24 
White  „ . 
21  ... 
23 
26 
Pines  . 
12  ... 
20 
16 
Melons 
25  ... 
24 
26 
Apples 
35  ... 
18 
26 
Apricots  . 
11  ... 
16 
23 
Cherries  . 
3  ... 
5 
4 
Currants 
C  ... 
4 
— 
Figs . 
15  ... 
12 
13 
Gooseberries  . 
4  ... 
7 
5 
Nectarines . 
32  ... 
34 
28 
Peaches  . 
27  ... 
32 
24 
Pears 
33  ... 
25 
28 
Plums 
38  ... 
26 
-.0 
Nuts . 
4  ... 
— 
— 
Strawberries 
...  — 
4 
7 
Tomatoes  (red)  . 
3  ... 
6 
3 
,,  (yellow) 
Oranges  an  d  Lemons 
3  ... 
— 
6 
10  ... 
—  T. 
— 
Decorative  and  artistic  arrangements 
(24  points  maximum) .  12 
6 
15 
Bananas  . 
4  ... 
6 
— 
Totals 
...  321 
297 
294 
The  style  of  arrangement  adopted  in  Mr.  McTndoe’s  collection  was  a 
fairly  good  one.  Crotons  and  Balms  were  arranged  at  the  back  of  the 
Grape  stands,  with  bunch-like  masses  of  Flucharis  amazonica  and  Mont- 
bretia  crocosmaefiora  springing  up  between ;  Orchids,  light  pieces  of 
Ampelopsis  Veitchi,  and  Maidenhair  Fern  being  placed  between  the 
dishes. 
The  collection,  on  the  whole,  was  a  superb  one,  well  worthy  to  win 
so  unique  and  coveted  a  prize.  If  there  were  a  weak  feature  about  it,  it  was 
found  in  the  white  Grapes,  which  would  have  been  better  for  a  little  more 
fulness  of  bunch  and  brightness  of  colour.  Black  Grapes  were,  however, 
good,  so  also  were  the  Pines.  The  reason  why  only  twelve  points  are 
recorded  for  the  Pines  in  this  collection  is  that  it  only  contained  two 
fruits,  while  in  each  of  the  other  collections  four  were  staged.  Each  one 
of  the  fruit  dishes  was,  however,  in  grand  condition,  and  fairly  returned 
the  exhibitor  the  winner  by  a  good  majoi’ity-  of  points. 
The  Grapes  were  Bowood  Muscat  (two),  bunches  slightly  loose  ;  Duke 
of  Buccleuch  (two),  good;  Buckland  Sweetwater,  one  large  compact 
bunch,  the  other  somewhat  smaller,  neither  really  well  coloured  ;  Muscat 
of  Alexandria,  one  loose  bunch,  the  other  compact  and  well  coloured  ; 
Black  Hamburgh  (two),  very  large  and  finely  proportioned,  but  not  quite 
perfect  in  colour ;  Gros  Guillaume  (two),  medium  size,  shapely,  beauti¬ 
fully  coloured;  Gros  Maroc  (two),  grand  in  both  bunch,  berry,  and 
colour  ;  Alnwick  Seedling  (two),  good  size  of  bunches,  perfectly  finished. 
Melons  (four)  :  One  variety  being  Magnum  Bonum,  5  or  6  lbs.  in  weight, 
well  netted  ;  Scarlet  Premier  ;  Darwin,  bright  and  good  ;  and  Scarlet 
Model. 
F'ive  dishes  of  Peaches  were  staged,  the  varieties  being  Violette  Hative, 
good  ;  Golden  Eagle  ;  good  size,  fine  in  colour  ;  Exquisite,  large,  but 
not  quite  ripe  ;  Stirling  Castle,  highly  coloured,  grand  in  every  way ;  and 
Royal  George,  good  in  size  and  colour.  Of  Nectarines  there  were  also 
five  dishes,  one  a  duplicate.  The  varieties  were  Stanwick  Filruge,  grand  ; 
Pitmaston  ( Jrange,  large  and  good;  Lord  Napier,  large;  and  Spencer, 
superb. 
Pines  were  represented  by  a  good  and  well  ripened  Smooth  Cayenne 
and  a  Ciueen  of  fair  size,  beautiful  shape,  and  colour.  Of  Apricots  there 
were  three’varieties,  Kaisha,  Large  Early,  and  Moor  Park. 
Plums  were  shown  in  exceptionally  good  condition,  the  varieties  being 
.Tilly  Green  Gage;  Golden  Gage,  grand;  Boddaert’s  Green  Gage; 
Decaisne,  a  fine  variety  not  often  seen  in  such  good  condition  ;  and  Bur¬ 
bank,  a  new. Japanese  variety  of  great  promise,  the  fruits  being  large, 
highly  coloured,  and  luscious  looking. 
Pears  made  a  fine  show,  the  varieties  being  IMargueriteMarrlllat  (new). 
Souvenir  du  Congrbs  (two),  Pitmaston  Duchess  (two  dishes)  grand  ;  and 
vSelous.  Tomatoes  Green  Gage  (yellow)  and  The  (^ueen  (red)  were  very 
large  and  showy.  Gf  Figs  there  were  three  dishes,  two  being  Brown 
Turkey,  and  the  other  Negro  Largo. 
Apples  were  numerously  and  grandly  shown.  The  varieties  were 
.lames  Grieve,  beautiful;  IVashington,  grand;  Gascoyne’s  Scarlet, 
superb,  consisting  of  very  large,  brilliantly  coloured  fruits  ;  and  Duchess 
of  Gloucester,  wonderfully  bright  and  good.  The  other  dishes  were 
Bigarreau  Napoleon  Cherry,  Kentish  Cob  Nuts,  Grange  Kx(iuisite, 
Lemons,  Gooseberry  Whinham’s  Industry,  Currants  White  and  Bed 
N’ersailles,  and  a  cluster  of  blusa  Cavendishi.  The  photographic  illus¬ 
tration  (fig.  26,  page  189)  represents  this  exhibit. 
The  collection  which  won  second  honours  was  also  a  very  fine  one, 
although  it  did  not  run  the  premier  exhibit  particularly  close.  Its  strong 
points  were  Grape.s,  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Pines,  and  Bananas,  but  only 
six  points  were  awarded  for  decoration  and  artistic  arrangement.  The 
Pines  were  arranged  on  wire  stands  covered  with  moss  and  decorated 
with  yellow  flowers,  Asparagus  plumosus  and  Hollyhocks  being  arranged 
between  the  dishes.  The  effect  was,  however,  altogether  too  stiff'. 
The  kinds  and  varieties  of  fruits  staged  were— Grapes,  Gros  Maroc, 
two  bunches,  grand  alike  in  bunch,  berry,  and  colour  ;  Foster’s  Seedling 
(two),  of  fair  size  and  colour,  berries  rather  small  ;  Gros  Guillaume  (four), 
bunches  large,  perfect  in  shape  and  superbly  coloured  ;  Muscat  of 
Alexandria  (four),  two  of  them  were  large  and  well  shaped,  the  remaining 
two  somewhat  small,  all  wanted  a  little  more  colour  ;  Madresfield  Court 
(two),  large,  well  shaped  bunches,  rather  deficient  in  colour  ;  Buckland 
Sweetwater  (two),  grand  in  both  bunch,  berry,  and  colour.  Pines,  one 
Smooth  Cayenne  of  moderate  size  ;  three  Queens,  good.  Melons,  seedling, 
large,  well  netted  and  coloured,  Beid’s  Scarlet-flesh  ;  Temple  Newsam 
Hybrid,  beautifully  netted  ;  and  Golden  Gem. 
Peaches,  Goshawk,  one  dish,  fair ;  Dymond,  one,  large  and  good  ; 
Bellegarde,  even  and  well  coloui’ed  ;  Barrington,  fine  colour,  good  size  ; 
Violette  Hative,  and  Grosse  Mignonne.  Among  Nectarines  there  were 
superb  examples  of  Lord  Napier,  Spencer,  and  Humboldt.  Pears  were 
represented  by  good  dishes  of  Souvenir  du  Congr^s,  Clapp’s  Favourite, 
Williams’  Bon  Chretien,  and  .Jargonelle.  Three  dishes  of  Figs  were 
staged,  one  being  Negro  Largo,  the  others  fine  examples  of  Signorina. 
Plums,  Golden  Gage  (two).  Early  Prolific,  Transparent  Gage,  of  wonderful 
size,  and  Kirke’s.  The  Apples  were  Bed  Astrachan,  Thorpe’s  Pippin,  and 
Irish  Peach  ;  the  remaining  dishes  consisting  of  (Moor  Park  and  Large 
Farly  Apricots  ;  Gooseberries,  Dan’s  Mistake  (red)  and  Plunder  (green)  ; 
Strawberry,  Late  Pine  ;  Tomatoes  (red),  Challenger  and  Buby  ;  Cherry, 
Late  Duke ;  Bed  Currants,  and  a  grand  cluster  of  Bananas. 
Mr.  Goodaci’e  was  a  dangerously  close  third.  His  collection  was  strong 
in  Grapes,  Melons,  Apricots,  and  Pears  ;  but  many  of  his  fruit  dishes 
fell  away  considerably  from  the  standard  maintained  in  the  collections  of 
his  successful  opponents.  For  artistic  arrangement,  however,  his  exhibit 
secured  the  greatest  number  of  points.  In  this  instance  light  and  graceful 
plants  were  arranged  at  the  back  of  the  Grape  stands,  Carnations  being 
arranged  in  glasses  between  them  and  Orchids  at  intervals  between  the 
dishes  of  fruit.  Tufts  of  Selaginella  were  also  disposed  at  intervals  along 
the  front  of  the  table,  upon  which  Lapageria  flowers  were  placed. 
Some  of  the  most  noteworthy  dishes  in  the  collection  were  Grapes. 
Black  Hamburgh  (two  bunches),  beautifully  coloured  ;  Gi'os  Maroc  (two), 
superb  in  every  way  ;  Muscat  Hamburgh  (two),  splendid  in  size  and 
colour,  for  the  variety ;  Gros  Guillaume  (two),  large,  shapely  bunches, 
good  in  size,  perfect  in  colour,  but  slightly  rubbed  ;  Duke  of  Buccleuch 
(two)  ;  Foster’s  Seedling  (two)  ;  Muscat  of  Alexandria  (two),  large,  full 
and  shapely,  slightly  wanting  in  colour  ;  two  others  of  same  variety  being 
large,  full,  and  well  coloiu’ed.  Vlelons  were  fine,  Frogmore  Scarlet  was 
peifiiaps  the  finest  specimen  in  the  show.  Countess  and  Hero  of  Lockinge 
were  also  good.  A  grand  dish  of  Princess  of  Wales  Peach  should  also  be 
noted. 
Collection  op  Fruit. 
For  nine  dishes,  not  less  than  five  kinds,  nor  more  than  two  varieties 
of  a  kind,  £5  and  the  silver  medal  of  the  Worshipful  Company  of 
Fruiterers  was  offered  for  the  first  prize,  £3  for  the  second,  £2  for  the 
third,  and  £1  for  the  fourth.  Seven  good  lots  were  staged.  (Mr. 
S.  Bremmell,  gardener  to  11.  11.  France  Hayhurst,  Esq.,  Gverley, 
Wellington,  Salop,  was  a  good  first,  showing  Muscat  of  Alexandria  and 
Gros  Maroc  Grapes  (the  bunches  of  the  former  being  large  and  fairly 
well  coloured,  the  latter  good  in  every  way),  a  fine  and  well  netted 
Melon,  good  Boyal  George  Peaches,  Williams’  Bon  ChrStien  Pear,  Figs, 
Apricots,  and  Nectarines,  The  second  prize  went  to  (Mr.  G.  Bible, 
gardener  to  Lord  'I'revor,  Brynkinalt,  Chirk,  whose  best  dishes  were 
well-coloured  Black  Hamburgh  (J rapes,  a  beautiful  Melon  The  Countess, 
and  grand  Barrington  Peaches  ;  the  third  position  being  occupied  by  (Mr. 
.1.  Langley,  gardener  to  Rev.  T.  M.  Bulkeley  Gwen,  Tadsmore  Hall,  West 
Fenton  ;  and  the  fourth  to  Mr.  C.  Roberts,  gardener  at  Halston  Hall, 
Gswesti-y. 
Silver  Medal  Grape  Classes. 
The  handsome  prize  of  £G  and  the  silver  medal  of  the  Fruiterers’ 
Company  were  offered  for  the  best  four  bunches  of  black  Grapes,  to 
consist  of  two  bunches  of  two  varieties  ;  other  prizes  of  £4,  £3,  and  £2 
being  also  offered  in  the  same  class.  The  coveted  award  was  secured  by 
Mr.  G.  Davies,  gardener  to  Rev.  F,  Anderson,  Welsh  Frankton, 
