JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  2,  1897. 
218 
Events  op  the  Week. — Horticultural  Londoners  will  find  sufficient 
to  interest  them  during  the  coming  seven  days.  The  National  Dahlia 
Society  will  hold  its  annual  show  at  the  Crystal  Palace  on  Friday  and 
Saturday,  September  the  .3rd  and  4th.  On  Tuesday,  besides  the  meeting 
of  the  Committees  of  the  Loyal  Horticultural  Society  at  the  Drill  Hall, 
the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  will  hold  its  first  show  for  1897  at 
the  Loyal  Aquarium.  ( )n  the  8th  and  9th  the  exhibition  of  the  Derby 
Agricultural  and  Horticultural  Society  will  be  held. 
-  We.4.thEr  in  London. — Very  heavy  indeed  have  been  the 
rains  in  London  since  last  Wednesday.  After  our  pages  went  to  the 
machines  on  that  day  there  were  several  drenching  showers,  while  on 
Thursday  evening  there  was  a  constant  downpour  from  about  five  o’clock 
until  nine,  when  it  ceased  until  eleven,  resuming  again  at  that  hour  and 
continuing  for  some  time.  Friday  was  fine,  and  Saturday  showery.  On 
Sunday  night  the  wind  gathered  strength,  and  rain  fell  heavily  after 
eight  o’clock.  There  was  more  rain  on  Monday,  but  the  heaviest  was 
during  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday,  when  we  had  quite  a  deluge,  aeoom- 
hanied  by  thunder  and  lightning.  Wednesday  was  very  wet. 
-  Cbystal  Palace  Fbuit  Show. -We  would  remind  our 
readers  that  entries  for  the  Show  of  British-Grown  Fruit,  which  will  be 
held  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Loyal  Horticultural 
Society,  on  Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday,  September  30th,  October  1st 
and  2nd,  close  on  Saturday,  September  25th.  After  this  date  none  can 
be  accepted.  It  is  confidently  anticipated  that  the  exhibition  will  again 
be  a  magnificent  one,  and  possibly  superior  to  its  predecessors.  There 
are  about  twelve  dozen  classes  in  the  schedule,  so  that  no  one  should 
experience  any  difficulty  in  finding  a  suitable  one.  Schedules  and  all 
necessary  information  may  be  had  from  the  Secretary,  Loyal  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society,  117,  A^ictoria  Street,  Westminster,  London. 
-  Derby  Summer  Show.— On  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  Sep¬ 
tember  8th  and  9th,  the  summer  Show  of  the  Derbyshire  Agricultural 
and  Horticultural  Association  will  be  held.  There  are  considerably  over 
100  classes  scheduled,  of  which  some  are  open  to  all,  others  restricted  to 
persons  who  do  not  employ  a  regular  gardener,  and  the  remainder  to 
cottagers.  In  each  of  these  sections  the  prizes  are  fairly  good,  the  best 
of  course,  going  in  the  open  classes.  The  one  that  should  attract 
competition  is  that  for  a  group  on  a  space  of  200  superficial  feet,  to 
include  foliage  and  flowering  plants.  The  prizes  number  five,  of  the 
respective  values  of  £,‘20,  £15,  £10,  £.5,  and  £4.  A  table  of  cut  flowers 
has  £21  allotted  to  it,  and  a  decorative  dessert  table  a  similar  amount. 
The  sum  of  £G  is  offered  for  three  bunches  of  black  Grapes,  and  also  for 
three  bunches  of  white  Grapes.  Special  prizes  are  offered  by  IMessrs. 
Sutton  &  Son,  E.  Webb  &  Son,  and  J.  Carter  &  Co.  for  vegetables. 
-  Mr.  G.  W.  Cummins. — We  regret  to  learn  that  the  above  well- 
known  competent  all-round  gardener  has  found  it  necessary  to  resign  his 
position  as  head  gardener  to  A.  H.  Smee,  Esq.,  The  Grange,  Carshalton 
after  a  term  of  sixteen  years  of  successful  service.  Mr.  Cummins  says 
that  since  the  great  loss  sustained  by  the  lamented  death  of  Mrs.  Smee 
who  shared  with  her  husband  the  delights  afforded  by  their  interesting 
garden,  as  well  as  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Cummins,  “  a  gloom  has  appa¬ 
rently  been  hanging  over  the  place,”  and  he  would,  therefore,  like  to 
obtain  an  appointment  in  another  district  where  opportunities  are  afforded 
for  successful  gardening.  A)>art  from  the  unconventional  ]uctures(]ueness 
of  Mr.  Smee’s  garden,  with  its  Ferns  and  hardy  plants,  the  most  promi¬ 
nent  features  are  the  great  collections  of  hardy  fruit  and  ( )rchids.  Though 
the  garden  is  a  semi-swara])  Mr.  Cummins  has,  by  dint  of  thoroughly 
good  work,  won  many  of  the  silver-gilt  and  silver  medals  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society  for  collections  of  fruit,  also  several  cultural  com¬ 
mendations,  first-class  certificates,  and  medals  for  Orchids.  He  has  also 
been  awarded  the  certificate  of  the  Surrey  County  Council  for  services 
rendered  in  educational  work  in  domestic  gardening.  He  speaks  in  the 
highest  terms  of  Mr.  Smee  as  an  em])loyer,  and  feels  it  an  honour  to  have 
served  him  and  his  late  estimable  helpmeet  so  long.  Mr.  Cummins  is  in 
the  prime  of  life — a  quiet,  persevering  man,  possessing  a  thoiough  know¬ 
ledge  of  his  business,  and  all  who  know  him  will  be  pleased  to  hear  of 
his  finding  congenial  occMipation  again. 
-  Loyal  Horticultural  Society. — The  next  meeting  of  this 
Society  will  be  held  on  Tuesday,  September  7th,  in  the  Drill  Hall, 
.James’  Street,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  from  1  to  5  p.m.  A  lecture 
on  “Pitcher  Plants”  (Nepenthes),  by  Mr.  Harry  ,1.  Veitch,  F.L.S.,  will 
be  delivered  at  three  o’clock. 
-  Gardening  Appointments. — Mr.  ,1.  Dixon,  gardener  to 
Matthew  Burnside,  Esq.,  The  Lindens,  Helensbiu’gh,  has  been  appointed 
head  gardener  to  J.  L.  Barlow,  Esq.,  Greenthorne  House,  Edgworth, 
near  Bolton.  iMr.  R.  I.  Inglis  has  been  engaged  by  J.  Stuart,  Esq.,  to 
take  charge  of  the  gardens  at  Stonehurst,  Ardingley.  Mr.  King  has 
been  ajipointed  to  succeed  ^Ir.  G.  A.  Bishop  as  head  gardener  at 
Wightwick  ^lanor. 
-  A  Charjiino  Combination.— When  walking  through  the 
Gardens  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  a  few  days  ago  1  was  much 
struck  with  several  of  the  beds  that  flank  the  main  walk.  The  arrange¬ 
ments  in  all  cases  had  been  simple,  and  the  results  highly  satisfactory. 
Of  all,  however,  the  bed  that,  in  my  opinion,  looked  the  best  was  formed 
of  the  Silver  Pelai'gonium  Princess  Alexandra  and  Ageratum  mexicanum 
compactum  The  Zoo.  All  the  plants  had  made  sjdendid  growth,  and 
the  rich  blue  of  the  Ageratum  was  grandly  set  off  by  the  white  and 
green  leaves  of  the  Pelargonium.  I  have  seen  beds  of  the  same  combi¬ 
nation  before,  but  never  one  to  equal  or  even  approach  this  for  effect. 
-D.  E. 
-  Wolverhampton  Chrysanthemum  Society.— At  a  recent 
meeting  the  Chairman  (Mr.  G.  A.  Bishop)  expressed  his  regret  that, 
having  resigned  his  position  at  Wightwick  ^lanor,  he  would  have  to 
sever  his  connection  with  the  Society,  and  vacate  the  position  of  chairman. 
]Mr.  Bishop  spoke  at  some  length  upon  various  matters,  and  said  in  con¬ 
clusion  that  it  had  given  him  great  pleasure  to  have  been  associated  with 
them  as  their  Chairman  in  the  past,  and  he  wished  them  every  success  in  the 
future.  ISIr.  Richard  Lowe  testified  to  the  loss  the  Society  would  sustain 
through  the  removal  of  Mr.  Bisho])  from  the  district,  and  suggested  as  a 
mark  of  apimeciatiou  a  suitable  testimonial,  this  being  seconded  by  MT* 
J.  E.  Knight,  and  supported  by  several  members: 
-  Sutton’s  Best  of  All  Bean. — This  remarkably  fine  Lunnet 
Bean  is  the  only  one  now  grown  at  Alalshanger,  as  it  so  greatly  excels 
all  others.  The  rows  of  it  I  saw  there  the  other  day  are  10  feet  in  height 
and  perfect  in  growth  and  in  fruiting  from  bottom  to  top.  Wbat  a 
wonderful  crop  each  row  carried,  and  what  beautiful  straight,  handsomS, 
clean  pods  averaging  12  inches  long!  What  a  Bean  would  this  be  for 
market,  and  how  the  samples  would  sell  as  compared  with  the  wretched 
ones  gathered  from  pinched  rows,  the  pods  being  short,  generally  much 
curved,  and  dirty,  whilst  the  major  portion  are  quite  old  and  hard; 
The  town  consumer  of  Runner  Beans  never  does  taste  such  beautiful 
young  straight  tender  samples  as  were  those  produced  so  abundantly  at 
Malshanger, — A. 
-  The  Chiswick  Vinery. — The  great  vinety  in  the  gardens  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  at  Chiswick  is  how  at  its  handsomest. 
The  many  Vines  are  all  carrying  good  crops  of  fruit,  and  it  is  surprising 
to  what  size  many  of  the  bunches  towards  the  top  of  the  structure  have 
attained.  The  fact  that  there  is  HO  sign  of  insect  pests  apparent  on  any 
of  the  leaves  or  wood  is  strong  testimony  to  the  careful  attention  the 
Vines  have  from  Mr.  Wright  and  his  assistants.  The  house  contains 
about  thirty  varieties,  and  affords  an  admirable  place  for  close  comparison 
between  them,  and  as  such  is  of  material  value  to  those  not  familiar  even 
with  the  best  known  sorts.  The  weight  of  the  whole  of  the  bunches 
must  be  enormous,  while  the  thinning  of  the  berries  was  the  work  of 
weeks  for  half  a  dozen  men. — VISITOR. 
-  The  Apple  Crop. — Reports  of  the  Apple  crops  have  much 
improved  from  the  big  orcharding  districts  within  the  past  few  weeks.  As 
the  fruit  increases  in  size  so  it  shows  up  more  plentifully  on  the  trees,  and 
owing  to  the  dripping  time  the  latter  have  held  their  fruit  better  than 
they  did  last  year,  when  on  account  of  the  dryness  of  the  season  many 
Apples  fell  prematurely  from  the  branches.  Furthermore,  there  have  not 
yet  been  any  strong  gales  to  disturb  the  immature  crop,  but  the  time  of  the 
ciiuinoctials,  which  usually  play  such  havoc,  has  not  yet  arrived.  Early 
cooking  Apples  meet  with  good  demand,  and  a  better  hand  can  generally 
be  made  by  selling  early — before  the  fruit  is  quite  full  grown  —than  later 
on,  when  markets  are  sure  to  be  more  or  less  glutted.  Fears  are  selling 
very  dear,  and  it  would  appear,  says  the  “  Rural  World,”  that  good  early 
sorts,  and  late  ones,  too,  fur  the  matter  of  that,  are  not  cultivated  in  this 
country  as  extensively  as  they  might  profitably  be,  seeing  how  suited  our 
climate  and  soil  are  for  producing  the  fruit. 
