August  1,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
109 
National  Sweet  Pea,  July  25th  and  26th. 
It  was  unfortunate  that  the  first  exhibition  held  by  this  recently 
constituted  society  should  have  been  somewhat  blighted  by  the  severe 
London  thunderstorm  on  Thursday  last,  and  about  whioh  so  much  has 
been  published.  The  dirt-begrimed  roof  of  the  Royal  Aquarium, 
Westminster,  where  the  show  was  held,  is  verv  leaky,  and  before  the 
rain  had  poured  many  minutes  the  whole  interior  of  the  building  was 
bespattered  with  dirty  daubs  of  water.  Many  of  the  tables,  at  first 
covered  with  immaoulate  white  paper,  and  bearing  the  beautiful  Sweet 
Peas,  were  soon  “  inked  over,”  and  not  a  few  of  the  bunches  were 
rendered  useless  for  further  exhibition  purposes.  On  Friday  morning 
it  again  rained  heavily.  The  Aquarium  was  well  filled  with  exhibits, 
and  on  this  point  the  show  was  quite  successful.  At  the  north  end 
were  two  gold  medal  groups,  one  from  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones  of  Ryeoroft 
Nursery,  Lewisham ;  and  another  from  Hobbies,  Limited  (Mr.  John 
Green),  Norfolk  Nurseries,  Dereham.  Mr.  Jones’  group  consisted  of 
masses  of  all  the  leading  Sweet  Peas,  with  a  central  group  of  Cannas, 
including  the  new  Miss  Kate  Gray  (award  of  merit),  one  of  the  finest  of 
all  Cannas,  and  behind  them  some  exceedingly  handsome  and  elegant 
silvery  flowered  Humeas,  with  a  background  of  deep  green  Phyllo- 
stachys,  which  can  be  seen  in  our  illustration  on  page  107.  The 
front  edging  is  of  Scirpus  (Isolepis)  gracilis.  Hobbies’  group  was 
entirely  of  Sweet  Peas,  shown  in  many  minor  groups,  each  representing 
an  individual  variety,  and  relieved  on  all  sides  by  green  Ferns,  which 
may  also  be  viewed  on  page  107.  A  very  representative  selection  of  the 
newest  and  beet  Sweet  Peas  was  arranged,  each  being  massed  in  its  own 
colour  for  effectiveness.  Both  groups  were  of  a  most  satisfactory  and 
pleasing  character,  the  flowers  themselves  being  large  and  strong. 
Hobbies  also  showed  cut  Tea  Roses,  Dahlias,  and  a  grand  bank  of 
Crimson  Rambler  flowers. 
Messrs.  H.  Cannell  &  Sons,  Swanley,  were  also  awarded  a  gold 
medal,  as  were  Messrs.  Dobbie  &  Co.,  from  Rothesay.  Besides  these 
exhibitors,  who,  by  the  way,  arranged  very  large  groups,  other  arrange¬ 
ments  were  sent  by  Messrs.  Harrison  &  Sons,  Leicester,  with  sixty 
varieties,  obtaining  a  silver-gilt  medal ;  E.  W.  King  &  Co.,  Coggleshall, 
Essex,  silver  medal ;  Thos.  Cripps  &  Sons,  Tunbridge  Wells,  with 
Retinospora  obtusa  Crippsi,  which  received  a  first-class  certificate. 
Mr.  Robert  Sydenham,  Birmingham,  as  was  to  be  expected,  staged  a 
goodly  selection  of  varieties  in  vases,  over  a  dark-green  cloth;  white 
cloth  or  paper  would  have  shown  up  the  Peas  better.  His  varieties 
included  Hon.  F.  Bouverie,  Gorgeous,  George  Gordon,  red;  Mars,  Sadie 
Burpee,  and,  indeed,  all  the  best  kinds.  A  silver-gilt  medal  was 
awarded  to  him;  and  also  to  a  group  sent  by  Messrs.  Hurst 
and  Son,  from  the  Kelvedon  trial  grounds.  Mr.  Leonard  Brown, 
Brentwood,  staged  bunches  set  in  a  wire  construction  with  Asparagus 
woven  between.  It  was  the  reverse  to  beautiful. 
We  must  not  overlook  Mr.  Henry  Eokford’s  very  lovely  collection  set 
up  in  long  glass  vases  over  a  white  paper  grounding,  and  allowed 
plenty  of  space  between  each  of  them.  There  must  have  been  between 
sixty  and  seventy  varieties,  and  the  pick  of  them  were  Lady  Mary 
C  urrie,  Countess  of  Powis,  Black  Knight,  Countess  of  Radnor,  Salopian, 
Miss  Willmott,  Duchess  of  Westminster,  Royal  Rose,  Gorgeous,  Mars, 
Captivation,  Fascination,  Blanche  Burpee,  Mrs.  Dugdalo,  Colonist, 
Peach  Blossom,  Countess  Cadogan,  Coccinea,  Apple  Blossom,  Lord 
Kenyon,  Hon.  F.  Bouverie,  Countess  of  Shrewsbury,  Countess  of 
Lathom,  Sadie  Burpee,  Little  Dorrit,  Monarch,  Princess  of  Wales, 
Triumph,  and  Prima  Donna.  This  magnificent  selection  filled  the  whole 
of  a  large  table  on  either  side,  and  received  the  award  of  a  gold  medal. 
Messrs.  J.  Peed  &  Son’s  group  (of  which  an  illustration  is  furnished 
on  page  103)  was  a  blaze  of  colour.  Tney  staged  a  large  amount  of 
Peas,  Carnations,  Phloxes,  Yuccas,  Eryngiums,  and  other  seasonable 
hardy  flowers,  and  the  painstaking  arrangement  deserves  notice. 
(Silver-gilt  medal.) 
There  was  only  one  new  variety  certificated  (F.C.C.),  but  this  was 
worth  a  host.  Everybody  was  most  highly  delighted  with  it,  yet  it  runs 
away  altogether  from  the  smooth,  rounded  form  of  the  florists’  Sweet 
Pea.  The  petals  are  delightfully  wavy,  and  of  a  most  pleasing  bright 
rose-pink  colour.  The  blooms,  individually,  are  large,  and  we  noticed 
four  on  one  truss,  though  three  was  most  general.  It  was  named 
Countess  Spencer  (what  a  lot  of  Countesses  there  are !)  and  was 
exhibited  by  Mr.  Silas  Cole,  gardener  to  the  Right  Hon.  Earl  Spencer, 
Althorpe  Park,  Northampton.  . 
Messrs.  Dobbie  &  Co.,  Rothesay,  N.B.,  set  up  a  group  of  very  strong 
Sweet  Peas,  the  effect  of  which  may  be  judged  from  the  illustration  on 
page  111.  The  group  received  the  high  award  of  a  gold  medal.  Every 
variety  worth  growing  was  included. 
The  first  class  in  the  schedule  asked  for  thirty-six  bunches,  distinct, 
and  here  the  first  prize  was  seoured  by  Mr.  W.  Simpson,  gardener  to 
R.  C.  Foster,  Esq.,  J.P.,  The  Grange,  Sutton,  Surrey.  There  were  three 
other  competitors.  The  first  prize  collection  included  Queen  Victoria, 
Gorgeous,  Lady  Grizel  Hamilton,  Mrs.  Dugdale,  Lemon  Queen,  Lottie 
Henderson,  Captain  of  the  Blues,  Othello,  Countess  of  Powis,  Prince 
Edward  of  York,  Emily  Henderson,  Dorothy  Tennant,  Lady  Skermsdale, 
Triumph,  Chancellor,  Lady  Mary  Currie,  Duke  of  Westminster,  Fashion, 
Blanche  Burpee,  Senator,  Little  Dorrit,  Hon.  F.  Bouverie,  Lord  Kenyon, 
Blaok  Knight,  Miss  Willmott,  Venus,  Lottie  Eokford,  Royal  Rose, 
Salopian,  Countess  of  Radnor,  Countes3  of  Shrewsbury,  Aurora,  and 
Prinoe  of  Wales.  Mr.  Robert  Bolton,  Warton,  Carnforth,  came  seoond; 
and  Messrs.  Jones  &  Sons,  Shrewsbury,  third. 
The  order  for  two  dozen  distinct  varieties  in  bunches,  Mr.  F.  J. 
Clark,  gardener  to  Mark  Firth,  Esq.,  Wistow  Hall,  Leicester,  led  with 
strong  blooms,  nicely  arranged  in  vases  with  Grasses  and  Gypsophila ; 
Messrp.  Jones  &  Sons  were  seoond;  and  third  Mr.  C.  Osman,  South 
Metropolitan  District  School,  Sutton.  Messrs.  Jones  &  Sons,  Coton 
Hill  Nursery,  Shrewsbury,  were  foremost  for  a  dozen  bunches  with 
Mrs.  E.  Kenyon,  Miss  Willmott,  Lady  Nina  Balfour,  Gorgeous,  Prince 
of  Wales,  Shazada,  Duchess  of  Sutherland,  Mrs.  Eckford,  Miss  Emily 
Eckford,  and  Little  Dorrit.  For  six  bunohes  Mr.  F.  J.  Clark  carried  off 
the  first  award  with  Emily  Henderson,  Salopian,  Lady  Mary  Currie, 
Countess  of  Radnor,  Navy  Blue,  and  Prinoe  of  Wales;  Mr.  Robt.  Bolton 
was  seoond.  Mr.  S.  Cole,  Althorpe  Park,  led  for  six  bunches  in  three 
varieties  with  Gaiety,  Miss  Willmott,  and  Hon.  Mrs.  E.  Kenyon. 
Two  Varieties  of  One  Colour. — Rev.  L.  Knights  Smith,  Bright- 
stone,  Isle  of  Wight,  had  the  bulk  of  the  first  Drizps  in  the  classes.  For 
the  best  whites  he  staged  and  won  with  Blanche  Burpee  and  Sadie 
Burpee  ;  Messrs.  Jones  &  Sons  ooming  second.  For  scarlet  or  orimsons 
he  had  coccinea  and  Sunproof ;  and  for  yellow  or  buff  varieties  he  set 
up  Hon.  Mrs.  E.  Kenyon  and  Lady  M.  Ormesby  Gore.  The  finest  pinks 
also  came  from  him,  these  being  Countess  of  Lathom  and  Prima  Donna. 
Messrs.  Jones  of  Shrewsbury  won  for  rose-coloured  varieties  with  Mrs. 
Dugdale  and  Prince  Edward  of  York;  and  also  for  the  best  mauves, 
these  being  Countess  of  Radnor  and  Duke  of  Westminster  ;  and  the  best 
blues,  to  wit  Navy  Blue  and  Baden  Powell.  Mr.  R.  H.  Jeffrey,  South¬ 
ampton,  staged  two  handsomely  striped  vars.,  these  being  Prinoess  of 
Wales  and  America. 
Mr.  R.  Chamberlain,  Cressingham  Park  Garden •>,  won  easily  for  two 
bunches  of  Lathyrns  latifolius,  the  Everlasting  Pea,  he  showing  a  few 
very  beautiful  and  distinot  varieties  of  undoubted  merit.  There  were 
nineteen  tables  decorated  with  Sweet  Peas  in  two  classes,  one  having  an 
entry  of  ten,  the  other  just  one  less.  These  were  more  or  less  alike, 
though  pink  and  soarlet  varieties  seemed  to  make  the  best  show, 
especially  when  soft-ooloured  muslin  was  used  beneath.  One  con¬ 
spicuous  example  had  a  flat  arrangement  in  which  mauve  alone  was 
employed.  Under  certain  lights  it  might  have  been  effective,  but  not 
in  the  dim  recesses  of  the  Royal  Aquarium.  The  principal  prizewinners 
in  the  decorative  classes  were  Messrs.  Jones  of  Shrewsbury;  Miss 
E.  B.  Cole,  The  Vineyard,  Feltham;  Messrs.  E.  S.  Cole  &  Sons,  Bath; 
Mr.  Thomas  Bolton,  Coombe  End,  Kingston ;  and  Miss  Mary  Anstey, 
4,  Knight  Hill  Road,W.  Norwood.  We  expected  to  see  some  far  more 
elaborate  and  beautiful  designs,  however,  and  the  only  thing  that  was 
really  pleasing  was  a  huge  cross  composed  of  white  Sweet  Peas  beneath 
and  a  large  bunch  of  scarlet  Peas  above  the  grounding.  This  was 
exhibited  in  class  19  by  Messrs.  Jones  &  Sons.  At  two  o’clock  a 
luncheon  was  given,  when  Mr.  George  Gordon,  V.  M.H.,  president, 
occupied  the  chair.  He  was  supported  by  Messrs.  N.  N.  Sherwood, 
R.  Sydenham,  J.  Deal,  S.  B.  Dicks,  W.  P.  Wright,  R.  Dean  (hon.  executive 
secretary),  A.  Turner,  Slough;  H.  J.  Wright  (hon.  general  secretary), 
C.  H.  Curtis,  J.  Fraser,  R.  Cannell,  W.  Logan,  A.  Hemsley,  H.  Thomas, 
Harrison  Diok,  and  others.  We  are  pleased  to  know  that  the  Society  is 
in  a  safe  and  prosperous  condition,  financially  and  otherwise. 
Walsall  Florists,  July  22ad. 
The  twenty-second  annual  exhibition  was  held  as  usual  in  the 
public  Arboretum  on  Monday,  July  22nd.  The  arrangements  were 
efficiently  performed  by  the  courteous  and  energetic  secretary  (  Mr.  C.  M. 
Overton)  and  his  committee.  Entering  the  capacious  “open  class” 
marquee,  the  visitors  were  confronted  by  five  groups  of  miscellaneous 
plants  arranged  for  effeot,  and  these  reflected  much  oredit  upon  the 
taste  displayed  by  the  competitors. 
Mr.  J.  V.  Maodonald,  gardener  to  G.  H.  Kenrick,  Esq.,  Elgbaston, 
Birmingham,  again  demonstrated  his  artistic  ability  by  securing  the 
premier  prize  with  a  recherche  arrangement  of  such  as  Palms, 
Arundinaria  faloata,  Codiaeums  (Crotons),,  richly  coloured ;  Caladiums, 
Orchids  in  variety,  Humea  elegans,  Lilium  longifolium,  lx  oras,  Franooas, 
the  charming  and  elegant  Amorgos  Marjoram  (Origanum  Tourneforti) 
(which,  by  the  way,  is  also  effectively  used  by  Mr.  Cypher  of 
Cheltenham  in  grouping),  including  also  the  unique  bright  ooral-red 
coloured  Fuchsia  triphylla.  This  Fuchsia  possesses  the  faoulty  of 
flowering  in  small  pots,  and  in  this  state  it  pleasingly  associates  with 
the  pretty  coral-berried  plant  Nertera  depressa.  In  the  order  of  merit 
Mr.  W.  Finch,  Coventry,  annexed  the  seoond  prize  with  a  bold  and 
effective  arrangement.  The  third  prize  was  adjudged  to  Mr.  Edward 
Clarke,  St.  Chads,  Liohfiald,  whilst  an  extra  prize  was  given  to  Mr.  G. 
Hancox  with  a  worthy  arrangement. 
Specimen  stove  and  greenhouse  plants  were  of  a  comparatively 
mediocre  quality,  excepting,  perhaps,  a  very  good  plant  of  Statioe 
profusa  in  the  second  prize  collection  of  Mr.  W.  Finoh,  the  first  prize 
being  awarded  Mr.  E.  Clarke,  Liohfield,  for  large  specimens  of 
Bougainvillea  glabra,  Plumbago  capensis,  Allamanda  Hendersoni, 
Begonia  Wellsiana  (a  large  plant),  Impatiens  Sultani,  and  Pandanus 
variegata,  brightly  striped,  and  the  third  prize  to  Mr.  E.  Raffil. 
Roses  were  a  feature,  as  may  be  imagined,  when  it  is  remarked  that 
suoh  growers  as  Messrs.  Perkins  &  Sons,  Coventry,  and  Messrs. 
Townsend  &  Sons,  Worcester,  were  the  leading  contestants.  In  the 
