September  5,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
227 
Societies. 
Batli  Floral  Fete,  August  28th  and  29tl|. 
The  proverbially  stormy  days  which  bo  often  damp  the  ardonr  of 
the  committee,  citizens,  and  visitors  to  the  Bath  autumn  shows 
fortunately  on  this  occasion  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  truth,  notwith¬ 
standing  that  the  steady  downpour  of  the  previous  evening  pourtrayed 
the  usual  ill  fortune.  However,  the  damp  state  of  the  ground  militated 
against  an  average  attendance  on  the  first  day,  but  on  the  second  there 
would  appear  to  have  been  some  amends  made,  and  it  is  hoped  the 
receipts  at  the  close  were  on  the  right  side.  The  show  has  a  large  and 
influential  support  from 
the  Mayor  downwards, 
and  in  the  secretaries, 
Messrs.  Pearson  and 
Jeffery,  and  their  chair¬ 
man,  R.  B.  Cater,  Esq., 
everything  connected 
with  the  management  is 
conducted  on  thorough 
businesslike  grounds,  and 
by  everyone  the  highest 
praise  is  duly  accorded. 
The  Sydney  Gardens,  it 
has  been  said,  is  one  of 
the  best  show  grounds  in 
England  from  a  visitor’s 
point  of  view,  because  of 
the  beautifully  shaded 
retreats  and  walks  they 
afford  for  promenade. 
Music  and  other  enter¬ 
tainments  of  necessity  is 
most  seleot,  of  the  best, 
and  liberally  provided, 
and  the  only  condition 
necessary  to  gain  a  full 
appreciation  and  a  large 
attendance  is  fine  weather. 
The  show  itself,  and 
extent  of  competition, 
equals  that  of  former 
times,  and  in  some  re¬ 
spects  surpasses  itself  in 
quality  and  extent.  There 
was  a  slight  falling  off 
in  the  entries  of  the 
specimen  plants,  but 
with  Messrs.  Cypher 
and  Tucker  and  others 
in  healthy  rivalry  this 
diminution  was  scarcely 
perceptible. 
Plants. 
For  eighteen  orna¬ 
mental  and  flowering 
plants  Mr.  J.  Cypher 
took  up  his  usual  position 
with  his  fine,  beautifully 
coloured  Crotons,  tower¬ 
ing  Palms,  and  well- 
flowered  Allamandas, 
Bougainvilleas,  Heaths, 
&o. ;  Messrs.  J.  B.  Woods 
and  Son,  Chipping  Sod- 
bury,  taking  second,  and 
Mr.  G.  Hallett,  Bath, 
third  prizes,  with  much 
smaller  material.  Messrs. 
Hallett  and  W.  N.  Lawes  won  the  prizes  for  eight  foliage  plants. 
With  six  stove  or  greenhouse  plants  in  bloom  Mr.  Cypher  was 
followed  very  closely  by  Mr.  Geo.  Tucker;  Mr.  Tucker  had  good 
Stephanotis,  Dipladenia  Brearleyana,  Bougainvillea,  and  Clerodendron 
Balfouri  in  his  collection.  Mr.  Cypher  completely  out-distanced  his 
compeers,  Messrs.  R.  B.  Cater  and  Major  Doherty,  in  the  group 
arranged  for  effect  on  a  space  not  exceeding  200  feet,  with  a  very  fine 
arrangement  and  good  material.  Behind  was  a  wide  rustio  arch, 
supporting  freely  grown  and  graceful  Bamboos,  Cocos  Weddeliana,  and 
other  plants,  while  from  an  irregular  outlined  groundwork  sprang  tall, 
brightly  coloured  Crotons  and  other  choice  plants  in  beautiful  relief. 
Orchid  sprays  did  not  form  so  prominent  a  place  as  usual  in 
Mr.  Cypher’s  groupB,  but  the  style  and  quality  of  plant  afforded  a 
complete  study  for  the  many  visitors  interested.  The  newer  Begonia 
Caledonia,  with  B.  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  formed  miniature  mounds  on  the 
outer  points  of  the  front,  and  were  freely  commented  on.  Mr.  George 
RHUS  COTINUS. 
Tucker  staged  a  perfeot  Lapageria  alba  for  the  first  prize  for  a  specimen 
plant,  Mr.  Tucker  being  his  most  successful  accompanyist.  The  last- 
named  won  with  twelve  Ferns  with  good  varieties  well  grown,  and  also 
with  six  trained  Zonal  Pelargoniums.  Begonias,  Petunias,  Coleus,  and 
Gloxinias  were  not  up  to  the  usual  standard  of^the  Bath  shows  in 
quality  of  flower  or  plant. 
Cut  Flowers. 
Cut  flowers  were  extensively  shown,  and  a  very  bright  and  varied 
exhibition  was  the  outcome.  Mr.  J.  Mattock,  Oxford,  was  the  only 
exhibitor  of  thirty-six  spikes  of  Gladiolus,  Messrs.  G.  Humphries,  W.  T. 
Mattock,  and  E.  Jefferies  winning  with  twelve  spikes,  all  being  extra 
tine  and  fresh.  With  twenty-four  varieties  of  Show  Dahlias,  Messrs. 
Lindsay,  Cray  &  Sons,  and  G.  Humphries  took  the  prizes  with  even 
stands  of  up  .  to  -  date 
kinds,  Mr.  Hoskins, 
Bristol,  winning  with 
twelve  and  also  with  nine 
Fancy  varieties.  Cactus 
varieties  made  a  bold 
display,  as  also  did  the 
Pompons.  Messrs.  Cray 
and  Sons  took  up  their 
usual  position  with  the 
best  in  both  classes, 
Messrs.  W.  Treseder, 
Cardiff,  and  G.  Humphries 
coming  next  in  point  of 
merit. 
Roses,  in  twenty. four 
varieties,  found  Messrs. 
Perkins  &  Sons,  J.  Mat¬ 
tock,  and  A.  A.  Walters 
in  possession,  Mr.  W.  T. 
Mattock  winning  with 
twelve.^  Mr.  J.  Mattock 
came  to  the  front  with 
twelve  Tea  or  Noisette, 
and  also  with  twelve 
varieties  shown  in  vases, 
five  trusses  of  each ;  his 
flowers  were  unusually 
fresh  and  bright.  Messrs. 
A.  A.  Walters  and  Cool¬ 
ing  &  Sons  completed 
what  proved  a  very 
pretty  class.  Asters  were 
numerous  and  good,  but 
soarcely  so  fine  as  we 
have  seen  them,  but 
herbaceous  flowers  and 
annuals  were  exceedingly 
fine,  and  the  entries 
numerous.  Messrs.  Cool¬ 
ing,  Walters,  and  Stokes 
were  the  winners  of  the 
former,  and  with  annuals 
Messrs.  G.  Gerrish,  A.  H. 
Newman,  and  Mrs.  Black- 
bourn  took  the  prizes. 
Double  Zinnias  were  good, 
Mr.  G.  Hood  having  a 
particularly  nice  stand  of 
twelve  blooms. 
No  less  than  eleven 
entrants  faced  the  judges 
with  a  decorated  table  6 
feet  by  4  feet,  and  though 
each  differed  more  or  less 
widely  in  the  choice  of 
flower,  colour,  and  style 
of  arrangement,  the  whole 
by  their  contrasting 
effeot  made  up  a  distinctly  unique  exhibition.  Mr.  Wilkins,  gardener 
to  Lady  Theodore  Guest,  was  placed  first  with  an  arrangement  of 
Orchid  blossoms,  which,  however,  was  criticised  somewhat  freely  by 
reason  of  the  undue  use  of  wire  stems.  Mr.  W.  H.  Coles,  Bath,  won 
with  hand  bouquet,  and  Mr.  R.  B.  Cater  with  a  single  vase  arranged 
with  one  kind  of  flower.  This  made  up  an  interesting  class. 
Fruit. 
Fruit  proved  a  great  attraction  to  the  crowd  of  visitors,  the  quality 
of  whioh  has  seldom  been  excelled  in  quality  or  quautity.  With  a 
collection  of  eight  dishes  Mr.  Mitchell,  gardener  to  J.  V.  Fleming,  Esq., 
was  first  with  medium  sized  bunohes  of  Gros  Maroc  and  Muscat  Grapes, 
a  fine  dish  of  Sea  Eagle  Peaches,  Pineapple  Nectarines,  Brunswick 
Figs,  Sutton’s  Scarlet  Melon,  Pears,  and  Plums.  Mr.  Wilkins,  gardener 
to  Lady  Theodore  Guest,  was  second  with  good  Muscat  and  Gros  Maroc 
Grapes,  somewhat  rubbed,  a  large  Melon,  Figs,  Pears,  and  Nectarines. 
