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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  28,  1902. 
radicles.  If  any  protruded  through  the  holes  they  at  once  turned 
back,  and  with  all  the  rest  were  entwined  in  the  wet  wool.  Hydro¬ 
tropism  thus  entirely  superseded  gravity.  When  the  tin  was  suspended 
horizontally,  the  hypocotyls  with  the  green  cotyledons  curved  down¬ 
wards  ;  those  on  the  circumference,  being  more  sti'ongly  illuminated, 
curving  more  rapidly  than  the  cluster  in  the  middle.  When  the  tin 
was  suspended  vertically,  after  two  or  three  days  all  the  seedlings 
curved  downwards  in  the  direction  of  both  light  and  gravity,  photo- 
tropism  overcoming  negative  geotropism,  or  apogeotropism.  These 
terms,  of  course,  only  describe  the  movements  of  the  hypocotyls  as 
“towards  the  light,”  or  in  “opposition  to  gravity,”  or  “  awray  from 
the  earth.”  They  are  not  “  forces.”  The  experiment  suggested  the 
possibility  of  different  degrees  of  illumination  being  the  primary 
influences  in  causing  the  upward  growth  of  the  stem  and  the  down¬ 
ward  growth  of  the  root.  It  may  be  remembered  that  aerial  roots  of 
Ivy  protrude  on  the  less  illuminated  side,  irrespective  of  gravity.  So, 
too,  the  radicle  of  Mistleto  grows  towards  the  bough  on  which  the 
seed  is  fixed ;  so  that  as  the  direct  light  from  the  sky  is  greater  than 
the  reflected  light  from  the  soil,  the  shoot-end  of  a  plant  grows 
upwards  and  the  root-end  downwards.  Gravity,  however,  is  believed 
to  act  upon  the  root-tip,  as  Darwin  and  Dr.  Francis  Darwin  explain, 
unless  it  be  overcome  by  the  presence  of  water,  manure,  &c.  The 
stem,  by  growing  upwards  in  opposition  to  gravity,  puts  out  mechanical 
tissues  to  support  itself  under  the  influence  of  gravity,  which  always 
tends  to  pull  it  down,  and  has  acquired  a  permanent  tendency  to  rise, 
as  shoots  laid  horizontally  will  rear  their  tips  perpendicularly  if  kept 
in  total  darkness.  Similarly,  it  is  presumably  possible  that  the  root-tip 
has  become  sensitive  to  gravity  as  a  secondary  effect.  As  far  as  the 
germination  of  spores  can  throw  light  upon  primitive  conditions,  it  has 
been  found  that  the  first  cell-plate  laid  down  in  the  unicellular  spore 
of  Ferns  and  Equisetum  is  approximately  in  a  plane  at  right  angles  to 
incident  light,  and  that  the  most  illumined  half  lays  the  foundation  of 
the  stem.  Again,  the  dorsiventrality  of  the  prothallium  of  a  Fern, 
and  the  development  of  the  rhizoids  upon  the  under  side,  are  deter¬ 
mined  by  different  degrees  of  illumination,  and  not  by  gravity. 
Goole,  Yorks,  August  14tb. 
A  successful  show  was  held  by  the  Goole  Agricultural  and 
Horticultural  Society  on  Thursday,  August  14.  Mr.  W.  Curtis, 
gardener  to  J.  Blacker,  Esq.,  Selby,  led  in  class  2  for  a  group 
of  plants,  the  second  and  third  awards  going  respectively  to 
Col.  Harrison  Broadley,  and  Messrs.  Simpson  and  Son.  The 
colonel  was  foremost  for  a  dozen  distinct  stove  or  greenhouse 
specimen  plants.  Amongst  other  exhibitors  who  contested 
successfully  were  Messrs.  G.  H.  Shaw,  of  Howden  ;  R.  Creyke, 
Rawcliffe  Hall  :  and  F.  B.  Grotian,  of  Hessle.  Fruit  and  vege¬ 
tables  were  fair.  Mr.  Creyke  (gardener,  Mr.  D.  T.  Millar),  con¬ 
tributed  the  finest  sets  of  vegetables,  and  also  did  well  in  the 
fruit  section.  Mr.  Shaw,  of  Howden,  won  first  place  for  a 
collection  of  outdoor  fruit,  Mr.  Creyke  being  second.  Lady 
Beaumont  (gardener,  Mr.  Nicholls),  as  usual,  figured  well  in  the 
prize  list.  The  judges  were. — Plants  and  flowers:  Mr.  G.  Wil¬ 
son,  Swanland  Manor;  Mr.  G.  Taylor,  Byram  Hall.  Fruits  and 
vegetables:  Mr.  H.  Butcher,  Arksey  Hall;  Mr.  A.  Brooks, 
Womersley  Park.  Some  trade  exhibits  were  also  on  view. 
Trowbridge,  August  20tb. 
The  fifty-third  consecutive  and  successful  exhibition  of  this 
Society  was  held  on  the  above  date,  and  though  the  morning 
was  stormy  and  threatening,  fine  weather  afterwards  drew  the 
usual  crowd  of  visitors.  Being  centrally  situated,  the  high 
standard  of  the  show  is  maintained  because  of  easy  access, 
more  than  because  of  the  liberality  or  progressive  spirit  of  the 
executive. 
Fuchsias,  for  which  the  show  is  famed,  were,  if  anything, 
in  finer  form  than  last  year,  and  the  specimen  flowering  plants 
surpassed  in  some  degree  previous  records;  while  foliage  plants, 
Ferns,  Caladiums,  Coleus,  Gloxinias,  table  plants,  and  Zonal 
Pelargoniums  contributed  in  their  wealth  and  variety  to  what 
was  unanimously  considered  a  fine  show. 
Mr.  Matthews,  gardener  to  W.  J.  Mann,  Esq.,  won  in 
each  class  of  flowering  specimens  respectively,  nine,  six 
and  three.  Ixora  Pilgrimi,  Erica  Eweriana  elegans, 
Clerodendron  Balfouri  (very  fine),  Allamanda  nobilis  and 
A.  Williamsi  were  particularly  striking  plants.  Mr.  George 
'Tucker  won  second  prizes  with  the  two  first-named,  and  Mr. 
Helps,  gardener  to  E.  H.  Atchley,  Esq.,  with  three  plants. 
Mr.  George  Tucker’s  Fuchsias  were  models  of  good  culture, 
though  in  the  class  for  six  he  was  followed  closely  by  E.  T.  Fox- 
croft,  Esq.,  Hintin  Charterhouse.  The  plants  stood  from  8ft 
to  9ft  high,  beautiful  and  even  in  growth,  also  very  fresh. 
Western  Beauty,  Brilliant.  Final,  Channing  and  Doel’s  Favour¬ 
ite  were  some  of  the  best  kinds. 
Twelve  Ferns  made  a  capital  display,  three  competitors 
demanding  a  large  space.  Mr.  Tucker  maintained  the  lead 
which  he  has  held  for  so  many  years.  Messrs.  Stokes,  Hilper- 
ton,  were  second,  and  A.  P.  Stancomb,  Esq.,  third.  Foliage 
plants  from  the  late  Sir  Roger  Brown’s  garden  were  on  this 
occasion  surpassed  by  those  from  Rood  Ashton,  Colonel  Vivian’s, 
brightly  coloured  Crotons  aiding  him  in  his  victory.  Messrs. 
Cole  and  Son,  Bath,  being  third. 
Roses  were  finely  represented  by  Messrs.  Perkins  and  Son, 
Coventry,  who  won  with  thirty-six  varieties,  twelve  triplets, 
twenty-four  distinct,  and  twelve  blooms.  Messrs.  Townsend 
and  Son,  Worcester,  and  Messrs.  Cooling  and  Son,  Bath,  being 
other  successful  exhibitors.  The  latter  won  with  Garden  Roses, 
though  run  closely  by  Messrs.  Townsend. 
Dahlias  were,  for  the  season,  well  represented.  Messrs. 
G.  Humphries,  Chippenham ;  J.  Cray  and  Sons,  Frome ;  and 
T.  Carr,  Esq.,  Twerton,  were  to  the  front  in  the' several  classes. 
Space  does  not  permit  of  fuller  details,  though  the  many 
representative  classes  deserve  mention. 
As  with  other  shows  now  past,  Fruit  was  thinner  than 
usual,  due  to  the  adverse  season.  Quality,  however,  was  not 
wanting  in  several  of  the  principal  classes.  For  ten  dishes,  Mr. 
Strugnell,  gardener  to  Colonel  Vivian,  was  first,  and  also  in 
that  for  six  varieties,  staging  fine  samples  of  Sea  Eagle  Peaches, 
Humboldt  Nectarines,  Melons,  Figs,  Apricots,  and  Grapes, 
with  Madresfield  Court  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria.  He  also 
won  with  black  Grapes  in  two  classes.  Mr.  H.  Jones,  Bath, 
and  Mr.  Helps,  Rodwell  Hall,  Trowbridge,  following,  also  with 
good  fruit  in  collections  and  Grape  classes.  Peaches,  Necta¬ 
rines,  Apricots,  Plums,  Melons,  and  Apples  were  numerously 
staged,  and  all  good.  Some  uncommonly  good  Jefferson  Plums 
were  shown  by  Mr.  Cutter,  Frome;  and  outdoor  Green  Gages, 
from  E.  F.  Bousanquet,  Esq.,  Steeple  Ashton,  Avere  ripe  and 
well  coloured. 
Vegetables,  both  open,  amateur  and  cottage  grown,  were, 
as  is  always  the  case  at  Trowbridge,  extensively  displayed,  and 
the  quality  throughout  excellent.  Prizes  are  offered  by  Messrs. 
Sutton,  Reading;  Toogood,  Southampton;  and  Webb,  Stour¬ 
bridge,  in  addition  to  that  of  the  society  for  collections  varying 
in  number,  each  and  all  bringing  out  keen  rivalry  ;  but  the  com¬ 
petition  for  special  prizes  offered  for  cottagers  afforded  the 
judges  the  greatest  difficulty  by  their  extent  and  quality. 
There  were  three  competitors  in  decorated  dinner  tables, 
a  new  and  very  pleasing  departure  in  the  society’s  schedule.  In 
this  Messrs.  Cole  and  Son,  Bath;  and  Mrs.  Woodland,  Frome, 
won  with  effective  taste  the  prizes  offered.  Messrs.  Perkins, 
Pear,  Marguerite  Marillat. 
