223 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  3,  1903. 
A  Flower  Show  in  a  Far  Country. 
I  have,  during  the  course  of  a  long  life,  seen  flower  shows 
of  all  sorts  and  descriptions,  from  National  Rose  and  Temple 
Shows,  to  Chrysanthemums,  and  down  to  the  modest  display  in 
the  small  tent  on  the  village  green ;  all  presenting  points  of 
interest,  and  all  capable  of  giving  much  pleasure,  if  not  to  the 
spectator,  at  least  to  the  successful  exhibitor.  Last  week  I  fell 
on  a  little  local  show  far  away  in  the  wilds  of  Westmoreland, 
under  the  shadow  of  great  mountains  and  close  to  the  gleaming 
waters  of  two  lovely  lakes.  The  village  is  cut  in  two  by  a  brawl¬ 
ing  stream ;  some  of  the  houses  are  perched  on  the  hill  sides, 
and  Nature  has  done  all  she  can  to  make  the  place  beautiful. 
The  gardens  are  wind-swept,  and  the  summer  has  not  been  favour¬ 
able  to  the  growth  of  fruit  or  flower.  The  new  school,  not  yet 
completed,  was  utilised  for  the  occasion,  and  made  smart  with 
coloured  muslins.  The  big  windows  were  unglazed,  and  the 
views  from  each  formed  a  series  of  perfect  pictures.  Purple 
Heather  under  a  blazing  August  sun  must  be  seen  to  be  appre¬ 
ciated.  The  day  Avas  one  of  a  few  that  wdll  stand  out  in  this 
summer  as  an  example  of  Avhat  a  summer’s  day  should  be.  Here 
the  heat  is  never  excessive  ;  there  is  always  a  breeze  just  sufficient 
to  give  that  zest  to  the  air  that  makes  it  so  Avelcome  to  lungs 
that  constantly  breathe  the  vitiated  atmosphere  of  the  cities  of 
the  plain. 
The  show  Avas  called  horticultural,  but  I  found  it  as  a  matter 
of  fact  a  Amriety  entertainment.  My  first  glance  Avas  directed  to 
the  cut  floAvers,  and  of  the  floAvers  to  the  Queen,  the  Rose.  The 
village  grocer  is  the  strong  man  in  this  line,  but  there  Avas  not 
much  chance  of  distinguishing  himself,  as  the  schedule  only 
asked  for  tAvo  A’arieties,  one  example  of  each ;  and  funny  odd 
Roses  they  Avei'e' — old  A’arieties,  Avith  W.  A.  Richardson 
exhibited  as  a  novelty !  Where  Caroline  Testout  had  sprung 
from  I  could  not  ascertain.  Never  before  had  I  seen  an  exhibit 
of  Nasturtiums  (Tropaeolums),  but  here  there  Avere  several  classes 
where  they  flaunted  their  orange  and  yelloAV  and  brown  faces. 
Four  distinct  Asters  brought  forth  several  lots,  and  Stocks 
Avere  a  strong  class.  SAveet  Peas,  too,  unnamed,  and  all  A’arieties 
massed  in  one  vase,  happily,  hoAvever,  arranged  Avith  additional 
or  alien  foliage.  Some  of  the  PaiAsies  were  pretty  :  all  too  stiff, 
and  all  to  a  man  “  gypsophilied,”  if  I  may  use  such  a  term. 
The  buttonholes  Avere  ornate  and  large.  A  poor  little  class  of 
Tomatoes  (only  one  dish)  made  an  approach  to  effect;  and  the 
Leeks  Avere  thick  and  Avhite  and  good. 
Of  course,  a  shoAV  could  not  be  Avithout  the  giant  MarroAV, 
far  too  big  even  for  a  pleasure  barge  for  a  fairy  princess!  Plenty 
of  Cabbages  and  Lettuces,  splashed  Avith  a  deep  red  (a  variety 
unknoAvn  to  me) ;  Potatoes  with  local  names;  Peas  just  a  thought 
too  old;  and  Kidney  Beans  pulled  before  their  time. 
“Fruit”  was  represented  by  some  big,  barrel-sided  Apples 
and  Rhubarb  past  its  first  freshness.  But  stay — yes,  there  Avere 
other  fruits,  in  the  children’s  section,  collections  of  wild  fruit. 
I  am  of  an  adventurous  spirit,  but  I  paused  before  those  displays. 
I  thought  of  Tommy  and  his  sister  Jane,  and  those  berries  which 
caused  their  untimely  end.  I  recognised  the  Rasp — a  micro¬ 
scope  was  almost  necessary  to  see  it,  so  tiny  Avei'e  the  thimble¬ 
like  fruits.  Of  mountain  berries  there  Avas  a  store  ;  Hazel-nuts 
and  things  in  pods;  but  the  children  had  done  well  Avith  their 
trays  of  mosses — such  v^ariety,  such  beauty!  What  would"  I  not 
have  given  for  some  of  that  velvety  green  to  hide  the  stands  of 
my  Roses  when  “  set  up  ”  at  our  home  shoAvs  ?  such  difliculty  as  I 
have  in  getting  nice,  clean,  bright  pieces. 
The  children  had  Avild  floAA'er  bouquets,  and  also  collections  of 
wild  floAvers  shoAvn,  or  gummed,  on  sheets  of  paper.  I  said  it 
Avas  a  A'ariety  entertainment,  and  in  a  class  room  I  found  bread, 
tea-cakes,  butter,  honey,  and  eggs,  all  products  of  the  villagers. 
Also  sets  of  dolls’  clothes,  cut  out  and  made  by  small  fingers. 
Specimens  of  handAvriting  :  “  The  Deserted  Village  ”  in  all  styles  ; 
big  sheets  of  drawings,  some  black-and-white,  some  gay  Avith 
colours ;  and,  most  practical  of  all,  boxes  each  containing  a  well 
starched  shirt,  Avith  tAvo  collars  and  a  best  pocket  handkerchief. 
And  knitted  socks,  too ;  and  the  industry  of  the  neighbourhood 
in  carvings  in  cedarwood,  occupation  for  the  long  Avinter  even¬ 
ings,  work  for  the  boys  Avhen  spade  and  rake  must  he  laid  aside. 
It  was  all  so  ncAv  and  pretty  and  unusual ;  so  simple,  so 
unpretentious. 
The  officials  told  me  that  they  Avere  ahvays  so  favoured  by  the 
Clerk  at  the  AVeather  Office.  Perhaps  he  is  a  native  of  these 
parts,  and  remembers  the  festival  day  Avhen  he  was  young,  hoAv  it 
Avas  made  or  marred  by  the  Aveather.  As  I  write,  the  windoAvs  of 
heaven  are  opened  Avide,  and  I  can  see  a  glassy  film  spreading 
over  the  meadoAv  land  in  the  valley.  Yesterday,  to-day,  no  one 
can  stir  abroad ;  the  hills  are  blotted  out,  and  for  all  I  can  see, 
the  ocean  might  be  where  SkiddaAV  lifts  his  hoary  head. 
The  few  crops  here  are  late  and  also  light,  and  of  that 
variety  (Oats)  Avhich  is  inured  to  bad  Aveather.  A  feAV  belated 
patches  of  hay,  Avhich  ought  to  have  been  secured  before,  stand 
in  danger  of  being  bodily  landed  in  the  lakes.  It  is  a  case  for 
ensilage,  not  hay. 
This  is  a  country  rich  in  Ferns :  five  varieties  Avithin  a  few 
yards  of  the  Aullage  street,  as  I  found.  Mercury  or  Good-King- 
Henry  is  out  on  the  Avaste  land.  Has  it  been  an  escape  from  a 
garden,  or  is  this  its  nathm  home?  [It  is  native. — Ed.]  Beau¬ 
tiful  Aveeping  country!  I  like  your  smiles  better  than  your 
tears. — The  Missus. 
Book  Notice. 
The  Book  of  the  Peach.* 
This  is  a  iiractical  handbook  on  the  cultivation  of  the  Peach 
under  glass  and  outdoors,  by  Mr.  H.  W.  Ward,  Avho  was  for 
twenty-fiA'e  years  head  gardener  at  Longford  Castle,  Salisbury. 
In  his  introduction  the  author  refers  to  his  success  as  an  exhibi¬ 
tor  of  collections  and  single  dishes  of  choice  hothouse  and  Avail 
fruits  at  the  annual  summer  and  autumn  shoAvs  held  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  and  leading  provincial  towns,  and  the  Peaches 
and  Nectarines  in  the  Longfoi'd  collections  ahvays  excited  favour¬ 
able  comments  on  the  part  of  experts.  Such  status  is  backed  by 
COLLAR  SHUT 
READY  FOR  LIFTING 
SIDE  VIEW 
LIFTING  BAR 
SCALE  l"=tF00T 
(See  page  227.) 
experience  of  the  Peach  and  Nectarine  on  2u0  yards  of  wall 
and  some  six  glass  houses,  forced  and  cool. 
The  author,  in  the  opening  chapter,  expresses  the  Avonder  that 
the  Peach  and  Nectarine  are  not  groAvn  much  more  extensively 
in  favourable  situations  out  of  doors  throughout  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  than  they  are,  seeing  that  suitable  aspects  are  aAmil- 
able  for  the  groAvth  of  the  trees  and  ripening  of  the  fruit  in  every 
Avalled-in  garden  in  every  county  and  village  in  the  United 
Kingdom. 
This  is  rather  SAveejiing,  for  our  author  clearly  has  not  ex¬ 
perience  of  attempting  groAving  Peaches  and  Nectarines  in  high 
and  cold  districts,  for  their  culture  against  Avails  is  very  uncer¬ 
tain,  indeed  impracticable,  and  even  under  glass  heat  is  necessary 
to  ensure  safety  from  spring  frosts  and  perfect  the  crops  in  cold 
and  Avet  seasons.  Still,  I  quite  agree  Avith  the  dictum  that  in 
many  cases  Peaches  and  Nectarines  could  be  groAvn  as  Avell  noAV 
as  they  were  at  the  middle  of  last  century  and  long  before  on 
open  Avails,  even  in  favoured  positions  in  the  northern  counties 
of  England ;  but  to  attempt  their  cultivation  on  south  Avails  at 
oOOft  above  sea  level  north  of  the  Humber  is  simply  courting 
failure. 
Besides,  Avhat  knoAV  the  present  jmung  hands  of  training  wall 
trees  ?  And  in  this  particular  point  they  are  not  helped  much 
in  the  chapter  on  the  “  pruning  and  training  the  trees.”  Of 
course,  gardeners  ought  to  know  their  business ;  but  in  books 
Ave  expect  to  find  illustrative  matter,  so  that  those  Avho  do  not 
knoAv  may  learn.  This  Avill  perhaps  be  rectified  in  future  edi¬ 
tions,  for  in  other  respects  the  book  is  thoroughly  sound  and 
practical,  and  I  strongly  advise  its  perusal. — G.  A. 
Publications  Receia’ed. — “  An  Introduction  to  Nature- 
Study,”  by  Ernest  Stenhouse;  Macmillan  and  Co.,  3s.  Cd.  *  * 
“  Missouri  Botanical  Garden  Administrative  Reports  for 
1902.”  *  *  “Missouri  Botanical  Garden:  a  History,”  by 
William  Tralease,  LL.D.  *  *  «  Oxfordshire  County  Council : 
Annual  Report  of  the  Technical  Instruction  Committee  for  the 
year  1902-3.” — -August  5,  1903.  *  *  “  jhe  Garden  Gazette,” 
Vol.  I.,  No.  12,  July,  1903.  This  Australian  horticultural  neAvs- 
paper  (published  at  28,  Temple  Court,  Collins  Street,  Melbourne) 
has  noAV  lived  through  its  fir.st  year,  and  is  likely  to  go  on  pro¬ 
sperously  henceforAA'ard.  It  is  charmingly  illustrated,  Avell  con¬ 
ducted,  and  is  doing  a  good  serAuce  in  Australia.  *  *  “The 
Indian  Agriculturist,”  containing  :  Planters  and  Rhea  cultivation. 
Rubber  plant  (neAA’),  Australian  fruit  fly,  &c. 
*  The  AA'alter  Scott  Publishing  Company,  London  and  Newcastle-on  Tyne. 
Price  25.  Gd. 
