THE FLOWER SHOW.

Evening Star, Issue 12761, 14 March 1906, Page 4

THE FLOWER SHOW.

DAWLTAS GOOD—SWEET PEAS VERY GOOD—FERNS Al. The Duiieibn Horticultural Society opened their autumn ikow in the Garrison Hall this rfternoan. It is a good show, interesting in several departments: Da-hlks aie, of course, the leading attraction ; and, though the competition is this time not so.keen as usual, the broken weather having pi-evented some growers from entering, the patrons must be greatly phased with the blooms that are on the stands. These, include several new lands. Mrs J. W. Wilkinson, a light shade of pink, liius not, we think, been seen here before. A good bloom is to be found m Mr Mitchell's twenty-four. This collection also embraces a well-grown Suius—a striped fancy, but on the cactus list, and the very spiky and octopttsy Conrad—& now terra eotta that is sure to be admired. Amongst Mr T. Scott's, twelve may be seen the best specimen of F. M. Strudwick in the show—a milky white, just a little " past," but iif-vertheleas strikingly beautiful; also the pale yellow H. F. Robertson that was at its best two or three days ago; likewise good blooms of Dainty—pink with yellow tints—and a most attractive apricot named Mrs H. L. Brousson. These are, wg believe, the newest of the cactus dahlias to be seen in the show. Mr Hungerford's stand of two dozen is mostly made up of the well-known varieties, the pick of them, beyond doubt, bein a well-grown Mrs E. Mawley (yellow) in superb order. This won the premiership. The amateur classes are poorly represented. Visitors who themselves cultivate the cactus dahlia will naturally bestow their attention cbiofly on that variety, but we would suggest that they might profitably cast their eyes also on the,double dahlias. This old flower ia now corning ino vogue again, and in this show there are blooms which for size and color must be miles ahead of anything that Dr Dahl ever dreamed of. Their condition, too, is to be commended. As a matter of fart, they lead the show in that, respect.

In sweet peas the show is very strong, both numerically and in point of -quality. A large table set apart for this flower constitutes one of the features of the exhibition. Several ol the exhibits include the handsome King Edward VII., which was a novelty last year; and, without burdening our article with a long list of other good names, we would draw special attention to the Helen Lewis as the sweet pea, that was recently the rage in England, and the delicate Florence Spencer to be found in Mr J. H. Wilson's collection. The first sweet peas grown for show stood straight up; then in course of time gardeners got them hooded; and now, as in the case of Florence Spencer, a crimped shape is established. It is very dainty and filmy, and tho shading is pretty. As a rule the autumn show is too late for carnations and picotees, but this year the backward season enables gardeners to make a very fair display of these prized flowers. The very new and the moro delicate varieties axe done; hence the exhibits are mostly of tho standard and perma-nently-valued type, but this will not be a drawback in the estimation of the general public. Begonias are numerous and on tlie whole good; and in this connection attention may be directed to twg collections apart from those catalogued for competition We refer to the begonias sent iu by Mr C. Dunham and Mr S. Cousins. One hardly expects to see roses shown in March, and it is therefore a pleasant surprise to find one end of a table devoted to a, display of over forty varieties of blooms grown by Mr S. Cousins. The novelties amongst these include Ard's Pillar (climbing h.p,), Ben Cant (one of the best of the new kp.'s), Dorothy Perkins (a climber seen here for the first time), and Comtesse de Cayla (a rare thing in coloring). From Judge Ward (whose gardener is Mr E. A. Hamel) -we also have a beautiful bowl of roses. The gladioli are but few, though of fair quality; the asters are not up to the Dunedin standard; and of Dianthus there is no display at all. But one can find some really good common flowers in the collections. The specimens of Californian Popov, blue Salvia, Bouvardia, Doronicum (leopard' 6 bane), and heather, with the indispensable coreopsis, are aanongst the best of these. In the way of pot plants the ferns are an easy first. Mr Glendining and Mr Duncan represent this department in great strength. Not only are their plants good' sorts, but they are in p'rime order and staged with excellent - judgment, Mr Duncan's table holds a superb kidney fern, also a stag's horn quit© out of the ordinary in tiia-t the antlers are seen branching out, and the others in this stand include the crape fern and the oak fern (British) both at their best. Mr Glendihing's collection has as its chief treasure a gold fern, a magnificent adiantum, a bird's nest, and the largest and finest stag's horn we have ever seen at the society's shows. Mr Harry Clarke should be very proud of his ferns this autumn. The most noticeable of the other pot plants are Miss Rattray's champion Lilium' auratum, a fine Lilium lancifolium that is berthed on the stage, a good asparagus of the Spriiigeri variety, and a Nicotiana Samderce (tobacco plant with red flowers) from Mr W. E. Sargood's garden, of which Mr G. Harvey has charge. This Nicotiana is the very newest of the annuals. Fruit is represented mostly by grapes of good quality and plums that look fairly good. The vegetables are excellent in almost every line, and wo notice a great improvement in the staging and the condition of these exhibits. Competition was very keen. _ Mr W. E. Sargood is a welcome exhibitor in this line. The decorative work is at least up to the average, and the bouquets include the most attractive "showers" that have been staged for many a long - day. The judges made those remarks : " The winning table is a simple and effective arrangement, the balance not appearing too rigid, and the colors are well blended. The first mantel has a beautiful centrepiece, and the whole is a glorious distday; in

the second the decoration gives a good bold effect, whilst there is an absence of stiffness. Tlie bamboo stands are both good. The first has the more contrast, the second being s%Mly insipid in this respect." The Managing Committee, headed by Mr T. Scott (president), paw to tie staging as early as possible 1 in the forenoon, and by twelve o'clock the judges had commenced their work." Mr W. Burns, of Qamaru, judged the dahlias, Mr P. M'Kellar the pot plants, Mr A. Youngeon. the vegetables and fruit, and Messrs A. Marshall and P. G. Stewart fcbe decorative work. Their awards were as follow : PLANTS IN FLOWER, GROWN IN PtiTS, Six stove or greenhouse plants;—R. Glendining 1. . Two fuchsias (amateur); —D. G. Ford 1 apd 2. ' Two pots filiumsi —W. E. Sargood 1. One pot Hliums (amateur).—F. EL D. Kemplen 1. Four pelargoniums; zonale, two single and two double (amateur).—W, T. Wright 1. Two table plants.—W. E. Sargood 1. . Four taberous-rooted begonias,' single.—R. Glendining 1. Four tuberous-rooted begonias, double.— B. Glendining 1. One plant in hanging basket:—W. E. Sargood 1. SECTION lI.—FOLTAGE PLANTS. . Six foliage plants.—R. Glendining 1. Three foliage plants (amateur). —W. J. Robinson 2. Twelve, ferns, or ferns and lycopods (amateur).—W. J. Robinson 1. Collection of ferns.—R. Glendining 1, F. Duncan 2. Two specimen plants.—John M'lntyre 1. One aspidistra (amateur). —L. Wraight 1. One table plant (amateur).—W. J. Robinson 1. Two plants in hanging baskets.—F. Duncan Collection of pot plants, flowering and foliage (amateur). —Miss Alexander 1, W. J. Robinson 2. Best novelty.—W. E. Sargood 1, John M'lntyre 2. DAHLIAS. Twenty-four cactus dahlias.—D. Mitchell 1, J. S. Hungerford 2. Twelve cactus dahlias.—T. Scott 1, D. Mitchell 2. Six cactus dahlias.—D. Mitchell 1, T. Scott 2. Six vases cactus dahlias, three blooms of cne variety in each.—D. 'MitcheUl. Twelve cactus dahlias (amateur). —John B. Paterson 1, A. Lothian 2. Sis cactus dahlias (amateur). —J. G. Robertson 1, John B. Paterson 2. Six cactus dahlias, three blooms of each to be shown in glasses (amateur). —A. Lothian Premier cactus dahlia in the show.—J. S. Hungerford 1. Twelve dahlias, double.—John Whyte 1, T. Brown 2. Six dahlias, double. —T, Brown 1, John Whyte 2. Twelve dahlias, double (amateur). —John B. Paterson 1, Wm. Bishop 2. Six dahlias, double (amateur). —John B. Paterson 1. Three vases single dahlias.—Miss Kempshell 2. Six new cactus dahlias.—D. Mitchelf 1. CUT FLOWERS, OTHER THAN DAHLIAS. Twelve asters, not quilled.—John B. Paterson L, P. Duncan 2. Six asters, not quilled (amateur). —W. J. Robinson 1. Eighteen sweet peas^varieties.—J. H. Wilson 1, Mrs Milne 2. Twelve sweet peas (amateur). —J. H. Wilson 1, Mrs E. Hughes 2. Twelve sweet peas.—Mrs J. Cockrane 1, John B. Paterson 2. Six sweet peas (amateur).—Mrs J.. S. Fleming 1, John B. Paterson 2. Three- vases sweet peas, own foliage.—C. G. White 1, Mrs Brown 2. Twelve gladioli (amateur). —John B. Paterson 1. Six gladioli (amateur). —John B. Paterson Six vases carnations. —Joseph Norman 1, Mrs H. Cox 2. Four vases carnations (amateur). —A. Lothian 1, W. J. Robinson 2. Cut flowers, collection 24 species.—J. M. Ritchie 1, W. Hitchcock 2. . Cut flowers, collection 24 species (amateur). —Mrs Kemplen 1, Mrs H. Cox 2. Collection of native flowers.—John M'lntyre 1. Sergeant-major Cardalo's special competition in twelve sweet peas.—J. H. Wilson 1. Special competition, twelve carnations.—T. H. Clark 1, J. Norman 2. Best carnations (amateur). —Mrs J. Anderson L DECORATIVE AND FLORAL WORK. Bouquet, hand, wired, other than shower. —Miss M. Bruce 1, Mrs J. Turner 2. Bouquet, hand, unwired.—Mrs J. Turner 1, Miss M. Bruce 2. Shower bouquet, bridal.—Miss M. Bruce 1, Mrs J. Turner 2. Bouquet, hand, unwired (amateur). —Dorothy M'lntyre 1. Shower bouquet, bridal (amateur). —Miss Estlier 1. Best decorated floral basket.—Miss M. Brace 1, .Mrs J. Turner 2. Best decorated floral basket (amateur). — Miss Pullen 1, Dorothy M'lntyre 2. Two dress bouquets—one lady's, one gentleman's.—Mrs J. Turner 1 and 2. Two dress bouquets—one lady's, one gentleman's (amateur). —Dorothy M'lntyre 1. Table decoration, flowers and foliage only (amateur). —Miss D. Fergus 1, Miss Pullen 2. Best arrangement of cut flowers and foliage on a wicker or bamboo table or stand (amateur).—Miss Pullen 1, W. J. Robinson 2. Best original floral .exhibit. —A. O. Bridgman L Best decorated mantelpiece.—Miss Alexander 1, Miss Brown 2.

SCHOOL CHILDREN'S COMPETITION. Gentleman's bouquet.—Chrissio Turner (Union street) 1, Maine Waterston (Union street) 2. v FRUIT. Two bunches grapes, black.—R. Glendinin<r 1, H. Cox 2. Two bunches grapes, black (amateur). —L. Wraight 1, W. J. Robinson 2. One bunch grapes, heaviest. —Mrs J. Fyfe One bunch grapes, beariest (amateur). — Mr_s Forrester L Two bunches of grapes, white.—R. Glendining 1. Fifteen apples, dessert (amateur). —W. Barr Collection of apples, six varieties (amateur). —W. Barr L Fifteen apples, cooking (amateur). —W. Barr 1. Five apricots (amateur). —A. Lothian 2. Twelve plums, dessert.—C. Bates 1 and. 2. Twelve plums, dessert (amateur). —W. Barr 1, A. Lothian 2. Twelve plums, cooking.—C. Bates 1 and 2. Twelve plums, cooking (amateur)! —A. Lothian 1. Collection of plums.—C. Bates 1. Collection of fruit grown by exhibitor. C. Bates L VEGETABLES. Twenty-four beans, long- pod.—W. E. Sargood 1, P. Gibson 2. Twenty-four beans, broad.—W. E. Sargood 1, W. T. Wright 2. Twenty-four beans, runners.—P. Duncan L Two cabbages for table.—D. L. Christie 1 W. E. Sargood 2. Two cabbages, red.—John MTntyro 1 and2. Six carrots for table.—W. T. Wrieht 1 Judge Ward 2. ' ~ e Two cauliflowers.—P, Duncan L Three celery.—W. E.. Sargood 1, Judge Wafcd 2. Sixty potatoes, twelve varieties.—R. Dalziel 1. Twelve potatoes-.—P. Duncan. 1, W. E !Sargood 2. Twelve onions, locally grown.—P. Gibson 1, W. Sargood 2. Six parsnips.—W. E. Sargood 1, P. Duncan 2. Fifty pods peas, one variety.—Judge Ward 1, J. H. Every 2. Twelve tomatoes.—D. L. Christie- LIS. Hungerford 2. Twelve tomatoes (amateur).—L. Wraight 1, W. Barr 2. < Twelve tomatoes, dessert.—J. S. Hungerford 1 and 2. Six turnips, three white, three yellow.— Judge Ward 1, C. G. White 2. Two vegetable marrows.—Judge Ward 1, W. E. Sargood 2. Two lettuces.—C. -G. WSrite 1 and 2. Two cucumbers (amateur).—D. L. Christie Collection of vegetables.—R. Glendining 1, W. E. Sargood 2. TJie phew will be open again this evening, when the Drake Family will continue their orchestral programme.