HUTT AND PETONE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 8

HUTT AND PETONE

SWEET PEAS AND QUALITY. A NEGLECTED FLOWER SHOW. In so far as the success of a flower show is to be gauged by the amount of publio patronage beßtowcd upon it, Saturday's sweet pea and carnation show at Betone, under the- Hutt Valley Horticultural Society's patronage, was a complete failure: The people of Petone simply ignored the fixture. Nobody wenf ilt is true that tho catalogue for the ! show is. the lt'ost comprehensive one listed for any of the society's annual fixtures (five in number), but the i popularity of the 6weet pea, and the fact that its cultivation has of late 'seasons been made a specialty of by several Hutt V»alley growers, was relied upon U. awaken at least a modicum of cariosity on the part of the people of tho seabeard borough, many of -whom are'enthusiastic flower growers. But there was no evidence of anything of the kind visible on Saturday. Tho dearth of patronage Was the more regrettable in that the display of blooms was far aid away the finest of its kind that had ever been staged under the society's auspices. It ia doubtful whether anything to equUl it had ever been seen in the Dominion. It was Mr C. Trovethick's exhibit that gave the show this distinction. - Three hundred and sixty feet of space was required to accommodate it. On one table were ranged vases of sweet peas to the number of 115, each vase containing a different variety. And of these varieties, only twenty-four were included in the Catalogues of New Zealand seedsmen last season—a striking tribute to Mr Trevethick's enterprise. Another of the eme grower's collections comprised twenty-four, and another twelve varieties. The latter were exclusively seedlings of Mr Trevethick's own producing, and their _<olouring acd form was such as to stamp them as equal form were such as to stamp them as equal to anything ever raised. Some were produced by hybridising, but most 'are "sports" on Spencer varieties. One prominent grower present declared one of them—a deep crimson, "Empress"—to be the finest dark sweet pea ever grown. Others of outstanding beauty were n heliotrope, a cream, a wlirte, and a mauve. Several of the varieties have not yet been named. The collection ■nV.s awarded a certificate of merit.

llr.W. M. Jackson, of Vogeltown, showed a. very fine collection of gladioli, twenty-four varieties, "whilst F. Cooper and bons had on attractive stand of seasonable blooms. Beyond these, sweetpeas practically monopolised the show, there being only one stand of carnations. In the amateur class Mrs It. Pointon, and Mr J. Pointon both staged some very -fine exhibits, whilst Mrs Hughes added considerably to tho attractiveness of the show by sending, for exhibition only, a stand of fifty varieties of finely-grown blooms. Ihis exhibit wa3 awarded a certificate of merit; as also was Mr Jackson's display of g'nclioii. Following is the prize list: SWEET PEAS. Open Class. Twenty-four vases, 10 6pikes of each, distinct, C. Trevethi'ck (National Sweet Pea Society's silver medal), 1. Twelve vasee, 10 spikes of each, distinct, C. Trevcthiok, 1. Amateur Class. Twelve rases, 10 epikeg of each, dis-

timet, Mrs N. B. Smith (Mr C.Trevotliick's gold medal) 1, J. Pocnton (Mr B. Anstis's gold medal) 2. ' . Six vases, 10 spikes of each, distinct, Mrs R. Pointon 1, J. Pointon 2. Six vases, six spites of eaoli (open to those who have never won a prize for sweet p;as), Mrs E. Pointon 1 and 2. Special Award. Boyal Horticultural Society's silver medal for host collection, Mr C. Trevethick. CARNATIONS. Amateur Class. Six blooms ■ (open . only .to those _ who have never won a prize for carnations). Mrs A. M. Smith 1 and 2. REPRESENTATIVE OARSMEN. The following crews have been picked to represent the Petone Rowing Club at next Saturday's regatta.:- . , ■ . Maiden Fours-C. Gallagher (stroke), ■D. Byrne (3), B. Tremain. (2), W. Sharon Months' Fours-S. Dent (stroke), S. McFarlane. (3), P. A'rrowsmith (2), H. Parrant (bow). ■ , / Maiden Paire-C. Gallagher (stroke), D. Byrne (bow). ' _ Maiden Double Sculls B. Tremain (stroke), W. Sharon (bow). Junior Pairs—J. Bonnie (stroke), C. Drummond (bow). HERETATJNGA BOATING CLUB. A handicap race, open to boats of 18 foot beam and under, was sailed on Saturday under the Heretaunga Club's auspices. Bittle and Slacdonald's Runa was the first to pass the post, being followed in about 10 seconds by Miles's Bronze Wing, with Velctta close up third, and Mahau fourth. Mr H. Walsh, of the- railway workshops, who is under transfer to Taumavunui, was presented by his mates on Saturday with a travelling bag.