DUNEDIN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 10

DUNEDIN HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

CHRYSANTHEMUM SlloW.

The chrysanthemum show of the Dunedin Horticultural Society was held on Wednesday in the Garrison Hall, and from point of view of entries, quality, and attendance was a distinct success. In this show the Dunedin Chrysanthemum Club co-operate with the Horticultural Society and its exhibition, and competitions form an attractive feature. The show is not by any means restricted.to the prince of early winter flowers, the exhibits of fruit, vegetables, and ferns bulking largely in the general total. A most interesting exhibition may always be looked for at . this show of our deserving society, a-nd Wednesday's was well up to the standard of previous years. In some respects it was superior, the general excellence of j blooms never having been excelled in Dunedin. At the same time, all would be 1 pleased if there was more competition >in the leading sections. Mr E. A. Hamel .again swept the boards in very many classes. He had magnificent blooms, but it is a pity that other local growers cannot come forward and make the competition keener. This year Mr J. Lewis, of Timaru, entered the lists against Mr Hamel in several classes, and in one important one (18 Japanese ohrysanthemums) carried off the premier honour. The championship was, however, awarded to Mr Hamel for a very fine bloom of F. S. Vallis, which was included in his collection of six chrysanthemums, in which Mr Lewis was placed second. F. S. Vallis is a new chrysanthemum to Dunedin, and is a very showy yellow bloom. It and W. R. Churoh. a dark bloom, were features of the show, occurring in a majority of the different exhibits. Both are new varieties here, and it is pleasing to observe that these are the two chrysanthemums that came out on top in the vote' taken by the Journal of Horticulture in England. They are good flowers, and a valuable addition to the already large number of show varieties grown by Dun- " edin exhibitors. This is the third year in succession that Mr Hamel has carried off the society's championship — a unique record. The Chrysanthemum competition was very interesting, and here again Mr Hamel . had the most important classes to himself. The club's championship was awarded to a* Miss "Maud Jeffries shown by the secretary (Mr H. Adam). This was a grand bloom, pure white, and the best chrysanthemum ever exhibited in Dunedin. The club showed 85 varieties of chrysanthemums, which are its own property, and grown by Mr Youngson, its propagator. All were new varieties imported by the club from Victoria and England. The cut blooms shown by the club were all grown outside without any protection whatever, and were really fine considering the circumstances, and most creditable to the olub and its gardener.

In the pot plant section, Mr Hamel had practically a walk-over in chrysanthemums, Mr J. Rennie being the only other prizetaker with a fine single-flowered plant of Nellie Poekett. Mr Hamel in one class showed a splendid plant of President Nonin with 20 good blooms on it. His Charles Curtiss and Mrs J. Ritson were also deserving of comment. In tho class for collection of ferns there were only two exhibitors, Mr R. Glendining and Mr F. G. Duncan, who made a splendid show. The first prize again went to the former, but Mr Duncan was a very close second, showing his ferns in a most commendable condition. Cyathea dealbata, Adiontum grasillimum, Gymnograina ehrysophyle, Marattia fraxinea. and a Dieksonia seedling were outstanding features of Mr Glendining's collection, whilst the most noticeable of Mr Duncan's were Adiantum marisii, Dicksqnia squarossa, Asplenium nidus, Asplinium bulbuferum, Todca superba, and a splendid stand of Trichomones riniforme (kidney fern). Mr Duncan also secured first prize for best pot of Adiantum with a pot of the Marisii The champion competition in chrysanthemums, comprising 12 vases, three blooms of one variety in each vaso, fell to Mr E. A. Hamel Conspicuous amongst the collection werp the blooms of Madame Carnot, Miss Elsio Fulton, and W. R. Church, whilst in the next olass, for 12 chrysanthemums, the most attractive were Lord Ludlow, W. R. Church, and F. S. Vallis. There was only one entry in the amateur class for six vases of Japanese, but Mr James Rennie's exhibit deserved its first prize award. The most conspicuous of the blooms were Nellie Poekett and Lord Ludlow. Mr J. Lewis, of Timai-u, scored a good win over Mr Hamel in the class for 18 chrysanthemums. Japanese. The judges were in doubt for some time, but eventually gave their decision in favour of tHe Timaru grower. Both stands were excellent, but the general opinion was in favour of the judges' choice. In his collection Mr Lewis showed a General Hutton— a massive yellow, — which was one of the best blooms in the show. Other fine blooms were Madame Naglemacker (a new variety), Madame P, Madaeli. and Duchess of Sutherland. Mr Hamel's outstanding blooms were F. S. Vallis, W. R. Church, and Simplioity. In' the classes for 12 and six chrysanthemums Mr Hamel reversed the position on Mr Lewis, and scored firsts. Vallis and Church were again conspicuous in Mr Hamel's stands, some of the others being Miss E. Currie, Beatrice May, and Madame Naglemacker. In Mr Lewis's collection Mrs Mease, Madame P. Radaeti, Bessie Godfrey, Mafeking Hero, and General Hutton stood out most prominently. It was from the second of these classes that Mr Hamel's F. S. Vallis was selected as the premier bloom. In the amateur classes Mr Arthur Cant, of Christchurch. was suo-

cessful with very fine grown blooms, somewhat damaged in transit. Mr W. Hitchcock was awarded first prize for his collection of cut flowers, 16 varieties, the only noteworthy feature about them being a bunch of roses and a bunch of carnations, not very common at this time of the year. Mr A. Lothian also had a nice vaso of carnations. Messrs Nimmo and Blair showed a nice stand of a New Zealand orchard, Earinus autumnalis, in flower, collected at Leith Valley. A very interesting exhibit also was a vase of Niphetas roses by Mrs Culling, of St. Clair, whilst another was an effective table of Margaret and Prince of Wales violets, grown by Mr J. M. M'Dougall at Allendale gardens, St. Clair. These violets, by reason of their great size and perferct form, attracted a lot of attention. A splendid fernery, known as the Moa patent wall pot, was also exhibited. Mr Youngson had a fine display of florists' varieties of the maidenhair fern, which was shown to advantage in front of the stage. The decorated table competition under the auspices of the society was very interesting. Miss Alexander scored a deserved win in the class, including chrysanthemums. The decorations comprised Mrs Wright chrysanthemum blooms (white) and autumn foliage of Japanese maple, relieved by adranta, asparagus, and trails of smilax. The combination was good and the arrangement very artistic. Miss Haynes secured second prize with a very attractive table, in which the blooms of Mrs Wright and Soleil D'Octobre and adianta sprays were conspicuous. In the winter decorations without flowers Miss A. Mln tyre secured first prize among six entries with a very pretty table on which there was an effective arrangement of berberis, snowberry, beech foliage, bramble berries, naive grasses, and adianta. Miss M- Lake's table, which was placed second, was prettily decorated with grape leaves, adianta, and asparagus. Miss Dagger secured first prize for a very artistically decorated bamboo stand, the beautiful autumn foliage and berries being used to great advantage. Miss A. M'lntyre was a good second in this class Miss M. Bruce was awarded first prize and Miss Pullen second for a basket of chrysanthemums and autumn foliage, but the positions were reversed in the class for three decorated vases of blooms. H. A. Christie secured first prize in ladies' and gentlemen's dress bouquets with a very fine exhibit. Miss Pullen was a close second. There was keen competition amongst the eight entrants. V -. Esther was an easy first in the amateur class for dress bouquets. The decorated mantelpieces were disappointing. In the Chrysanthemum Club's classes for blooms, as has been indicated, there was a regrettable lack of competition. Mr Hamel carried off all the prizes for cut blooms with the exception of the premiership, which went to Mr Adam. In Mr Hamel's entries the blooms of F. S. Vallis and W. R. Church were again very conspicuous. The Miss Maud Jeffries which was awarded the championship was greatly admired, and stood out very prominently. It is rarely that we have the opportunity of seeing such a bloom, and Mr Adam is to be complimented on the success that has attended" his efforts. The amateur class does not call for much comment. There was only fair competition, but the winning exhibits showed a creditable amount of excellence. There were seven entries for the dinner table decorations, and Miss L. Mackerras had a good win with a very tasteful arrangement of autumn leaves, yellow chrysanthemums, and maidenhair fern. Miss Haynes secured second prize, also with an effective scheme of decoration.

The exhibits in fruit show a slight decrease in point of number, but the quality is fairly well maintained. The grapes shown in the open class by Mr H. Cox were of very fair quality, but showed rather too much shanking. Mr Fred Cumings's exhibit in any other variety than those specially named in the catalogue was medium in quality but not over well coloured, and this remark applies also to the exhibit of Mr F. Forrester. The collection of apples grown by Mr C. Bates, for which he took first prize, was of very fair quality: and the 12 cooking apples shown by Mr R. Wright were particularly fine specimens, and well worthy of the first place they obtained. The exhibit taking second prize, that of Mr I. Stevenson, was not very much inferior to that of Mr Wright. Mr C. G. White's exhibit in the amateur class comprised a dozen beautiful, clean-looking apples, and Mr C. Bates's collection of six apples was a very creditable exhibit. The pears in the amateur division for which Mr W. H. Earland received first prize were fairly good, but suffered somewhat owing to not presenting too clean an appearance. The rest of the exhibits in pears do not call for any special comment: but th^re was a collection sent, down ■ from Christchurch by Mr Fitch, ex -.Government pomologist, consisting of 14- varieties of pears, which_ contained fruit of excellent quality and size, and all were well ripened. This was for exhibition only.

The entries in vegetables were rather less in number than last year. The collection shown by Mr R. Glendining was of allround good quality, the onions, tomatoes, and potatoes being specially good. Mr D. L. Christie's collection perhaps sufferer! by comparison more on account of want of quantity than want of quality. The cabbages exhibited were. <*enerally speaking, of good quality, the Brussels sprouts were in splendid condition, and thp brocoli w<"- e well up to the usual standard seen at the show. The amateur collection of vegetables shown by Mr W. T. Wrieht was very ?ood indeed, and there was very little to choose between it and the collection shown by Mr C. G. White, which took second prize. Mr W. Parker, sen., of Alexandra South, had on exhibition a very fine collection of potatoes of enormous size, most of them weighing probably close on 41b. The judging of the various sections was in capable hands, and was carried out expeditiously and satisfactorily. The secretary, Mr David Larnach, haS his arrangements in a forward state, and is to be complimented on the smoothness with which things worked. He was well supported by the members of committee and the vice-presi-dents, who throughout the day put in a lot of hard work.

There was a big attendance of the. public in the afternoon, and in the evening the Hall was crowded.

Bear this in mind where'er you go— The funny part of life is, That though your pockets empty bo Your heart is light as light can be, Provided that from colds yoxi't-p free— From coughing and bronchitis. To make that blissful state endure Uee Woods' Great Peppermint Ctjhe.