HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Sy J. Qebbib.

The summer show of the North Otago Horticultural Society was held in the Drill Hail on Thursday, December 3,- and proved a great success, the large hall being well filled with exhibits of beautiful Sowers and splendid vegetables. Roses are generally the leading feature at this show, and, considering the adverse climatic conditions lately experienced, some very good exhibits were staged, though not co strongly represented as on some previous occasions. Hardy herbaceous flowers, including bulbous plants, were well represented. The vegetables were -excellent, and the collections effectively arranged. The table decorations, some 16 in all. were arranged down one side of the hall, and proved to be a most -nteresting and charming feature. Many of the tables were arranged with exquisite taste and true artistic knowledge, so that the task of the lady judges was no light one. ROSES. For six rose?, distinct, in the open section, named, the winner to hold the solid silver cup, valued at 12 guineas, Mr James M'Laren secured first place with splendid blooms of Mrs E. Mawley, a large bloom of good substance, beautifully formed, and of a bright carmine colour shaded with salmon ; Mrs Myles Kennedy, one of the finest tea roses in cultivation, its colour white, shaded buff, deeper pink in the centre, described by some horticulturists as a queen among queens ; Mrs David M'Kee, creamy yellow; Mrs W. J. Grant, bright rosy pink, large, full, and beautifully formed, sweo-t-scented, a grand rose in every way; Frau Karl Druschski, pure white; and Hugh Dickson, brilliant crimson shaded with scarlet, large, and of fine form. For the champion bloom in the show of tea or hybrid tea and hybrid perpetual Mr J. M'Laren secured both. These were selected from out of the abovenamed six. Dr Douglas, in the same section, staged grand blooms of Mrs John Laing, Mrs S. Crawford, Mrs E. Mawley, Mildred Grant, Gladys Harknesa, and white Maman Cochet. Mrs "Williams also staged some fine blooms, but, not having been protected from the weather, a few of the petals were 6lightly damaged. For 18 roses, Mr J. M'Laren, Mrs P. Williams, and Miss M. Wilson secured awards in tho order mentioned, with gocd blooms of the leading varieties. In the other sections for roses Mrs J. M'Laren, Dr Douglas, and Miss Wilson secured awards. GARDEN FLOWERS. In the open section the garden flowers were particularly good, Messrs J. Mitchell, and Jos. Kearns and Mies M. Wilson contributing mainly to the display. Messrs Mitchell <?nd Kearns secured most of the awards for summer-flowering gladioli, blooms of bulbous plants, collection of cut flowers etaged for effect, and for 12 species of bloom. Messrs Ongley and Liddell wcrs the only exhibitors of p'ansies. Six irises, distinct, three of each, were shown by Miss J. King, and were much admired. Twelve, glasses or vases of aquilegias were staged by Mrs Milne, and these attracted a deal of attention. About 18 distinct varieties were set up. all being of the long-spurred varieties. The&a secured both first and ' ■>ecoiid prizes i AMATEUR SECTION". j The cut flowers in the amateur section ' were equal to those in the open a= rogards quantity and quality of exhibit*. Roees, stocks, pelargoniums, antirrhinums, tuberous plants, and delphiniums wore well represented, Mis K>ams Mr F. Jones. Mi*s Dick, Miss Sinclair. Mews W. Pygall, W Gibb, J. Pryor, J. Mitchell, Mr-> MDoueall, Miss King, Mr-; Gardiner, and Mr W. Burns being successful in =ecuiing award*. la vegetables Messrs Juinea Wilson, J.

f Pryor, and John Wilson secured the lion's share of- the prizes. Mrs Sutton and Messrs Borton, Burns, Williamson, Jones, and Dinnet also secured a share of the awards. , For the best exhibit of locally-preserved ! fruit Miss Maud took first, and Miss Jean ! Wilson was awarded first for home-made ' preserves. POT PLANTS. Mr James Mitchell made a grand display of pot plants, which added consider1 ably to the appearance of the show. His pelargoniums were well-grown plants — dwarf and bushy and well furnished with bloom. Fuchsias and the ordinary run of [ greenhouse plants made up his collection, j and in the competitive classes secured most of the awards. Mr Gr. S. Jones, as usual, staged a fine lot of ferns, and won easily in the competition classes. Mt I. Hurst also staged ferns, cactus, and other plants. Miss M. Wilson and Mrs J. M'Laren were also winners in this section. In the decorative sections there was^ great competition, particularly in the new class for 'blending of three distinct colours, which, was won by Miss J. D. Gilohrist. Miss Bulleid won the ordinary table decoration. Taken as a whole, the 6how was a decided success, both as regards the number and quality of the exhibits and the attendance of the public. The hall was thronged with visitors during both the afternoon and eTening, which must have been gratifying to the committee, who well deserve more liberal support than : js generally accorded to 6uch bodies. A NEW FRUIT. The Lowberry is the name given to a new fruit raised by the well-known firm of Messrs Low and Co., Enficld, England.This new fruit is the result of a cross between the loganberry and blackberry. The fruit is of large size, measuring liin long, jet black in colour when ripe, and very juicy, the bunches of luscious fruit •being very attractive. The fruit has been exhibited at some of the leading shows in London, and a good 1 deal of interest was shown in it by visitors. Hybridists are always producing new flowers, fresh variations in foliage, and improved habits of plants; but their labours in connection with fruits are not rewarded so' readily, and the process usually takes longer to obtain results. Should this new fruit provo to be as eatisfactory as the loganberry, it will be a valuable addition to our list of small fruits. At last week's meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Horticultural Society complete arrangements were made for its forthcoming rose show to be held on Wednesday; 16th met. As the season has been a very favourable one, patrons may anticipate an unusually fine display. The indications of the grape crop for the coming season, at the Waerenga experimental station, according to a statement made to a New Zealand Herald representative by Mr E. Clifton, of the Agricultural Department, point to * particularly heavy yield. The production of wattle . bark at the station will also be an unusually large one, and • will .-probably amount to about 200 tons. This bark is 'meeting with a ready demand from the Auckland tanners.