Sydenham Horticultural Society.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5553, 26 February 1886, Page 1

Sydenham Horticultural Society.

« I THE AUTUMN SHOW. I flic Seiwyn street schoolroom presented quite a gay appearance yesterday afternoon, on the occasion of the fourth Autumn Show of the Sydenham Horticultural Society. The principal attraction to many of the visitors was the fine collection of pot plants staged in the centre of the room. The fruit, flowers, and vegetables arranged around were, however, not by any means unworthy of attention, the cut blooms and fruit, in particular, being excellent. Taken as a whole, the show compared very favourably with that held at this season of last year. There was a very fair amount of competition in the classes which were represented. One, however, Class A, was unrepresented, save by a few exhibits «f fruit. Dealing with the exhibits somewhat in detail, the first to call for notice were the . pot plants, which were all well grdwn, fine specimens. The begonias shown by Messrs Hep worth and Beattie, who divided most of the prizes for pot plants in Class B, were especially good. A plant of " Sutton's Snowflake," a tuberous rooted variety, sent by the former exhibitor, was particularly fiie. The ferns were a nice lot, and those of Mr Beattie comprised some very handsome specimens. A curiosity was shown by Mr J. Rogers, in the shape of an enormous globe fungus, fully ten inches in diameter. There was a capital display of cut flowers, the dry weather of the past few months notwithstanding. In Class B the competition in some of the sections was not so keen as it might have been. The asters shown by Messrs Beattie and Watts were exceli lent a3 to form, size, and colour. The i marigolds were also good, though not very numerous. One of the best features •of the display in class C was the stand of roses shown by Mr Panrett, the blooms -composing which were magnificently developed. Mr Rogers' collection of pansies, comprising over 50 varieties, was decidedly one of the features of the show ; many of the blooms were admirably grown. Especial credit iB due to Mr S. Page for his fine collection of Indian pinks, which, notwithstanding the fact that tho weather of late has not been particularly favourable ts their growth, were fine, well- developed flowers. There was a keen competition for Mr Hepworth'B special prizes for collections of cut blooms, the flowers exhibited being bo uniformly good as to give the judges a deal of trouble. Mr Page's stand, which took first honours, contained some very beautiful blossoms, while that of Mr Manser, which gained the second prize, was remarkable for the taste shown in its arrangement. The display of fruit was a very good one. The peaches shown by Mr Ayera looked the very perfection of table fruit, and Mr Percy's were very fine. The grapes were bo good as to reflect great credit on the amateurs who had grown them. There was no competition in plums, but those ; shown by Mr Hepworth in Class B, and by Mr Percy in Class C, were certainly fine* fruit, and deserved the first prizes awarded to them. The apples made a goodly show,

both as to quantity and quality, and the exhibitors have every reason to be proud of their display. A new variety, Guntrip's Seedling, was deserving of special notice as a good useful sort. The pears were not so numerous, but, as far as quality was concerned, some of them would be hard to beat. There was very little competition in vegetables, but what were shown were well grown, fine specimens. Some nice looking honey was shown by Mr Manser. The judges were Messrs Armstrong, Crooks and M'Kay. The following was the prize-list : — Pot Plants. Class B.— Three stove or greenhouse plants, in flower— J. Beattie, 1. One specimen plant, in flower — J. Hep worth, 1 ; J. Beattie, 2; J. A. Watts, 3. Three be- . gonias, fine foliaged — J. Beattie, 1 and 3 ; J. Hepwarth, 2. Three begonias, tuberousrooted—J. Beattie, 1 ; J. Hepworth, 2. Three geraniums, variegated — J. Beattie, 1 and 2. Three coleus — Mrs Rides, 1. Collection of ferns, stove or greenhouse — J. Hepworth, 1 ; J. Beattie, 2. Collection of ferns, hardy — J. Beattie, 1 ; J. Hepworth, 2. Class C— One fuchsia— S. Page, 1; L. Percy, 2. Cut Flowers. Class B. — Twelve asters, quilled — J Beattie, 1 ; J. A. Watts, 2. Twelve asters, not quilled — J. Beattie, 1 and 2 ; J. A. Watts, ,3. Twelve phlox Drummondi — Mrs Bides, 1. Twelve marigoldß, French— J. Beattio, 1. Twelve ditto (African)— Mrs Eides, 1 ; J. Beattie, 2. Twelve zinnias — Mrs Eides, 1. General collection of cut blooms (hardy) — J. Beattie, special first. Class C— Six roses— BT. Parrett, 1; S. Page, 2. Six asters— S. Page, 1. Six phlox Drummondi — S. Page, 1. Collection of marigolds — L. Percy, 1. Fruit. Class A.— Twelve peaches— A. Ayers, 1. Twelve nectarines — A. Ayers, 1. Class B. — Two bunches grape 3 (white) — P. Martin, 1 ; ditto (black)— -P. Martin, 1 and 2 ; G. L. Manser, 3. Six apricots — G. L. Manser, 1. Six nectarines — J. Eogers, 1. Twelve plums— J. Hepworth, 1 and 2. Twelve dessert apples— J. Hepworth, 1 and 3 ; Mrs Eides, 2. Twelve culinary apples — J. Hepworth, 1, 2, and 3. Twelve pears— J. Hepworth, 1; P. Martin, 2; J. A. Watts, 3. Dish of blackberries— J. Eogers, 1 ; G. L. Manser, 2. Collection of apples— J. Hepworth, 1 ; J. A. Watts, 2. Class C. — Twelve peaches — L. Percy, 1 Twelve plums — L. Percy, 1. Twelve dessert apples— C. E. Jackson, 1 and 3; S. Page, 2. Twelve culinary apples, S. Page, 1 ; C. E. Jackson, 2 and 3. Twelve pears — L. Percy, 1 ; T. Thompson, 2 ; H. Parrett, 3. Collection of apples— W. Noble, 1 ; S. Page, 2; W. Chard, 3; C. E. Jackson, h.c. YXQETABLES. Class B. — Two cabbages — G. L. Manser, 1. Four beets— Mrs Eides, 1 ; J. A. Watts, 2. Six carrots— Mrs Eides, 1 ; J. A. Watts, 2 and 3. Potatoes— Twelve kidney, and twelve round— J. A. Watts, 1. Fifty French beans — Mrs Eides, 1. Twenty-five runner beans— J. A. Watts, 1. Six stalks rhubarb, J. A. Watts, 1. Class C. — Six carrots — C. E. Jackson, 1. Six stalks rhubarb— S. Page, 1 and 2. Fifty French beans— T. Thompson, 1. Two vegetable marrows — S. Page, 1 and. 2. Special Pbizeb. Messrs Austin and Kirk's prize for best twelve dahlias — Mrs Eides. Mr T. S. Foster's prize for the best four fuchsias— S. Page. Mr J. Hepworth's prizes for the best collection of cut blooms, not fewer than twenty-four varieties — S. Page, 1 ; G. L. Manser, 2. Messrs Guntrip and Line's prizes for the best collection of pansies — J. Eogers, 1 and 2. Mr Manning's prizes for the best two hanging baskets — J. Hepworth, 1 ; Mrs Eides, 2. Mr Cullen's prize tor the best twelve asters — Mrs Eides. Mr Brizley's prize for the best dish of fruit — L. Percy. " H.E.W.'s " prize for the best six ferns — T. Thompson. Mr L. Adams' prize for the best twelve ferns — J. Beattie. " G.E.K's " prize for the best button-hole bouquet, made up by wives or daughters of members, also for the best spray under the same con- j ditions — Mrs Manser, 1 ; Mrs Eides, 2. Mr Chilton's prize for the best two pot plants in flower, to be competed for by boys attending any Government school who have never taken a prize — Master j Wnwin, 1. Mr Chilton's prize for pot plants exhibited by girls (same conditions as last prize) — Miss Manser. Mr W. White's prize for best hand bouquets, made up by school children under 15 years old — Miss Manser, 1 ; Mks E. Beattie, 2. A special prize was awarded to a stand of dianthus (Indian pinks) exhibited by Mr S. Page, on account of its extraordinary merit. Extba Exhibits. Collection of marigolds and dahlias — J. i Beattie. Collection of marigolds — J. A. Watts. Collection of petunias— S. Page Collection of cucumbers — J. Rogers,