National Sweet Pea Show.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 12, 22 September 1909, Page 40

National Sweet Pea Show.

Royal Horticultural Hall, London.

Impressions of a New Zealand Enthusiast.

IWAS under the impression that in New Zealand —especially the North Island, where the planting is generally made in the autumn—we eould grow and exhibit sweet peas superior to those raised in England, but after visiting the National Sweet Pea Society’s show at the Royal Horticultural Hall on the 23rd July, I felt that we have still something to learn from the Mother Country. The show to me was a revelation, both as regards blooms and staging. Through the courtesy of the secretary (Mr. Charles H. Curtis), I was invited to be present during the staging of the blooms, which commenced at 7 a.m. and was completed at 1-1 a.m., when the judges were called in, and at 12.30 the public- were admitted. Arriving at the hall shortly after 8 o’clock, I had the pleasure of being introduced by Mr. Robert Sydenham, the sweet pea specialist of Birmingham, to many of the leading exhibitors and cultivators in England, and some notable visitors from other countries, including Mr. W. Atlee Burpee (from Philadelphia), Mr. J. Bodger (of California), and Comte d’Etienne (of Paris). Although over 200 competitors were exhibiting, nearly all the staging was completed by 10 o’clock. The result was a magnificent displaysaid to be the best ever made by the Society. The large hall was filled to its greatest capacity with sweet peas only, the committee finding it necessary to utilise the lecture room and musicians gallery for the overflow. The exhibits included every shade of colour save the still elusive yellow. I was pleased to notice that among the 200 exhibitors were flower-lovers of every grade, from earls to cottagers. This is what we want in Auckland and other parts of

New Zealand if our shows are to be made a real success. Ju the competitive classes the blooms that gained leading honours were exceptionally fine, and two of the stands shown in the Henry Eckford Memorial Cup competition were the best 1 have ever seen. The blooms in these stands were very superior, standing up fully six to eight inches above all other competitors in the same class. To give my readers an idea, the blooms were carried on stems over two feet in length, and most of the blooms were two inches across. One of the competitors (Mr. Jones) assured me that he had this season cut several blooms with the stems thirty inches in length, and had cut one stem from “The King” carrying blooms three inches across. The foliage of the sweet pea shown by Messrs. Mocatta and Jones was more like small cabbage leaves, and I had to look more than once before I was convinced that the foliage was really sweet pea. I am indebted to Mr. Jones for valuable hints on his method of raising sweet peas, which I shall try upon my return to Auckland. Altogether there were twelve exhibitions in the Eckford Memorial Cup Competition, but only two in the running. The judges awarded Mr. E. E. Mocatta, of Woburn Place, Addlestone. the Cup, the second prize going to Mr. T. Jones. (Last year the first prize was won by Mr. Jones, and in 1907 by Mr. Mocatta.) The varieties exhibited by Mr. Mocatta, all fresh and grand in colour, were the Marquis. Countess Spencer. Elsie Herbert, Clara Curtis, Helen Lewis, George Herbert, Audrey Crier, Rosie Adams, Evelyn Hemus, Prince of Asturias, Mrs. Henry Bell,

and John Ingram. Mr. Thomas Jones, the winner of the second prize, exhibited the following varieties:—Othello Spencer, George Herbert, Clara Curtis, Elsie Herbert, Etta Dyke, Helen Lewis, Audrey Crier, Minnie Christie, The King. Evelyn Hemus, Olive Bolton, and Mrs. Henry Bell. Mr. Thomas Jones gained the first prize for 15 bunches against eight competitors, and won the Sutton Silver Challenge Cup, and the Society’s Gold Medal. This was another grand display. The varieties were:—Countess Spencer, Helen Pierce. Mrs. Hardcastle Sykes, Clara Curtis, Black Knight, Helen Lewis, Constance Oliver, Frank Dolby, Sybil Eckford, Lord Nelson, Evelyn Hemus, John Ingram, Etta Dyke, King Edward VII., and Prince Olaff. The second prize was won by Sir R. Baker, Bart., Blandford. The Horace Wright Challenge Bowl for nine distinct varieties was secured by the Rev. J. McMurdie, of Weybridge, and the Breadmore Challenge Class was won by E. A. P. Broad. Esq., of Cornwall, who staged two new varieties— Paradise Red Flake, and Paradise Carmine. There were 17 entries for- the E. W. King Challenge Cup, which was won by Mr, W. H. Probert, with some fine blooms, including Mrs. A. Ireland, Paradise Ivory, Frank Dolby, and H. Sykes. The Burpee Challenge Trophy was offered for a collection of sweet peas, arranged on a table 4ft. by 3ft. Mr. R. Bolton, of Carnforth, easily secured the first prize, with the following varieties: Zephyr, Fire King, Clus Foster, Clara Curtis. Prince of Asturias, Nancy Perkins (very fine), Mrs. Chas. Foster, Tom Bolton, President, Mrs. H. Sykes,

John Ingram, Mrs. H. Bell, White Spencer, Lancashire, Elsie Herbert, Maggie Stark, and several seedlings unnamed. This, in my opinion, was the third best stand in the competitive classes. The Earl of Spencer, K.G., of. Northampton, won the second prize with another fine display. Mr. A. E. Usher was successful in obtaining first prize for twelve bunches of American varieties. Some very fine flowers were staged, including Asta Ohn, a fine, new variety, introduced by a Chinaman, who cultivates in California. Mr. William Lumley exhibited some beautiful specimens of Marjorie Willis, cerise; Mistress Lumley, a cream-ground Spencer, lightly flaked, well quilled; Lizette Lumley, and Stirling Stirt, a pure orange, self waved. If this remains true it is certain to become very popular. Messrs. Jarmin and Co. exhibited some new varieties, including Mrs. Townsend, a lovely pieoteed Speneer flower, white ground, with soft violet edges; and Iva Townsend, a deep mauve. A very beautiful temple of sweet peas was erected by Messrs. James Carter and Co. As this was one of the main attractions of the show, I am sending a photo of the stand for publication with this article. A glorious display was made by Mr. Robert Sydenham, of Birmingham, who exhibited remarkably fine specimens of Mrs. Ireland, Mrs. Rontzahn, Paradise Red Flake, Zarina, Evelyn Hemus, The King (sunproof), Mrs. lA. Malcolm, Henry Eckford, Asta Ohn, and many others. The blooms were arranged in Sydenham’s rustic silvered ware. Mr. W. Atlee Burpee, of Philadelphia, made another beautiful exhibit. The varieties that pleased me most were Ramona Speneer, Dainty Spencer, Beatrice Speneer, Lady G. Hamilton Spencer (a magnificent bloom), Primrose Spencer, W. T. Hutchings, and Aurora. Dobbie and Co., in a fine collection, exhibited some new varieties, including Edrpm Beauty and Masterpiece. E. W. King and Co., of Essex, made a fine display, and in addition to the ordinary varieties, introduced William King, an improved cream, King’s Blush. Anglian Blue, Miss L. E. King, and King’s White Speneer.

■Messrs. W. J. uhwin, of Cambridge, Were awarded a gold medal for a very tine display. The new varieties to me were; Edna Unwin (a tine new orange-eearlet), .Unwins, Maroon, Lavender, Freda Unwin, Arthur Unwin, Mrs. W. J. Unwin, Gladys Burt, and Nancy Perkins, a beautiful bloom. Miss Hemus, of Upton-on-Severn, made a very pretty exhibit, introducing some new varieties, including Holdfast Belie, Zebra, and Maroon Paradise. Messrs. H. Cannell and Co. exhibited flowers of high quality, including Lady Althorp, white; Miss Doris, pink; and Mrs. R. W. Cannell, pink. Mr. Henry Eekford (Shropshire) made a very effective display with some magnificent blooms, remarkable for freshness and colour. The new varieties introduced were Mrs Beaverstead, a superb lavender; Mrs. C. Masters, a bicolour; and other seedlings. Mr. Chas. Breadmore, of Winchester, also made an artistic display with some very fine blooms. Elsie Herbert Dazzler, A. N. Dickson, Viola Ratcliffe, and Princess Juliana were especially good. Messrs. R. H. Bath, Limited, made an excellent display on a circular table set up in pyramidal form. The most striking blooms were Aurora Spencer, Isabel Hoare, Lady Farren, Mrs. C. W. Masters, Princess Alice Spencer, and George Baxter. Messrs. Kelway and Son, Messrs. G. Stark and Son, Messrs. S. Bide and Son, and many others had beautiful stands; but the room after foul' o’clock was so crowded that I found it impossible to make further notes. I left the room shortly before five, after spending a most enjoyable day. Several of the non-competitive exhibits were awarded gold and silver medals, according to merit. Notwithstanding the large number of novelties exhibited, no awards were made by the Society this year, but the following were recommended for trial next year: A non-burning form of the King, exhibited by R. Sydenham, Birmingham; Mrs. Townsend, white and heliotrope, from Jarmin and Co., Chard; May Gerhold, a dark mahogany, from 11. Gerhold, Penarth; Mrs. B. Gilbert, purple, with white edge; Cherry Ripe, rich, bright red, and Albert Gilbert, all from Gilbert and Son, Lincolnshire. Among the New Zealanders present at the show I met Mr. George Fenwiek, of Dunedin, and Messrs. E. W. G. Rathbone and H. Connell, of Auckland. HENRY BRETT, Auckland. '

Nelson horticultural SOCIETY. The adjourned annual meeting of the Nelson Horticultural Society was well attended. Mr. Wilson Heaps, the president, occupied the chair. About 70 new members were proposed and elected. The President, referring to the report Head at the previous meeting, said that the financial position was not so bad as it appeared to be. The society had Very substantial assets. He was optimistic in regard to the future of the society, and hoped that in time it would have a hall of its own. He also hoped that the advantages to be gained by affiliation to the Royal Horticultural Society would be more appreciated. Mr. Heaps offered a prize of a Royal Society’s bronze medal for a group of daffodils of at least 15 distinct varieties, the conditions being the same as those governing a similar competition under the Royal Horticultural Society. The election of officers was then proceeded with, resulting as follows:—-Pa-tron, Mr. F. H. Richmond (re-elected) ; president, Mr. Frank IV. Hamilton; yic >- presidents, Messrs. T. S. Merrick, G. Chapman, B. H. Moller, M. P. Webster, Izard, S. F. Bolton, Edmund 11 lie, Mesdames P. Bond, Wright, A. R. Kitching, Sclanders, Merrick, M. J. Levy, and Miss M. Fleming; committee, Messrs. G. M. Bout, M. J. Levy, Wigzall, Carlisle. Blackburn, P. Boiton, A. Day, W. H. Simpson, B. Tasker, W. W. Snodgrass, J. E. Hounsell (one vacancy to bo filled by the committee) ; ladies’ committee, Mes lames Bamford, A. E. Tasker, S. Wiimsett, G. V astney, Tibble, J. E. Hounsell, and Miss Cooke (five vacancies to be filled by the general committee) ; lion, secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. E. Tasker; bon. auditor, Mr. G. M. Rout. There having previously been some criticism of the committee’s action in nominating Mr. Heaps (president) as a Fellow of the R.H.S., Mr. Heaps sought re-election as a justification of the committee’s action. He was re-elected, but ©n taking his seat immediately resigned,

it being his opinion, and also that of a number of members, that the office should be a rolling one. Air. Frank Hamilton was then elected president. Mr. Hamilton expressed his appreciation of the honour conferred upon him. Votes of thanks were passed to the retiring officers, with special reference to the services rendered by Messrs. Heaps (president), Moller (hon. treasurer), and W. H. Simpson (hon. secretary).

HORTICULTURAL NOTES. A Musical Society.—The well-known firm of Hurst and Son, London, have a musical society in connection with their firm, and gave a musical play recently, the music being composed by one of the members of the firm, Mr. Edward Sherwood. The result was £ 100, which was handed over to the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution. Mr. Harry J. Veitch, V.M.H.—This enterprising nurseryman,' who has done

so much for horticulture by introducing new and rare plants by skilful hybridisation, is to ’ be presented with his portrait, which may be hung in the buildings of the Royal Horticultural Society. The cost will be about 600 guineas. Remembering the Gardener.—The late Dowager Duchess of Marlborough (Lady ■William Beresford) bequeathed to Tier gardener (Mr. F. Chamberlain) the sum of £5OO. A Narrow Escape.—Under the title, 2‘A Warning to Gardeners,” the “Hants and Sussex County Press” reports a narrow escape from death from nicotine poisoning. It appears that a boy employed at a nursery took home some nicotine preparation used for fumigating purposes, and that his mother employed it on the heads of two little girls. ’ Both children were rehdered unconscious by the poison, and only prompt medical aid saved them from death. It cannot be too often insisted upon that all poisonous pre],: rations used by horticulturists should be properly labelled, and, above all, kept under lock and key. Worthy of Imitation. —Mrs. Gertrude Hubbard, a lady of Washington, D.C., has established a gold medal fund for the American Rose Society, by placing the sum of £5O in the treasury of the Society, the interest aceruing from which is to be used every five years for a gold medal, to be awarded to the most pro-

mising new rose of American origin. Mrs. Hubbard all her life has taken much interest in stimulating and encouraging people, young and old, to make attractive homes and keep the surroundings pretty. She was created the first honorary member of the Rose Society.

Some New Flowers. A DWARF COSMEA. A new -form of the now well-known cosmea is now to be had. It only grows to the height of one foot, instead of the two or three feet of the ordinary varieties, and bears large and handsome pure white blossoms. It is a hardy annual, named Cosmea Little Beauty. A NEW PRIMULA. This is an entirely new species of this protean plant, from the high mountains of Yunnan, China, where it was found at an altitude of about 10,300 ft. The flowers are of a rich yellow colour,

with orange-coloured eye, and both foliage and flowers are fragrant. It is described as growing in crevices on limestone cliffs, one end of a root-stock two or three feet long being fastened in the rock, and the rest hanging down and carrying the tuft of leaves and blossoms, turned up, at the other end. A NEW CAMPANULA. This is a white-flowered form of the well-known C. turbinata, one of the prettiest of all the dwarfer Campanulas. It attains a height of about six inches, and bears large and perfectly pure white blossoms. A NEW lIELENIUM. Helenium Riverton Gem is an Amerij can plant, two to three feet in height, which is valuable as having an abundance of tine, old-gold coloured flowers, shaded with terra-cotta.

BULB SHOW AT PALMERSTON NORTH. A NARCISSUS SHOW. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Horticultural societies at Palmerston North have not had an altogether rosy road to tread; their path has been a thorny one. But there is good hope that better fortune is in store for the society as now constituted than was the lot of the others. The present enthusiasts have had a rather uphill battle, too. Their first couple of shows were not very successful; one was a straight-out failure, and over-enthusiasm nearly wrecked the next. This year they were more careful, and the result was more satisfactory. It was a Very good show on the whole, but it was a narcissus show rather than a bulb show. Quite half the space was taken up with narcissus. However, that did not make the show unattractive as a floral exhibition. But it showed that there was a lack of enterprise. There are very many things which could be grown outdoor at this time of the year, even in Palmerston North, which were entirely absent.

Taking a general survey of the exhibition, it was a very pretty show of flowers and pot plants. The long narcissi covered tables up the centre of the hall, and the nursery and decorative exhibits along the walls, all culminating in a splendid display of pot plants, were a lovely sight. The variety of narcissus shown was very pleasing, and there were some good illustrations of the distinctions between the old and the new kinds. The new kinds have not been developed as well yet by the amateur growers as the old, and the latter were in most instances the finer specimens.

There were only three entries in each of the decorative classes, for mantlepieces and for tables. Mrs. A. Harris was first in decorated mantels, and she used narcissus against a green background. Mrs. Mcßae, who worked with camellias and may with a pink background, was awarded second prize Mrs. Mcßae received the first award in the table elass. Winter roses, snowflakes and freesias were her flowers. Mrs. S. Hume, who decorated with anemones and birch, was second. Table centres were not used.

Some of the collections shown were beautiful. Mr. Walter Strang’s was a wonderfully good exhibit of pot plants, ferns, and palms. Everything in the collection was a * specimen in itself. Among the finest were cyclamen, primula, primula obconica, and freesia. The display occupied the whole of the front of the stage, and was the chief attraction of the show in some respects. Mr. J. R. Jack showed a fine bibonia florabunda in the class one plant in flower. Mrs. A. Harris had a. fine narcissus show. Her best varieties were M. J. Berkeley and Emperor. Mr. F. Mason’s collection was a very good one. Among the best was a Sir Watkin, a beautiful bloom which was somewhat of a freak, it having eight back petals.

The professional nurserymen, Messrs Wighton and Co. and Weightman and Son, put on displays which considerably increased the beauty of the show. The pot plants from the Wighton nursery were-excellent specimens, and an object lesson to amateur growers in the district. Their narcissi blooms were remarkably good, and showed no signs of having been forced. Sir Watkin, Barri Conspicuous, Cynosure, Boetieus, Ornatus, and many other varieties helped to brighten considerably the display of till, famous rose firm. Messrs Weightmnn’s narcissi were exceptionally good. Among their varieties were Minnie Hume, M. J. Berkeley, Boetieus. Ornatus, Sir Watkin, Queen Catherine. Empress, Victoria, and the latest introduction. Lucifer, .one of the most magnificent blooms ever shown in the district. Colleen Bawn, with ita pretty drooping head: Emperor, a lovely flower; and EnrJWe-s of Brabant were also shown by the firm. 'The anemones were very good. 'The prize was awarded to S. Bradfield, who showed sixteen semi-doubles against fourteen, principally -ingles, tabled by Mrs Denrlove. 'There was a fair display of outdoor plants. Some of the kinds shown were dianthus, waikaka beak, violet, stock-, cyclamen, hyacinth, zalia. arum lily, and heath. Mrs Franklin, of Turakina, who always does well in that class, came out on top, and obtained a certificate of merit. Mrs A. Harris put on a fine collection of heath and some good stocks.

P. M< Hardy’s camellias were a rather nie - e. . c.ion, but they were not typical. In I c c.-ss of a vase of narcissi, judged for effect, a very bad piece of judging was done. The award was A. E. Bennett 1, Mrs A. Harris 2, Mrs Porritt 3. Mrs Porritt’s was easily the best exhibit, and the winning one was far inferior to it. Mrs E. E. Maule, in the class for amateurs who do not employ a gardener, showed an excellent collection, which showed what can be done by those who go in for horticulture for the pure love of it. She had thirty-five pots of plants in the one collection.