The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-09-18 00:00:00

THE NEW CRYSTAL PALACE AND WINTER
GARDEN FOR WEYMOUTH.

"Who loves • garden, loves a greenhouse too."
Taking up Cowper's sentiment, "who loves a
flowret loves a flower show too," and, looking at
the number of these exhibitions that take place
annually throughout England, we may fairly con-
clude that their name is legion who are imbued with
• taste for these competitive displays. To say that
we live in an age of intense competition is so stale
and common-place that every one admits the fact;
and, although, Weymouth is behind all other places
in getting up • genial, recreative, instructive, and
beneficial entertainment, we have no hesitation in
saying that if the "New Crystal Palma and Winter
Gardens' Exhibition " is looked upon by certain
parties as • success, there will be found another year
those who will wish to deprive Mr. Hawkins, the
public, caterer on the present occasion, of the laurels
he himself, and he alone, is justly entitled to wear.
The fast is, we live in an age in which we run races
against each other whenever we bare an opportunity
for so doing, and the acts and deeds of the whole
social maw are an unceasing struggle for pre-
majestic, if nothing more. Neither sox nor
age is exempt ; and let one boast that he
, can perform something out of the common,
and an opponent starts op with the rapidity of the
armed men who lept into existence before the gaze
of Cadmus. Blondin could not cross the Niagara,
but an intrepid Amason must essay • similar feat on
the Thames. The Prussian Briny could not win
battles by means of the needle guo, but every civil-
ized nation must needs turn their niuxzle.loading
rides into breechloaders ; and your neighbour does
not tell you of his tine stick of geraniums but you
are immediately filled with a wish to retort with
your dahlias. Speaking of geraniums and dahlias
reminds us that we are wandering, as our present
purpose le not to speak of tight-rope dancing, to
discus' the merits of the dtfferent breech-loading
rifles, neither of that greatest wonder of the age—the
rescapture from the mermaids of the lost cable, but
rather to chronicle the leading features of "the first
exhibition of poultry, birds, fruit, plants, flowers,
and vegetables, in aid of the new crystal palace and
winter garden for Weymouth."
At an early hour on Wednesday morning was Mr. :
Hawkins, with his numerous staff, busying himself,
nay, hurrying hither and thither, throwing his whole
energies into the scheme, that the affair might pare
off with eclat, and so successful were his endeavours,
that we feel the greatest pleasure in noting the
exhibition somewhat in detail. As had been
announced, the exhibition was held in the teeters- I
hall ef the Literary Institution, over the Royal Baths,
St. Thomaa.street Owing /tithe late gales, whereby
many of the open-air &mere were despoiled .if their
beauty, many of the intended interior, as well as
exterior floral decorations had to be dispensed with.
On the front of tho building, however, was an
elegantly wrought device in flowers, with edgings of
evergreens, containing the motto, "Peace and Plenty"
in dahlias,and "Truth" and "Justice" in ivy leaver'. ,
They are beautiful mottos, and we are tempted to
enter to take • view of the interior. It was an ex-
quisite sight, bat in default of an elshorate descrip-
tion we will take down the "Task" from our book-
shelf and extract • few lines, which, although they
were not penned especially for our purpose, will
answer equally well;—
Thin arrangement rarely brought to pain
Rut by a master's hand, disposing well
The gay diversities of bat and Oliver,
Bust lend its aid t' illustrate all their charms,
And dress the regular, yet embus seine,
Pant behind plant aspiring. in the von
The dwarfish, in the rear retired, but still
Sublime shove the rest, the statelier stands,

The large number of plants exhibited in pots were from
the greenhouse, hot-house, and ferneries of Mr. Hawkins
himself, and comprised about a fourth part of
that gentleman's entire collection. Among these
were some exceedingly choice and valuable specimen.,
rarely to be met with. To *numerate the half
of these world occupy for more of our space than
we could command, and we must therefore content
ourselven with the names of a few that more particu-
larly attracted our attention These were Dioksonia
antenna, a very fine plant, not quite so tall perhaps
as may occasionally he seen, but much more finely
feathered. A pair of Dreams Anetralis wore
also mush admired, as was alms a very fine speci-
m-n of auriantaria excels.. A very fine esnleniuro
bulbifferun graced the end table, as did also • fine
allocasia, some handsome caladiams and some euphorbia
splendens. Among the collection we likewise notind
some India-rubber plants, several dneena tereninalis.
The greatest novelty, perhaps, was • plant raised by
Mr. James Sherren from a seed taken from an
Egyptian mummy. supposed to be 3,000 years old.
There were also • pair of pretty hoolepis Inman. a ,
very fine Cypreus, Alternifolins, an unknown variety
of the Acacia, and several bedding plants of the Iresioe,
Herbotii. Besides these were very fine specimens of
the Adiantum, Formosum, Cyathea, Medulom,
variegated Cubeasoandens, and Dracena Striate ; • date
palm taken from the grounds of the Bev. Mr. Johstone
noise 3 years ago and now a nice plant, • singulary fine
specimen of Pats tail ferns being raised from the spores
in three (Lament stages. It was altogether • graceful
unique, and very fine collection of plants, displayed
with great taste and artistic Nkill.
There were about 30 pens of poultry, pigeons, rabbits,
Inc. In this department, Mr Anderson Ostile Out nobly.
His white Dorking., dark °loured Dorking*, and block
Spanish fowls were the admiration of all beholders,
w'hile in pigeons he showed some eneendingly fine silver
Frontier,. white fan tails, and white Maltese, and Mr.
Hawkins likewise exhibited • pair of Jecobins which
were very good. Among the other exhibitors well de-
serving attention was Mr. Cox who sent ins pair of
light Brahman. There was • considerable number of
parrots, of beautiful plumage, and the competition
among these was somewhat severe. A Himalayan
rabbit shown by Mr. Ifewkins was justly admired.
The show of cut Bowers was limited, several
who bad announced their intention of exhibiting
at the eleventh hour withdrew, owing to the high
winds during the preceding day or two having
torn and destroyed their dahlias, hollyhocks, he.
which they had intended to send. Of fruits and
vegntables there were some rpm:imam which might
well be put in competition with any Fern at the
Crystal Palsoe, at Sydenhem, but the number of oom-
petitors in these departments was not large, and here
we think the local gentry may well be complained
against for their non-support of an exhibition, the like
of which, in • town like Weymouth. ought to be
greatly mul iplied. Mr. Anderson showed, in a col.
lection of vegetables, some liaderia onions—a new sort
—which were the finest we ever saw grown in English
soil, and his potatoes raised from some of Benison's,
the great prise taker for Needling printoes, were also
exceedingly line. On the side wall was • beautifully
cl; corated motto, in out Bowers, &hold
the lilies, they toil not. " But the chief attract-
lion in the hall, or rather that elicit
caused the greatest amount of speculative eonversat; n,
were Mr. Bennett's designs of the exterior and interior
of the proposed new Crystal Palace and Winter Garden.
The style of this proposed building is Gothic, being
178 feet 6 inches clear in the length, 30 feet wide with.
omit the galleries, and with the galleries, 44 feet 9 inches
in width. The height from the Insernent to the eaves
Is 23 feet, to the top of roof 47 feet 8 in., and the height
of transept 70 feet. The erection is to be constructed
of iron and glass. There is an entrance tower at each
corner, and • tower on each side of the north end of the
transept, which forms the principal entrance. At the
;Ninth end of the transept will be refreshment-rooms,
and there is provision made for eloak.roorris and the
private accommodation of ladies. A gallery, ascended
by an easy flight of !ter, runs round the whole of the
interior of the building. The building, when carried
out, will be the handsomest and mat eterni-
ties structure in Weymouth, and refloat' the
highest credit on Mr. Bennett's tuts and skill as an
architect. That Mr. Hawkins may be enabled speedily
to carry out his designs in its erection, and the establish-
ment of • Winter Garden, must be the wish, not only
of those who would desire the mull-being of himself, but
also of all who have at heart the interests and the prow
perky a the town at large.
The ante-room, adjoining the lecture-hall, was devoted
to the exhibition of canaries and other email cage birds,
cut flowers, and fruits. The show of the feathered
tribe in this room was very great, numbering
upwards of 100. There was some good fruit, some
handsome vase ornament' of cut dowers of which
the one sent by Mrs. Patinae carried off the pain.
There was like wise • number of bouquets of wil