The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1870-08-30 00:00:00

BLANDFORD.

AltdiTtßY,—The second and principal bow meeting
of tho St.iur Vale Archery Club took place in the
Crown Meadow on Thursday last, The attendance of
onpetitors was larger than at the first meeting, but
the shooting, in consequence of a strong wind frorn the
north-west, was not so good its on some previous occa-
sions. Mrs. Clay Ker &inner, the lady paramount,
distributed the prises at the ball in the evening.
LADIVie PRIM.

Challenge Qaivor, Mine Park. Aggregate score of
both meetings, 836.
President'. Psize, given by the Hon. W. H. B.
Portman, IL P., porcelain j.ilvel musket, Mrs. Price.
Highest more. Ir., gilt filligrii• goblet, Mis. Parke,
302 • ith hlaiik on I mills., off.
Grroteist number of bits, double seint bottle, Wm.
Bernard, 7.7.
" '

Rest gold, glus and ormolu scent-balder, In form
of i bare!, IL l'arke.
Visitors' Prize, pour of bronze candlesticks, Miss
West, score 285.

PILIZBIL
Lady Paramount' Prire.—(Given by Mn. Clay Ken
&moor), a massive silver Goblet—Mr. H. S. Bower.
Highest Scare.— Pair of silver salt cellars—Mr. Price,
(430 deducting blue, black and white circled.
Greatest number ol Hita.—Silver sardine box—Mr.
M. Heath, 41.

Boot Ould.—Fasoy Ormolu Omuilesiiot
Visitors Primo—lvory paper kaifo—Oolouol Vroid.


I:LANDFORD HORTICIIILTHRAL SOCIETY.
The twelfth annual exhibition of We society, held in
Lord letitman's park (hi kind permiesion of Mr. Lock)
on Frid•y lest, was iu every ramped, a tlecit!el success.
The arrangements were tn almost ell . partioulnra the
same as in former year+, the only alteration being the
addition of all extra tent for fruit in the open class,
allowing a larger space for plants and flowers. . The
arrangements of the committee. with the I.xcp•ptann of
a delay in the awards of the judges, were everything
that could be ei•hed. Very little diepley was MIMI, in
the town, only a few liege from some id the priiirmal
tratiesnien'e Ileum,. and from the church tower Living
visitors any ides that nornething unusual woe omit on ;
but the proceedings in the park were of an gnu Toning
character.
The productions exhibited were mostly of fair average
character. In the open class, and in the collections of
stove plants, there were very good specimens of I:lot.cdi
variegate. Cyanophyllum magnificuna, Alocasm Lowii,
Meranta 7, brine, and Alocesia eletallics. In the
smaller class, it specimen of Echiter rubrovene attracted
some attention. Tito npecimen stove plant. Alemanda
grendift ira, Will of good forte and ewe finely flowered.
The exotic fens formed an excellent cla-s ; and the
helmet were well flowered. although the blooms were
rousesh.t email. Former plants woeld be more pre-
ferable than them, shown. The collections of tri-
adoureil geraniums were a great feature in this depart.
meet, and that which took the first prize included some
of the best varieties. Mr. Keynes's roses were ex-
cellent, considering the lateness of the season. His
collection included a box of blooms of that king of
rows, Merechal Niel. The Salisbury dahlia., too, again
amertee their preeemineuce ; and, in addition to two
het prize., Mr. Keynes was awarded liret-claas eerti-
mites for five seedlings of great promise. Mr. Bland-
ford, nurserymen, Blandford, and Meagre. Harris and
Sons, nurserymen, of Den:Mester, exhibited fine mis-
cellaneous collections of stove and greenhouse plants.
not for competition. There were two splendid lots of
gladioli, but they would F.ave appeared to greater ad-
vantage if shown with wore foliage.
The gardeners' ft sit was generally of a meritorious
character. The black grapes were fine in berry, hut
not perfect in colour. An exception, however, must be
made in favour of the Meant Hombres. which carried
off the first prize. The white Mosoato were good, and a
similar r.-mark will apply to a dish of Backhand Fresh-
water. P,acbes, nectarities. and other outdoor fruits
were very good, though rather small, which may be
accounted for by the exceeding dryness of the season.
There were plenty of cucumber% many of them of int.
mense size.
The gerdenen' mat flowers included some capital
stands of asters, both French and Germ•n, and the
verbenas were of fair average quality. Several nosegtays
and devices were exhibited, but most of them were
rather deficient in artistic design.
he amateur: productions appeavil in no wine to
stiffer from a comparisen with those of the profess.on al
gardeners. The fruit generally wan quite a. fine, and
the vegetable., especially the potatoee did great °relit
to the neighbourhood. There was nothing particularly
striking in the plant depertment, but tie rt were several
very good "tends of floweri, rose., hollyhocks. and
dahlias. The prizes offered ter the arranged vanes for
table decoration had the effect of exciting a most
spirited competition, and, from the crowded state of
the tent during the afternoon, it was evident that the
amateurs' department was one of the most attractive
features of the exhib Con.
One of the main ohjeetn of the society is the enconr-
&gement of (roamers living within • circuit of ten miles
from Medford in improving the cultleation of their
flowers and vegetable.; and the number of extra prizes
swirled will serve to prove the great interest which
has bsen excited in that part of the society's operations.
A finer collection of vegetables than that shown it
would he difficult, if not imposaible, in find in !Meet-
shire. The cut and other flowers also sff irded aside:loe
of the inieroving taateamonest the labouring population
of the "best and most unjustly aimed county in
England."
The gates were thrown open to the public at two
o'clock, and soon after the band of the Royal Fusiliers,
ertered the grounds, and played charmingly an excellent
programme.
The judges were, onen class Mr. Challis, gardener to
Lady Herbert. at Wilton ; and Mr. Cherd, gardener to
"tir Illatherst. of Cf.:tendon Park : for amateur. end
cottager., Mr. John Keynes, Salisbury, and Mr. Leach,
Bryanstone, who awarded the prizes as follows :