The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-09-01 00:00:00

WErmouTH HORTICULTURAL AND FLORI-
CULruomL 80CIErr.

The sixth exhibition (open to all England) was
held in the Alexandra Gardens on Thursday. The
weather was not very favourable for the occasion.
Early in the morning it rained heavily, and there
MOM occasional showers until noon, when the show
wee opened officially by the Mayor arid Corporation
to the general publw. In the afternoon it was tee.
but at times threatening, and this doubtless accounted
in a great measure for the limited atteudiume. u.i©
was discoursed at intervals by the Brunswick Band,
and the exhibits were arranged under a large marquee.
The general arrangements were good and such as
refieoW.l credit upon the officials. The committee
consisted of the following gentlemen :—Messrs. K.
C. Bennett, F. Brown, J. B. Cole, Curti*, Graham,
Z. Hillsides!, Nobhs, Famous, liherren, !trees,
Sylvester, Vincent, %wren, and Wheeler ; hon.
secretery, Mr. T. It. Charles secretary and oullector,
Mr F. W. Ayling. The hai wrrit : —For plants,
dowers, and fruits, Mr. Powell, of Ilioulflott kordotte.
Puddletown ; and Mr. Gallop, gardener to Mr. H.
N. Middleton, f Bradford Peverell. For vegetable.,
Mr. S. It. Harris, of Dorchester ; and Mr. .1. A.
Winne, of Weymouth. •Ir. Winne els, acted as
judge in respect to the window It were. It may be
stated the decisions id the judge" were received with
general favour and satisfaction amongst the majority
of the competitors. The total number of entries were
&V, but owing in a great measure to the unsettled
weather, /La., Gil ut of that number did not 'haw
whilst a large and oboes) collection which it had been
arranged should be forwarded from a gentleman's
in the locality did not arrive owing to the
Clatl'rain at about the "'clock in the morning. The
exhibits not for competition were decidedly
limited, and on this account did not reflect
any very great credit upon the district ; indeed,
the sante remark may be applied to the whole of the
show, for, although not much behind the average of
thee. in former years, it was not so extensive, or
yet so meritorious. as pereons intscipiainted with tiie
actual state of affairs might have been led to expect
in such a fertile part of the world as South Dorset,
even after making every allowance for the lateness
and the dryness .4 the season. Mr. tlymes, of [,ans.
down, was one ,if the largest local competitors. He
entered in Moles... and obtained e large number of
prime. Keynes, , illiams, and Co., nurserymen,
Salisbury, also had some splendid exhibit., and
gained several awards. Their dahlias and roses
proved to he special attractions. Mr.. Strang.. sent a
water bouquet, not for totupetition, anti the children
of the Weymouth Union an ingenious device in &lid
grasses; a large collection of wild flowers. We
were pleased to "Were° that special prizes were
offered—thanks to the generosity. of Sir Henry
Edenucla M.P.—for window gardening. Hitherto
this pleasing art has been KrettlY nritlette,l in
Weymouth quite as much by the better
classes ashy the artisan., end we an. glad that efforts
are being :wide with • v iew ..f twinging about &general
improvement in respect to it. The exhibits at the
show were very gratifying, and gave one a fair idea
as to what may be done in floriculture, if even an
ordinary house window be the only available spaoe
the cultivator happens to have at has command. The
mitre of the largest marquee contained • choice
collection of stove and greenhouse plants. Thn
specimens of coleus sent by Mr. J. Letteu, gardener
to Mr. J. Groves, gained the first prize, and comprised
sis varieties, including the eclipse, versche Nett', and
butterfly species. lb. 8. R. Harris, of the Nurseries,
Dorchester. wee • successful competitor, gaining,
amongst others, the prize of £4 for the best collection
of store and greenhouse plants, in or out of bloom.
His specimens included the saunas Lorbonicis
asochesis nobilis variegate, ad the beautiful
&Unmade Hendersonii, which contained many
dowers. The show of ferns was fairly good, but
gladioli and wild flowers were decidedly poor.
were a quantity of fine clusters of
grapes. In this class Mr. E. Biggs, gardener
to Afki,e-General Henning, was a successful
"owe ' exopelitor, gaining the Aral prise both for Week