The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1877-04-17 00:00:00

WINDOW GARDENING.

In order that the Window Garden and Cottager'
Plower show of this year maybe a success, a meeting was
called for Thursday evening last, to receive suggestions
especially as to the best time and place for holding such
exhibition, rind intending exhibitors and all other persons
who take an interest in the object were earnestly
requesbst to be present. The time of the meeting was to be
" seven o'clock, under the presidency of the Mayor ;" hut
the ausemblel public waited till twenty minutes past
eight, before his Worship and Mr. Alderman Howard
entered, when the Mayor stated that he had thought the
time of the meeting was eight o'el wk. There were pre-
sent—Rev. E. Bolton, Mr. J. G. Rowe, Mr. Godfrey. Mr.
Hodder, Mr. Smith, Mrs. Foot and other exhibitresses,
Mr. J. Robens, Mr. Lansing, Mr. Thomas, Mr. T. It.
Charles, Mr. S. S. Mifledge Mr. It. N. Howard, Mr.
Palmer, Mr. Legg, Rev. T. Falkner, Mr. A. Graham, Mr.
T. Wallis, &c., &c.
The MAYOR said we were that night to carry oat, on
rather a larger scale than usual, the idea of Window
Gardening, first introduced into Weymouth by Mr.
Edwards. In London the buildings inhabited by the
nobility and gentry, ere very much improved by the
flowers exhibited in the windows. But Mr. Edwards'
desires more than this; he desires the improvement
of the houses of our poorer seighbeurs and friends. In
Osmingtun they would see the effect that the simple
garden produces on the inhabitants of the houses; every
window is a conservatory, suing to the encouragement
given by the late Sir James Phillips, Captain Hall, and
others, and every year in the schoolroem, an exhibition
of flowers and fruits is held. Mr. Edwards desires to
produce a similar result in Weymouth. A publichouae
can scarely live in Osmington because the occupants are
attending to their gardens and allotments, and the
desertion of the alehouse, has tended to make homes
happy. Mr. Edwards desires to make people feel that there
is greater happiness in attending to flowers and fruits,
than in spending it foolishly at the alehouse. The Town
Council have much desired to advance Window Garden-
ing, and are ready and only too happy to give cuttings and
bulbs, gratis, in order to encourage people to cultivate
flowers, and make their homes happy: He had had •
recently published work sent him, showing that Window
Gardening has greatly tended to promote the happiness
of the working classes, and to make them abandon the
brutal and sensual pursuits of the alehouse. He asked
what time was suggested for the Flower show I Lest year
it was a failure, and he thought it might be held in con-
nection with the Poultry Show, for instance, and also the
place should be he thought, in the public gardens, our
own gardens, the tent of which would give us a place,
where, with the Poultry Show, two most agreeable days
could be spent. Although Mr. Howard was so good as to
throw open his room, it was scarcely attractive enough,
and he thought the Gardens would be the proper place.
and he would be most happy to recommend the Council
to lend them. . , . . . •

iiiaEs said it was not possible to combine the
Window Gardening and Poultry Show; they would be too
early Mt poultry, or too late for flowers.
The MAYOR said then it came before them as previou4" ;
but he hoped that, in:itead of being a mere draggling foolisk
thing, it should be a success.

It was asked whether vegetables would be exhibited
Mr. HOWARD sald
.Yes. . .

The Vs;;;—aclde—il-til-at premiums would be given for

vegetables.
Mr. TI4ISELTON thought the third week in July would be
the best time.
. . . .