The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-02 00:00:00

HALEBOWF.N AND HAGLEY FLORAL AND
HORTICULTURAL EXHIBI HON.

This annual extribitiou was held in Begley Park, on
Tuesday last. The weather was punitively delightful,
the recent rains haying thoroughly allayed the dust, and
the sun being just powerful enough to innue a pleasant
warmth, without any approach to oppressive heat. This
was the seventeeuth annual exit brirou of this society,
and we believe it was one of the largeat aud moat
a occessful that has ewer been held. The very enjoyable
weather, no doubt contributed greatly to this ; but it is
also • fact that the growing taste for floral and horti-
cultural pursuits in this neighbourhood, fostered in •
great measure by the above excelieut society, has been
cranny instrumental in drawing together the large and
sr istecratic assemblage that was present in the Park, on
Tuesday last. Amongst those present we noticed W.
C. Frrmatoue and party, Captain Walker, James
Swindell and party, H. 0. Firmstone and party, E.
Smith and party, Mrs. Latlewood and party, W. D.
Thatcher and party, Id Granger. F. 13, Granger, G.
Burr, Mr, Joseph Homer and party, Mr. Whittaker and
, party, J. Evers and party, A. Hay. (lialesowen), T.
, and Mrs. Amphlett "theist), U. Bailey and party, B.
. Wooldridge and parry. J. Watson and parts,V. J. King
I and party tWollescote Bath, Mills and par:). (Words.
Icy), K. Ws stwood and party, E. Stringer and patty, J.
I Menwen and party, C. E. Swindylt and party, W.
Webb aid party. N. Iliugley, Mrs. and Niles Freer, H.
Moore, Von, Archdeacon Roue, Canon Woodgate, Rev.
It. P. Turner, Rev. H. Stierrard, Rev. G. Halls and
I party iClent), Phillips (Halesowen), dic , &a.
She site closeu for toe exhibition was an exceedingly
eligible one, being a sightry risiog ground in close
Iproximity to the Hall, with a beauriful background of
tree tripped hills ; and the charming toiiettes of the
ladies, who wandered about from tent to tent in the
foreground assisted materially to lend life and anima-
tion to the picture. The exhibits were displayed in
four large marquees supplied by Mr. Griffin, the well.
known tent manufacturer of Birmingham. The pro-
ducts were divided into four classes, viz , one for pro-
fessionals, open to persons from any part of the country,
one for amateurs, and another for cottager.. We believe
that there ivan one tent less than on former occasions,
and in consequence, the committee were at some con-
alterable trouble in providing room for the numerous
specimens exhibited ; and the latent.un of the hour at
which several of the linter were Kent in contribute i
considerably to their embarassment. The stove and
greenhouse plants were hardly up to the average mark
considering the advanced season, but most of the other
exhibits were considerably alcove the usual excellence,
thus compensating for any falling off in the former. In
Li3o class of orchids Lord Lytteltou wan very successful,
I and Mes,re. Lowe and Greav .0 were quite up to their
usud etandard in the same class. The lame remark
I writ apply to the enc., and fuchsias. In the latter
clans especially there were • large number of peculiarly
nue plants shown, remarkable both for largeness of
growth and profusion of II iwers. lathe class of varie-
gated geraniums there w. also • numerous entry, and
toe plants were particularly noticeable for their coin-
pactness of form and good growth • the fir-at prize in
this class being taken by Mr. W. C. Firrustone, with
nine beautiful specimen, The Japan fides were excel-
lent, the first prize being deservedly awarded to Mr. H.
0. Firmstone, for a collection of three splendid plants.
In the Class Of cut flowers, roses and carnations were
very prominent, both for their numbers and their
general excellence. The firm of Messrs. Perkins and
Sons, of Coventry, who exhibited a magnificent collec•
non of the former, amongst which were some specimens
comparatively new to this district, carried off the
highest honours in the class for rose.. Mr. C. Butler,
of Castle Bromwich, also shared to a large extent in the
honoura ; whilst Mr. J. F. Smith, of Halesowen, took
third prize in the class of " cat roses 24 sorts, in
bunches of three." The carnations displayed such an
amount of general excellence, tout the judges were for
some time at a considerable difficulty into where they
eh ruld award the " palm ;" but eventually they selected
those seat by Mr. Brown, for premier lionerars, awarding
the second prize to Mr. Jackson (birth of Blekedown).
The seedlings exhibited by these gentlemen were of con-
siderable merit. In pictothes also the above gentlemen
were very successful, carrying off the first and second
prizes respectively, in the same order as above, in both
classes. One of the picoteee exhibited, the " Grace
Day," elicited a vast amount of admiration for its
mnoothneas and purity, and it is sure to become a great
favourite amongst growers of this beautiful flower. The
dahlias were very good for the season, whilst verbenas
and other kindred plants were in great force.
The fruit seemed to suffer more than anything else
fthru the seaeon, and although many very fine samples
of grapes,peaches, nectarines,and apricots were exhibited,
they were not considered by connoisseurs to be up to
the, usual mark in point of flavour. The same might be
said of 'strawberries.

its usual, Mr. T. H. Pargeter was "to the fore" in
the classes for grapes, as he carried off the first prizes
for both black and white. In the competition for black
grays, however, he was closely followed by Mr. W. C.
Firmstone, whose bunch looked quite as large, though
the grapes were hardly so fine grown as those exhibited
by Mr. Pargeter. Lord Lytteltou carried off the third
prize in this class. In the class for white, however, his
Lordship was more successful, as he took the second
pric; whilst Mr. H. 0. Firtnstone was forced to be
content with " third honours." Mr. T. H. Pargeter
also took the first prize both for melons and peaches ;
Mr. W. C. Firmstone taking the second prize in the
latter class. The latter gentleman, however, took "first
hoaoars " in strawberries.
. .

This is the third—G. ''''''''' on which Mr. T. H.
Pargeter has carried off the Silver Cop (value five
guineas) offered by the committee for the beat 9 orna-
mental plants in or out of tower, 8 dialer of fruit, and
a collection of cut flowers, not competing for other

In the class for Wax Flowers, to be exhibited by
la lies, there was only one competitor, • Miss Waring,
of Dudley, who exhibited some lovely specimens, am must
which some yellow rose+ were particularly remarkable
for their exquisite modeling, and general faithful imits•
lion of nature.

The exhibition of plants, kc , by amateurs, improves
year by year, and there can be no doubt that this de-
partment will became an important feature in future
exhibitions. The cottager. show was by far the best
general collection held nnder the auspices of the
society. The judges in the fruit, plants, and exit
flowers were—Mr. J. R. Carpenter, Great Barr Ball;
Mr. J. Latham, Botanical Gardens, Birmingham ; and
Mr. Sonth,Tettenhall.near Wolverhampton.—Cottagers'
prizes—The Rev. R. P. Turner, Churchill ; Mr. T.
Amphlett. Clent ; and Mr. W. C. Firmatone, Hagley.
The awards were as follows :

PLANTS AND CUT FLOWERS.

Orchids, best collection of six :—Lord Lyttelton.
Stove or greenhouse plants, collection of nine ;-14,
H. Love ; 2nd, T. Greaves.

,
Ditto, c3ll,it,on of six :—list, T. H. Pargeter ; 210, H.
o._Firmstone.

—DittoTainiie vocimen:—lst, J. &van; 2nd, T. H.
Parader ; 2rd, U. Lowe.