The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-29 00:00:00

THE FLORAL AND HORTICULTURAL
EXHIBITION.

The Liverpool Floral and Horticultural Society held the
first of their annual meetings for the exhibition of plants,
flowers, fruits, and vegetables, yesterday, in a spacious
and commodious marquee erected within the boundaries of
the Botanic Gardens, Edge-lane.
After the dreary months of winter, when all amusements
are chiefly confined to indoor amusements, these annual
gatherings are looked upon as a great luxury, es they
afford all classes of the community an apportunity of view-
ing the lich and varied beauties of the world of flowers,
whose blossoms, as they expand and charge the air
with delightful odours, tend to promote health
and vigour to the constitution, while they at the
same time afford rational and innocent amusement.
We have on so many former occasions had to speak of
those exhibitions in the m )st laudatory terms, each
successive season having, as the time rolled on, fairly
eclipsed all that had preceded it, both in regard to its
magnitude, and also in the beauty of the specimens sent
for competition, and therefore, with rega, d to that which
took place yesterday, we can only say that, for the number
of specimens sent for exhibition, the beauty and splendour
of the plants, and the perfection to which the cultivators
had arrived, by far surpassed anything that has heretofore
been seen in this part of the United Kingdom. In refer-
ence to all the specimens that were yesterday exhibited,
we may exclaim with Shakspeare—
"To gild refined gold; to paint the lily;
To throw a perfume on the violet."
To smooth the ice, or acid another huo
Unto the rainbow, or with a taper light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to decorate,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess."

On entering the marquee, the eye and the mind of the
visitor was at ones absorbed in the admiration of the
beautiful colours aul foliage of the azeleas, the heath, the
pelargoniums, and the fachia3 ; while the odour from the
roses was moat delightful to inhale. Of each class there
was a very great number of specimens ; indeed, it may
with truth be said, that it was most decidedly the largest
collection that was ever before exhibited at this show.
besides the above, there were also a very magnificent dis -
play of cinerarias, cactus exotic orchidacew, and stove and
greenhouse plants, which attrac-ed much attention and
were admired by all As it would be a matter of impos-
sibility to enumerate all the specimens of plants and
florist's flowers that were exhibited, we may say that there
was not a single class in floriculture that was not repre-
sented.

Having said this much of the flowers themselves, we
must now refer to those gentlemen through whose instru-
mentality the public were afforded such a delightful treat.
Out of the fifty-two competitors who had sent such large
and varied collections of nature's beauties, it would indeed
be an invidious task, where all were so " rich and rare,"
to say which had arrived at the greatest per-
fection in the culture of the particular specimens
exhibited. That will be but gathez d from the
subjoined list of the premiums awarded; but it
would be a dereliction of duty if we omitted to mention
the names of Mr. A. Fairrie, Mr. T. Hadwin, Mr
W. R. Sandbach, Mr. G. Arkte, Mr. A. Gladstone, Mr J.
Gladstone, Mr. J. Datton, Mr. Leatherbarrow, and Mr. J.
R. Jeffery, each of whom were large contributors.
There were some tastefully arranged baskets of flowers,
and one very elaborately worked device in flowers, which
elicited much approbation from the patience and skill
displayed in its design and arrangement. Of wax flowers,
there were but few exhibited, but they were good, and showed
the skill of the lady manipulators. The opera bouquet, by
by Miss Einett, was a beautiful specimen of the art, and
deservedly gained an extra prize.
Wi h regard to the show of vegetables, it was not so
good as usual ; bat that, in a great measure may be
attributed to the season, which has been rather unfavour-
able. Still some of the plants ware deserving of much
commendation.

The show of fruits was also small, but it will be seen
that the Earl of Derby, and Harold Littledale, Esq., con-
tributed some flue grapes and pine apples, which were
rewarded with prizes.
Where each and all was so excellent, it may be naturally
anticipated that the judges had a most onorous duty to
perform, and it was with some difficulty that they arrived
at a right conclusion ; but through the care, attention, and
judgment displayed, not one of their decisions was dis-
puted. The foilowing were•the gentlemen selected to per-
form this important duty :—Judges of plants, Messrs.
Errington, Staunton, and Hanka' ; of knits, Messrs.
Ellison and Dunn; and of florist's flowers, Messrs Chal-
wick and Norris.

The following premiums were then awarded to the
under-mentioned contributors, who were the successful
competitors :

CLASS 1.-GROUPS OP PLANTS.

Azaleas, the best six specimens, each being a distinct
specie—First prize, Mr. Adam Fairrie, gardener, H. Wil-
liams ; second, Hugh Hornby, gardener, J. Dawson ; third,
Mr. George Arkle, gardener D Auchterstome.
Azaleas, the best four specimens, each a distinct specie—
First prize, Mr. Adam Fa,irrie, ; second, Mr. Adam Glad-
stone, gardener, James Graut ; third, Mr. Edward Moon,
gardener Thomas Gregory, (nurserymen excluded) ; extra
prize, Mr. George Arkle.
Heaths, the bestgeix specimens, each a distinct specie—
First prize, Me. Adam Fairrie; second, Mr. Hugh Hornby ;
third, Mrs. Lorimer, gardener Richard Ballfield.
Heaths, the best four specimens, each a distinct specie—
Fret prize, Mr. Adam Fairrie ; second, Mr. Adam Glad-
stone ; third, Mr J. B. Le ,therbarrow, gardener Charlie
Jones.

Fachias, the best six spcimens, all distinct varieties.
and grown on one stem—First prize, Mr. Wm. Clare,
gardener J. Matthews ; second, Mr. J. B. Leatherbarrow ;
third, Mr. Christopher Rawdon, gardener Reid.
Fuchias, the best four specituens, all distinct varieties,
and grown on one stem, (nurserymen excluded)—First
prize, Mr. W. Clare ; second, Mr. J. B. Leatherbarrow ;
third, Mr. Christopher Rawdon.

Pelargoniums, the best e:ght distinct specimens—Firs
prize, Christopher Rawdou ; second, Mrs. Stringer, gar•
dener Samuel Leversage ; third, Mr. George Arkle.
Pelargoniums, the best four distinct specimens—First
prize, Mrs. Stringer ; second, Mr. John Campbell
gardener John Everett ; third, Mr. George Arkle.
Fancy Pelargoniums, the Lest six distinct specimens—
First prize, Mrs. Stringer; second, Mr. Christopher Raw.
den ; third, not awarded.

Pelargoniums, the best four specimens of starlet, white,
and pink—None entered.
Roses, eight specimens (in pits), all distinct varieties--
First prize, Mr. J. B. Leatherbarrow ; second, Mr. H
Hornby ; third, Hr. R. Griffith.
Roses, the best four specimens, in pots, all distinct
varieties, nurserymen excluded—First prize, Mr. J. B.
Leatherbarrow ; second, Mr. H. Hornby ; thin;, Mr. R.
Griffith.

Achimenes, the best four specimens in pans—First prize,
Mr. John Nicholson, gardener Andraw Clarke ; second,
Mr. N. Martindale, gardener John Matthews ; third, Mr.
W. R. Sandbach, gardener ThomPz Davidson.
Verbenas, the best six varieties in pots—First prize, Mr.
W. G. Wilsey, gardener Robert Smith ; second, Mr. N.
Martindale; third, Mr. Edward Bates, gardener John
Turn er.

Petunias, the best six varieties in pots—First prize, Mr.
Edward Bates; second, Mr. Thomas Dalton, gardener
Joseph Pratt ; third, not awarded.
Calceolarias, the best six distinct varieties—First prize,
Mr. N. Martindale ; second, ITc. J. R. Jeffery, gardener,
W. Potter ; third, Mr. Wm Clan.

Cinerarias, the best six distinct varieties—First prize,
Mr. W. R. Sandbach ; second, Mr. Wm. Clare : third,
Mr. W. Tilsey.

Gloxinias, the best six specimens—First prize, Mr. N
Martindale ; second, Mr. George Ark's ; third, Mr R. U.
Gardner, gardener, R. Dwery house.
Liliums, the best four distinct varieties—None exhibited.
Ferns, the best eight specimens—First prize, Mr. I.
Hadwin, gardener. John Armstrong ; third, Mr. G. Arkle ;
extra prize, Mr. Thos. Dalton.
Lyeopodiums, the best six specimensL—First prize, Mr.
G. Arkle ; second, Mr. I. Hadwin ; third, Mr. John Gimp-
bell.

Cactus, the best siz specimens—First Prize, Mr. Wm,
Preston, gardener, Redd Woodfall ; second, Mr. R. C
Gardner ; third, Mr. R. Benn, gardener, Edward Clarke,
Pansies, the best six specimens grown in pots—None ex-
hibited.

MISCELLANEOUS PLANTS.
Exotic OrchidacefE, the best six distinEt spec;mens—
First prize, Mr. Adam Fairrie ; second, Mr. I. Hadwin ;
third, not awarded.

Exotic Orchidace, the best four distinct specmens—
First prize, Mr. A. Fairrie; second, Mr. I. Hadwin ;
third, Lot awarded.

The best collecticn of greenhouse plants, eight varieties
--First prize, Mr. AAam Fairrie ; second, Mr. Hugh
ilornby ; third, not awarded.
The best collection of four greenhouse plants—First
prize, Mr. Adam Gladstone; second, Mr. Edward Moon ;
third, Mr. A. Fairrie.

SINGLE SPECIMENS.
The best Azalea—First prize, Mr. J. Bristow; gardener,
M'Call ; second Mr. A. Fairrie ; third, not awarded.
The best Heath—First prize, Mr. Fairrie ; second, Mr.
J. Bristow;. third, Miss Moon.
The best Fuschia—First prize, Mr. N. Martindale ;
second:Mr. P. Blessig, gardener, J. Richards; third, Mr.
J. B. Leatherbarrow.

The best Pelargonium—First prize, Mr. N. Martindale ;
second, Mr. J. Campbell ; third, Mr. C. Rawdon.
The best Orchidaceous Plant—First prize, Mr. J.

Rwdon. gardener, T.
"Roberts ; second and third not
awarded.

The best Stove Plant—First prize, Mr. A. Gladstone;
second and third, Mr. Thomas Morris, gardener, T.
Thompson.
The best Greenhouse Plant—First prize. Mr. John
Bristow; second, Viscount Fielding gardener, J. M'Ardle ;
third, Mr. C. Raw ,aorr;
extra prize, Mr. John Bristow.
The best Herbaceous Plant—First prize, Mr. W. G.
Tilsay ; second, Mr. W. Clare ; third, Mr. G. Arkle.

MISCELLANEOUS GROUPS.
Basket of Plants. in pots—First prize, Mr. H. Hornby ;
second, Mr. C. Pemberton ; third, Mr. J. B. Leather-
barrow.

Device of Flowers—First prize, Mr. James Holden ;
second and third, not awarded.
Collection of Cut Flowers, twenty-four specimens—
First prize, Mr. Ge )rge Arkle ; second, Mr. Robert Benn ;
third, Mr. John Campbell.
Bouquet for the Hand—First prize, Mr. W. Clare ; second
and third, Mr. R. Beni.
FLORISTS' FLOWILRS.

Cut Rose 7, eight specimens—Mr. R. Bonn.
Stand of Pansies, 24 specimens—First prize, Mr. W.
Wright; second, Mr. John Brandrit; third, Mr. W. Wright.
Stand of Pansies, twelva specimens—First prize, Mr.
W. Wright; second, Mr. John Brandrit ; third, not
awarded.