The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-06-25 00:00:00

80 0 0
20 0 0

,32 1 8

The difference being £37 Is. Bd., which is supposing full
dock rates to be paid at Liverpool, and none at Birken-
head, and supposing too that there is no extra cost of
transit at the latter place. If, however, there are to be
no dock rates at Birkenhead, and no reduction of ware-
house rents in Liverpool, then it must be admitted that
the contemplated scheme will be the cheapest by £47.
But who is to guarantee such unlikely circumstances ?
I have only to add, that if I could see that I was likely
to obtain 10 per cent. (I throw the contemplated 161 per
cent. to the winds), I would certainly have a slice of such
a tempting dish.
I remain, sir, your most obedient servant,
AN OLD MERCHANT.
London, June 19th, 1814.

WOOLTON FLORAL AND HORTICULTURAL

MEETING.

We have had great pleasure in noticing—and that ex-
clusively—the meetings of the Wootton Floral and Hor-
ticultural Society sinue its commencement some years
ago, and in marking its rapid advancement in utility,
evinced by the increased number and beauty of the va-
rious productions brought up on each successive anniver-
sary. The society—which gives encouragement not only
to the surrounding wealthy cultivators, but to the cotta-
gers—originated in the praiseworthy exertions of several
gentlemen of the village, whose names we have already
recorded, and immediately obtained the patronage of the
gentry, clergy, &c. of Wootton and the neighbouring
townships, as well as of several of the promoters of the
peculiar and higher branches of culture embraced in the
rules in our own town and elsewhere; and it is gratifying
to remark, that our early prediction that it would "go on
and prosper" has this year been further verified by the
additional extent and excellence of the exhibition, and the
improved arrangements—alike creditable to the growers
and to the " management."
The show of the present season took place on Thursday
afternoon last, in a spacious marquee, of double the di-
mensions of that used in former years—it being forty
yards in length; and for this a new and much more ap•
propriate bite was chosen than the timber-yard immedi-
ately below the church, formerly resorted to ; namely, the
upper part of a fine enclosed grass-field, higher up the
road. on its opposite (and east) side, nearly opposite the
mill, and commanding a fine prospect of Gateacre valley,
and the richly wooded count' y towards Prescot. Ihe en-
trance to the ground was decorated by au arch formed of
evergreens. The interior of the tent was handsomely or-
namented with evergreens and flowers in devices and
festoons.

The company, though numerous, was not nearly so great
as it would have been had the weather been more propi-
tious. The forenoon, and, indeed, up to about three
o'clock, was showery, with an appearance of continued
rain, which deterred considerable numbers from attend-

ing. Among those present were—Henry Ashton, Esq
Wootton Wood, and family ; the Rev. R. Leicester
incumbent of the parish, and family ; the Rev. Dr. Shep•
perd, Gateacre ; 'William Gilgeous, Esq., Belle Vale, and
family ; Robert Proctor, Esq., and family; Mrs. Foster;
Thomas Rodick, Esq., and two daughters; Robert Ro-
dick, Esq. • Thos. Rodick, jun., Esq. ; Edward Jones,
Esq. ; Richard Alison, Esq., &c., &c.
The exhibition, consisting of choice plants, fruits, vege-
tables, &c. was admitted by all to be superior to any one
of the society's that had preceded it, in the number of ex-
cellent well-grown plants. Amongst those from the
stove-house, "in flower, was a fine specimen of the
Stepanotus Flora-bunda, with laurel-looking leaves, and
fine wax-like star-shaped white flowers—trained round
circular wire-work, and about three feet in height.
A. lily, " Lilia Excilia," with beautiful large flowers, sent
by R. Alison, Esq., was much admired. There was also
a fine Zebra plant, with large leaves variegated in stripes
of light and dark shades of green. A greenhouse plant,
in flower, the " Clematis Leibaltii," produced by 11.
Ashton, Esq., was a fine specimen. A " Tripiola Tri-
culora"' a species of nasturtium, trained on a flat circle of
wirework, and bearing numerous flowers of three colours,
attracted much admiration. Amongst the " curiosities"
of the collection, was a branch in a pot of the " Aristolo-
chia Hyperboria," a twining plant, (native of the Ilyma-
laya mountains,) with sea-green leaves, (folio cordalus
glaucus) and bearing a number of remarkably-shaped
spreckled flowers—a modification of the leaf. This plant,
which grows to a length of twenty-five or thirty feet, is
curious and rare, and from the brightness and transpa-
rency of the stems and foliage, is highly ornamental; but
it constantly emits a gaseous effluvium, by no means
grateful to the n .sal organs, and in contrast with the de-
lightful aroma of the stands of roses amongst which it was
placed, in joke or by accident, excited considerable mer-
riment amongst those who closely approached it. A
slight alteration of the Scottish motto under the thistle
would be an appropriate warning in this instance—" Nemo
me impune propinquel." It was sent by Mr. Nickson,
from the gardens of John Blackburne, Esq., Hale Hall,
and considerable anxiety was evinced to obtain cuttings
for propagation. The same gentleman sent the best or-
chideous plant, a very fine specimen. There was a goodly
show of pelargoniums. One, in full rich flower, from
Ambrose Lace, Esq., Beaconsfield, was at least four feet
across at the top. Some of those sent by the cottagers
were also highly creditable to their skill and industry.
The roses, both cut and in pots, were fair : of the former,
a stand of eight, sent—but not for competition—by Mr.
H. Moss, of Aigburth, (gardener, Mr. Manly,) was de-
cidedly the richest in bloom. Mr. Moss is a highly success-
ful cultivator of this queen of British flowers ; and though
we observed no moss-roses amongst them, they were all
his own " Moss"-roses. We saw some fine Cape Heaths,
but cannot particularize. The fuschias were more tan
commonly splendid and numerous, particularly some of
those sent by Mr. Gilgeous, (who was peculiarly successg
-
fvn,hlieihn smhaonnye tdheepa'r'tVmeennuts;)Vahnitdrix.M.,r,). A
Ts hht
eo n
c, a(1 ac
emooi
an
ri
as ts
were the finest grown and most beautiful we have ever
seen in this locality, especially those sent by Messrs.
Davies and Co. of Wavertree Nursery. The whole col-
lection was much' admired. Of the baskets of miscellane-
ous plants, and baskets and devices of cut flowers, we can
but say that all were rich, beautiful, and most tastefully
arranged—referring to the list below. The show of pan-
sies was limited but good. Some of the finest were sent
by Mr. R. W. Preston, and Mr. Manly, but not for com-
petition.
The fruits shown were not (owing to the early season
of the year) in large quantity, but excellent of their kinds,
particularly the strawberries, each of which would have
been a mouthful for an alderman. The grapes, (black,
sent by Mr. Phythian,) were also good, as were the pine-
apples and the melons. A dish of fine apples, and another
of pears, were sent by Mr. Ambrose Lace. The goose.
berries were superb in size, and the same may be said of
the currants.
The vegetables were all of prime q
g uality, particularly
the early potatoes (kidneys, &c.), the rhubarb (of giant
size), the peas, and the autumn-sown onions, which last
presented large firm bulbs like those of the superior spring-
sown. There was no lack of fine lettuce.
The articles sent by the cottagers evinced much im-
provement in the cultivation of useful vegetables, flowers,
and window plants ; and the whole exhibition, which was
enlivened by numerous airs throughout by Mr. Fileen's
much-improved " Woolton band," gave the greatest sa-
tisfaction to all who witnessed it, amongst whom were
many of the working classes, admitted after five o'clock
at half price. We owe our best acknowledgments to
Messrs. Rimmer, Richardson, Wainwright, Smith, Hamer,