ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF OTAGO.

Evening Star, Issue 3764, 17 March 1875, Page 3

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF OTAGO.

AUTUMN SHOW. This exhibition was opened to-day in the Temperance Hall, Moray Place. The exhibits, both as to quantity and quality, are fully up to the average of those of late years, though they are on the whole, in number and variety, if not in quality, behind those which were wont to be shown by this society six or seven years ago. There is doubtless a considerable improvement in many classes of exhibits—better roses, better dahlias, carnations, and pinks, finer grapes, more numerous varieties of other fruits, rarer and more varied pot plants are now exhibited than in former years; but there is nothing like the same number of exhibits in each, nor the same number of competitors for the honors of the Society. Is it that every one here is so busy making haste to be rich that he has not time to devote to the somewhat unprofitable hut interesting work of the garden and the green house ? Let the reason be what it may, we re gret our flower shows are not more worthy of our city, our climate, and our material prosperity. The exhibition of to-day offers few points of interest for special comment. We only observed one new plant of the dracaena specimens, specimens of which were exhibited both by Messrs Hay and Gardener. The coleus, numerous specimens of which are on the tables, give a pleasing variety to the show. Some vegetables exhibited by Mr W. H. Reynolds and some from the Benevolent Institution, are deserving of special note. There is a fine lot of apples exhibited by Mr Ings, of Caversham ; and Mr J. Gebbie fills a table with a large variety of fruit, embracing almost all the fruits known to the old country. Mr Ogilvie beats all comers with carnations and picotees; Mt J. J, Martin, of Great King street, exhibits a fine lot of cacti; Messrs Law, Somner, and Co. excel in roses and gladioli. Among the amateurs Mr Kirkpatrick bears the palm for some very good cut flowers, but especially for his exhibition of fruit. Mr James Gebbie takes the medals offered to gardeners for the highest number of points made by any exhibitor at both of this year’s shows. He takes two medals : the one for pot plants and cut flowers, atfd the other for fruits and vegetables. The medals offered for amateurs are taken respectively by Messrs Hay and Kirkpatrick. gardeners’ list. Class 1. —Plants in flower (grown in pots). Store or greenhouse plants, 4 distinct genera— J. Moffat, 1; Gebbie, 2. Single specimen flat —O. Lawrence. Fuchsias, 4 varieties —C. Lawrence, 1; J. Moffat, 2. Petunias, 3 varieties—J Gebbie, 1; J. Moffat, 2, Gloxinias, 8 varieties -J. Lawrence. Class 2.—Foliage plants, 4 distinct genera— C. Lawrence, 1 and 2. Coleus, 3 varieties—C. Lawrence, 1 and 2. Pelargoniums, 6 varieties —C. Lawrence, 1; J. Moffat, 2. Ferns, 12 varieties—C. Lawrence.

. Class 3.- Cut flowers : Dahlias, 12 varieties, J. Gebbie; Dahlias, 6 varieties, J, Gebbie. Boses, 12 varieties, Law, Somner, and Co.; Gladioli, Law, Somner, and Co.; ditto, _6 ! spekes, J. Moffat. Carnations, 6 varieties, J. Gebbie. Picotees, 6 varieties, W, B. Ogilvie, 1; _J. Gebbie, 2. Phlox Drummoudi, 12 varieties ; Verbenas, 12 varieties each ; Pansies, 12 varieties, Asters, 6 varieties ; Stocks, 6 varieties; Annuals, best collection, J. Gebbie. Phlox Herbaceous,! varieties, J. Moffat, 1 and 2. Table Bouquet, best arranged, J. M-ffat, 1; J. Gebbie, 2. Class 4, —Fruit, miscellaneous collection : Grapes, black or red ; do, white. Plums, three varieties. Apples (desert), three varieties ; do (cooking), three varieties. Pears, two varieties. Blackberries or brambles, J. Gebbie. Peaches, best twelve, A. R. Ure, 1; J. Gebbie, 2. Neetarines, best twelve, A. E. Ure. Class s.—Vegetables : Cucumbers, two, C. Lawrence. Pumpkins, two heaviest. Vegetable marrows, two, suitable for table. Tomatoes, six, red or yellow, J. Gebbie. Rhubarb, six stalks, C. Laurence. Cabbage, best red, and beans fit for table (dwarf and runners), A. Begg. AMATEURS’ LIST. Class 1. —Plants, in flower (grown in pots), A. Grant, 1; R. Hay, 2. Single specimen, R, Hay, 1; A. Grant, 2. Fuchsias, three varieties, R. Hay, 1; J. Crosbie, 2. Petunias, two varieties, H. Kirkpatrick. Coxcombs, two best, J. Crosbie. Class 2.—Foliage plants (grown in pots): Foliage plants, three distinct geneva, A. Grant, 1; R. Hay, 2. Coleus, two varieties, A, Grant, 1 f*R. Hay, 2. Pelargoniums, three varieties, R. Hay, 1; J. Crosbie, 2. Ferns, six varieties (three native and three exotic), A. C. Purdie, 1 and 2. Conifer®, six named varieties, E. Hay, 1; A. 0. Purdie, 2. Class 3. —Cut flowers; dahlias, 12 varieties —H. Kirkpatrick, 1; A. C. Purdie, 2. Ditto, six varieties—H. Kirkpatrick, 1; A. C. Purdie, 2. Ditto, 3 varieties—A. Grant, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Roses, 12 varieties —H. Kirkpatrick. Ditto, 6 varieties—R. Hay, 1; A, Grant, 2. Ditto, 3 varieties—R. Hay, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Gladioli, 6 spikes— H. Kirkpatrick, 1; R. Hay, 2. Ditto, 3 spikes—R. Hay, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Carnations, 6 varieties—W. B. Ogilvie, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Picotees—W. B. Ogilvie. Pansies, 6 varieties—W. B. Ogilvie, 1; A. Grant, 2. Verbenas, 6 varieties—R. Hay, 1 and 2. Asters, 6 varieties or colors-R. Hay, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Stocks, 6 varieties—R. Hay, 1 and 2. Annuals—E. Hay. Phlox Drummondi—R. Hay, 1; H. Kirkpatrick, 2. Hand bouquet, not to exceed five inches in diameter—R. Hay, 1; Miss Bames, 2f&Table bouquet (best arranged)—R. Hay, 1 Class 4. —Fruit: Grapes, black or red, and white—A. Crawshaw. Peaches, best six; plums, three varieties ; apples (desert), three varieties; apples (cooking), three varieties; pears, two varieties, and blackberries or brambles—H. Kirkpatrick.

Class 5. —"Vegetables! Vegetable marrows, suitable for table ; cabbage, best two ; cauliflowers ; onions, best twelve; carrots, best six; parsnips, six, and beetroot—H. Kirkpatrick! Rhubarb, four stalks; turnips, white and yellow.

Special Prizes (open to all).—Miniature garden- C. Lawrence. Best collection of herbaceous and alpine plants—A. C. Pnrdle.