HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 55, 5 March 1875, Page 2

HORTICULTURAL SHOW.

The second show of the season under the auapicea of the Nelson Horticultural Society, was hold aft the Provincial Hall yesterday, and was viaitetl by a very large number of people, the body of the Hall, Grand Jury room, and two galleries being crowded in the evening, when, in addition to the display of flowers and fruits, there was the farther attraction of music by the orchestra of the Harmonic Society, who played at intervals during

the two or three hours that the Hall was open to the public. The arrangement of the room we mentioned yesterday, and upon this we think an improvement might be made at future shows held at this season of the year by placing the fruits upon the centre table, as they are without doubt the principal feature of the exhibition. Of flowers the display was not large, although those that were shown were of great beauty, especially some of the fuschias, petunias, and geraniums. Somo very pretty bouquets were also to be seen, which, considering the lateness of the seaßon and the scarcity of (he mote common descriptions of flowers; were very creditable to the taste and skill in arranging them of those who had made them up. But, as wo hove said before, the fruit department presented tbe chief attraction. Of apples there was a really splendid show, some monsters, in perfect condition and of the most beautiful hues, being plied from several of our most noted gardens. Pears, too, were there in almost endless variety, from the delicate little bergamot to the larger, but almost as tasty, kinds known as the William IMnce and Bon Chretien, in addition to which there were several dishes of tbe same class of fruit better adapted to cooking purposes. Shell fruits, such as walnuts, filberts, cobnuts, and almonds were well represented, Mr Huddleston showing somo of the former, more as a curiosity thau for their superior size or excellence, consisting a3 they did of clusters varying in number from eleven to eighteen. But the grapes formed of all tbe most tempting display. In black grapes Mr C. Frank nnd Mr W. Hale excelled, while Mr Bolton supplied some of the finest white ones that ever came under our notice. They were of the kind known as tbe Golden Cbampiou, and were of an enormous sizes although not quite ripp. . Of this particular description of fruit we doubt whether so magnificent ( a collection.could be seen in any other j town in New Zealand. One little vine shown by Mr 0. Frank is well worthy of special notice. It wes of the kind known as the Roislia^r, nnd was disI played jvs growing in a tub, and although scarcely two years old had on it seven lino bunches of fruit. Of all the exhibits this appeared to attract tho most attention. Tho Grand Jury room was devoted to the vegetablo department. At one end of the table waa ranged a splendid collection of pumpkins and mejous, some of the former being ot enormous size and of great solidity, as waß easily discovered on an attempt being made to lift them. Some of them, classified as "Turk* heade," wero of remarkable appearance, being in the exact shape of a turban. Of onions the show was most creditable, some of them being of a very large j size, aud in splendid condition, showing what can be dona in this Hue by our i local gardeners. There were several dishes of tomatoes, apparently in excellent order, also of fine looking potatoe3 and cairots, flanked by gigantic cucumbers, and backed up by vegetable marrows and melons of a size far above the average. It is impossible, however, to mention in detail all the exhibits that were worthy of notio^, and we refer our readers to the priza list, in which they will see whose products were deemed to ba of the best qualify. We must not omit to mention two most prolific hop plants, on the poles, which were sent by Mr Thomas Harley, aDd were shown outside the Hall, being fosteued (o the pillars of the portico. The show may be unhesitatingly pronounced to have been of a great success both with regard to the nature of tbe j exhibits and the number of visitors (hat it attracted. To Mr Henry Adams, 1 the secretary, and those who assisted him in arranging the tables the thanks of the public are due for the trouble they took in making the necessary Brrangements, as also to the judges, for {heir careful attention to the onerous duties they had undertaken. We mny now look upon these shows as being fairly established in Nelson, whose soil and climate are especially adapted to the growth of the fruits, flowers, and vegetables that are usually displayed on such occasions. The following is the