HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 10

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

By; J. Gebbie.

bring in their exhibits. Taking all thing 6 into consideration, a creditable display was on view in the Drill Hall, the quality of the exhibits being on the whole excellent, the principal prizetaker in the open class was Mr James Mitchell, who scored so heav'ly as to give him the lead for the CHmaru Mail Cup, valued at 20gs. The sweet pea competition brought out 13 entries, Mrs Milne securing the 10-guinca cup for the year. Mr P.. Edwards shared honours with Mr Mitchell in the class for pot plants, securing first for 24 ; also firsts for ferns, tuberous begonias, foliage be-^ goniats, and for blooms of tuberous begonias.'"" In cut blooms Mr J. M'Laren secured first for 12 roses distinct, and first for 12 teas or hybrid teas. In the amateur class W. Pygal secured first for six blooms, and Mrs Williams second. In dahlias, 12 varieties, show or fancy, James Mitchell was first, and , for six dahlias, show or fancy, he obtained first and second. For cactus and single dahlias honours were divided between W. Burns, James Mitchell, and D. Burns. With some the dahlia bloomed earlier than usual. However, those, exhibited were very fine, *nd weri a feature of the show. The other out-flowev eections included asters, marigolds, carnations, Phlox Drummondi, verbenas, collection of cut flowers, and were well-contested. Despite the long-continued drought, they W9re well up to the usual standard of excellence. Fruit and vegetables were in greater numbers than usual; and there were several new exhibitors in these seotion3 of the exhibition, the exhibits being of good quality throughout. The decorated tables and other flora] decorations, which are always a feature of the shows, brought out only a few entries, tho heavy rein having spoilt both flowers and foliage, and the absence of these exhibits was very noticeable.

Th« annual show of the Timaru Horti- ) cultural Society was held in the Drill Hall on February 27 and 28. Lovely weather prevailed, and old members of the Managing Committee and old*" exhibitors declared it to be the best show the society has ever had. During the past 20 years I have had the honour of acting a3 one of the judges on 17 different occasions, and as I journeyed up to Timaru on the morniner of the show and observed the dried and parched-up look of the country my surprise was great on entering the hall to see the splendid array of fruit, flowers, and vegetables displayed on the tables. There were 1050 entries in 193 classes, there being competition in almost every class. In the competitions for ro&es there were eight in the gardeners' and nine in the amateurs' sections. The cut flowers section was well represented by 13 on the gardeners' and 25 on the amateurs' side. In fruit there were about 13 exhibits of apples, and about 30 entries in plums, besides peaches, pears, apricots, and grapes, J. Wallace and G. Parry being the chief contributors. The fruit was of splendid quality, showing the capabilities of the district foj: fruit-growing. Th© collection of vegetables were quite a feature of the show, there being close on 50 exhibitors. A row of stages down the middle of the hall was filled by a choice assemblage of nice healty pot plants staged for .effect by Messrs G. Knowles, G. J. Scaley, and F. Palliser. During- the evening a number of tiny coloured electric lights among the plants added to the effect, and when the other electric lights were switched off for a time during the evening it was quite a fairy-land scene. The most Intciesting department of the show was THE SCHOOL EXHIBITS. which- were staged in a room by themselves, and they made an excellent show. In the competition open to children attending any school in South Canterbury there were 14sections, with numerous prizes, so that there was great inducement for the juveniles to compete. Ldo not know of any other horticultural society in the South Island offering such inducements to the young. The classes wore nearly all for testing taste and skill in arranging, and resulted in the production of some very nice bouquets, baskets, vases, and collections of cut flowers, while the vegetables were of good quality. The Winchester school exhibited with other vegetables a dozen varieties of potatoes a-nd as manr of onions. The Hilton school exhibited 11 varieties of potatoes, and numerous other varieties of vegetables, and several exhibits of cut blooms. The two schools had 74- entries in baskets and handboaquets. Two other noteworthy exhibits in this section were the collection of grasses displayed on a sheet of cardboard. Points were awarded for quality, quantity, and arrar.gement, botanical and ordinary names, as far as possible, to be written under each, specimen. These were neatly arranged, and formed an interesting exhibit. Myra Knowles secured first prize out of nine entries.' For a collection of leaves mounted and nanwsd there were 11 entries. Winnio Robertson secured first in the section. A handsome challenge shield was donated by Mr J. E. Hurdley to the school gaining most points in collections of flowers and vegetables ff rown by the scholars in their school gardens, th«> winning school to have its name engraved on the shield and hold it for one year. Mr J. E. Hurdley also donated a special prize of £1 Is each year for three years to the winning school for the purchase of books, plants, or garden requiremonte. This prize of shield and cash was ; won by the Hilton School. The schools were iudgedas a going concern in December by Mr G. Cross for the Board of Education, and Mr Cross now judged the produce sent in to the show; and by arrangement added the points awarded on his visit to the schools Mr Cross in his report to tho committee expressed regret that hie instructions to judge by the best products did not allow him to give points for the educational records sent in by Winchester. He therefore placed 1 the Hilton School first for superior quality of produce, 22 points being awarded to Hilton and 18 to Winchester. Mr Huvdley was so pleased with the exhibits that he gave a second prize of half a guinea to Winchester, and also promised lo renew the challenge shield when it is won outright by the last school to get its named placed upon it. The attendance during the afternoon was good, and in the evening the hall was thronged. Mr Combs's orche&tn furnished pleasing music, and the show was in arvery sense a decided sucoe^s, affording encouragement for the future in the interest displayed by exhibitors and tho public. THE OAMARU HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY held its auiumn show on March 5, but, unfortunately for horticulturists, heavy rain set in two days before the show, with the result that several entrants were unable to