WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 1014, 15 April 1869, Page 2

WANGANUI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

The first show of this society (it should have been the second, but times, as every ono knows to his cost, were out of joint) was held in the Odd Fellows’ Hall yesterday, and was one altogether creditable to the district. must not despise small things, and looking at the general appearance of the hall in its wealth of bloom and greenery, and to the exhibits in detail, we 'think that the members of this society have reason to congratulate themselves upon their success. The cultivation of fruits and flowers is its own reward, and if the Horticultural Society shall succeed in spreading among the community a taste in this direction, it will do a world of good. It was very pleasant to see so many visitors at the show, who seemed to take delight in the various articles displayed upon the tables.

The following is a list of the successful competitors. It may not be altogether correct, as we bad notjthe means of ensuring perfect’ accuracy, but we shall, be glad in a future issue to supply any.omissions unintentionally made by us :

VEGETABLES

Onions —First class —no name. Red Beet—First class—John Paterson, No 2 line. . Carrots, 2 sorts, red and white, splendid specimens—First class—John Paterson. ” Vegetable Marrow —First class —Mr Duthie. v There was a fine lot of cabbages, cauliflowers, and onions shown by James Burns, Swamp, but they came too late to be entered for competition.

FRUIT

12 Pears (Winter Nealis) —First class John Paterson. Do—Second class—W. Williamson. Do—Third class—W. Williamson. 12 Apples (Orange Ripstone)—First class —D. Strachan. Do—Second class—W. Williamson. Do—Third class—D. Strachan. Mr Strachan also exhibited a further collection of beautiful apples, great and small, but which, being for kitchen use,, did not come within the rules for competition Quinces— W. Williamson- (no prize) Bunch of grapes —First class —Alex. Williamson. 3 rock melons —Third class — Ditto . Pomegranate Commended William Aiken. _ t Collection of fruits—Second class—G. Watt.

FLOWERS.

6 Dahlias—First class—Andrew Tod. 3 Fuschias in pots. 3 Petunias in pots —Alex. Williamson. 3 Geraniums in pots. 6 trusses Verbena—Commended —H. C. Field. Achmena—Alex. Williamson. Collection of Roses First class —W. Aiken. Collection of Plants in pot—First class— Alex. Williamson. Collection of cut flowers —Mrs Tod Hand Bouquet First class George Walker. Table Bouquet—First class- Geo Walker. Do— Second class—Miss Mary Laird.

The centre table contained some elegant devices of flowers and ferns, conspicuous among which were a yucca-gloriosa from Mr Alex Williamson, and two pyramids of ferns and mosses by Alex Williamson, jun. At the farther end of the hall was a magnificent Nekau, brought in, we believe, by Mr Strachan. This tree, gorgeous in its symmetry, was admired by all the visitors, and would give a stranger some idea of the growth of our native ferns. Along both sides of the hall were ranged a number of fruits, flowers, and ferns for exhibition only. Mr T. B. Taylor sent a fine magnolia, Mr F. Wiiliamson contributed a large number fruits and flowers, and Mr Edward Churton, the Secretary, a number of magnificent cucumbers, vegetable-marrows, seedling potatoes, pistachio nuts, &c. The hall was open for the afternoon and evening. On the latter occasion, there was actually a rush of visitors, and a band was in attendance.

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. Mr C. W. Dilke, thus discourses in “Greater Britain” on the appearance of the holiday-makers he saw at the Rand wick Racecourse, Sydney :—“ The ladies in the grand stand were scarcely to be distinguished from Englishwomen in dress or countenance, but the crowd presented several curious types. The fitness of the term ‘ corn-stalks ’ applied to the Australian boys, was made evident by a glance at their height and slender build ; they have plenty of activity and health, but are wanting in power and weight. The girls too, are slight and thin ; delicate, without being sickly. Grown men who have emigrated as lads, and lived ten or fifteen years in New Zealand, eating much meat, spending their days in the open air, constantly in the saddle, are burly, bearded, strapping fellows, physically the perfection of the English race, but wanting in refinement and grace of mind, and this apparently by constitution ; not through the accident of occupation or position. In Australia there is a promise of a more intellectual nation. The young Australians ride as well, shoot as well, as the New Zealanders, are as little given to book-learnmg,but there is shrewder intelligence, more wit and quickness, in the sons of the large continent. The Australians boast that they possess the Grecian ciimate, and every young face in the Sydney crowd showed me that their sky is not more like that of the Peloponnesus than they are like the old Athenians. The eager burning demoracy that is springing up in the Australian great towns, is as widely different from the republicanism of the older States of the American Union as it is from the goodnatured conservatism of New Zealand ; and their high capacity for personal enjoyment would of itself suffice to distinguish the Australians from both Americans and British.