MASTERTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 101, 6 March 1879, Page 2

MASTERTON HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

AUTUMN SHOW. The Autumn Show of the Society was held in the Town Hall, Masterton, yesterday, and was more successful than could reasonably have been' anticipated. The committee of the Society have not latterly been very active, and some members of it apparently altogether omitted of late to give that support to it which might reasonably have been expected. However, there was :i residue of members who proved true to their office, and to whom the success of yesterday's Show is mainly due. The number of judges this time was very limited ; out of twelve who were elected only four were present, and though there are nearly twenty names on the general committee but two, Messrs Vile and Everett, were in attendance to stage and go round with the judges. Still, with the assistance of Mr James Brown, the Secretary, who is thoroughly up in his work, things went smoothly, and there was no ground for grumbling or discontent. Yesterday's Show will be memorable for its exhibits of fruit and vegetables, which, taken as a whole, were far in advance of any previous display. Pot plants were few in prober and of not more than average excellence; Mr Murray's collection of ferns in this class was, however, very generally admired, and thp pressed ferns exhibited by Mrs McCardle were very beautiful. Out flowers wero few but very nice, the children's bouquets beingspecially worthy of attention. Mr Murray's decorated va3o was very beautiful, and Mrs Compton deserved great credit for a pretty bouquet of native flowers. The fruits were very fine, the peaches and apples being splendid, and almost every class being well represented. Of the vegetables it is impossible to spoak too highly. Carrots and parsnips were specially deserving of praise, and the cauliflowers were simply magnificent. Some extra exhibits in this class deserve notice—viz., Turk Cap gourds, shown by Mr Wilton; artichokes, by MrDuck; and citrons, by Mr Crewe, Mr Vallance and Mr Gapper

too entered, for exhibitiononly, some very fmo specimens,of gourds. The display of farm produce was insignificant, being confined to exhibits mado by Messrs Drummond, Vilo, and- Stone. Better prizes should bo offered to attract exhibits of this character. Among the odd exhibits we noticed a fine case of stuffed birds, shown by Mrs Compton, and a particu'.urly ugly but curious bird (the Laughing fackass of Australia) shown by Mr 11. 6. Williams. Gold fish in a miniature founI tain were exhibited by Messrs Garcliior and Prontice, and a splendid hive of honey shown by Mr Hoar attracted much attention.

Farming produce was judged by Messrs T. Chamberlain and Harding; all other exhibits by Messrs Bagge, McLeod, and J. H. Corbett.

We must not forget to allude to a special feature o? the show, a beautiful collection of hmorlalles, for which the Society was indebted to Mrs McCardle. In many instances exhibits were highly commended which would have been awarded first prizes had there been competition in tho classes where they occurred.

There was a satisfactory attendance of visitors both in the afternoon and evening. The Masterton String Band added much to the pleasure of visitors in the evening, by playing a selection of airs. The following is the prize list : Class 1 .—Pol Plants. Fuscliias—Murray, 1; Compton, 2. Four entries, Fnschia—Highly commended, Compton, Geraniums—Compton, 1; Vile, higldy commended, Two entries, Do Bi-color—Compton, 1; Compton, highly commended, Do Tri-color—Compton, 1; Yile, highly commended. Two entries. Do Ivy-leaved—Compton, 1; Wilton, 2, Two entries. Begonias—Murray, highly commended, Ericas Wilton, highly commended, Cockscombs—Murray, ). Stove or Greenhouse Plants—Murray, 1; Yile, highly commended, Two entries. Best collection Pot Plants, not less than 12— Compton, 1; Vile, 2, Two entries. Best new or rare Plant, not previously exhibited in Masterton—Vile-1; Wilton, highly commended, Three entries, Best collection of Ferns in pots or pressed, or pressed, varieties named—Murray, 1; McCardle, special prize. Three entries, Class ll.—Cut Flowers. Dahlias, varieties—Wickeiiden, highly commended. Stocks—McCardle, highly commended. Hand Bouquet, not to exceed six inches— McCardle, 1; Compton, 2, Three entries.

Table Bouquet, not to exceed 10 inches—l'obt, Donald, 1; Compton, 2. Two en-

trios, Best decorated Epcrgne or Vase—Murray, 1; Compton, special. Two entries.

General collection of Cut Flowers, not less than 12, single stalks, each separate— Compton, I; Duck, 2. Three entries. Best G-inch Hand Bouquet made in tho room by boy or girl under IG—James McCardie, 1; Jane Donald, 2. Tl'vce entries. Class 111. Fruits. Filberts—McLeod, highly commended, Walnuts-Murray, 1; Prentice, 2, Two en-

tries; Peaches—Compton, 1; E, Johnson, 2. Five

entries. Nectarines—Campbell, 1 and liighlycommcnded, Two entries. Plums—Mrs J. Welch, 1; McCardlc, 2, Three entries. Pears—Murray, 1. Quinces—McCardle, highly commended. Plate Brambles—Prentico, highly commen-

ded. Hothouse Grapes—Perry, 1; Murray, highly commended, Two entries, Outdoor Grapes—Drummond, I; Perry, 2,

Three entries. Apples, Dessert (four varieties)—McCardle, 1; Prentice, 2. Six entries. Apples, Culinary—McCardle, 1 and 2. Ten entries, The best three Apples in the room—Points of judgment: 1. Keeping quality; 2. Beauty. 3. Flavor; 4, Hiiape—K Johnson, 1; McCardle, 2. Four entries. Cuss IV.—Vegetables. Cucumbers—Corapton, highly commended. Cabbages, fit for table—Everett, 1 and 2. Five entries. Cauliflowers—Wickenden, 1 and 2, Three entries, Heads Celery—Fitzgerald, 1 and 2. Three entries, Beets—li; Donald, 1; Vile, 2. Five entries. Parsnips—Fitzgerald, 1; E. Donald, 2, Nine entries. Turnips—Campbell, 1; Fitzgerald, 2. Six entries. Carrots (Table) —T. Duck, 1 and 2. Fourteen entries. Peas—Stone, 1 and 2, Six entries. French Beans—Stone, 1; Vile,' 2, Runner Benns—Wickenden, 1; Johnston, 2. lilmbarb—Everett, 1; Stone, 2, Eight entries, Tomatos—Murray, 1; Gardner, 2. Eight entiies, Vegetable Marrows—Stone, 1 and 2. Ten entries, Onions (best keeping)— Gardner, 1 and 2, Ten entries. Potatoes (kidney)— Prentice, 1; Campbell, 2; Stone, highly commended, Eight entries. Potatoes (round)— Prentice, I; Duck, 2, Four entries. Best collection Potatoes, naming varietiesStone, 1; Fitzgerald, 2, Six entries, Best collection Vegetables—Wickenden, 1; Fitzgerald, 2; Compton, highly commended. Four entries, Best collection Gourds—Stone, 1 and 2. Class Y,—Farm Produce. Oats—J, Drummond, 1 and 2. Two entries, Wheat—J, Drummond, 1 and 2. Two entries, Carrots (heaviest)— Vile, highly commended, Mangold Wurzel—Stone, highly commended. Linseed—Drummond, highly commended,