HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS

Royal Horticultural Society. — The fruit and chrysanthemum show of the Royal Horticultural was held on the 11th inst. The prizes were liberal and numerous, amounting to about two hundred pounds, spread over sixty classes; and the show was worthy of the occasion and the skill of British horticulturists. Neither was it confined to the latter, for one of the most imposing features of the exhibition were the magnificent dishes and collections of Channel Islands apples and pears. As the latter have a class for themselves at nearly all our agricultural shows, it is even more necessary that they should also form a distinct class at horticultural exhibitions, inasmuch as climate is one of the most potent factors in production. As it was, the Jersey growers, as was to be expected in an open competition, swept off the lion’s share of the prizes, to the disappointment of many British pomologists of great ability, who could hardly be expected to win handicapped by the obvious drawbacks of their climate. There was a magnificent display of apples and pears, numbering about fifteen hundred dishes. The pears were wonderfully large, and of more than average quality. The gold and silver medals for the best eighteen dishes, of which six collections were shown, were both awarded Jersey growers — M. F. Langlois, of St. Heliers, and Mr. G. Pluck. There were ten collections of six varieties each, and the prize takers were: First, Mr. G. Thomas, Jersey; second, Mr. G. Pluck; third, Mr. Mills, gardener to Lord Carrington. Twenty-three competitors showed three varieties each. Mr. Thomas was again first in this class, followed by Mr. G. Pluck, and Mr. Tiney, gardener, Bagots, St. Saviours. For a single dish of Marie Louise Mr. G. Clarke, gardener, Writtle, Chelmsford, was first. The best Duchesse d’Angoulême came from Mr. Coles, gardener, The Chesnuts, Twickemham, and Mr. Page, Asbridge. The best Doyenne di Cornice came from Jersey, and were shown by Messrs. Thomas and Pluck. Mr. Thomas was also first for Doyenne Boussoch, and Mr. Thor took the highest honours for a dish of any other variety, with six Chaumontels, weighing exactly a pound and a half apiece. Among the finest pears in the collection were Beurré Clairgeau, Beurré Diel, Beurré Rance, Beurré Bachelier, Doyenne Sterckman, Beurré Gris d’Hiver, and all the varieties already named in the single dishes. A striking feature of the exhibition of pears was the frequency with which the same varieties appeared in the different collection. Stewing pears were represented by the two magnificent varieties Catillac and Uvedale’s St. Germain, which were shown in fine condition and unusual weight by Messrs. Thomas, Pluck, Boss, Tiney, Sheiler, Scott, Miles. For the heaviest pears of any variety, the Rev. Brehaut, Richmond House, Guernsey, took the first prize with six specimens of Uvedale’s St. Germain, the produce of one cordon, weighing 19lb. 13oz. The half dozens of Catillacs ranged from 7½lb. to 12½lb., and of the Uvedale’s St. Germain’s in their own class from 13lb. 5oz. to 14lb. 13oz. The apples were more numerous, and of equally high quality as the pears. There were no fewer than ten collections of twenty-four varieties each, and the two medals went, the gold to Mr. Pluck, of New-street, Jersey, and the silver to Mr. Thomas, of Burnard-street, Jersey. Messrs. Miles, Scott, Wells, and others, also showed remarkably well in this large class, and nearly every collection was so meritorious as to deserve a prize, and it seemed a pity that at least four prizes were not given instead of two. For six dishes eighteen collections were shown, and here an English grower, Mr. Chas. Ross, gardener to C. Eyre, Esq., Hillford Park, Newbury, placed Mr. Pluck second, and the third prize went to Messrs. G. and J. Lane, St. Mary’s Cray, Kent. Twenty-four lots of these dishes were exhibited, and Mr. Bannister, gardener, Cote House, Westbury-on-Tyne, and Mr. Miles, gardener to Lord Carrington, 2nd. Of single dishes, there were seventeen of Cox’s Orange Pippin. Mr. Miller, gardener to J. F. Friend, of Margate, being first, closely followed by Messrs. Roes, Gardiner, Shirly, &c.

Although Mr Pluck is identified as Mr G Pluck I suspect that this is a mistake and that
he is actually James Pluck, [PL 1430] who can be found in Tree 1005.