PETERSFIELD.
Agent—MR G. DUPLOCK
HORTICULTURAL SHOW.—This annual exhibition took place on Wednesday last. It had been originally fixed for the 28th of August, but owing to the lateness of the harvest, and with a view to meet the convenience of the cottagers (for whose benefit the society was mainly established), the committee determined to postpone it until the above-named day which, as far as regards the weather, proved just one day too late. It had been fine up to Tuesday night, when the rain began to fall in torrents, and Wednesday morning opened most unpropitiously, the rain pouring down almost without cessation during the whole of the time the articles were being got together. But notwithstanding this serious drawback, the show was, upon the whole, a very satisfactory one; and, as the weather cleared up in the afternoon, there was nearly the average attendance of visitors, although we missed several upon the whole, a very satisfactory one and, as the weather cleared up in the afternoon, there was nearly the average attendance of visitors, although we missed several of the principal families in the neighbourhood, whose presence we had noticed on former occasions. The show took place, as usual, in the National School-room, the boys’ and girls’ departments being appropriated to the cottagers of the ‟Hill District” and the ‟Extras,” and the infants’ room to the cottagers of the ‟Valley District.” The whole show of vegetables from both districts was good, and the competition remarkably close—so close, indeed, that the judges had great difficulty in several cases in awarding the prizes, and we noticed no less than 14 lots marked ‟equal.” The principal contributors to the ‟extra” department were the following:—Mr. Atkinson, greenhouse plants; Mr. Adams, greenhouse plants and cut flowers; the Misses Appleton, cut flowers; Mr. Bailey, cut flowers; Mr. Dusautoy, greenhouse plants, cut flowers, cucumbers, melons, and grapes; Mr. Jonning, cut flowers; Mr. Lucy, cucumbers, collection of fruit, and apples; Mr. Mitchell, greenhouse plants, cut flowers, collection of fruit, black grapes, peaches, pears, and cucumbers. Mr. Whicher, fuschias, apples, pears, and cucumbers; Mr. Atkinson also contributed a dish of fine apples of last year’s growth, which were commended by the judges and generally admired. The group was tastefully garnished with clusters of new hops. Besides the above (which were all from the town), Mr. Duncan exhibited, as usual, a choice array of fruits from the rich stores of Basing-park, the seat of J. Martineau, Esq., among which were some fine specimens of Pound’s seedling plum and Reine Claude de Bonony, a beautiful white nectarine, Hunt’s early tawny and two fine hybrid Persian melons, also a tray of beautiful grapes, which were described as having been ‟cut from vines which are now ripening their second crop, the first crop having been cut in January and February.” We hardly need state that Mr. Duncan did not exhibit for competition. The following is a list of the awards:—
COTTAGER’S PRIZES. VALLEY DISTRICT.
Parsnips—1st, James Lock, Buriton; 2nd, John Prior, Harting; 3rd. James Blunden, Buriton.
Kidney Potatoes—1st. Edward Boobyer, Sheet; 2nd. William Hobbs, Petersfield; 3rd. Charles Pook, Petersfield.
Round Potatoes—1st, David White, Sheet; 2nd, Henry Pretty, Buriton; 3rd, John Prior, Harting, and Thomas Porter, Drovers, equal.
Onions—1st, Hannah Pay, Rogate, and Mary Pay, Rogate, equal; 2nd, Sarah Cook, Sheet; 3rd, William Carter, Harting
French beans—1st, Daniel Cook, Sheet; 2nd, Charles Pook, Petersfield, and Henry Mariner, Nursted, equal.
Cabbage—1st, Henry Osgood, Petersfield; 2nd, William Hobbs, Petersfield; Hannah Pay, Rogate, extra.
Cabbage (Savoy)—George Purday, Eastmeon.
Cabbage (Red)-Ann Pook, Nursted, and Hannah Pay, Rogate, equal.
Turnips—1st, Henry Pretty, Buriton; 2nd, John Prior, Harting, and William Carter, Harting, equal.
Carrots—1st, John Prior, Harting; 2nd, James Chitty, Harting; 3rd Hannah Pay, Rogate.
Leeks—William Carter, Harting.
Vegetable Marrow—Thomas Porter, Drovers.
Lettuce—Hannah Pay, Rogate.
Collection of fruit—1st, Henry Mariner, Nursted; 2nd, Ann Pook, Nursted; 3rd, Sarah Stevens, Buriton.
COTTAGERS' PRIZES.—HILL DISTRICT.
Parsnips—George Baker, Sunwood.
Kidney Potatoes—1st, William Underwood, Froxfield; 2nd, James Redman, Sunwood, and Eli Underwood, Froxfield, equal; 3rd (extra), William Powell, Stoner-hill.
Round Potatoes—1st, James Redman, Sunwood; 2nd, George Cannings, Stoner-hill, and William Powell, Stoner-hill, equal; 3rd, Eli Underwood, Froxfield.
Onions—1st, George Cannings, Stoner-hill; 2nd, William Powell, Stoner-hill.
French beans—1st, George Cannings, Stoner-hill; 2nd, Eli Underwood, Froxfield, and WillIam Powell, Stoner-hill, equal; 3rd, George Baker, Sunwood.
Cabbage—1st, George Holmes, Gravel-hill; 2nd, Thomas Cannings, Froxfield.
Cabbage (Savoy)—EIi Underwood, Froxfield; William Powell, Stoner-hill (extra).
Turnips—1st, Eli Underwood, Froxfield; 2nd, Thomas Cannings, Froxfield, and William Powell, Stoner-hill, equal.
Carrots—1st, George Holmes, Gravel-hill; 2nd, George Cummings, Stoner-hill.
Lettuce—George Cannings, Stoner-hill.
Peas—William Underwood, Froxfield, extra.
COTTAGERS’ PRIZES—HILL AND VALLEY
Honey—1st, Daniel Cook, Sheet; 2nd, George Holmes, Gravel-hill; 3rd, George Purday, Eastmeon.
Cut Flowers—1st, George Purday, Eastmeon; 2nd, Mary Pay, Rogate; 3rd, Hannah Pay, Rogate.
EXTRA PRIZES.
Greenhouse Plants—1st, Mr. Dusautoy, Petersfield.
Cut Flowers—William Budd, Gardner to Mr. Mitchell.
Collection of Fruit—William Budd, Gardner to Mr. Mitchell.
The prizes for achimenes, geraniums, fuchsias, grapes, peaches, and pears were also awarded to William Budd.
Apples—James Smith, Gardner to Mr. Small, Petersfield.
Balsams—Mr. Dusautoy.
Melon—Mr. Dusautoy.
Cucumbers—Samuel Curtis, Gardner to Mr. Whicher.
In the unavoidable absence of the president of the society, the Rev. J. M. Sumner, owing to the death of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, the usual address at the distribution of prizes was delivered by the Rev. M. A. Smelt. The judges were Mr. Duncan, of Basing-park, and Mr. Young, of Milford. Number of exhibitors, 58; number of lots exhibited, 224.