THE FLORIST. 225 



OUR GREAT EXHIBITIONS. 



The exhibitions of the Horticultural Society of London and 

 of the Royal Botanic Society having closed for the season, 

 we are inclined to offer a few remarks for the consideration 

 of fellows and exhibitors ; and shall feel satisfied if we draw 

 their attention to one or two points which, in our opinion, 

 require it. 



And first, why should there not be a greater exhibition 

 of flowers in general cultivation ? If the bringing together 

 of any particular variety in competition for prizes be promo- 

 tive of superior cultivation and improvement, — and all will 

 acknowledge it has this effect, — then we say it is worthy of 

 the Council of the Horticultural Society to consider how far 

 flowers the most generally cultivated can be made the objects 

 of exhibition. There is nothing satisfactory to us in being 

 told, that if you have flowers shewn which can be brought from 

 any poor man's garden, you will have a class of exhibitors that 

 cannot be tolerated. It should be our aim to effect improve- 

 ment in exhibitors as well as in their productions, and nothing 

 will tend so much to raise the conduct and feelings of our humble 

 floricultural friends, as being brought into contact with exhi- 

 bitors whose conduct is above reproach. Our memory reminds 

 us of much which w r as objectionable that once passed at Chis- 

 wick, which would not be borne now for a moment; and 

 which is better forgotten, since powerful rules and more 

 powerful examples have effected a cure. We wish also to 

 place the subject in another point of view. It may be held 

 as a rule, that whatever we take an interest in must be at- 

 tractive ; consequently, if there was a display of objects the 

 most generally cultivated, it would add to the number of in- 

 terested visitors to our exhibitions. And these objects should 

 be all placed together. Many, whose time is short, and who 

 attend not for the company or the music, or to idle away a 

 leisure hour agreeably, but for the sake of information, want, 

 like the Athenians of old, to hear of new things, and to see 

 them too. It is a great error to have them scattered about 

 without any proper arrangement. A man need have the 

 energy of a fox-hunter to discover them as they have been 

 placed latterly at the shows of both Societies. 



A rule also should be adopted of Nurserymen and Ama- 

 teurs always exhibiting in separate classes, except in new 

 plants or seedlings. We are frail creatures, and have our 

 weaknesses, and amongst them is a dislike to being beaten by 



VOL. II. no. xxi. s 



