THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 219 



way of plain speaking in some quarters, and that there is some amount of 

 danger in exposing a system in which so many ha^^e a community of inte- 

 rests. Wc, who stand apart from such things, can look on and make 

 observations independently ; and we should prefer to incur the displeasure 

 of every exhibitor in the three kingdoms, rather than fail in the trust 

 reposed in us by a large and increasing circle of supporters. But we know 

 that the majority of those who show dahlias and chrysanthemums would 

 gladly be emancipated from requirements that come accompanied with 

 unpleasant musings as to right and wrong, and would gladly abandon a 

 system in which they accj^uiesce on the insufficient plea that " whatever 

 is, is right." The expertness acquired by a certain number of exhibitors, 

 fires the rest with emulation instead of evoking an indifferent remonstrance, 

 and so long as there are buyers at high prices, for flowers that have no 

 fame beyond that acquired on the exhibition-table, florists will continue 

 to vie with milliners and hairdressers in all the little arts that belong to 

 false adornment. If chrysanthemums can be shown on a foot of stem, why 

 cannot dahlias be shown on stout branches with leaves, buds, and flowers 

 in situ ? 



Ezhibitors who are wedded to existing usages, will, of course, vote the 

 proposition to be absurd ; but if we can ciit a branch from a plant in our 

 own gardens, why should not such a branch stand up in honest competi- 

 tion for its proper share of a hundred guineas ? Look at a flower of Lady 

 Popham, which rarely requires even to be touched ; it is so perfect in form, 

 such a capital centre, the colour is so clear and delicate, there is nothing 

 to beat it in its class. But put beside the cut flower, a branch, with, say, 

 three blooms on it, from tlie same plant, and in an instant you sec that it 

 is fit for showing only when cut, for the blooms are too heavy for the stem, 

 and they all hang down with their faces to the earth, so that you rarely see 

 anything but its outer circumference. Treat Jupiter in the same way. 

 "When you cut it, it is perhaps the noblest tipped flower ever raised, its 

 boldness and brilliancy entitle it to a royal name ; but he would be a fortu- 

 nate man Avho could cut a branch with even three true flowers on it ; 

 and if fairly cut, there would be at least two windmill blossoms, with 

 large open orange centres, and very ill-arranged petals of a respectable 

 maroon colour. Then what a gaunt sky-rocket style of growth it has, as 

 if it would hurl its blossoms to the sky either in shame at their falsity, 

 or to call down the fiery responses of the father of the gods. Take Lord 

 Palmerston, again, which though lai'ge, even to coarseness, is a grand 

 flower when "well shown;" it will always fiumish blooms that need no 

 fingering, but there will be plenty left behind with hard green centres, 

 and its habit is such that it ought to range Avith Jupiter in a back row, 

 out of reach of close criticism. For one dahlia possessing as good a habit 

 as Royal Scarlet, which grows as symmetrically as any of its race, and 

 holds up its well-shaped, well-coloured blossoms, so that not a single one 

 is hidden, and there need be neither disbudding nor disleafing, we have 

 hundreds that charmed the eye on show-tables and afterwards disgusted 

 it in the garden. The raiser of an unexeeptionably good thing, is entitled 

 to a substantial reward; and if the public could depend on the lonA fides 

 of what they see at exhibitions, there Avould be more profit realized by 

 the sale of the few than is now attained by the vending of all the wortli- 

 less novelties -with which we are flooded from year to year. A mere 

 comparison of catalogues will prove that scarcely one flower in ten holds 



