THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 219 



remain are symmetrically arranged, so as to produce the semblance of a 

 perfect flower. With other flowers similar practices prevail, according to 

 the rules on which judges usually act. A polyanthus or auricula, con- 

 taining more than a certain number of pips in the truss, is placed below 

 others that have the standard number, supposing other points to be equal ; 

 hence, one of the arts to be studied by the auricula grower, is the 

 removal of pips in such a way that the mutilation will not be apparent ; 

 then the pips themselves are flattened and disposed in an order quite dif- 

 ferent to that in which they were produced ; so that when we praise the 

 exhibitor for his fine stand of flowers, we must not fail to add an 

 enconium for the little pair of scissors, which had so much to do with the 

 development of their perfections. The operation of dressing is even 

 carried so far as the removal of petals, and the insertion of others in 

 their place to make up the requisite number, but there are few men bold 

 enough to own to having done it. Indeed, in the face of avowals, judges 

 could not award prizes for fictitious excellence, and so judges and 

 growers tacitly agree to join in a chorus of " Oh, no, we never men- 

 tion it ! " 



Next month, the chrysanthemum exhibitions will, as they always do, 

 excite the admiration of the flower-loving public, and the praises of 

 floral critics. The chrysanthemum is as much the subject of nefarious 

 practices as the dahlia, and if a simple-minded amateur, who would scorn 

 to impress upon his flowers any other character than that given them by 

 nature and his own cultxxrai skill, chooses to compete against old hands, all 

 he will gain by it is a sense of bewilderment, that the same varieties which 

 he exhibits precisely as he cuts them from the plant, are shown by others 

 in a way which leaves him no hope of success, though intrinsically they 

 may even be of less excellence than his own. First, the eyes are 

 extracted, then the petals are beat inwards with an ivory instrument 

 which nips them firmly without injury, and row after row are operated 

 on in succession till they are all " up," and the flower is exquisitely 

 incurved. This not only alters the form and proportions of the flower, 

 but the colour also, for the backs of the petals only are seen ; hence, as 

 seen on the exhibition table, the flowers are altogether different from 

 those that remain on the very plants from which the dressed samples 

 were cut. A chrysanthemum show, therefore, does not exactly present 

 us with means of contrasting varieties as to their genuine merits as 

 objects of cultivation, but as to their capability of being twisted into 

 extra-natural shapes, according to the fancy and manipulating skill of 

 the exhibitor. Even in inserting the flowers in the metal funnels, a 

 dexterous exhibitor knows how to improve their appearance, according 

 to their several peculiarities, and if a flower does not incurve Avell, he 

 gives it an extra pull, so as to tighten the base of the flower in the neck 

 of the funnel, by which means the petals converge inwards, take the 

 shape which is most prized, and, perhaps, hide an ugly eye, Avhich might, 

 if seen, tell against it in the competition. 



This system is not without its advocates when the subject is thrust 

 into notice, but, as a rule, it is thought advisable to avoid reference to 

 it as much as possible. If it is attended with any benefit, except to those 

 who directly profit by it, why should not the limits of " dressing " be 

 defined, so that we may at any time determine if an exhibitor has 



