220 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



disqualified himself by carrying the operation a little too far ? If it is 

 difficult to define what constitutes a bona fide preparation of flowers for 

 exhibition, what guarantee have the public that they Avill not be imposed 

 itpon in making selections from subjects exhibited ? Are we to give the 

 prize to the most expert and patient cultivator, or to the man who is 

 most clever with the pliers ? Are we to understand that if we see a new 

 flower and determine to add it to our stock, perhaps, at a very high 

 price, we are first to pluck it from its bed of moss and tube of water and 

 cut it in pieces to see whether it is a real thing or a dressed up sham ? 

 When the expenditure of large sums of money turns on the possession 

 by the subject of the purchase, of certain qualities which were conveyed 

 to it by sleight of hand, and which it never possessed inherently, is the 

 sale an honest one or a fraud ? These are grave questions, and some day 

 they will have to be answered. Possibly no code of rules will ever 

 suffice to determine how far a man may improve the appearance of an 

 object intended for exhibition, but that is no plea for winking at practices 

 which are carried so far as to disgrace floriculture, and render it, in at 

 least one of its aspects, a trap for the unwary. 



The September Show at the Crystal Palace was as gay as any that have 

 been held there this season, and far surpassed the autumn show at the same 

 place last year. The several classes of plants were most artistically staged ; 

 stove and greenhouse specimens were abundant and fine, and the stands of 

 fruit exhibited samples such as were never excelled at any time in the history of 

 exhibitions. A good feature was the profusion of bedding -plants, though the 

 exhibition of these in pots is hardly a fair way of testing their merits. In the 

 section of variegated plants the most notable were Farfugium grande, of which 

 there were many fine specimens; Berberis furcata, evidently an admirable thing 

 for pot-culture, and Veronica variegata, the latter shown by Mr. Page, gardener 

 to W. Leaf, Esq., of Streatham. The Ferns and Lycopods were exquisitely 

 beautiful, and alone worth the visit of any who would divest their minds of 

 the necessity of colour as an element of vegetable beaut}'. Mr. Sim, of Foot's 

 Cray, took the first prize with Lastrea filix mas, var. palacea ; Athyrium filix 

 femina, var. multifidum ; Athyrium filix femina crispum ; ditto depauperatum, 

 Scolopendrium vulgare, digitatum, undulatum, lobatum, laceratum, &c, all 

 cheap and easily grown varieties brought to such perfection as, perhaps, 

 was never equalled before. The prize of £5 5s., offered by Mr. Stainton, 

 for the best collection of 20 British ferns, was won by Mr. Baillie, gardener 

 to W. C. Carbonell, Esq. ; Mr. Baillie was also first in the amateurs' section 

 for Exotic ferns, and Mr. Veitch first among nurserymen. In this section 

 Mr. Sim exhibited a splendid plant of Nephrodium molle corymbiferum, a 

 new fern, of which we give an engraving in the present number. Selagi- 

 nellas or Lycopods were shown in great numbers, and in rare beauty : the 

 first prize was awarded to Mr. Burney, of Stratford. Cut flowers, generally 

 were good. Mr. Chater took first prize for hollyhocks, and Mr. Paul second. 

 Cut roses looked very fresh, and stood well till late in the day. Among the 

 nurserymen, the order of the honours was Paul, Francis, Mitchell and Lane. 

 Among amateurs the order was Mr. Hudson, Mr. Blake, Mr. Terry, and Mr. 

 Hollingsworth. The Dahlias were a magnificent spectacle, and, as arranged 

 on a long stage, told with immense effect on the eyes of visitors. Mr. Turner 

 took first prize for fifty old sorts, Mr. Keynes second. For twenty-four blooms 

 the order of the honours was Mr. Dodds, Mr. Charles Fellowes, Mr. G. 

 Holmes, Mr. Grant, Mr. Barnard, Mr. Leslie and Mr. Derry. Mr. Keynes 

 stood first in fancy Dahlias. There were some promising Seedling Dahlias, 

 but as a whole, this class was poor. We noted the following as likely to prove of 



