96 



FOREIGN NOTICES. 



Horticultural Society's Exhibitions. — If 

 there is one feature of these great exhibitions that 

 is more worthy than another of provincial imita- 

 tion, it is the strict adherence to the rules and 

 regulations laid down for their conduct. It has 

 often been our lot to witness the bad effects of the 

 contrary practice at country shows: subjects ad- 

 mitted after the hour had passed for their recep- 

 tion; tents not cleared of exhibitors at the time 

 appointed; and everything thrown into disorder, 

 from want of carrying out, at every cost, the 

 printed laws for their regulation. If the commit- 

 tees would but act firmly in every case, those ex- 

 hibitors who, from indolence or neglect, were 

 properly excluded, would be more careful for the 

 future, and would make their arrangements ac- 

 cordingly. But to our immediate work, — a de- 

 scription of the preliminaries to the Chiswick ex- 

 hibition. The Gardens are part of the Duke of 

 Devonshire's Chiswick estate, and consist of 33 

 acres; the portion occupied by the exhibition, and 

 laid down in Grass, planted with an extensive 

 variety of plants and shrubs, is about 9 acres. 

 To the Garden there are three entrances: the 

 principal one from the carriage-road, leading from 

 Turnham Green to the Duke's mansion ; another 

 from off the Green itself, leading immediately to 

 the Council-room; and a third, the carter's en- 

 trance, by which alone all the objects for exhibi- 

 tion are received. As we enter the Council- 

 room, we pass the great conservatory, as repre- 

 sented in the right of the woodcut (vol. i. p. ISO), 

 and then reach a tent, 173 feet long, and 33 feet 

 wide; to the left of that another is erected, 225 

 feet long and 30 wide ; and immediately at the 

 end of this is another, known as the iron tent, 100 

 feet long and 25 w r ide, running straight for a part 

 of its length, and then expanding into a half-circle, 

 25 feet radius, for the exhibition of the large col- 

 lections of miscellaneous plants. At right angles 

 with this is the remaining tent, 75 feet long, and 

 25 feet wide. All of them are divided down the 

 middle by a sufficiently high partition to make a 

 suitable back for the plants arranged on either 

 side. Our usual time for being at the Gardens is 

 about 6 o'clock a. m., and we enter at the carters' 

 entrance. From the different roads leading on to 

 the Green, vans of various constructions, with as 

 various coverings, are seen wending their way to 

 the general rendezvous. Each exhibitor, as he 

 enters, signs adelaration of what he is intending 

 to exhibit, and in what class; and until he does 

 this, his productions are not allowed to proceed 

 to the place of unloading. Before this rule was 

 established, it was not unfrequent for an exhibitor 

 to make himself acquainted with the strength of 

 an opponent, and then enter the lists accordingly. 

 We will, however, leave the van-road, and taking 

 a footpath through a part of the gardens contain- 

 ing the glass erections, we reach the tents. Here 

 are to be seen plants standing about in all direc- 

 tions; gardeners busy arranging them in places 

 pointed out by one of the Society's officers ap- 



pointed to this duty; laborers with hand-barrows, 

 carrying the contents of the vans to the different 

 exhibitors; persons are to be seen moving about 

 in all directions, with choice specimens under their 

 arms; and a multitude of gardeners, not exhibit- 

 ors, walking about and examining the different 

 plants, a privilege granted them upon the under- 

 standing that they move amongst them carefully, 

 and keep out of the exhibitors' way. It is a most 

 interesting sight to watch how all the confusion 

 of beauty gradually assumes the most admirable 

 forms of arrangement ; no noise, no bustle, nothing 

 to indicate that the smallest difficulty exists. 

 Each exhibitor, as he gets his collection arranged, 

 goes to a place appropriated to this purpose, 

 where several clerks, in answer to his application, 

 supply him with cards on which the necessary let- 

 ters are written, with which he returns to the 

 tent, where a person who performs this duty tacks 

 them down upon the stage in front of his collection. 

 It is to be remembered that all the plants are se- 

 cured for travelling safely, and consequently that, 

 as they are arranged, all extra supports have to 

 be removed; cotton-wool, &c, that has been 

 placed to prevent injury to the flowers in their 

 transit, is also taken away, and everything that 

 detracts from their beauty. The litter made in 

 doing this is swept up and removed by persons 

 appointed to the service ; and the exhibitor, after 

 arranging all his plants, taking a look to see that 

 all is as it should be, goes in search of ' the 

 Doctor.' Professor Lindley, the Vice-Secretary 

 of (he Horticultural Society, is early on the ground, 

 and, moving about in all directions, sees that 

 everything is going on properly; he is also at 

 hand to refer to in cases of difficulty respecting 

 the arrangement of plants. As the day advances, 

 he generally takes a place where he is readily 

 found. The exhibitor goes to him and asks for 

 tickets : these are of two kinds, — the one for break- 

 fast, the other for admission when the grounds are 

 thrown open for the visitors at 1 o'clock. Regu- 

 lar and well-known exhibitors are supplied with 

 both forthwith; toothers the questions are put, 

 ' What have you brought?' If important enough 

 to merit tickets, the additional question is asked, 

 ' Are they arranged?' If they are, the tickets 

 are given; if not, they are refused until that is 

 done. If the matters brought for exhibition are 

 unimportant, tickets are not granted. By the 

 time all the plants are arranged, it is full half-past 

 9, and men are seen sweeping out all the tents, 

 gathering the litter together and removing it; 

 and before the principal exhibitors have had a look 

 at the general features of the whole, it is 10 o'- 

 clock, and a body of policemen, commencing at 

 the further extremity, courteously say as much, 

 requesting everybody to leave the grounds; and 

 scarcely have they done this, ere the judges are 

 seen entering in another direction to perform their 

 important duties. But we will go out with the 

 party with which we entered; and in doing so, 

 outside the garden- wall, but within the Society's 



