February 10. 1906 



HORTICULTURE 



lf.l 



Exhibition Groups 



Any attempt to advise on "The art which doth mend 

 Nature" must necessarily be on broad lines, leaving 

 nice points of detail to the inspiration of the moment, 

 according as individual taste may direct; the plea now- 

 made is for more adequate forethought and prepara- 

 tion with regard to a fixed plan or central idea, around 

 which the material to hand may be most artistically 

 fitted to the best advantage. 



Too little pains are often taken to provide an effec- 

 tive exhibition. Viewed as a whole, there is not seldom 

 an incongruity of separate exhibits, coupled with over- 

 crowding of really good material which defeats the 

 whole purpose in view. Much might be done in this 

 matter by the executive as well as the more effective 

 distribution of specimens for the decoration of the 

 building, but for an ideal place there is no better set- 

 ting than a large conservatory with its hanging creep- 

 ers, tree ferns, palms, etc., minus, of course, gaudy 

 banners and artificial trimmings. There is much to 

 be said for a trade group in a corner or side position 

 in preference to a central place ; less material is re- 

 quired and the whole may be viewed at a glance with 

 greater effect. A good space area being secured, not 

 only the general effect, but the object may be attained 

 of bringing out in bold relief all rare or striking sub- 

 jects either by massing together, or by individual ele- 

 vation or isolation. As a general rule the massing of 

 stiff looking flowering plants is to be commended, giv- 

 ing as it does if they are kept low a suggestion of solid 

 worth and thus securing attention; by these means, 

 combined with a more natural arrangement of foliage 

 plants, the two ideas of solidity and grace may be har- 

 moniously attained; an exception to massing, however, 

 should be made with orchids, as they are best suited to 

 an irregular setting amid greenhouse plants and ferns. 

 An open, light arrangement should bo aimed at, pair- 

 ing and stiffness being broken up as much as possible. 

 At the same time, with the massed groups, a certain 

 conformity to the original outline of the main group, 

 be it either star, oval or irregular, should be adhered 

 to; this repetition in outline of the larger whole, in 

 miniature, may be carried out with fine effect; this 

 uniformity of purpose may be lightly veiled by the in- 

 troduction of a graceful plant into the centre of each 

 group, also of smaller dot plants, standing well up 

 above the rest of the mass of blooms, filling in the in- 

 tervening spaces between each group with a suitable 

 foil of foliage, adapted to each separate group of colors. 

 A fine centre specimen plant is a necessity in a large 

 hall and medium specimens of a more airy character 

 as isolated corner plants may be used, but always any- 

 thing in the way of banking up with foliage plants 

 should be avoided except in the way of filling to hide 

 stools, pots, etc. The main outline should be irregular 

 with jutting points and scalloped curves, and on the 

 outside tiny groups of anything choice, the whole being 

 neatly edged with fresh mountain moss. Much might 

 be said of color blending, but as a general rule violent 

 contrasts should be avoided; let graduation between 

 extremes be the rule, adapting also the foliage plants 

 to the flowering with this end in view. 



Cards should he small and neatly, yet plainly writ- 

 ten and attached to thin, green-painted sticks ; every- 

 thing required should be carefully thought out before- 

 hand and noted on paper; nothing must be left to 

 chance. If a suitable place can be found the whole 

 group may be set up beforehand and packed in vans 

 in the order required ; nothing leads to confusion when 



time is limited like waiting for a needful item or look- 

 ing for it among the general disorder. 



These are a few hints and general rules which make 

 for success; promptness, forethought, order and a plan 

 will carry a man far, but if one lacks the fine insight 

 for shape, tone and adaptation, then opportunities for 

 creating and linking together nice points of detail, may 

 be missed. It is said the true artist is born, not made, 

 but if the love of beauty is within, experiment, patient 

 application and experience will bring one to the knowl- 

 edge of what is natural and what is best. 



(£>djQ,Q\ 



m 



\>VJlAw 



Winter Flowering Sweet Peas 



Editor HORTICULTURE: 



A few weeks since I saw a short article on Sweet Peas 

 in Winter by William Sim (from HORTICULTURE) given 

 in the Journal of Horticulture, of London. As I was ex- 

 periencing the difficulty mentioned of getting the ordinary 

 summer varieties to bloom now, I am writing to you to see 

 if Mr. Sim will give a little more information, and say 

 what are the varieties that will bloom during autumn and 

 winter, about what heat he recommends for them, and any 

 other particulars he may think necessary to grow them 

 well. Should he be willing to contribute a further article 

 on the subject, it will be appreciated. I am, dear sir, 

 Yours truly, 



D. ARKELL. 



Sussex, England. 



Editor Horticulture: 



In answer to your inquiry of the 22nd with enclosed 

 letter, the following notes may be of some benefit to 

 your correspondent. The varieties I have grown for 

 autumn and winter flowering are as follows: Burpee's 

 Earliest of All, Burpee's Sunbeams, Mont Blanc, Christ- 

 mas White, Christmas Pink, Christmas Bed and Flor- 

 ence Denzer. 



Mr. Zvolanek of Bound Brook, N. J., who is a sweet 

 pea specialist in winter blooming varieties, sent me 

 some new varieties on trial. These include a great va- 

 nejv of colors, the best noted being the color of Cath- 

 erine Tracy, and some fine purples. Burpee is now 

 sending out Earliest White, habit being similar to Ear- 

 liest of All. This will undoubtedly be a fine addition. 



It will be seen in a short time the winter blooming 

 varieties will be as varied in their color as the sum- 

 mer-flowering varieties, and the quality of blooms will 

 simply outclass the present summer-flowering varie- 

 ties. Perhaps it may not be out of place to state that 

 my peas are now in full crop, Earliest of All and 

 Christmas now standing 10 feet high with blooms from 

 base to top. Mont Blanc now stands 12 feet high, and 

 is a mass of bloom. This variety looks as if an addi- 

 tional four feet of vine will be added before this crop 

 is finished, which will be about May 1st. With vines 

 twelve to sixteen feet in height it will be seen that high 

 and light houses are best adapted to the sweet peas in 

 winter" The rows are five feet apart. A night tem- 

 perature of 50 degrees with a rise of 10 to 15 degrees 

 through the day in bright weather has been the rule. 



sVWsCtc&<uz- £Z^U_ 



Cliftondale, Mass. 



