32 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[January, 



[It is singular that so many should take it for' full name purposely, that they may not be charged 

 granted there is but one " P. " in the world. with using the columns of a public journal in mere 



The paper was written by one of our English I advertising interest, 

 correspondents, and we always take it for granted i We suppose leading seedsmen have or will have 

 that when a writer fixes an initial and not the full ' the seeds to offer. These are the ones to write to, 

 name, the reason is that he does not desire corres- but not the editor — as our correspondent suggests 

 pondence about the matter. Hundreds of people [ — who, as editor, knows nothing of advertisers. — 

 write solely for the public good, and without their Ed. G. M.] 



Horticultural Societies. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Discriminative Premiums.— Over and over 

 again we have suggested a reform of the manner 

 in which premiums are given at horticultural soci- 

 eties. They lose half their value to the receiver 

 because no one knows why they receive them. 

 The public does not care to be told that Primus 

 had the first premium for cauliflower, or Secundus 

 for beets. It cares a great deal more to know what 

 the premium articles looked like, and we feel cer- 

 tain that modern horticultural societies, which in 

 many cases are now dragging along a iniserable 

 existence, will never revive till they do something 

 to bring widely before the public the real merits of 

 the successful exhibits. 



The Germantown (Phila.) Horticultural Society 

 was first founded on the old plan ; but it got down 

 so low that it became entangled, as it seemed hope- 

 lessly, in debt. It could not even pay the premi- 

 ums it promised, and even these premiums were 

 scarcely thought worthy of being competed for 

 by good horticulturists, whether professional or 

 amateur. At last scarcely a score of persons at- 

 tended the monthly meetings. A new departure 

 was inaugurated about four or five years ago, the 

 main effort being to make the exhibits as instruct- 

 ive as possible. The result is that the society is 

 now out of debt, increases its premiums, has better 

 exhibits than it ever has had, and its rooms are 

 thronged during the meeting by all the best gar- 

 deners of the vicinity, as well as by numerous 

 ladies and gentlemen of the highest social stand- 

 ing. At the last meeting a new feature was intro- 

 duced by Mr. David Cliffe, Chairman of the Com- 

 mittee on Awards, in the direction indicated at the 

 opening of this paragraph. In announcing the 



decisions of the committee he explained to the 

 meeting the various points of superiority, in other 

 words the reasons for the awards. It was highly 

 appreciated by the thronged assemblage, who 

 warmly applauded Mr. Cliffe at the conclusion. 

 It is something to have such instructive decisions 

 given verbally, and we are sure that that society 

 which shall be the first to go to the trouble and ex- 

 pense of giving such reports to the public, will gain 

 so much in the estimation of exhibitors, that it will 

 never need to go begging for something to fill the 

 hall. 



Penn. State Horticultural Society. — The 

 annual meeting will be held at Harrisburg, Jan. 

 17th and 1 8th, 1883, and there is every indication 

 of an unusually full and interesting meeting. Ex- 

 cursion rates over the Pennsylvania, N. Central, 

 Phila. & Erie, and other roads, have been granted, 

 and orders for the sarrte can be had upon applica- 

 tion to the secretary. Tickets can be bought from 

 January i6th to i8th inclusive, good to return until 

 January 20th inclusive. Circulars with fuller an- 

 noi!incement will be issued soon by the Secretary, 

 E.B. Engle, Chambersburg, Pa. 



Our Present System of Competing for 

 Prizes. — The London Garden accurately describes 

 the present system for premiums as the "victory of 

 the least bad," When judges shall be expected to 

 give their reasons for awarding premiums we may 

 know wherein the merit of the victor lies. It is 

 really remarkable that the old lazy system should 

 prevail so long. 



Hall of the New York Horticultural So- 

 ciety.- — This flourishing society has purchased the 

 " Church of the Disciples " near Broadway, which 

 is to be converted into a horticultural hall. 



