•20 



JOUKNAL OF HOKTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ July 10, 187S. 



S. Cytisus albud. 

 9. Lauras nobilia. 

 10. Acer Negundo voriegatum. 



I 11. Philljrea latifolia. 



12. Golden Queen Holly. 

 I I'i. Betuia mcisa peudula. 



Mixed evergreeeu and deciduous group with plants of bolder 

 type :— 



8. .TiiQiperus chiuensig. 

 !>. Robmia Pseud-Acacia. 



10. Picea Nordiuanniana. 



11. Betulaalba. 



12. Picea Piusapo. 

 lo. Picea pectinata. 



1. Jnglans laciniata. 



2. Garrya elliptioa. 

 D. Sambucus ai'genteo-variegata. 

 4. Ciipressus Lawsuniana. 

 o. Cratregus Osyacantha tiore-pleuo. 



6. Ilex Aquifo ium. 



7. Pyrus Jilalus floribunda. 



There are two methods which may be followed in the culture 

 •of such mixtd groups and borders. The firtit is to plant the 

 shrubs so far apart that each may eventually be brought to its 

 fullest development of form and size ; and the other is to 

 plant more thickly, so that the growth of each shrub may 

 soon meet and become merged in that of the others near it ; 

 thus forming a picturesqsS- thicket, which, while it is iu some 

 degree ornamental, and is very suitable for certain positions, 

 notably where a thick low screen is required, yet has no fea- 

 tures of sufficient interest to attract more than a passing 

 glance. But when the tirst method is followed, the plants 

 individually and collectively are constantly growing in beauty 

 and interest. It is true that by planting sufficiently distant 

 to afford each shrub space for this full development, the bare 

 Hurface of the soil is exposed to view for a longer period than 

 is the cjise when a thicker system of planting is followed ; but 

 «ven this trifling objection may be overcome by filhng the 

 intermediate spaces with low-growing plants, to be gradually 

 removed as the growth or training of the permanent occupants 

 may require, taking care constantly to replace the exhausted 

 soil with that which is perfectly fresh and sound. 



I have given the colours of the deciduous flowering group, 

 but refrain from descriptive notes of any of the kinds named, 

 as a future paper will be specially devoted to a subject of so 

 much importance. — Edward LncKHtjBST. 



THE PEOVINCIAL SHOWS OP THE BOYAL 

 HOKTICULTUEzVL SOCIETY. 



These annual meetings are so important to the Royal Horti- 

 cultural Society, and to the interests of horticulture generally, 

 that I venture to offer a few suggestions, based, as I think you 

 will testify, on experience, and calculated as I believe to assist 

 in promoting a more satisfactory state of things as regards the 

 harmonious working of the arrangements. 



Most of the shortcomings and insufficient organisation 

 which almost yearly form subject of complaint in reference to 

 the management of the provincial shows, arise, as I believe, 

 from the want of a clear and definite understanding between 

 the Council of the Society and the Local Committee for the 

 time being as to what are their several duties and obligations. 

 I would therefore suggest the desirability of this doubt and un- 

 certainty being once for all removed, by the CouncU consider- 

 ing itself, as it is unquestionably regarded by outsiders, respon- 

 sible for all arrangements during the show week. It possesses, 

 or ought to possess, a staff of officers familiar with the re- 

 quirements and exigencies of these great shows : experience must 

 have taught them what plans work well, and in what respect 

 past shows have been deficient iu organisation ; it is pecuuiarly 

 and permanently interested iu the smooth working and success 

 of the arrangements. It is the Council, then, and not the local 

 committees that the horticultural public justly hold respon- 

 sible for defects and omissions, and it is the Council which is 

 iu duty bound to foresee and prevent them in future. 



The local committee has its natural and proper duties, and 

 they are clearly defined in practice if not formally set forth in 

 any ofllcial document, and they consist chiefly in raising suffi- 

 cient funds to enable the issuing of a hberal and special schedule 

 of prizes complementary to that of the Society ; also in workmg- 

 up local interest in the show, the sale of admission tickets be- 

 forehand, and the adoption of such means as shall, as far as 

 possible, insure such a large attendance of visitors during the 

 continuance of the show as to raise a sum of money sufficient 

 to cover all expenses, and leave a handsome balance of profit 

 for the Society. 



There are many other things which a good local committee 

 can, and doubtless will do. They can invariably give advice on 

 local circumstances of the utmost value to the Council, and 

 their opinion on such matters ought to be always sought and 

 carefully weighed; and they can frequently secure the support 

 and influence of imcortaut residents in their neighbourhood. 



In the event of the local secretary being an energetic man of 

 business, and especially if he be an enthusiast in horticulture 

 and experienced in the details of show management, he can 

 render the Council invaluable assistance in numerous ways ; 

 but the more thoroughly he performs the duties of his office 

 the smaller will be the time at his disposal for anything else, 

 and he ought certainly not to be held responsible for those 

 general arrangements which it is the duty of the Council to 

 make, and which for the comfort and convenience of exhibitors 

 it is essential should be made. As, however, it frequently 

 happens that the local secretary is not experienced in the details 

 of show management, and can rarely or never be familiar with 

 the requirements of such extensive gatherings as the provincial 

 shows of the Royal Horticultural Society, 1 think it is toler- 

 ably clear that it is not either reasonable or judicious to trust 

 to him for such arrangements. The Council, then, with 

 its officers, must be the responsible body. Their accumulat- 

 ing stores of experience should render the annually recurring 

 work a less laborious and more successful one year by year. 

 With all diffidence I would offer for theh' consideration the 

 following suggestions : — ■ 



Fu-st, That the Council should appoint as an executive com- 

 mittee for the management of the provincial shows not less 

 than two of their body, who must be first-class men of business, 

 able and willing to do real work, with the addition, perhaps, of 

 the local secretary or some other member of the local com- 

 mittee selected for his fitness by that body ; these, aided by the 

 Assistant Secretary and the Superintendent of Shows, should 

 have full power to make the necessary arrangements, and should 

 be held responsible for all defects. This executive body ought 

 to take up its abode in the show town a few days before the 

 show, in order to make the members of it familiar with the 

 exact state of things and the condition of the arrangements ; 

 to see that all needful preparations have been mane, or, if not 

 already made, to make them. The details are so multifarious 

 and so varying from time to time that I will make no attempt 

 at specifying them. I will simply add that to defer going to 

 the show town to the day before the opening — and I know this 

 has been the case — is almost to insure unsatisfactory results. 



Second. Among the arrangements I should consider the 

 following essential : — (a). To ascertain what lodgings, plain, 

 clean, and as inexpensive as possible, may be secured for ex- 

 hibitors and their assistants during the show week. Advertise- 

 ments in the local journals stating what is required would 

 generally elicit abundance of replies. From these a register 

 might be compiled whichj, with a map of the locality, should 

 be kept in the superintendent's office ready for reference on the 

 arrival of exhibitors, etc. (b). To provide (but of course not 

 to pay) for the horsing of exhibitors' vans. In to^vns where 

 there are two or more lines of railway this is extremely necessary. 

 The railway officials, if applied to soon enough, will invariably 

 find the necessary supply of horses, ifcc. But exhibitors ought 

 to know before leaving home that this has been done, (c). To 

 issue a programme of the arrangements, giving exhibitors, inter 

 alia, the names and addresses of the officials of the various 

 railways to whom they must give notice in order to ensure the 

 attendance of horses, &o. A copy of this programme should be 

 sent to every person who has entered to exhibit ; and it should 

 be inserted in all the horticultural journals issued in the week 

 preceding the show. The horticultural world would thus have 

 published to it what it always desires to know, whUe much 

 correspondence would be rendered needless, at the same time 

 that mistakes would be prevented. 



Third. I commence a fresh paragraph with a suggestion 

 which I trust will receive due consideration. It is well known 

 that exhibitors and horticulturists, as a body, have for years past 

 been asking for the accommodation of a room at the provincial 

 shows where they may have a chance of intercommunion with 

 their friends and with other horticulturists who, known to them 

 only by name, are among those whom they desire to know 

 better ; a horticultural club-room, it has been called. Surely 

 the Royal Horticultural Society cannot think it beneath its 

 dignity to extend its intluence to foster social intercourse 

 among the votaries of the pursuit, the progress and develop- 

 ment of which was one of the primary reasons which called it 

 into existence. Now for my suggestion : Let the Council at 

 once provide a moveable structure, so made that when not iu 

 use it may be packed up and stowed away, but which shall be 

 used at all forthcoming provincial exhibitions. It need not be 

 very expensive, but it should be made of durable materials and 

 of ample size. Let it contain three rooms, one being as large 

 as the other two. The two smaller rooms to be occupied, ouo 



