NoTember 19, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDBNEB. 



447 



tonde had a central bed with Cannas, Caladinm, and Aralia 

 Sieboldi ; and the fruit was arranged on tables that went round 

 the whole circle of the building, and was displayed, as with ne, 

 in plates and dishes without the least degree of ornamentation ; 

 then bunches of Dahlias, with flowers not one-halt the size of 

 those seen with us, were set np in bottles ; and (jladioli, the 

 veriest trash, were shown in champagne bottles. But Koses ! 

 Ah ! here is doubtless something to be gained. Did ever any- 

 one read such a lot of twaddle as has been lately written on 

 the subject of exhibiting the queen of flowers ? Well, my old 

 friend Slargottin had an arrangement which might perhaps 

 command the consideration of those fastidious gentlemen who 

 are dissatisfied with the 

 present boxes. True, it 

 is cumbersome, would in- 

 volve taking a truck for 

 oneself and about half a 

 dozen hours to set them 

 np before the show began. 

 But what of that to per- 

 Eons who are wanting a 

 change? It looked pretty, 

 but as to its being natural, 

 why, we wo'n't say any- 

 thing about that. It con- 

 sisted of a large frame- 

 work of zinc about 15 feet 

 long, with six rows of 

 tubes, from which issued, 

 about G inches apart, 

 small tube-Uke sconces into which the Eoses were put (see 

 ngs. 124 and 123). Placed at the end of the tent it looked 

 "pretty enough. Whether it will commend itself to our Rose- 

 growers is another matter. I think I am pretty sure of the 

 reply. Margottin told me that as it was close at home it was 

 possible, otherwise it would not do. There was not a Eose 

 in it above the average merit of onr garden flowers. The 

 vegetables were arranged in collections on plates and dishes in 



Fig. 124.— Elevation. 



ville Blanche were the most remarkable. .\s to Grapes I reaUy 

 did not thick there was anything worth notirg; the bunches 

 were small and the berries also, and the names placed to them 

 were utterly unknown to me. 



Neither, then, in arrangement nor in the quality of the 

 articles exhibited do I think that we have anything to learn ; 

 and I cannot but say that I felt somewhat pleased, after all 

 that has been said on the subject, to have my often-expressed 

 opinion thus confirmed— that of whatever other things it may 

 be true, it is unquestionally not of horticultural exhibitions, 

 that they do these things better in France. — D., Deal. 



■^ ^ ^ 



Fig, 12.5. — Front view of one row. 



the open air; and as there had been some heavy rain, it was 

 not a very edifying spectacle to see Peas and Kidney Beans 

 floating about in little pools of water. The only really notice- 

 able piece of arrangement was in the entrance, from whence 

 an avenue of trained fruit trees exhibited by Messrs. Jamain 

 and Durand and Messrs. Croux et fils led up to the Eotonde, 

 the other side being formed of a very poor collection of ever- 

 green shrubs and Conifers. Thus in the much-vaunted arrange- 

 ments of our neighbours I really saw nothing that we need 

 either envy or imitate. I have ever maintained that it is so. 

 There is sometimes prettiness about them, but of grand and 

 massive grouping there is really nothing. The plants are feeble, 

 and if they have merit it simply arises from the numbers 

 grouped together. 



Now with regard to the character of the exhibits. Of flowers 

 there was Uterally nothing ; of stove and greenhouse plants a 

 plentiful scarcity of anything really good ; a large collection 

 of Begonias of the tuberous-rooted kinds, hut just such as one 

 might pick out of any nursery at the present time. The 

 Dahlias, &c., were simply ridiculous. The fruit, as might be sup- 

 posed, was very good, but I cannot understand why, after three 

 or four days, there should have been so many specked fruit. 

 Many of these collections were exhibited, not by individuals 

 but by societies, whose members contributed together what 

 made up the display. Thus, in one collection there were 350 

 sorts of Pears, 75 of Apples, and 45 of Grapes. Amongst the 

 Pears were some fine specimens of Benrrfi Diel, Triomphe de 

 Jodoigne, Beurrfi Clairgean, Bergamotte Suisse (striped), 

 Duchesse d'Angonleme, Bon Chretien, Napoleon, Catinka, Bon 

 Chretien d'Espagne, Crassane, Catillac, Uvedale's St. Ger- 

 main, Passe Colmar, Doyeime d'Hiver, <fec. ; while of Apples, 

 Emperor Alexander, Calville Bonge, Beinette Grise, and Cal- 



THK EOYAL HORTICULTUKAIi SOCIETT'S 

 CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW. 



Tee present Council, being amenable to reason and common 

 sense, took the advice of those best acquainted with the growth 

 of this favourite autumn flower, and instead of having their 

 Show so early in the month that none were in flower, fixed it 

 forthe nth; and as the season was a remarkably early one they 

 were rewarded by seeing gathered together the finest collection 

 that ever was collected in the conservatory and arcades in No- 

 vember ; and as they had wisely, too, offered some good prizes, 

 there was a spirited competition both amongst nurserymen and 

 amateurs. 



There will always be differences of opinion relative to the 

 training of these plants, some preferring thoae grown on single 

 stems and holding three or four blooms, others those trained on 

 the broad flat system , and others as pyramids. The latter seems 

 to be the most natural, and, as far as my own judgment goes, the 

 six which obtained the first prize amongst amateurs in the 

 Pompon class were the prettiest plants in the Exhibition. Then 

 as to cut blooms, what grand specimens there were there ! but 

 how wonderfully dressed ! Now, I cannot for the life of me see 

 why, if it is disqualifying to gouge out the eye of a Dahlia, it is 

 pardonable to do the same with the Chrysanthemum. The re- 

 sult was, however, very fine, and finer blooms than some of 

 those exhibited on this occasion were probably never seen. 



In Class 1, for twelve plants, there was a very close run 

 between Mr. James and Mr. Cutbush, the former taking first 

 and the latter second. In Mr. James's collection were Prince 

 Alfred, Pink Perfection, Mrs. Halliburton, Jardin des Plantes, 

 Julie Lagravere, Faust, Empress Eugenie, Golden Eagle, Mrs. 

 George Bundle, Lord Derby, Antonelli, Eve. Mr. Cutbush's 

 plants were Mrs. Sharpe, Annie Salter, Princess Louise of Hesse, 

 Hermine, George Glenny, Mrs. Rundle, Julie Lagravere, Her 

 Majesty, Abbe Passaglia, Prince of Wales, Gloria Mandi, and 

 Christine. In Class 2, for six large-flowered Chrysanthemums, 

 amateurs, the first prize was won by Mr. Hall, gardener to W. 

 Stevens, Esq., Brixton, with fine plants of Golden Nugget, 

 Prince of Wales, Gloria Mundi, Mrs. George Bundle, Lady Har- 

 ding, and Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Douglas was a capital second 

 with White Venus, Prince of Wales, Her Majesty, Venus, 

 Aurea Multiflora, and Mrs. George Bundle. In Class 3, for 

 twelve Pompons, Mr. Douglas took the first place with beautiful 

 plants of Lilac Cedo Nnlli, James Forsyth, Golden Circle, 

 Aurore Boreale, Helene, Cedo Nolli, St. Michael, President, 

 Golden Cedo Nulli, Madame Martha, Antonius, and Brilliant. 

 Mr. Cntbush had a fine lot of nearly equal merit, comprising 

 Cedo Nulli, Mr. Astie, Mrs. Rundle, Salomon, Brilliant, Andro- 

 meda, Madame Martha, Mrs. Hutt, Miss Julia, Arc. In Class 4, 

 for six Pompons, amateurs, Mr. Harding, gardener to the E«v. 

 W. Arthur, Clapham Common, was first with beautifully-grown 

 plants of Astraea, Cedo NulU, Bob, Calliope, Antonius, and Golden 

 Cedo Nulli. Mr. Butcher, gardener to B. A. Glover, Esq., was 

 second with larger but more artificial plants of Andromeda, Cal- 

 liope, Bob, Cedo Nulli, Antonius, and Golden Cedo Nulli. 



Passing by the specimen plants, let us look at the magni- 

 ficent cut blooms exhibited by Mr. James Cutbush. The 

 flowers were Empress of India, Mr. Howe, Hero of Stoke New- 

 ington. Queen of England, Princess Teck, Plenipo, John Salter, 

 Prince of Wales, Lady Slade, Jardin des Plantes, Nil Desper- 

 andnm. Nonpareil, Cherub, Lady Talfourd, Antonelli, Miss 

 Marechaux, Mrs. Halliburton, Thais, Princess Beatrice, and 

 Isabella Bott. In twelve cut blooms, amateurs, Mr. E. Smith 

 was first with Novelty, Alfred Salter, Golden John Salter, Em- 

 press of India, -Jardin des Plantes, Mr. Brnnlees, Princess of 

 Wales, Baron Beust, White Venus, Venus, and Mrs. Heale. In 

 these collections we shall not be far wrong in saying that the 

 very best Chrysanthemums for exhibition purposes are to be 

 found. There are some others, of course, but an exhibitor may 

 ■well depend on the flowers named for all purposes. There were 

 some fine blooms of those curious but, in my opinion, most 

 effective flowers, the Japanese varieties, Mr. HenneU taking 

 first and Mr. Douglas second. The latter exhibitor's stand con- 

 tained Ertcta Superba, Fair Maid of Guernsey, .\pollo, Eosea 

 Punctata. Garnet, Bismarck, James Salter, Meg Merrilees, Mag- 

 num Bonum, Prince Satsuma, Bronze Dragon, and Grandiflora. 



There are other exhibitors of this flower coming in, and 



