194 THE RIVAL YELLOW DAHLIAS. 



mitted, and would facilitate the object in view, and might have been 

 of service at the Royal South London, and at Birmingham, had two 

 instead of one bloom been the minimum named. This suggestion 

 may be lightly esteemed, or even repudiated, by many. Doubtless 

 it would be a very absurd one, where, as on all other occasions, the 

 contest lies between one grower and another, — between one system of 

 cultivation and another; but where, as in the present instance, the 

 trial of one variety against another is what we are looking for, and 

 where we are anxious that all should be placed on the most advan- 

 tageous terms for competition, I think there ought to be a combination 

 amongst the respective exhibitors of each, as the step most conducive 

 to the attainment of a full and satisfactory trial. 



In all trials of strength by mains, as in mains of greyhounds, &c, 

 the method here proposed is universally adopted, without any refer- 

 ence or stipulation being made as to breeder, or anything but county. 

 In like manner, I conceive, we ought to proceed in this instance, 

 without any stipulation being made as to grower, or anything but 

 variety. 



I stated above that challenges have been publicly given by growers 

 of one variety to growers of the other varieties united ; permit me to 

 make a remark or two on that point. Amongst the persons alluded 

 to is the name of an individual who subscribed an Article in the last 

 Number of your excellent periodical. In that Article is given a 

 challenge by Mr. Sharpe, gardener to Mr. Mainwaring of Coleby 

 Hall, near Lincoln, to exhibit Argo against either Defiance or 

 Henrietta at the Grantham show. The result, however, of the 

 trial proposed may still leave us where we are — in doubt, and will 

 do so if Argo should come off only second best ; for the defeat of 

 Argo would be no criterion of the superiority of its opponent, and 

 that for the following reasons : Mr. Sharpe grows one, perhaps more 

 than one plant of Argo; his challenge, however, extends to the 

 whole stock of Defiance and Henrietta grown in the county. This 

 surely cannot be advantageous ground to take ; it cannot be fair 

 towards himself, fair towards Mr. Widnall. If, as they are said 

 (mind said) to be, these varieties are equal in merit, it cannot be 

 prudent on the part of Mr. Sharpe to risk the reputation of Argo so 

 far even as that single trial goes, and to pit the blooms of one or two 

 plants against a phalanx of Defiances and Henriettas. We all have 



