THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



ciently large to take plent)- of water, 

 and should be continued until a week 

 previous to the show, the last week 

 lightly sprinkling round the plants to 

 keep them fresh and moist, too much 

 water a few days previous to the show 

 has a tendency to cause the flowers to 

 shoot their petals after being cut for the 

 exhibition. 



Protecting the Buds and Blooms. — To 

 protect the bud from earwigs , caterpil- 

 lars, green fly, thrips, etc., a muslin bag 

 six inches by eight inches is best, and 

 should be placed over the bud as soon 

 as it shows color, the bag should be 

 fastened with bast or rafiia round the 

 stem of the flower, and should be taken 

 off every morning to see if any insect 

 has by chance got into the bag, and the 

 flower examined to see if it is growing 

 properly, and as the flower progresses 

 the bag should be lifted up every morn- 

 ing, so as not to check the growth of 

 the flower. 



Shading. — Shades are best made of a 

 stout wire frame with a thick canvas 

 covering, and should the weather prove 

 very hot a few leaves of rhubarb should 

 be laid on the shade over the full-grown 

 flowers Shading should be commenced 

 a week previous to the exhibition. Some 

 tipped or light edged flowers are much 

 improved by a flower pot (24) placed 

 over them on a table a week or ten days 

 before the show, with a piece of glass 

 over the hole in case of rain. 



Exhibiting — The stands on which 

 the flowers are exhibited are usually 

 painted green, and are made of one uni- 

 form width, viz., 18 inches, and should 

 be supported by legs 9 inches at the 

 back and 3 in front, holes being made 

 to receive the flowers 6 inches apart, and 

 for a stand of 12 flowers 24 inches long. 



Selecting Blooms for Exhibition. — In 

 selecting blooms for exhibition, place 

 deep circular flowers at the corners of 

 the stand, and introduce as much 

 diversity of colour as possible, and select 

 quality before size, a large coarse flower 

 often spoiling what would otherwise have 

 been a good stand 



Qualities in a Good Flower. — The 

 perfection in a show flower should be 

 fair size, globular with good depth, the 

 petals short and cupped smooth on the 

 edge, the outUne a perfect globe, the 

 centre high but not above the face of the 

 flower ; the centre should be close, and 

 the petals radiating from the centre 

 should expand by degrees. Types of 

 the most perfect flowers being Mrs. 

 Gladstone, Bendigo, Joseph Green, and 

 Sunbeam, etc. 



Color. — The color of a self should be 

 bright and clear, of one uniform shade 

 from the centre to the back petals ; if an 

 edged flower, the marking should extend 

 round the edge of each petal until it is 

 lost out of sight. 



The Sweet William, though an old- 

 fashioned flower, is still one of the best 

 free flowering plants, and when fully out 

 it is a blaze of bloom. Some do not 

 like it as a cut flower, but when associ- 

 ated with others of a more graceful 

 nature they are useful. There are many 

 dirty colors among them, especially 

 among the mixed ones, and it is best to 

 get each color separate. The best are 



the dark crimson, double white and the 

 auricula-eyed. They should be sown 

 now, and should be planted out in a 

 prepared bed where no water will stand 

 in winter. In early spring they should 

 be planted where they are to flower. 

 They are quite hardy with light protec- 

 tion. The best covering is one of ever- 

 green branches. — Gardening. 



240 



