A PLEA FOR THE AMATEUR FLOWER GROWER 



KCDl'iUK'k CA.MJvKdX. MAGAR 



IT is presumed that the main object of all 

 agricultural, horticultural, and even 

 truit, i^ower and honey shows, is the edu- 

 cation of the general ])iil)lic to a higher 

 standard of proticiency in llie arts, being 

 promoted. May 1 ask if, in the holding of 

 (.:;liibitions like the recent Provincial Fruit, 

 I lower and Honey Shov, we are on the 

 right track ? 



Here they are, at our very doors, the old 

 and young, male and female, with a griev- 

 ;M.ce, which the professionak florists can 

 1 ctify if they choose; and depend upon it, 

 ii" we are to attain excellency in horticulture 

 as a nation, if we are to succeed in teaching 

 ilir rising generation the art of bcautifymg 

 our land as has, and is being done in Great 

 ■Britain, this grievance of the amateurs must 

 be attended to immediately and their wishes 

 be Complied with. 



Were the exhibitors at the recent show- 

 amateurs? No they were all professionals, 

 particular!}- in the floral sections. Only 

 experts could grow such large flowers as 

 those that were shown. We should show 

 more equality and liberality towards the 

 amateurs. Were they treated as liberally 

 as the professionals at all fairs I am satis- 

 fied the results would be surprising, both in 

 ([uantity and quality. Would this not be a 

 benefit to the commercial florist? There is 

 a prevailing notion among some commer- 

 cial men that to keep the public in ignorance 

 is a harvest to the florist. What a mistake ! 

 Does it not instill into Mrs. Smith a greater 

 love for floriculture if she succeeds in grow- 

 ing a plant successfully? And does not 

 ignorance discourage Mrs. Jones, who says 

 " I have given up buying plants, they all 

 die on me." Why? It is not lack of de- 

 sire, but a lack of knowledge. As men of 

 business we should also be men of instruc- 

 tion. 



What is the method usually adopted at 

 the Canadian .Mational Exhibition in To- 



2.S 



A FALLS SOUTH, ONT. 



ronto and all country exhibitions ? No en- 

 couragement is offered the amateurs, all 

 prizes are entered in the i)rize lists in such 

 a way that they are open to the profes- 

 sionals to compete for. I question if any 

 amateurs are on the conimittee that revise 

 the prize lists, where they might be able to 

 right things for themselves. This is not 

 the worst feature ; the prizes that are of- 

 fered are principally for tropical plants, 

 and professional florists' flowers, that can- 

 not l)e grown successfully without the aid 

 of glass structures, an expense that ordi- 

 nary amateurs cannot afiford. 



Have any of us taken the trouble to ex- 

 amine the plants and flowers shown at our 

 principal exhibitions? If Ave have can we 

 tell how many had their names attached to 

 them ? I have seen ladies and gentlemen 

 looking in vain to find the names on plants 

 at the exhibitions held in Toronto each fall. 

 What is the value of any flower without a 

 name, that its history may be obtained. 

 What educational advantage does such im- 

 part to the amateurs we are supposed to be 

 helping? It should be made compulsory 

 that all plants and cut flowers be correctly 

 named, and that in a legible manner. Ex- 

 hibitors who cannot comply witn this re- 

 quest should be cut short ten points for 

 every plant not named, or the unnamed 

 plant should not be counted at all. 



The prizes offered for fruit are of a gen- 

 erous nature and are worth trying for, 

 apart from the honor, but the prizes offered 

 for flowers and plants, that amateurs can 

 grow, are of a very penurious nature. This 

 should not be the case. It is of more value 

 to the province for an amateur to grow a 

 pine tree than the best tropical plant. Why 

 then not encourage the growth of hardy 

 plants more than has been done in the past? 

 ^^'hy not encourage the growth of hardy 

 plants by farmers" sons and daughters by 

 offering prizes for the best essays upon 



