THE WINNIPEG HORTICULTURAL EXHIBIT. 



395 



The Florists' New President. 



At the recent meeting of the Canadian Horticultural Association 

 in Ottawa the members chose for their president for the coming yei.r 

 Mr. George A. Robinson, of Outremont, Que., who is here shown 

 and who is a member of the firm of Hall & Robinson, among the 

 best known florists in Montreal. His first experience in floral mat- 

 ters was received in England, where he secured a thorough practical 

 training in English gardeniffg, later moving to Montreal. For 

 several seasons Mr. Robinson acted as gardener for Mr. Joyce, at 

 Montreal, where he gained the reputation of being one of the most 

 skilful gardeners in Canada. Mr. Robinson has been president of 

 the Montreal Gardeners' and Florists' Club and has won many 

 prizes at Montreal shows for his floral exhibits. An interesting 

 feature of the recent convention was the fact that every past-presi- 

 pent of the Association since its organization was in attendance ; 

 these gentlemen being Messrs. VV. J. McKenna of Montreal, J. H. 

 Gammage of London J. H. Dunlop of Toronto, J. Bennett of Mon - 

 real, T. Manton of Toronto, and E. Mepsted of Ottawa, who held 

 the office in the order given. 



secured the first prize was made up of about 

 I GO specimens of flowers of plants and 

 shrubs. Many of them were very beauti- 

 ful, and several species shown were quite 

 new to me, and are very rare in Southern 

 Ontario, if found at all. Nearly all of the 

 varieties of wild flowers shown were cor- 

 rectly named. This exhibit proved quite 

 an attraction to many of the visitors from 

 other provinces. 



The plant display was very creditable, the 

 palms, ferns and flowering plants comparing 



very favorably with eastern exhibits, all 

 classes of greenhouse plants being well re- 

 presented both in the amateur and profes- 

 sional classes. One display of tuberous 

 rooted begonias, shown by one of the flor- 

 ists of Winnipeg, deserves special mention. 

 This exhibit was not entered for competi- 

 tion. 



A very large and comprehensive display 

 of cut flowers of exceptionally good quality, 

 shown by the superintendent of Elmwood 

 Cemetery, comprised a greater variety of 

 flowers than most of the competitive ex- 

 hibits, and gave the visitor a good idea of 

 what it is possible to do in the way of out 

 door flower culture in the far west. Alto- 

 gether the exhibit of plants and flowers was 

 very creditable, and it was gratifying to see 

 that floriculture is at least keeping pace with 

 the wonderfully rapid growth that this 

 Chicago of Canada is making in other direc- 

 tions. 



FRUIT AND VEGErTABI,!; EXHIBITS. 



Possibly a word or two on the fruit and 

 vegetable exhibit may be interesting to 

 readers of The Horticulturist. The fruit 

 exhibit was not a large one. Although the 

 exhibit was of small proportions and con- 

 sisted wholly of small fruits, principally 

 raspberries and currants, the fruit shown 

 was of very good quality. One plate of 

 Louden raspberries was extra good. The 

 black, red and white currants were also 

 good. There were no apples, pears, or 

 peaches, and but one plate of strawberries. 

 These latter, however, were of very good 

 quality. I did not have the pleasure of 

 judging the fruit display, but was told by 

 the gentleman who made the awards that 

 the fruit display was not representative of 

 what Manitoba could do in small fruits. 



The show of domestic preserved fruits, 

 pickles and home made wines demonstrated 

 that the housewives of Manitoba are not a 

 whit behind their Ontario sisters in can- 

 ning and preserving tne comparatively 



