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THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



floral Edition 



} LETTERS to EDITOR | 

 Decorative Exhibits 



Editor, Canadian Horticulturist: 



The part played by the exhibition in the 

 educational activities of the horticultural 

 society can scarcely be over-stated, because 

 it is the medium through which the public 

 Is most directly reached. Every factor, 

 therefore, which contributes to the drawing 

 power of the show is worthy of the best 

 consideration that the directors can give 't. 

 The exhibition has two main purposes: 

 first, to encourage keen but friendly rivalry, 

 looking to the improvement of varieties 

 and cultural methods; second, to create an 

 individual and community interest in gar- 

 dening and outdoor beauty. Perhaps the 

 order of these might be reversed. 



How to achieve these purposes is dis- 

 cussed in the interesting letter of Mrs. 

 Potts in the December issue of the Cana- 

 dian Horticulturist. Mrs. Potts, as a prelude 

 to her observations, quotes the opinion of 

 Madison Cooper, editor of "The Flower 

 Grower," that too much stress is placed 

 upon "artistic arrangement and display." I 

 wish not only to dissent from that dictum 

 of Mr. Cooper, but to advance the view that 

 too little attention has been paid to it by 

 those responsible for the preparation of 

 exhibition schedules. 



Flowers in Four Inch Vases. 

 For years the Ottawa Society offered 

 prizes for iiowers in four inch vases, with 

 results that not infrequently reacted upon 

 the artistic consciousness of many w&o 

 came to view them. Every impossible 

 color combination of the traditional "posey" 

 was represented, and varieties of flowers 

 possessing no natural affinity or compl3- 

 mentary quality were jammed and jumbled 

 together in the same receptacle. The fault 

 was not so much with the exhibitors, who 

 were complying with the requirements of 

 the prize list, as with the society in failing 

 to realize the importance of encouraging 

 artistic standards in floral display. The 

 reversal of that policy has been productive 

 of the most satisfactory results, not only 

 artistically, but from the more practical 

 point of popularizing the shows. The 

 society is now strong on "decorative 

 features," and the beautifully arranged 

 tables, baskets and bowls make a compel- 

 ling appeal particularly to the, as yet, non- 

 gardening portion of the public. These are 

 the people whose conversion we are striv- 

 ing to obtain. Many who give a passing, 

 though pleased, glance at the competitive 

 classes of individual blooms ranged in long, 

 straight rows on the show tables, will hover 

 ecstatically over the decorative exhibits. 

 These arrangements of flower and foliage 

 are not only attractive in themselves, but 

 add greatly to the general effect in reliev- 

 ing the stiffness of the serried ranks of 

 vases -on the other tables. 



Arrangement Adds to Charm. 



It is apparent that Mr. Cooper has not 

 considered the whole question, or He would 

 not have under-estimated the educational 

 value of the decorative exhibit. Flower 

 growing is important, but the. fine art of 

 arranging flowers is equally worthy of illus- 

 tration and development. As the setting 

 enhances the brilliancy of the jewel, so the 

 arrangement adds to the charui of the 

 flower. A notable improvement has been 

 observed In the character of the decorative 

 pieces at the Ottawa shows, and a standard 

 has heen set up by the exhibitors them- 



selves that puts out of the running any- 

 thing fantastic or of doubtful artistic merit. 



This departure has introduced a new 

 element of interest. I'ormerly the lady 

 members of the society, numbering several 

 hundreds, were toot conspicuous as exhibi- 

 tors in the ordinary competitive classes. 

 Now the opportunity is presented to exer- 

 cise the artistic talent inherent In woman- 

 kind with the added zest that comes from 

 amiable rivalry. 



Taste In Judging. 



The task of judging these decorative 

 exhibits is assigned to persons with special 

 qualifications for it. Perfection of indivi- 

 dual bloom does not count for so much here 

 as the general arrangement and the effect 

 produced by it. Judges highly qualified to 

 appraise the merits of exhibition flowers 

 are not necessarily the best for decorative 

 exhibits. This w^ork presents unusual 

 difficulties because it has to do with that 

 elusive and indefinite thing called taste, 

 and there are different standards and con- 

 ceptions of beauty. But, on the whole, the 

 judging has been well done, and little com- 

 plaint has been heard, even from the un- 

 successful competitors. 



What possible conflict can there be 

 between the decorative and other classes? 

 They are not in competition. The stand- 

 ards of judging are not the same. One 

 does not trench upon the other, and no com- 

 parison can be drawn between things which 

 are unlike. Adventitious effects resulting 

 from arrangement are not sought in the 

 ordinary competitive classes of cut blooms. 

 There the flower depends entirely on its 

 intrinsic merit in competition with its 

 rival. But tiie two classes are complement- 

 ary, and the show must lack in interest, 

 beauty and educational value if either is 

 excluded. The ideal is a combination of 

 both. 



Milk Bottles as Receptacles. 



Something was also said by Mr. Cooper 

 in defence of the use of milk bottles as 

 recsptacles. If nothing else is available, by 

 all means use milk bottles rather than give 

 up the idea of having a show; but if other 

 receptacles can be had, they are much to 

 be preferred. This is a practical question 

 of finance, and it presents a serious prob- 

 lem to all societies. Our society wrestled 

 with it for years. We had a constantly 

 diminishing supply of glazed pottery vases, 

 mostly in the smaller sizes, but there was 

 a demand for more receptacles capable of 

 taking care of peonies and the larger 

 nerennials. War-time quotations for glass 

 and pottery were prohibitive, considering 

 our resources. Then someone proposed 

 galvanized sheet vases. Sheet iron and 

 flowers do not suggest a happy combination, 

 but when the samples were before us, the 

 effect was not unnleasing and the practical 

 utility wa3 apparent. Most important of 

 all, the cost was within reach. Two sizes 

 were procured, otie ten .nches high by four 

 inches wide, and the other e'ght by three. 

 The price ave.'aged 25 cents each. Time 

 toned down the galvanized coating to a 

 soft, neutral gray which harmonizes well 

 witli all flower colors. These vases have 

 the merit of being light in weight and un- 

 breakable, an advan!:age of importance to a 

 nomadic society, which has to hold its 

 shows wherever it can find a hall and to 

 transport its impedimenta hither and 

 thither. The question it vases is just one 

 of the many practical deta'ls that might 

 with advantage be discussed tlirough the 

 correspondence columas of The Canadian 

 Horticulturist, and might also find a place 

 on the agenda of -^he nex meeting of the 

 Ontario Horticultural Socioty.—George 

 Simpson, Ottawa. « 



Receptacles at Exhibitions 



Editor, Canadian Horticulturist: 



The article, "Receptacles at Exhibitions," 

 by Mrs. A. L. Potts, Hamilton, in your 

 December Iseue, is what I term good com- 

 mon sense. As I go in a lot for competition 

 myself, her idea on containers for staging 

 flowers at flower shows is right. We want 

 to see flowers, not containers. I have been 

 connected with the Riverdale Horticultural 

 Society since it started, and we put up a 

 good show every year, using the containers 

 we can pick up. If we had a regulation con- 

 tainer it would be a failure, as the average 

 society cannot go to that expense. 



The Canadian Hortioulturist has been a 

 great help to me, and the many useful 

 hints, I find evb.y month are certainly inter- 

 esting.— Wm. Ogg, Toronto. 



Destroying Weeds with Chemicals 



THERE are numerous plots of wa.ste 

 ground in towns, along roadsides all 

 over the country, railroad tracks, and 

 large areas of stony or rocky ground that 

 cannot be cultivated, where keeping down 

 weeds by chemical sprays might be profit- 

 ably considered. 



The spray should be applied in fine, calm 

 weather when there is a probability that no 

 rain will fall during the next 24 hours The 

 amount of spraying mixture will vary some- 

 what with the kind of spraying machine 

 used, but as a general rule at least 60 gal- 

 lons are necessary to cover an acre. The 

 spray should be applied while the weeds are 

 young. 



The chemical substances most used are 

 sulphuric acid, iron sulphate, copper sul- 

 phate, common salt caustic soda, sodium 

 arsenate, carbolic acid, orchard heating oil 

 and fuel oil. After the use of some of these, 

 the soil remains sterile until the chemical 

 has heen wa;hed out by rain. In calculat- 

 ing the strength to be used it has to be re- 

 membered that a gallon of water weighs 

 10 pounds. 



Fuel oil can be used on waste ground or 

 garden paths. After its use the soil re- 

 mains sterils for a considerable period. 



Orchard heating oil is applied at full 

 strength in a fine mist. It destroys all 

 vegetation but is not poisonous and does 

 not injure the soil. 



Sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol has a cor 

 rosive effect on the spraying apparatus, 

 and can be used only in a weak solution 

 varying from 3 to 10 per cent. It has a fer- 

 tilizing effect on the soil. 



Carbolic acid is used in a solution of 12% 

 per cent, or stronger. 



Iron sulphate Or copperas is used in a 

 solution of 15 to 20 per cent. Copper sul- 

 Dhate or bhiestone can be used instead of 

 iron sulphate, but in a solution of l^^ to 2% 

 per cent. 



Common salt or sodium chloride is used 

 in a strei^th of 20 to 25 per cent. It checks 

 the growth of other' plants, besides weeds 

 until it has been washed out by rain. 



Caustic soda or sodium hydrate is used 

 in a five per cent, so'ution. It kills all 

 kinds of vegetation. 



'The formation of the Ontario Gladiolus 

 Society, at a meeting in St. Thomas recent- 

 ly has been received in Ottawa with favor. 

 Indications are that this district will pro- 

 vide a considerable number of members. 

 At present. Ottawa's sole representative is 

 William B. Varley, a vice-president of the 

 Ottawa Horticultural Society, who has been 

 appointed regional vice-president for the 

 Ottawa District.— E. G. W., Ottawa. 



The OH.A, annual convention will, be 

 held in Toronto, Feb. 9 and 10. 



