66 THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



CHAPTER X. 

 STAGING FLOWERS FOR EXHIBITION. 



The staging of flowers for exhibition has now become a 

 fine art, and there seems a great diversity of views on the 

 matter. My humble opinion is that everything should be 

 made as easy as possible for competitors ; for whatever 

 arrangements may be decided upon by committees to 

 make a show look artistic and attractive to the public, the 

 exhibitor should have the first consideration. As a rule, the 

 latter, when he is a member of a show r committee, remains 

 silent when questions affecting exhibitors are discussed for 

 fear of being regarded as an interested party, and he 

 remains inactive when the time arrives to send in his 

 entries if the conditions have been made too hard. This 

 explains why growers often fail to support the local chry- 

 santhemum show T . As previously mentioned, I would 

 rather see 12 or more entries in classes for 24 distinct 

 varieties, than the same number of entries for eight 

 trebles, whether on boards or in vases. The same may 

 be said respecting amateur classes for six or twelve 

 varieties. Indeed, it would be easier for amateurs to 

 show ai certain number of distinct varieties than the same 

 number of flowers in trebles, and there would be three 

 times the number of varieties for the public to inspect, 

 including probably a few "novelties." When invited to 

 compete for trebles an exhibitor cannot afford to speculate 

 in novelties. 



The Method or Staging. 



In staging flowers for exhibition there are three things 

 in particular to be considered. They are as follows : 



Firstly, clean, bright, deep-green boards, enamelled 

 some days previous to the show. 



Secondly, the colours of the flowers must be nicely 

 blended, so as not to get two of one colour together. Try 



