Ski'temiier 29, 1921 



The Florists'' Rcvkw 



27 



FERN SHOW WINS FAVOR 



Iff^flR^iflJi^HlgNVI 



BOSTON'S BIO FEEN SHOW. 



Tropical Varieties Featured. 



The halls of the Massachusetts Horti- 

 cultural Society have held many notable 

 exhibitions, but it is safe to say that 

 none was more charming than the show 

 of tropical ferns and orchids which 

 opened September 22. September is 

 classed as a poor month for plant and 

 flower displays, but all the halls of the 

 society were crowded with beautiful dis- 

 plays; in fact, some of the groups would 

 have shown to better advantage if they 

 liad been allotted double the amount of 

 floor space. The somberness of the ferns 

 and selaginellas was relieved by the 

 groups of rare and beautiful orchids, 

 which were shown in great abundance. 

 The general arrangement was excellent 

 and pleased everyone. 



The lecture hall was entirely occupied 

 by the exhibit of Albert C. Burrage. 

 It included magnificent grou])s of or- 

 chids, rockeries planted with ferns, 

 grottoes with special lighting effects, 

 grand collections of ferns, selaginellas 

 and Rex begonias. W. A. Manda fairly 

 outdid himself and occupied nearly half 

 of the main exhibition hall, his groups 

 being beautifully arranged. Not only 

 ferns, but bromeliaces, cacti. Rex be- 

 gonias, rare stove and greenhouse plants 

 and dracsenas were featured in his ex- 

 tensive collection, which required ninety 

 large cases to hold them. 



Wollrath & Sons, of Waltham, were 

 extensive exhibitors and surprised 

 everyone by the taste and originality 

 of their display as well as its extent. 

 Their rockwork, stream of water and 

 pool were well placed and telling fea- 

 tures, and their specimen ferns elevated 

 on birch pole tripods were effective. The 

 large collections of Brooklyn Botanical 

 Gardens, F. R. Pierson Co., Thomas K. 

 Proctor, R. & J. Farquhar Co., Mrs. A. 

 F. Estabrook and others all added in- 

 terest to a most noteworthy show, the 

 first of its kind to be held here, if not 

 in America, destined to be the fore- 

 runner of others of ca similar nature. 

 The attendance, rather small at first, 

 grew as tlie beauty and extent of the 

 show became noised abroad, and it is 

 believed that the exhibition has done 

 a good deal to cause a greater interest 

 in the extensive and beautiful fern 

 family. 



The Ferns. 



For a group of tropical ferns of at 

 least 200 square feet, for conmiercial 

 growers, W. A. Manda was first. He had 

 a most notable disj)lay. Columns nine 

 to ten feet high, encased in moss and 

 planted with polypodiums, cyrtomiums, 

 adiantums, nephrolcpis and selaginellas, 

 were effectively used and a wealth of 

 old, new and rare varieties were in- 

 cluded. Wollrath & Sons were second. 

 Their group was oliarmingly arranged, 

 nephrolepis, adiantums and polypodiums 

 being mainly used. The rockery and 

 water effects showed originality and 

 were much admired. 



For a similar sized group for private 

 growers, Albert C. Burrage, Douglas 

 Pjccleston, superintendent, was first. His 



rockery work, grotto and general plant- 

 ing arrangement left nothing to be de- 

 sired and showed the master hand. In 

 all 158 species of ferns were included 

 in Mr. Burrage 's great display. Thomas 

 E. Proctor, James Marlborough, superin- 

 tendent, was second. In this group were 

 perfect specimens of Davallias fijiensis 

 plumosa, Mooreana, bullata and elegans; 

 Adiantum Farleyense and Farleyense 

 gloriosum; Polypodium Mandaianum, 

 Pteris Wilsonii and Nephrolepis Verona. 

 The group had a fine cibotiuni as its 

 central feature. 



W. A. Manda was first for a 100-foot 

 group of tropical ferns; Wollrath & 

 Sons, second. Mr. Manda also led in the 

 commerical classes for a 50-foot group, 

 twelve specimen ferns distinct and six 

 specimen ferns distinct. 



For a 100-foot group of nephrolepis 

 ferns the F. R. Pierson Co. led. Included 

 ill their fine collection were splendid 

 plants of N. elegantissima compacta, 

 plumosa aurea, muscosa, Macawii, Vic- 

 toria, General Pershing, Hai-risii, 

 Scholzelii, elegantissima compacta cris- 

 tata, Smithii, Scottii and bostoniensis; 

 W. A. Manda, second. 



For collection of cibotium ferns, cov- 

 ering at least 100 square feet, Albert C. 

 Burrage was first with some beautiful 

 specimens elevated on tall bark-cov- 

 ered columns in the center of the lecture 

 hall; W. A. Manda, second, also showing 

 some beautiful specimens. For single 

 specimen cibotium, W. A. Manda was 

 first with a huge plant; Albert C. Bur- 

 rage, second. 



W. A. Manda had the best 100-foot 

 group of adiantums, while for a single 

 specimen Thomas E. Proctor was first 

 with a magnificent plant of A. Farley- 

 ense gloriosum; W. A. Manda, second. 



Platycerinms were largely shown. For 

 twelve specimens Albert V. Burrage was 



first with some grand specimens. These, 

 growing from picture frames, were espe- 

 cially striking; W. A. Manda, second. 

 For a single specimen platycerium W. 

 A. Manda won with an immense plant of 

 grande. 



For collection of polypodium ferns 

 W. A. Manda was once more in the lead. 

 P. Mandaianum specimens were espe- 

 cially noteworthy. For a single speci- 

 men of polypodium Mrs. A. F. Esta- 

 brook won with a grand plant of P. 

 Mandaianum; Albert C. Burrage, sec- 

 ond. 



More Winners. 



For collections of selaginellas and 

 lycopodiums covering fifty square feet, 

 W. A. Manda won. Included were fine 

 specimens of Braunii, serpens, csesia, 

 Emmeliana, Emmeliana aurea, cauM- 

 sens, Mandaiana and Pitcheriana. Mr. 

 Manda was also first for twelve speci- 

 mens of selaginellas and six selagi- 

 nellas. 



Albert C. Burrage had the finest group 

 of selaginellas in the private owners' 

 class. Included were some superb 

 plants six to eight feet high. Specially 

 fine were csesia arborea, patula, Mar- 

 tensii variegata, ca?sia, Emmeliana 

 aurea and Mandaianum. This group 

 was as greatly admired as anything in 

 the show, the plants being remarkably 

 well grown and the colorings beautiful. 



Many Types. 



W. A. Manda had the best specimen 

 tree fern, with Alsophila australis. For 

 specimen tree fern with plants or flow- 

 ers growing on the trunk, Albert C. Bur- 

 rage won. The trunk was encircled by 

 quantities of beautiful cattleyas and 

 oncidiums. W. A. Manda had several 

 stones covered with bromeliacete and 

 various fine-foliaged plants, which were 

 quite effective. 



One of W. A. Manda's PrUe-Vlnning Exhibits at Boston Show- 



