420 Flower Stage of Lancaster Horticultural Society. 



160 



repeated till the whole were gone through. Then the labels 

 were opened, and the clerk, who sat at one end (d) of the 

 side table, wrote down the name of the owner, and the name 

 of the flower, with the prize adjudged, on a card, which was 

 then tied to the plant, and the plants were next placed on the 

 prize table for public inspection. 



There were fifty prizes on the prize table at this show, and 

 a great many plants in pots, and bouquets, on the show table 

 and the other tables. At ten minutes past ten o'clock, every 

 thing being completed, the door was opened, and the military 

 band entered in full uniform, and took the place allotted for 

 them (f) on the right hand. The room was soon filled with 

 the best company of the place, who were highly gratified with 

 the whole. It was an open show, free to all the growers in 

 the country, and the flowers were consequently very nume- 

 rous and very fine. 



The exhibition closed at four o'clock, when the owners 

 commenced removing their dif- 

 ferent plants ; by six o'clock the 

 whole were removed, and by 

 eight o'clock the school was in 

 the state in which it had been at 

 the same hour the evening before. 



I shall only notice farther, that 

 the stage {fig. 160.) consists of 

 several shelves (g,g), the lowest 

 of which is 1 ft. 2 in. in breadth, 

 the others 6 in., and the rise of 

 each shelf is 3 in. A screen of 

 black cloth, 4 ft. high, extends 

 along the centre over, and an- 

 other of the same width under, 

 the stage, to prevent the discord- 

 ant effects of cross lights. The 

 shelves of the show table are 

 painted black, those of the prize 

 table covered with green baize. 

 So many well-grown plants, with 

 leaves, stems, and flowers different from the ordinary vegeta- 

 tion of the country, thus elegantly arranged, produce a vivid 

 impression on the minds of the spectators ; and it has been 

 observed, that almost every exhibition makes one or two addi- 

 tional converts to botany and horticulture. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Lancaster, May 16. 1827. Mathias Saul. 





