312 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 



[May 11, 1912. 



imposing effect is more likely to be obtained than 

 by a haphazard, unpremeditated procedure. It 

 is also a good thing, if the show is to be held 

 at a short distance, to go to the site some days 

 beforehand, and obtain a general idea of the 

 space to be occupied. If the exact position of 

 the exhibit is known, it is quite possible to 

 arrange beforehand how to stage, so that the best 



effect may be obtained. 



According to my observations, groups of plants 

 are nearly always overcrowded. Distinctive fea- 

 tures should be aimed at — every plant of import- 

 ance should be allowed to show itself. Colour is 

 another very important point — too many colours 

 should be avoided, and especially those which are 

 likely to clash with one another. Single-stemmed 

 Codiaeums, for instance, although most effective 

 when well coloured, should not otherwise be 

 used. If they are allowed in a group, they look 

 best with different shades of orange and scarlet, 

 such as those found in the Ixoras. A softer blend of 



Specimen plants which are bush-trained need 

 tipping, but this can be done so as not to create 

 an unsightly appearance. Broken flower pots, 

 when employed for this purpose, are most un- 

 sightly, and should not be tolerated for an in- 

 stant. Colour -effect will again weigh with the 

 careful exhibitor — he will, for instance, separate 

 a Bougainvillea from an Ixora. A Statice should 

 be placed between, if available, or a Stephanotis. 



Allamandas always look well in a collection, 

 especially when placed with Statices. Ferns are 

 comparatively easy to stage as specimens, though 

 in a large oollection of diversified Ferns, taste 

 and discrimination are needed. Small specimens 

 should be kept well to the front. Golden and 

 Silver Gymnogrammas should be mingled — they 

 look far better together than apart. 



We now come to the subject of cut flowers — 

 and here again the remark must be made that 

 overcrowding is far too common at the present 

 day. One often sees an exhibit of cut flowers 



colour is obtained from the grouping of Cattleyas, which is a perfect jumble of ill -assorted colours 

 such as C. Mossi« and C. labiata, with a touch this is especially the case in a mixed collection 



* ■ 





FlG. I54. — DISA SAGITTALIS! FLOWERS PALE LILAC. 





1 



of white. When showing for effect, the use of 

 stakes for supports should be avoided. I have 

 seen fearful anomalies in this way — white sticks, 

 for example — which are unpardonable, especially 

 in the case of an experienced exhibitor. 



The staging of specimen plants is not made 

 much of an art nowadays, but careful attention to 

 detail will be well repaid. A good general effect 

 is often the only difference between two collec- 

 tions, and it is well worth while to make a study 

 of the art of arrangement. The exhibitor should 

 lways make a point of having a particularly 

 good specimen at the extreme left-hand front 

 corner of his group. This applies not only to 

 collections of specimens, but to exhibits of all 

 kinds, and the reason lies in the fact that the 

 object in this position always first attracts the 

 •ye. I remember seeing at one show an exhibit 

 of Grapes — excellently-cultivated specimens ; but, 

 unfortunately, the weakest bunch was at the ex- 

 treme left of the exhibit, which happened to be 

 at the end of the tabling. The judges all 

 the weak bunch, and the result was disappoint- 

 ment to the exhibitor. 



of herbaceous and other plants. Late-flowering 

 Tulips, also, are often so crowded that their 

 beauty and effectiveness are completely lost; 

 and with Reses and Sweet Peas the same mistake 

 is frequently made. It would seem that exhibi- 

 tors cannot resist the temptation of showing 

 enormous quantities of blooms when making up 

 groups ; but, apart from any other consideration, 

 it should be borne in raind that overcrowding 

 in vases is a frequent cause of early fading. 



Wherever possible, the foliage of the flowers 

 themselves should be used. Rambler Roses, for 

 instance, look very well in long sprays with the 

 addition of a few slender growths. The prac- 

 tice of " dressing *' the flowers should never be 

 resorted to — it is unnecessary and absurd. It 

 is, of course, extensively done by street vendors 

 of u buttonholes " (from whom, perhaps, some 

 of our exhibitors have learned it !), but I always 

 wonder how the lover of flowers can bear to 

 mutilate the petals of Roses. Carnations are, 

 saw happily, not so much dressed as formerly, and it 



is indeed fortunate that many flowers do not lend 

 themselves to this kind of " improvement." 



In arranging cut flowers m vases two or thre* 

 rows deep, the vases must be carefully graded 

 so that the back row is not hidden. Some cut 

 flowers (Lilac, for example) have a good deal of 

 foliage attached to the wood. Some of this 

 should be removed, otherwise the flowers will 

 soon fade. The foliage may be used, but 

 separately, that is not attached to the blossom. 



The staging of fruits is done nowaday* much 

 better than formerly, owing to the incentive 

 offered by the fact of extra marks being given foi 

 artistic effect. It is sometimes even a little over- 

 done — decorative dessert tables, especially, being 

 often far too ornate to find favour in any dining 

 room. In the case of Grapes, it. is a common 

 custom to use white paper for black, and 

 pink for white Grapes. Why not use a pale, 

 neutral green for. both? The effect would be far 

 better, in my opinion. Each individual fruit 

 shoutd have its own place iri the scheme— thia 

 will not be the case if overcrowding is permitted. 

 For decoration, trailing, slender growths mav be 

 used — such as Smilax, early in the season; and 

 later on, the well-coloured sprays of Ampelopsia 

 Veitchii. The name of this creeper reminds me 

 of an example of effective staging whieh I once 

 saw." It was, I believe, the first occasion on 

 which Messrs. Veitch & Son showed this plant, at 

 South Kensington. The exhibit was composed of 

 dense growths which had attached themselves to 

 a length of scrim canvas. A more effective 

 method of staging could hardly be conceived. 



With reference to vegetables, I do not think 

 there is much to be said. Those who have seen 

 Mr. Edwin Beckett's method of staging will have 

 received sufficient hints how to stage to the beat 

 possible effect; he never overcrowds hie ex- 

 hibits, and every dish is conspicuous. Parsley 

 is essential as a ground-work ; there is nothing 

 better, in my opinion— but it takes a large quan- 

 tity if it is to look well. The method of staging 

 in shallow baskets has much to recommend it 

 as by this means all the subjects are kept quite 

 separate from one another. 



I should like to remind exhibitors always to 

 carry with them a syringe or a sprayer, where- 

 with to diffuse a gentle moisture upon Ferns, cut 

 flowers and vegetables. Fruit, of course, muit 

 never on any account be moistened. J . II* 



(To be continued.) 

 .... 



• 



* 1 • 



ORCHID NOTES AND GLEANINGS, 



DISAS. 

 The Disas are amongst the most charming of 

 'cool-house Orchids, and if afforded suitable treat- 

 ment the plants will flower well during the spring 

 and summer months. On March 5 Messrs. J- 

 Veitch k Sons, Ltd., Chelsea, exhibited a pan of 

 the pretty Disa sagittalis (see fig. 154) under the 

 name of D. caulescens, the two species being 

 closely allied. D. sagittalis succeeds under the 

 same treatment as D. grandiflora, although it 

 belongs to a distinct section. In addition to tit 

 two mentioned, D. racemosa, D. tripetaloidei, 

 and the hybrids D. Veitchii (racemosa X grandi- 

 flora), which resembles the former parent m shape 

 and colour, D. kewensis (grandiflora X tnpeU- 

 loides), D. langleyensis (racemosa X tripetaloidea), 

 D. Premier (tripetaloides X Veitchii), and V. 

 Luna (racemosa x Veitchii) are all excellent gar- 

 den plants. A few other hybrids have been raised, 

 but it is questionable whether they are now J 

 commerce. No doubt many have failed wttfl 

 Disas through growing the plants in a too faign 

 temperature. Some growers utilise a cold fram 

 for the plants, but the cooler end of the uaon- 

 toglossum house is more suitable. When 

 plants pass out of flower and the new ^ oWt ° n ^ 

 apparent, any necessary repotting can be » 

 using ordinary flower pote or fairly deep pa > 

 which should be one-third filled with ma Jj um 

 for drainage purposes. As a rooting me ^ 

 employ a mixture of good, fibrous loam ^ne-fl > 

 peat one-fourth, and the remainder J^^T^ 



num-moss, w 



ith silver-sand and a few crus 





