November 9, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



539 



perhaps, all the more significant in view of the Mulberry's near 

 kinship with the Banyan-tree, which makes such wonderful 

 mechanical use of aerial roots." The picture shows some of 

 the roots of the Mulberry crossing the huge cavity in the trunk 

 like mammoth harp-strings. 



Exhibitions. 

 The New York Chrysanthemum Show. 



THE great amphitheatre of the Madison Square Garden is 

 a place of surprising changes, and there is no change during 

 the year more cordially welcomed than that which converts it 

 into a maze of Chrysanthemum blossoms. Under the auspices 

 of the New York Florists' Club, the Madison Square Garden 

 Company opened the usual fall exhibition on November ist, 

 with a schedule of prizes valued at nearly seven thousand 

 dollars, an amount which should have brought on an inter- 

 state competition, which would be sure to prove interesting. 

 Tliere was no lack of material, however, though the competi- 

 tion was mostly confined to local growers. The broad oval 

 was filled with masses of flowers. As one entered the Gar- 

 den and passed a great mound of decorative plants, contrib- 

 uted by Messrs. Siebrecht & Wadley, the foreground was seen 

 to be filled with trained plants, beyond which, surrounding 

 a fountain with a large basin, were covered tables, on which 

 were displayed the cut flowers for competition. The borders 

 of the oval were banked with great numbers of plants in small 

 pots grown to single stems, which seem so popular among 

 the growers. Beyond the tables a mass of Palms marked a 

 floral booth in white, which was in striking contrast to the 

 gay central booth of last year. The large vases of flowers, 

 which were the striking feature of the last show, were dupli- 

 cated here in great numbers, and even more bold effects were 

 seen with enormous bowl-shaped vases, each containing 

 twenty-five or fifty blooms. We doubt if any nobler display 

 of the Chrysanthemum at its best has ever been made at any ■ 

 exhibition. 



A half-dozen large Chrysanthemum-flowers in a tall vase of 

 suitable size is such a satisfactory object that every one does 

 not realize that a single bouncing bloom is a difficult subject 

 to dispose of satisfactorily, owing largely to the fact that the 

 flower has no surplus foliage as a foil. A board of Chrysan- 

 themums is not an aesthetic object, but has certain advan- 

 tages from an exhibitor's point of view. But, as the flowers 

 have grown in size, it has been felt that an effort should be 

 made to show them more informally and in ways which would 

 make them more attractive, if possible, to the great flower- 

 loving public. 



The New York Florists' Club is a progressive body and de- 

 serves great credit for its bold departure in devoting a large 

 share of the prize money to exhibits of cut flowers shown with 

 long stems and arranged in uniform vases as supplied by the 

 management. These vases, moulded in a handsome pattern of 

 clear glass, were about two inches in diameter, with ample 

 bases, and a foot high. Taking the flowers as units, the 

 arrangement is of great merit, but such vases need space for 

 effectiveness, and it will be necessary to devise some arrange- 

 ment of the various collections of twelve, twenty-four and forty- 

 ' eight, and to show the individual vases and flowers. Some 

 simple device, like a table of medium height with terraces 

 or steps, would possibly add very much to the individual 

 and general effect, especially if the different collections 

 were separated by a few small foliage-plants. The speci- 

 mens were to be seen in tens of thousands, and, on 

 the average, distinctly superior to those shown last 

 season. Not only was the average of the flowers better 

 as to finish and size, but they were notably, with few excep- 

 tions, of firmer substance and remained in good condition 

 longer than before. The competition was keen in cut flowers, 

 and all the classes were well filled. 



The cup offered by the Garden and Forest Publishing Com- 

 pany for the best vase containing six blooms of one variety 

 was awarded to Peter Henderson & Co. for a vase of the 

 Golden Wedding, a variety of Japanese origin, which is the 

 sensation of the season. The flowers are of the very largest 

 size, yet not coarse ; the form is perfect, the petals gracefully 

 incurving somewhat irregularly. The color is a clear golden 

 yellow. A mammoth vase furnished with flfty flowers of this 

 noteworthy variety also gained the silver cup offered by Mrs. 

 W. Bayard Cutting. The John Eyerman silver cup, for the 

 best six blooms of pink, was awarded to J. Simpkms for a 

 vase of Mermaid. The silver cup of Peter Henderson & Co., 

 for a vase of twenty-five yellow flowers, was awarded to J. 

 Brydon, of Yarmouthport, Massachusetts, for a flne mass of 



W. H. Lincoln. The Dailledouze Brothers' prize for the best 

 six blooms of any variety introduced in the spring of 1892 was 

 taken by Julius Roehrs, for fine blooms of Maria Simpson, a 

 flower in the way of Eldorado. The principal prizes for classes 

 of cut blooms were taken by Ernest Asmus, Dailledouze 

 Brothers, Pitcher & Manda and "Julius Roehrs. 



An interesting exhibit was brought out in the competition 

 for the best twelve vases with six flowers of one variety in each 

 vase. The group which took the prize contained Miss A. 

 Swann, Harry May, Roslyn, Minnie Wannamaker, H. Cannell, 

 Lilian 13. Bird, Eda Prass, Colonel W.B. Spaulding, Kioto, PL E. 

 Widener, J. H. White, Ada Spaulding, and the plants were 

 shown by F. T. Underbill, Oyster Bay, Long Island. The prize 

 for the best twenty-four Japanese varieties, shown on boards, 

 was awardedto Ernest Asmus with the varieties Edward Hatch, 

 Dr. Callendreau, H. E. Widener, Miss Bertha Robinson, W. H. 

 Lincoln, Exquisite, Mrs. E. D. Adams, Mrs. J. Thomas, Viviand 

 Morel, Ivory, Volcano, Mrs. Governor Fifer, Mrs. Irving 

 Clarke, Golden Gate, Domination, Mermaid, Jessica, Waban, 

 Cochinella, Edward Hitzeroth, Mrs. J. N. Gerard, Ed. Moly- 

 neaux, Minnie Wannamaker, Hicks Arnold. 



A vase given by J. H. Taylor was awarded to Dailledouze 

 Brothers for the best flower in the show. 



Plants in trained specimens, standard plants, and plants 

 grown to single blooms, were shown in large numbers, but 

 were without special feature. For these the principal prizes 

 were taken by Pitcher & Manda, Julius Roehrs, Ernest Asmus, 

 T. H. Spaulding. A special prize, a silver cup, offered by 

 James Dean, was awarded to T. W. Hatfield, gardener to 

 Walter Hunnewell, Esq., of Wellesley, Massachusetts, for the 

 best plant exhibited. This was a well-grown and flowered plant 

 of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. 



On Thursday seedlings were exhibited in great numbers ; 

 but, although the flowers averaged unusually good, there were 

 no striking advances or departures from well-known types, and 

 few new varieties, indeed, which a Chrysanthemum society 

 would care to certificate as superior in any respect to those 

 already in cultivation. As varieties multiply it becomes more 

 and more necessary to be cautious about scattering such 

 honors as first prizes at a great exhibition with too lavish a 

 hand. The first prize for the best pink seedling, for example, 

 might mean very little if there were only two or three flowers 

 of that color in the coinpetition, and it means sfiU less if the 

 flower so decorated is not a true pink after all. Among the 

 white varieties, W. G. Newett ; among the yellows, Mrs. F. L. 

 Ames, and among the pinks, Wm. Plumb, attracted notice. 

 The principal prizes in this class went to F. S. Waby, Pitcher & 

 Manda. E. G. Hill & Co., F. D. Underbill and J. N. May. 



On the last days of the exhibition, the large vases and baskets 

 in which flowers with long stems were arranged with other 

 foliage, were striking features. These large vases, set on 

 draped pillars or pedestals, often contained a hundred flow- 

 ers, and many of them were very effective. In some, how- 

 ever, the mistake was made of mingling with the bold flowers 

 Adiantums and other plants of delicate foliage. Several din- 

 ing- tables were also shown dressed with Chrysanthemums 

 and various kinds of foliage, but in almost every case the 

 decorations were too profuse and looked burdensome. 



The cut Roses were unusually good, and if one can judge by 

 the interest manifested by the visitors, the Rose held its own 

 with the Chrysanthemum. The comparatively new Rose, 

 Madame Testout, was shown in admirable form by Er- 

 nest Asmus. The flower is a clear pink, which lights up 

 beautifully, and it has an air of refinement and distinc- 

 tion which is quite captivating. The Kaiserin Augusta 

 Victoria is a new white Rose with exquisite Tea fragrance, and 

 is looked upon as a strong competitor of The Bride. Another 

 new Rose shown was Bridesmaid, a sport from Catherine 

 Mermet, and another still was John Burton's American Belle, 

 a sport from American Beauty and a little lighter in color. 

 Mrs. William C. Whitney is a seedling pink Rose, with long 

 well-formed buds, raised by Mr. John N. May. Of the older 

 Roses Meteor was conspicuous, its deep color being rare at 

 this season, and this, with its long stems and good foliage, 

 makes it very desirable. Madame Cusin was abundant, and is 

 popular on account of its good color and keeping quality. 

 Madame Watte ville and the old Perle, still unexcelled among 

 the yellows, were also noteworthy where all were good. The 

 chief Rose prizes were won by F. R. Pierson, of Tarrytown ; 

 Ernest Asmus, J. H. Taylor and John N. May. 



Notice of the Carnations, Cannas and other plants must be 

 deferred, but it may be said that the flowers throughout were 

 worthy of the exhibition, which seems to have become one of 

 the established institutions of the city under the happy co-op- 

 eration of the Florists' Club and the Madison Square Garden 

 Company. 



