TABLE PLANTS. 85 



eligible for the purpose. The pinnfe of certain Adiantum?, 

 such as A. Farleyense, being too heavy for the slender foot- 

 stalks, should be supported on fine galvanised wire with a hook 

 at the top to hold the frond in its natural position. 



The fifth section, Conifers ; this, the last section of table 

 plants, is, with few exceptions, the best for exhibition, their 

 hardiness and durability being greatly in their favour. For 

 competition, they should be grown under glass, and they well 

 repay a little trouble to bring out their best colours and points 

 of merit. The following are some of the best : — Araucaria 

 excelsa, Arthrotaxus selaginoides, Biota {Thuia) orientalis aiwea, 

 Cupressus Lawsoniana albo-variegata, Juniperux cliinensis aureo- 

 rariegata, Libocednis cliile7ii<is, Retinospora phmiosa alho-pida, 

 Thuiopsis dolabrata variegata, Thuia occidentalis elegant issima, 

 and Wellingtonia girjantea. All of these are grown from 

 cuttings in the visual manner, but care should be taken to 

 select the most vigorous cuttings from the points of side- 

 shoots, so that they may soon form well-balanced young 

 plants. Sound fibry loam of a medium texture suits them 

 well, and they should be potted rather firm in well-drained pots. 

 They delight in a free circulation of air, a moderate supply of 

 water at all times, and all the light possible to bring out their 

 best gold and silver variegation. In summer, syringe every 

 afternoon to keep them clean and fresh. 



JUDGING. 



The points of merit in a table plant are : (1.) Gracefulness 

 of habit, with every twig and leaf fresh and complete ; (2.) the 

 colour of flowers, foliage, and berries should be bright, without 

 blemish, and the markings clear and well defined, pure white, 

 bright red, and green taking precedence of yellow and blue. 

 No table plants should be exhibited in pots over six inches 

 in measurement, and clean-stemmed plants are preferable to 

 those of a squat or bushy habit with many stems or footstalks 

 rising from the surface of the soil. The height of a table 

 plant should be about 20 inches including the pot, which 

 should have a suitable cover over it, and the surface of the soil 

 neatly covered with fresh green moss. 



