122 jnsr'ELLANEOUS EXHIBITION PLANTS, 



information upon. The exhibitor must always remember that 

 flowering plants are in their very best condition for compe- 

 tition when the first flush of flowers is fully expanded, and 

 every effort should be made to secure that desirable point. 

 They can be retarded by keeping them cool and shaded, as 

 much as can be safely done without injury to the flowers ; or 

 when the)' are late, they may be forwarded by a judicious 

 amount of extra heat. 



Geraniums, Heaths, and all kinds of plants, and especially 

 climbers, that require to be trained into shape, should be 

 manipulated in sufiicieut time before the show to allow the 

 leaves and points of the shoots to assume a natural position. 

 Preparatory to exhibition, all foliage that will bear it should 

 be carefullj' sponged over with a weak solution of soft soap 

 and tepid water, to remove every speck of dirt ; at the same 

 time cutting out all discoloured and decaying leaves. Staking 

 and tying should be done as neatly as possible, and no more 

 of either emploj'ed than is actually necessarj'. 



Foliage plants with single stems, svich as Dracsenas, Palms, 

 and Cycads, and also Tree-Ferns, should have all their leaves 

 laid evenly up to the centre, covered with tissue-paper, and 

 carefully tied to a strong stake, with wads of cotton-wool 

 inserted to prevent rubbing, to prepare them for safe transit 

 to the exhibition. Tender flowering platits, such as Orchids, 

 and stove plants generally, should have the flower-stem covered 

 with cotton-wool and tissue-paper, and the separate flowers 

 properly packed in the same material, finishing off by envelop- 

 ing the whole truss in paper neatly tied with soft matting. 

 Ferns should have the outside fronds laid up to the centre 

 ones, and a breadth of soft cloth run round the plants, bring- 

 ing it over the top, forming a protection to the tender fronds. 

 When packing to ti'avel by road or rail, soft meadow-hay is 

 the best material to put round and below the pots, being 

 careful to economise space by packing the smaller amongst 

 the larger plants, placing them so that the leaves will not rub 

 against anything. 



Some exhibitors think their object is accomplished when 

 the prize is won, and do not bestow much care in the removal 



