CHAPTER XIV. 



THE DAFFODIL ON THE EXHIBITION TABLE. 



It is much easier to exhibit Daffodils nowadays than it 

 was a few years ago. The leading show committees 

 have begun to set fixed limits, not only to the number 

 of varieties to be shown in each " collection," but also 

 to the number of blooms in each vase of any exhibit. 

 The characteristic beauties of the different varieties are 

 quite as well displayed by five or six blooms artistically 

 arranged as by the large jars of unlimited numbers which 

 used to be set up. This is a great gain to exhibitors. 

 It much reduces the amount of luggage to be transported, 

 and it saves those who with comparatively few bulbs 

 have fine varieties and well-grown flowers from being 

 overwhelmed by the mass of possibly inferior flowers 

 which larger but less careful growers may set up against 

 them. 



There are now plenty of shows at which to exhibit. 

 Numerous silver cups, medals, and other valuable prizes 

 are annually offered at convenient centres — e.g. at the 

 Drill Hall, Westminster (R.H.S. Show), the great 

 Birmingham Show of the Midland Daffodil Society, 

 the Truro Show of the Cornwall Daffodil Society, at 

 Edinburgh, Dublin, Manchester, Ipswich, Norwich, 

 Wisbeach, and many other places in different parts of 

 the country. Suitable vases for staging the flowers are 

 usually provided by the show committees ; and at many 

 of these shows, notably at Birmingham and Truro, the 

 staging arrangements are remarkably good, and the con- 

 venience of the exhibitors most carefully studied. 



