280 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST 



^the youth of this country, whose tastes were directed to the rural arts, r® 

 cP could find a suitable institution where they might learn a beautiful and " 

 J pleasant, if not a very remunerating occupation. We hope to see 

 many of our youth chose this line of life, as by that means the busi- 

 ness would begin to be recognised as an honorable mode of procuring 

 a livelihood, and rank with others in the scale of respectability, if not 

 in the amount of emolument. 



The New Year is approaching, and with it comes a new schedule 

 (at least we hope it will be new) of premiums in our Horticultural So- 

 ciety. We suppose that every one directly interested in horticulture, 

 that i?, every one who grows plants, fruits, or vegetables, could sug- 

 gest some alteration, or what they think improvement in this matter. 

 There are, of course, as many opinions on this subject as there are 

 such persons ; and we hope that when the schedule is offered, the pre- 

 miums will be well debated — and in this way more persons wall be 

 satisfied. We propose to say a few words on the matter, giving them 

 for what they are worth : as we are not of those who think their opi- 

 nions absolutely right, and who wish to cram them down the throats 

 of every one else. We know that there are many older and wiser 

 heads than our own at work ; to such we listen with deference. A 

 person who proposes reforms, or objects to what is already establish- 

 ed, is generally looked upon with suspicion ; but conservatism in sci- 

 entific matters, especailly in so rapidly advancing a science as horti- 

 culture, is not to be thought of : old fogyism is no longer respectable. 

 Beginning with the stated monthly exhibitions — the principal com- 

 petition is in the way of " the best collection of plants," without de- 

 signating number or kind, w r hether greenhouse or hothouse, or hardy; 

 whether for superior growth or rarity. As this is an especial cause of 

 disappointment and complaint, the limits could not be too well defined. 

 We would say, limit the number to twelve or twenty specimens, not 

 exceeding the latter number; let the growth be the first criterion, as 

 exhibiting the skill of the gardener ; if equally well grown, then the 

 value of the collection — but in this the judges may err in preferring 

 well grown Pelargoniums to other plants not so well looking, of more 

 difficult kinds, as Heaths, and such plants which are usually thought 

 more intractable. As to the number, we have seen such crowds of 

 plants, sometimes mere trash, shown for competition, that the sooner 

 they are limited the better. The plants which obtain the gold medals 

 at the Chiswick shows are not always of the rarest kinds, but they are 

 specimen plants, such as Allamanda cathartica and Schottii, Pimelia 

 spectabilis,JEpacris grandiflora, but of a size and compactness, that 

 those of us who have not seen them have little idea of, and always in / 

 2 splendid bloom. If weTnistake not, Pelargoniums, and such plants as A 

 are specialities, are excluded from collections. ^y 



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