HORTICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS AND SCHEDULES. 501 



admitted, are not successful. Some start with a flash, have a 

 brief comet-like career, and collapse ; others struggle on in a 

 hand-to-mouth manner because they are not founded on a sound 

 basis, and are not managed on the most prudent lines. Then 

 some which are fairly successful, and continue from year to year, 

 seem to do so more as the result of chance than of forethought 

 and a well-considered plan of operations properly carried out. 



The proceedings at and in connection with one show may 

 be all that can be desired in smooth working, the harmony of 

 co-operation among the officials, with the resulting orderliness 

 and punctuality in execution being pleasant to see. In another 

 show confusion may rule supreme : " regulations " be ignored as 

 if they had no existence, " time " regarded as an unconsidered 

 trifle, lateness and litter the prevailing features, while errors 

 abound to try the patience and tax the resources of the judges in 

 their efforts at rectification. 



What are the chief desiderata of horticultural exhibitions, 

 and what are the main obstacles in preventing their attainment ? 

 Surely two primary objects that their promoters ought to keep 

 steadily in view are stability and independence. It is greatly to 

 be feared that too many shows are regarded by a not inconsider- 

 able number of persons, who have voice and vote in their 

 formation and conduct, as institutions for the distribution of 

 prize money. When that is so the element of stability is of 

 necessity lacking, for more than a justifiable amount, having 

 regard to incidental contingencies, is almost certain to be 

 allocated to the prizes. With a majority of exhibitors on com- 

 mittees there is great danger of the cost being underestimated 

 and the estimated income exaggerated. 



The chance of success is then entirely dependent in summer 

 on "flower show weather," and largely so, but in a much less 

 degree, in the autumn. It is only by having a majority of clear- 

 headed business men, wholly indifferent to prizes, on the exhibi- 

 tion committee that there is reasonable hope of a society placing 

 itself in a position of independence ; and when it finds itself in 

 the happy state of meeting all demands, regardless of the 

 weather, it can practically command all other requisites for 

 insuring success. 



A Sound Foundation. 

 This brings us to a question that is too often overlooked in 



