THE FLORAL MAGAZINE. 



NEW SERIES.] OCTOBER, 1872. [No. 10. 



EXHIBITIONS. 



METROPOLITAN FLORAL SOCIETY— THIRD 

 GREAT EXHIBITION. 

 Crystal Palace, August 28th and 29th. 



This was a most successful exhibition, and we have never 

 seen autumn flowers in greater perfection, — while all the 

 arrangements were made with that care and considera- 

 tion which always mark the Crystal Palace shows. The 

 principal features were Gladiolus, Dahlias, and Holly- 

 hocks; although Asters, Roses, and Verbenas contributed 

 to make the display rich and varied. Of Gladiolus, 

 Messrs. Kelway and Son sent a stand containing between 

 five and six hundred blooms, beside those which they 

 staged for the prize for thirty-six, which easily fell to 

 their share. The stands contributed by amateurs were 

 exceedingly creditable, in fact we do not believe three 

 such stands of twelve as those exhibited by Lord Hawke, 

 Mr. Douglas, and the Rev. H. II. Dombrain have ever 

 been shown — near London at any rate ; the stand of six, 

 of the Rev. J. G. Hodgson, of Croydon, was also re- 

 markably fine. There can be no doubt that this flower is 

 increasing in popularity, and were it not for the disease 

 to which it is unfortunately subject, it would be still more 

 popular. Dahlias were wonderfully good ; there was 

 not merely size but great refinement in their growth, 

 and great purity in their marking. Mr. Keynes, of 

 Salisbury, and Mr. May, of Bedale in Yorkshire, extreme 

 south and north of England, coming into close competi- 

 tion, and the victory resting with the southern grower, 

 who now after fifty years of exhibiting retires from the 

 field, leaving it to younger hands to carry on that which 

 he so actively carried on for half a century. We believe 

 that we shall still see him as an exhibitor of Roses and 

 seedling Dahlias, but as an exhibitor of the latter he 

 now retires from the lists for competition. Hollyhocks, 

 especially those staged by Lord Hawke, and Mr. Chater, 

 of Saffron Walden, were wonderful specimens of skill. 

 Mr. Perry, of Castle Bromwich, was as usual strong in 

 Verbenas ; while the Roses contributed by Mr. Prince, 

 of Oxford, were beyond question the finest we ever saw 

 at an autumn show — in fact Mr. P. seems to be intro- 

 ducing a new era into rose-growing; these roses were all 

 cut from plants budded on seedling briars. We know 

 that the French nurserymen have long used them for Tea 

 Roses, and now it would seem that they will come into 

 use for exhibition roses. A most wondrously beautiful 



box of Clemence Raoux was sent by Mr. Prince, the 

 strikingly beautiful markings of this rose being very 

 fully shown in the blooms. 



It was determined to try and revive the Autumn Fruit 

 Show in connexion with this exhibition ; but owing to 

 the very exceptional character of the season, all out-of- 

 door fruits being so very scarce, the attempt was not 

 very successful. We hope to see it under more favour- 

 able auspices next year. 



BRIGHTON FLORICULTURAL EXHIBITION. 

 September 11th. 



This was also a great success; but our principal reason 

 in noticing it, is to show the value of Chapman's Patent 

 Cases. We sent two large boxes containing twenty-four 

 blooms of Gladiolus ; they were entrusted to the tender 

 mercies of two railways, yet so admirable is this plan of 

 packing them, that the flowers were so little injured that 

 they took the first prize; and when we received the 

 boxes back, nearly a week afterwards, the blooms were 

 still in situ, and some of the upper flowers were still pre- 

 sentable ! They are unquestionably a great boon to 

 exhibitors. 



KEW GARDENS. 



The controversy that has unfortunately arisen respecting 

 the management of these gardens, induced us after an 

 absence of some 3'ears to pay them a visit last month, 

 and we must say, that after having had recently the 

 opportunity of paying a visit to some of the foreign 

 scientific establishments, it was with some feeling of 

 pride that we went through this great establishment; 

 the order and neatness were not more conspicuous than 

 the extent of the collections, while the combination of 

 popular gardening shown in the bedding-out was ex- 

 cellent, — it is here in fact that the great danger lies, an 

 unscientific head of a department will hardly feel so 

 much interest, for example, in a thoroughly accurately 

 labelled collection of succulents, as he will in a gorgeous 

 display of bedding plants, and may possibly be inclined 

 to subordinate the scientific to the popular. No greater 

 calamity could possibly happen to Kew than this, for 

 not only in this country but abroad, it holds the very 

 highest place in the estimation of scientific botanists. 

 Collections are to be met with here, which no other botanic 



