DEPUTATION TO THE BERLIN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, xix 



to illness Mr. Veitch at the last moment was unable to attend. In addition 

 there were 150 jurors, or judges, to whom was entrusted the onerous duty 

 of awarding prizes and awards in the thirty-one sections of the Show. 

 The following gentlemen officiated as EDglish jurors, viz. : Mr. William 

 Watson, A.L.S., Eoyal Gardens, Kew ; Mr. Stuart H. Low (Enfield) ; 

 Mr. Louis Sander (St. Albans) ; Mr. S. T. Wright (Royal Horticultural 

 Society) ; and Mr. R. Hooper Pearson, of the Gardeners' Chronicle. 



It was estimated that about two-thirds of the total exhibits were con- 

 tributed by German horticulturists, and one-third by those of other 

 countries. Great Britain on this occasion was not so largely represented 

 as was anticipated, but the exhibits sent by Messrs. Charlesworth 

 (Orchids), Mr. C. Engelmann, Mr. G. Lange (Carnations), and Messrs. 

 Cannell (Pelargoniums) attracted evident attention. The Winter- Flowering 

 Carnations exhibited by Mr. Lange and Mr. Engelmann were marked 

 features in their class. 



The Exhibition was privately visited by their Imperial Majesties the 

 Emperor and Empress on Wednesday, March 31, and it was formally 

 opened to the public on Friday, April 2, by their Imperial Highnesses the 

 Crown Prince and Princess, who, after receiving the several foreign and 

 other representatives, were presented with an address and conducted over 

 the Exhibition by the President and other Officers of the Society. 



Before referring to some of the most striking features of the Exhibi- 

 tion, it should be mentioned that the three special Grand Prizes offered 

 for open competition were awarded by a ballot of all the jurors as 

 follows : The Emperor's Grand Prize for the best exhibit of cultural 

 methods to Count Manfred von Matuschka, of Silesia, for a fine exhibit 

 of Winter-Flowering Carnations. 



The Crown Prince and Princess' Grand Prize for the best complete 

 group in the Show was awarded to Mr. Adolph Koschel, Charlottenburg, 

 while the Society's large Gold Medal for the best decorative exhibit was 

 awarded to the Dutch Bulb Growers' Association for a large and striking 

 parterre of Hyacinths representing a terrace garden with an area of about 

 400 square yards with about 20,000 brightly coloured plants in beautiful 

 bloom. 



Among Orchids by far the largest and choicest collection was exhibited 

 by Mons. F. Lambeau, of Brussels. 



Mr. Otto Beyrodt was the chief German exhibitor of Orchids, while, as 

 already mentioned, Messrs. Charlesworth had a small collection of some 

 of their best varieties, including a striking plant of Odontoglossum 

 Ossulstonii with over forty flowers. 



There were moderately large collections of Palms, Cycads, and foliage 

 plants. Possibly the finest was that of the Societe Anonyme Horticole of 

 Ghent ; and " Le Lion " had a fine group of Cocos Weddelliana. 



The stove flowering plants formed an interesting display. Bromeliads 

 were shown by Mr. Firmin de Smet, of Ghent, whose specimen of 

 Tillandsia zebrina was particularly good. The Hippeastrums were in 

 considerable quantity, but, with the exception of the collection from 

 Mr. Voorschoten, of the Hague, they were not equal to those usually seen 

 at the Shows of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



As already mentioned, the collections of Hyacinths and Tulips formed 



b 2 



