516 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of horticultural exhibitions. It is there that the Eoyal Society of 

 Agriculture and Botany holds every five years great shows which date 

 back intermittently for some 300 years. Visitors to the last show, 

 held in 1908, will remember particularly the magnificent display of 

 Azaleas, Camellias and Orchids, and the charmingly artistic effect of 

 the arrangement of the exhibition with roomy walks and panoramic 

 backgrounds. It may be claimed that English exhibitors scored a 

 great triumph in the Orchid class by the marvellous display made by 

 Sir George Holford, K.O.V.O., O.I.E. 



The relations between leading French and English horticulturists 

 are of a very happy nature and many of the latter make a point of 

 attending the periodical shows in Paris which always add to one's 

 admiration for the artistic and decorative genius of our neighbours. 



The completeness of the Berlin Exhibition in 1909, which was held 

 as early as April, was a revelation to English visitors. The show of 

 fruit for such a time of the year was surprisingly good. 



A wonderful show of tulips was seen at last year's Jubilee Exhibi- 

 tion at Haarlem, where the great bulb gardens, for which the town is 

 famous, were to be seen in masses — a galaxy of beauty in form and 

 colour. 



The chief characteristic of our own Exhibition of 1912, at the end 

 of May, will probably be the all-round quality of the exhibits rather 

 than the supremacy of any one class, except perhaps Orchids. Some 

 few objections, by the way, may be raised to the date of the show, but 

 these would be possible whatever season was fixed, and the days 

 decided upon after the most careful consideration by the Directors are 

 undoubtedly the most convenient generally and offer the best all-round 

 opportunities for the display of British horticulture in all its branches. 

 It has also been proved by experience on many occasions that the public 

 are more eager to attend spring shows than those held later in the , 

 summer. 



The dear old phrase " Horticulture in all its branches," falls very j 

 easily from one's lips. This is not to be wondered at considering the j 

 amount of oratory for w^hich it has been responsible since the days of | 

 Gerard and Parkinson. It would be useful sometimes to consider'! 

 what it really means instead of employing it in the automatic fashion | 

 to which we have become accustomed. As the Exhibition is designed \ 

 to serve horticulture in all its branches it will be legitimate to give a 

 moment's consideration to some of the branches and see how broadly | 

 they spread. 



Many of us are too busy clinging to our own particular limb to j 

 realize of what a giant tree it forms part and the great economic I 

 importance of that tree in our country. j 



We ought to be in an exceptional position to appreciate these facts 

 when we have before us the statistics of the census of production with 

 regard to the horticultural industry which will very shortly be pub- 

 lished and should be well worth the study of all who are interested in 

 the progress of the art. 



