Horticultural  Exhibition  at  Gloucester. 
253 
foliage  in  a condition  whicli  would  have  been  impossible  had 
the  temperature  been  high. 
A charge  of  admission  of  one  shilling  was  made  on  June 
23,  and  up  to  one  o’clock  on  June  24.  The  Council  of  the 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  assented  to  this  with  some 
reluctance,  and  was  unwilling  to  establish  a precedent  for 
side  shows  with  payment.  But  the  object  of  the  Local 
Committee  in  urging  it  was  by  no  means  to  cover  part  of  the 
expense.  When  a horticultural  exhibition  is  densely  thronged, 
as  was  the  case  on  the  free  days,  the  visitors  have  to  be  content 
with  a mere  glimpse  of  the  general  effect,  and  any  critical 
inspection  of  the  exhibits  becomes  impossible.  It  is  probable 
that  those  whose  object  is  leisurely  study  and  comparison,  and 
who  do  not  regard  the  exhibition  as  a mere  sight  but  as  an 
opportunity  for  learning  something,  would  willingly  pay  more 
for  the  privilege  than  what  was  actually  charged. 
The  Royal  Horticultural  Society  supported  the  exhibition 
by  sending  a deputation,  including  the  President,  Sir  Trevor 
Lawrence,  Bart,  K.C.Y.O.,  and  Secretary,  the  Rev.  W.  Wilks, 
to  visit  the  show  on  June  23,  “ to  sxipplement  the  prizes  by 
awarding  Royal  Horticultural  Society  medals  and  commenda- 
tion cards  to  any  exhibits  they  may  consider  deserving.” 
The  Royal  Agricultural  Society  moves  with  the  times  and 
with  the  co-operation  of  other  societies  and  organisations 
includes  in  its  Show  any  new  work  connected  with  the  land. 
At  Gloucester  there  were  two  subsidiary  exhibitions  of 
remarkable  interest.  There  were  the  Agricultural  Education 
and  Forestry  Exhibitions,  which  will  be  noticed  elsewhere  ; 
the  former  was  probably  quite  unique  of  its  kind.  Some 
doubt  has,  however,  been  expressed  as  to  whether  the 
refinements  of  the  horticultural  art  are  not  too  remote  from 
agricultural  practice  to  justify  its  being  represented,  and  it 
is  worth  while  saying  a few  words  in  its  defence. 
No  doubt  at  first  sight  such  a superb  collection  of  orchids 
as  was  seen  at  Gloucester  has  no  relation  to  agriculture.  But 
it  represents  the  high-water  mark  of  cultural  skill.  And  in 
an  exhibition  it  must  be  permitted  to  show  to  what  point  the 
standard  of  excellence  can  be  raised  without  reference  to 
utilitarian  results.  It  is  not  difficult  to  show  that  the  art 
which  has  reached  its  culminating  point  in  orchid  culture  has 
rendered  substantial  service  to  agriculture.  To  the  professional 
eye  the  collection  of  vegetables,  with  some  eighty  exhibits, 
shown  by  the  Hon.  Vicary  Gibbs,  was  scarcely  less  noteworthy, 
and  the  same  remark  might  be  made  of  the  fine  collection 
of  fruit-trees  in  pots  sent  from  the  King’s  Acre  Nurseries  at 
Hereford.  In  all  three  cases  success  has  only  been  obtained 
by  the  intimate  study  of  the  conditions  of  plant-growth  which 
