256 
Ilorticidtvral  Exhibition  at  Gloucester. 
The  Local  Committee  was  fortunate  in  securing  as  horticultural 
manager  the  services  of  Mr.  Peter  Blair,  who  has  charge  of  the 
gardens  of  the  Duke  of  Sutherland  at  Trentham  and  who  had 
carried  out  very  successfully  a similar  show  at  Lincoln.  He 
succeeded  in  giving  the  Gloucester  Exhibition  an  aspect  which 
was  altogether  unique.  Three  tents  were  used,  arranged  in  a 
hollow  square.  The  centre  one  (200  ft.  long  by  85  ft.  wide) 
was  probably  the  largest  which  had  ever  been  used  in  this 
country  for  a flower  show.  The  vast  space  allowed  groups 
to  be  arranged  and  effects  to  be  produced  which  ordinarily 
would  be  impracticable.  It  was  the  opinion  of  those  well 
qualified  to  judge  that  nothing  surpassing  them  had  ever 
been  seen  at  home  or  on  the  Continent. 
But  success  was  largely  due  to  what  was  nothing  short  of 
an  outburst  of  local  patriotism.  It  has  been  roughly  estimated 
that  two-thirds  of  the  exhibits  came  from  the  county  of  Glou- 
cester. Private  and  commercial  establishments  placed  their 
resources  lavishly  at  the  disposal  of  the  Local  Committee.  The 
result  was  a revelation  as  to  the  horticultural  possibilities  of 
Gloucestershire.  Its  sunshine  and  mild  climate  doubtless 
favour  indoor  cultivation.  An  interesting  feature  of  provin- 
cial shows  is  the  evidence  they  afford  of  the  influence  of  local 
physical  conditions  on  particular  cultures.  One  must  go  to 
Liverpool  to  see  crotons,  and  the  enormous  bunches  of  grapes 
which  are  shown  in  the  north  are  unknown  in  the  south. 
Lieut-Col.  Holford,  C.V.O.,  C.I.E.  of  Westonbirt  House, 
Tetbury,  made  a display  of  hippeastrums  and  orchids  which 
for  splendour  and  sheer  cultural  excellence  could  not  be 
rivalled  anywhere.  The  flowering  of  the  former  had  been 
skilfully  retarded  and  by  abstaining  from  exhibiting  else- 
where during  the  year  Lieut.-Col.  Holford  had  concentrated 
all  his  efforts  on  staging  his  orchids  in  perfection  at  Glou- 
cester. It  was  a unique  and  almost  unparalleled  effort,  and  was 
deservedly  awarded  by  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  the 
Lawrence  Gold  Medal  “ for  the  finest  exhibit  of  the  year.” 
The  regret  was  universal  that  sudden  illness  prevented  his 
showing  his  triumph  to  the  King  and  witnessing  the  admira- 
tion which  it  excited  on  all  hands.  On  the' commercial  side 
the  varied  exhibits  of  Mr.  John  Cypher  whose  fame  as  a 
cultivator  is  Eiiropean  were  scarcely  less  remarkable.  The 
large  plants  of  Darwinia  tulipifera  shown  in  commemoration 
of  the  Cambridge  Darwin  centenary  which  was  being  celebrated 
at  the  same  time  were  a tour  de  force  of  cultural  skill.  It  is 
not  too  much  to  say  that  the  exhibits  of  Lieut.-Col.  Holford 
and  of  Mr.  Cypher  were  the  backbone  of  the  show  and 
secured  its  success.  The  group  of  indoor  plants  shown  by 
the  Right  Honourable  Sir  John  Dorington  was  universally 
