ahead of time, arrived a "Crimson Rambler"; one couldn't get their 
materials together until an hour before the judging, and another's 
bird bath leaked! But we learned that you can come and work at 
your exhibit as early as the Thursday before the opening Monday, — 
that sawdust can be had in bags to take the place of soil, — that sod is 
the hardest plant to buy in winter, — that flat moss comes by the 
sack, and that aU cedar trees must be fire proofed, which ruins their 
color. 
Bird Baths A silver cup was offered to the clubs for the best Bird Bath with 
plantings not to exceed fifty square feet of floor space, or 7 feet by 
7 feet. Mr, Harrington, the capable manager of the Show, allotted 
spaces 7 feet by 7 feet with a flooring of waterproof paper and wooden 
boundary rim against large columns toward the Lexington Avenue 
side of the Gallery. There was a charming exhibit of flowery plants 
running alongside of our spaces, which gave us an excellent back- 
ground. Seven clubs entered the Bird Bath competition, and, 
strange as it may seem, two that were built with the best technique 
did not win any prize. The judges for this class were one landscape 
gardener, one florist, and the president of the Audubon Society. 
Bedford The Bedford Club made a dignified green planting arranged 
Club diagonally on the seven-foot square space. Handsome specimen 
evergreens formed the background; the foreground was splendidly 
built up with three tiers of old mossy brick — even the cracks were 
moss-filled, with a few little white crocuses planted between. The 
bath, surrounded by Dolphins, was an antique one of zinc or lead, 
octagonal in form, quite deep, but with plenty of pebbles and rocks 
in the bottom. It stood on the brick floor and a choice purple finch 
or red-poll warbler perched naturally on the leaden dolphin's head. 
Architecturally it was perfect, but it was ruled out because the bath 
was on the ground where the cats could get the birds. 
Allegheny The Allegheny Club's exhibit was ruled out for the same 
Club reason. Its background was a white wooden treUis wound with 
English Ivy — at one side flourished a beautifully shaped weeping 
Cherry and at the other a pink Dwarf Apple Tree in full bloom; 
at their feet Poets Narcissus grew most naturally and healthy plants 
of yellow Primroses and blooming Violets were planted in the fine sod 
in the foreground. But the beautiful old lead Bird Bath — a child 
leaning over a cockle shell — was on the ground and the ornithological 
judge would have none of it. 
North The North Country Club also set their bath on the ground 
Country and the same fate befell them. They had used a Httle hedge of 
Club Forsythia and Pussy Willows all around, making a regular enclosure 
and had they used a cat-proof gate they might have fared better. 
TuKps, Daffodils and Hyacinths in pots were prettily dotted about 
the enclosure with flat moss placed about them. 
38 
