THE ELOEAL MAGAZINE 
NEW SERIES.] 
AUGUST, 1873. 
EXHIBITIONS. 
A.s usual at this season of the year, these come on so 
rapidly and so are numerous, that in our limited space it 
is quite impossible to give more tlian a very brief resume. 
The most important has been that of the Royal Horti- 
cultural Society at Bath, where we have to record 
the usual results; — an enthusiastic attempt on the part 
of the residents to get up a grand Show by offering a 
most extensive schedule of prizes, amounting altogether 
to 1900/. ; an earnest working out of the matter as far as 
the Local Committee was concerned; a series of mistakes 
and blundering on the part of the Horticultural Society, i 
and an universal chorus of complaints after all is over. I 
With an abundance of materials of the very best descrip- ^ 
tion, plants unequalled in the whole world, yet so badly 
was the tent arranged that a great portion of its beauties 
were placed in the background, and the grand effect 
greatly marred. Then, although a new Council had 
been elected from which great things were expected, 
there was no better plan devised than before for bringing 
horticulturists together and promoting that kindly inter- 
course which, in so widely diffused a body as the 
gardening folk of Great Britain, is most desirable ; and 
had it not been for their own exerlions, that which ought 
to be one of the primary objects of a meeting like this 
would have been enlirelv frustrated. Amonerst the 
remarkable events of the Show were the contest for the 
premier prize of the exhibition for stove and greenhouse 
plants, which was awarded to jMessrs. Cole and Sons, of 
Manchester, who successfully obtained that position in 
opposition to Mr. Baines, whose honours have been for 
once plucked from him ; and the success of Mr. William 
Bull, of Chelsea, in obtaining the first prize for new 
and rare plants. The Rose Show on the Thursday was a 
great success, for although the season is a backward one, 
the West of England is so much more forward, that Mr. 
Cranston amongst nurserymen, the Rev. J. B. Camm, 
G. II. Baker, Esq., and the Rev. J. Handley, amongst 
amateurs, came out in great force ; finer blooms than 
those exhibited in the leading prize stands it would be 
difficult to imagine. 
Besides this, there have been exhibitions at South 
Kensington on July 2nd, when the great National Rose 
Show was held, and on July 16th and 17th, when a 
• prize exhibition of Zonal Pelargoniums took place. The 
long arcades were filled with an immense number of 
varieties, the leading raisers and growers being repre- 
[No. 20. 
sented — Messrs. Geoi’ge, Pearson, G. Smith, Dr. Denny, 
and others. Those who can look back on the time when 
Tom Thumb was a novelty, must have wondered at the 
change, for here were llowers as large as a crown piece, 
and trusses that were as large as a peony ; and besides 
scarlet, there were crimson, white, salmon, variegated, 
and doubles of various shades ; tricolors, which were 
unknown in the days to which we refer, were exhibited 
in large quantities, but were dull, the fact being, 
that for these plants, the exhibition was fixed two 
months too late. We believe that the great value of 
the tricolors will for the future be seen to be their 
decorative qualities in the winter months, when, in an 
I intermediate house, their beauty of foliage is cou- 
I spicuously seen, but later in the season they begin to 
dull ; and I'or the same reason, we think their place in 
the flower garden will be taken by the bicolors, which 
have attained to so great perfection, especially under 
the care of Messrs. Downie, Laird, and Laing. We 
think that in Zonals the palm is due to Mr. George, 
who has already raised some very fine flowers, and 
whose exhibits on this occasion were decidedly in 
advance of others. 
CRYSTAL PALACE ROSE SHOW. 
Although not so extensive as wo have seen it on some 
occasions, this, the most popular exhibition of the 
season (if numbers are a test of popularity), was eminently 
successful. Some magnificent stands of blooms were 
brought together, and the contest for seventy-two> 
blooms was very severe between the five nurserymen 
who exhibited; while amongst amateurs, Mr. Baker was 
conspicuous for the excellence of his flowers. New roses 
were not exhibited very extensively, but as we have 
alluded to them elsewhere, there is no need of further 
reference to them. The arrangements carried out by 
the new Superintendent of Flower Shows, Mr. Wilson, 
were excellent, and a striking contrast to the deficiencies 
in other places. 
METROPOLITAN SOCIETFS AUTUMN 
SHOW. 
We have much pleasure in announcing that this show 
wdll be held as usual in the last w'eek in August, but the- 
scene wdll be changed. It has hitherto been held at the 
Crystal Palace, but this year it will be at the Royal 
