August 4, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
103 
light bine and white, are very effective. Eulalia japonica variegata 
is everywhere appreciated, and this is hardy ; indeed, there appears to 
be no actual limit to the number of useful and effective hardy plants 
at command for decoration in a growing state. It only requires the 
nerve in exhibitors to employ them more freely in miscellaneous groups, 
where effect is the salient point to attend to. Where quality is the 
leading idea then hardy plants cannot expect to compete with Orchids ; 
but for home decoration, where such stipulations are not in force, hardy 
plants will by virtue of their value come to the front.—E. M. 
SMIL AX ARGYREA. 
There are several species of the genus Smilax, but they have not 
been considered of sufficient beauty to merit extensive cultivation, 
DISQUALIFIED COLLECTION OF FRUIT AT TRENTHAM 
SHOW. 
In your report of the above Show you are good enough to refer 
to the collection of fruit I exhibited, and which was disqualified 
because it contained two Pine Apples. I have no desire to dispute 
the interpretation your representative has given to the words used in 
the schedule, but in justice to myself I beg to be allowed to show that 
the Judges had no grounds whatever for the action they took in this 
matter. 
The words of the schedule are, “ Collection of fruit, nine dishes, to 
include two varieties of Grapes, one black and one white, three bunches 
of each, one Melon, and one Pine.” If these terms mean anything they 
mean that in the absence of any stipulation to the contrary (and there 
is none in the schedule) a competitor after staging the stipulated four 
Fig. 15.—SMILAX ARGYREA. 
Pnd consequently they are not very frequently met with. A similar 
estimate can hardly be formed of the species exhibited by L’Horti- 
culture Internationale (Messrs. Linden) Parc Leopold, Brussels, at the 
last Temple Show of the Royal Horticultural Society under the name 
of S. argyrea, and which is represented by fig. 15. The attractive 
marking of the leaves invests it with considerable beauty. The ground¬ 
work is silvery grey marbled with heavy deep green blotches, the two 
colours producing a beautiful contrast, as the engraving will show. 
The stems are slender and armed with sharp spines. The leaves are 
alternate, narrow, pointed, and lanceolate. The species is said to 
have been introduced from Peru. A first-class certificate was awarded 
to it. 
dishes is at liberty to make up the other five dishes to complete the 
collection with whatever kind of fruit he may think proper to use ; in 
fact, there is no rule to prevent his making them all of one kind. In 
the following class—that for collection of fruit, six varieties—it is 
distinctly stated these are “ not to include more than two varieties of 
Grapes,” therefore the words “ not to include more than ” being ker^ 
out of the nine-dish collection, it is reasonable for an exhibitor to 
infer that he is not confined to one Melon and one Pine only. 
In connection with this question I may state that similar word’s- 
occur in the Crystal Palace schedule to those used in the Xrentham 
schedule—viz., “ Two Pines, two Melons, two dishes Peaches, two of 
Nectarines, two of Plums are required.” At the Palace Autumn Show 
of 1886 I was a competitor in this class, and was awarded second prize, 
and amongst other fruits in the collection had three Melons (see report 
