December 15, 1831. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
521 
could stage all varieties I apprehend he would and should stand a 
better chance of winning. 
I think the point of stands of cut flowers might be made easier 
thus : if they came after, say, the cut Roses, Gladioli, Carnations, 
and Phloxes, those flowers for which a class is provided ; if it stated 
“ For so many varieties, two or three prizes, flowers for which a 
class has already been provided not to be shown in the stand.” 
I also found a class at the end of the cut flowers for “ any other 
variety not previously classed, so many blooms,” most attractive, a 
large variety of flowers being thus exhibited which had no place 
before ; the competition became so strong that two first, second, 
and third prizes were ultimately offered. 
The dimensions of bunches it is difficult to arrange. First, 
it seems to me to be necessary to impress on exhibitors that a 
stand with bunches nearly on a level a3 to height and size carry an 
extra charm from their evenness. This even character cannot be 
gained if the exhibitor is tied to showing, say, five stems in a 
bunch ; the point is possibly better achieved if the schedule says, 
“ not more than five stems in a bunch.” This way, a grand stem 
say of perennial Phlox stands by itself and is not disfigured by 
being squeezed against two or three other stems. Five stems cf 
well grown Salpiglossis will make an equally good show ; whilst 
two, or at most three, stems of Gladiolus are sufficient. Mr. 
Shanks’ suggestion as to the size of tubes I do not think possible, 
because it is unlikely that all societies would agree as to size ; 
and next, it entails a degree of expense on exhibitors of small 
meaus, the very persons who want encouragement to exhibit. It 
is not everyone who can afford special Rose tubes or Chrys¬ 
anthemum tubes. 
I confess I lean more to your suggestion of “ hardy border 
flowers ” rather than “herbaceous ” or “ perennial.” We do want 
to make schedules as simple as possible, for though gardeners of 
the present day are much better educated than formerly, there are 
still some of the older ones left who have not had the same advan¬ 
tages, and it often happens that the whole matter is left in the 
hands of the gardener. Everyone has a lingering preference for 
his own infant, and even to yours I prefer, “For the best stand 
of flowers, grown out of doors, so many varieties,” and this would 
include shrubs and even trees ; to this addition, I, for one, see no 
objection.—Y. B. A. Z. 
[A class thus worded would admit flowers of tender bedding 
plants ; also if a person made up his stand of twelve bunches with 
three varieties each of Carnations, Roses, Liliums, and Delphinums, 
or even twelve distinct varieties of any one of those kinds, he could 
not be disqualified.] __ 
Everyone really interested in this subject must be glad to find 
it again being discussed in the pages of the Journal of Horticulture. 
During the past three years I have frequently been perplexed in 
order to come to an equitable decision when judging herbaceous 
and hardy flowers. W© have no authoritative data to work upon. 
The wording of the schedules is ambiguous in most instances, and 
as a matter of fact I have known of instances where members of a 
Committee appointed to draw up a schedule have been ignorant 
as to what is generally understood by the term herbaceous. Con- 
sidering how great and thoroughly representative is the competition 
in these days in the classes devoted to herbaceous and hardy flowers, 
the time has surely come for the formation of a representative 
society which shall frame rules and have an authority on the lines 
of the National Rose Society. 
Surely such names as Wolley-Dod, Ewbank, D Ombrain, 
Page-Roberts, A. L. Fellows among the parsons, with T. S. Ware, 
P. Barr, Backhouse, and George Paul of the trade, would inspire the 
confidence of every local society in the kingdom. Who will make 
the start ? There is no time to be lost, and there are several 
questions to be definitely decided, one of the most important being, 
“ Are all bulbous plants to be excluded in a stand of herbaceous 
flowers ?” 
We had letters on the subject last autumn, but the matter was 
dropped just when one thought it was about to be pushed through 
to some final result. This is the quiet season, so the Journal will, 
I feel sure, find room, now that the shows are over, for the opinions 
of those best qualified to air them. We want the opinions of 
experts rather than those general and casual controversies which so 
often end in discussions et preterea nil. By this means we shall 
get some definite lines upon which to set to work. 
The other question raised by Mr. Shanks is also an important 
one— i.e., the showing of hardy flowers. Nothing can be more 
inartistic nor hideous than the flat squashed-up huge bunches of 
annuals, biennials, and perennials, such are now staged at most 
shows—no foliage, no grace, nothing to show the habit of the 
plant; in fact, nothing to teach those who come to learn; and 
surely the chief object of our shows should be to edification in 
floriculture. I sincerely hope that Mr. Shanks’ letter and the 
Editor’s remarks, on page 497, will be the means of some real 
practical movement towards the end all lovers of herbaceous and 
hardy flowers have at heart.—J. A. Williams. 
CROCOSMA AUREA MACULATA. 
The old type, C. aurea, which is a well known plant in gardens, is 
sometimes designated Tritonia aurea, and Crocanthus mossambicensis, 
under either of which names it may frequently be found. It is a native 
of Kaffraria, Natal, the Transvaal northwards to Mozambique, and the 
FIG. 69.—CROCOSMA AUREA MACULATA. 
Zambesii highlands, and although usually grown as a greenhouse plant, 
it will also be found a valuable addition to open air flowers. It is quite 
as hardy as the new race of Tritonias lately introduced through- 
Lemoine & Sons of Nancy, which along with the Crocosma get injured’ 
in severe winters if not well protected. 
The same may be made to apply to the handsome variety maculata 
of which we give an illustration (fig. 69). It is also to all intents and 
purposes a greenhouse bulb, but it may readily be grown in the open 
ground, and either lifted and protected in frames, or protected in the 
open ground with any loose open material at hand. This variety is by 
far the best of this group, and one of the very showiest and most useful 
of summer flowering bulbous plants. The flowers are quite half as 
large again as the type, the three inner segments being marked near 
the base with red-brown blotches. Seen in a group it gives a most 
