Jane 12, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
483 
our continental friends fully equal ourselves in admiration of floral 
and plant beauty it will be seen that the practical support of 
horticulture rests mainly in the hands of the trade. The societies 
are dependent upon nurserymen for their exhibitions, and there¬ 
fore act wisely in encouraging them to the utmost. 
"With regard to the comprehensiveness of the Shows we might 
fairly take for comparison the Royal Horticultural Society’s 
Exhibition in the Temple Gardens, which opened on !May 28th, and 
the corresponding Exhibition of the National Horticultural 
Society of France, which closed at Paris on the preceding day, 
and w'e are compelled reluctantly to admit that the advantage iu 
this respect was in favour of the French Show. Except in the 
case of special societies that are devoted to certain departments, 
the chief object of any large general society should be to render 
its exhibitions comprehensive and thoroughly representative of 
the horticulture of its district, county, or country, according to the 
scope it allows itself. This purpose cannot be attained if only 
one or two departments are included, successful as it may be 
in all other respects. As a flower and plant show t’nat at the 
Temple was admirable, and the space at command would not, 
perhaps, have permitted an extension into other departments, con¬ 
sequently it is no fault of the directorate, but it serves to illus¬ 
trate the principle. The plants in value and beauty were far 
superior to those in Paris, such a display of Orchids has pro¬ 
bably never been seen in France, yet the Paris Show was essen¬ 
tially representative of its horticulture, and that at the Temple was 
not in any sense equally representative of English horticulture. 
A thoroughly satisfactory annual display of t’lis character here 
would be a formidable undertaking, but there is no reason why 
something of the kind should not be attempted periodically, and 
the beneficial effects would be widely felt. The industry and 
art of horticulture are extensive, but one or two departments 
should not be enlarged while all the rest are neglected. Gardening 
appliance and implement manufacture has become of great import¬ 
ance, and considerable advance has been made in recent years, yet, 
except in a few of the larger provincial shows, these are rarely 
represented at English shows. At Paris a large space of ground 
was occupied with these exhibits, and it was evident that to the horti¬ 
cultural visitors that section afforded scarcely less interest than the 
floral display. 
The art and literature of gardening also now hold highly 
important positions, yet in England, where both may be fairly said 
to flourish in an exceptional degree, they are systematically ex¬ 
cluded from nearly all exhibitions. It is true a few attempts have 
been made to provide something of the kind, notably at Liverpool 
some years back, but it was done in such a half-hearted way that 
as regards the literature at all events it was very unsatisfactory. 
At some shows prizes or medals have been offered occasionally for 
works of art, and at Chiswick, which is near the artistic neighbour¬ 
hood of Bedford Park, exhibits of a pleasing character were 
several times obtained. We are promised also that at the National 
Chrysanthemum Society’s Centenary Festival next November an 
attempt will be made to show what the artists, amateurs and 
others, have accomplished in depicting the ‘‘ Autumn Queen.” 
This, however, is only a partial advance, and it would add 
materially to the interest of any large show where adequate 
accommodation could be provided if some encouragement was 
afforded to the artistic department. At South Kensington a few 
years ago an accomplished artist, Mr. Hughes of Wallington, was 
induced by Mr. Smee to exhibit a collection of Orchid paintings, 
and a very interesting display they provided. What a show, too, 
wmuld Mr. Moon’s beautiful originals of the same kind afford. 
Then, too, the photographing of flowers has advanced so rapidly 
that this alone could be made an important feature. Something of 
all these sections was included in the Paris Exhibition, as well as 
books, papers, pamphlets, dried plants, and hosts of other “ odds 
and ends,” besides something of all in season of plants, flowers, 
fruits, and vegetables. 
It has been mentioned that in the schedule a great saving of 
money is effected by offering medals as prizes, and much of that is 
consequently expended upon the preparation. In a French show 
this is of the greatest importance, and though we are credited on 
this side of the channel wich being slow, it would not suit our 
exhibitors to spend several days in preparing for a show of a week’s 
duration. This is an example of thoroughness, however, which 
our friends display in many things, but for which we do not give 
them due credit. In the case of the ” Pavilion,” devoted to the 
show at Paris, the ground is laid out in beds and mounds specially 
for the occasion, covered with turf, with spacious winding paths 
between the beds, and then all the larger specimens are arranged 
directly upon the turf. At the sides “shelves” of damped soil 
are raised, which are covered with turf closely pegged down, and 
though it certainly looked very probable that some of these per¬ 
pendicular walls of turf would come down when the plants were 
arranged upon them, I did not see any accident of the kind. They 
are unquestionably superior to the dreadful staging so often seen 
in English shows, which is quite bad enough when draped with 
baize or other material, but which is occasionally left in all its 
hideous bareness to disfigure a good exhibition with a display of 
rough boards and a perspective of tressels and supports beneath. 
The managers of shows in this country are gradually awaking to 
the need for reform in such matters, and that surroundings and 
accessories should be rendered as appropriate as possible, not to 
awaken disgust by disagreeable contrasts. Few w'ho saw the 
groups of Orchids arranged in mounds on the ground in the great 
tent of the R.H.S. Liverpool Shew would forget the effect pro¬ 
duced. Much better results could have been produced at the 
Temple Show recently if the magnificent Orchids there had been 
arranged with Ferns on mounds or slopes. This was, of course, 
impossible there, because it would have interfered too much with 
the lawns, but it is always regretable to see fine plants crowded 
together and half their beauty lost. —Lewis Castle. 
(To be continued.) 
Events of the Week. —To-day (Thursday) the fifty-first anniver¬ 
sary Festival of the Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution will be 
held at the Albion Hotel, Aldersgate Street, when the Treasurer, Mr., 
Harry J. Veitch, will preside. The dinner is announced for fi p.m. On. 
Wednesday, June 18th, the York Floral Fete will open and continue 
until Friday of that week. 
- The Wbathek in the Metropolitan District has been 
chiefly distinguished during the past week by the frequent rain that 
was most welcome in the majority of districts for garden crops gene¬ 
rally. The temperature has also been higher, and Monday was an 
uncommonly fine day. The effects of the frost are more evident now. 
Potatoes are much cut in some places and the young fronds of Bracken 
on some of the commons are browned and killed. Fruit crops are not 
so promising as a week or two back. 
--The Royal Horticultural Society. —In respect to the in¬ 
vitation of Mr. D. Morris of the Royal Gardens, Kew, and Treasurer of 
the Royal Horticultural Society, that we should send a representative to 
inspect the Society’s books for ascertaining the income and expenditure 
of the Drill Hall in Westminster and of the conferences at Chiswick, we 
take the ear'iest opportunity of announcing that the information has 
been acquired in the manner suggested. The matter is only alluded to 
now with the object of acknowledging the extreme courtesy of Mr.. 
Morris to our representative, who reports that every faci ity was afforded 
him in the inspection, that the system of book-keeping introduced 
by the Treasurer is admirable, that every item is recorded, that all 
charges are debited to the departments, and that the accounts are, as- 
we anticipated, kept with great accuracy. We thank Mr. Morris for his- 
effective co-operation, w’nich has enabled us to secure particulars of 
considerable interest to the Fellows of the Society not otherwise 
obtainable. 
- On Saturday, June 7th, Mr. John Cheal, the respected senior 
partner in the firm of Messrs. J. Cheal & Sons, Lowfield Nurseries, 
Crawley, attained his ninetieth year, and in recognition of the event the 
staff presented him with a testimonial accompanied by a suitable address. 
To celebrate the occasion the firm also arranged for an excursion to 
Brighton on Monday, when the employbs, to the number of sixty-seven, 
were entertained at dinner, and a most pleasant day was spent. They 
further provided a tea and entertainment at Crawley on Tuesday for 
the wives and families of their staff. 
- Laxton’s Noble Strawberry.—W e had a grand dish of this 
fine early variety quite fit for the table, June 3ril. They were part of the 
crop swelling off on comparatively small plants put out on a warm border 
last August, and the result is startling to a good many who have seen 
them. As a forcing variety it is a failure, and as far as we are con¬ 
cerned, will not be tried again, the quality being wretched, and alto¬ 
gether different to the same variety grown in the open. The crops on 
quite young plants are much the earliest and best iu every respect.— 
W. IGOULUEN. 
