212 
THE FLORIST. 
exhibitors) still more attractive prizes, would enlist all that was worth 
exhibiting in plants and fruit: added to which, the exhibitions of the 
Botanic Society, in the Regent’s Park, would (said they) leave neither 
productions to exhibit, nor a company disposed to go as far as Chiswick 
to inspect them. The Council of the Horticultural Society were not, 
however, it appears, to be deterred from their resolve of holding an 
exhibition by such arguments, potent though they appeared to be. 
The Council considered that a well-conducted exhibition would convince 
the horticultural world that the principles they had enunciated were not 
to be suffered to lie dormant and inert, but were developing into'a 
vigorous reality—at least, so we interpret it; and they might perhaps 
have calculated (and if so, it was on good evidence), that the Chiswick 
Gardens had not altogether lost their charms and quiet beauty because 
rivals had been established elsewhere, and perhaps were more easily 
attainable ; but that of the many thousands of the elite of the fashion¬ 
able world who were wont to honour the Chiswick exhibitions as the 
most select of London out-door fetes, some might yet be induced to 
visit them again, and inspect the beautiful productions of British 
gardens, and on that spot, under the influence of former associations, 
witnessing the select and fashionable company which, despite the 
unfavourable appearance of the morning, honoured the exhibitors with 
their presence, gave the affirmative to the Council’s experiment, and 
no doubt can be entertained that had the weather looked more propitious 
in the morning the company would have been as numerous as it was 
brilliant. Nor were the company disappointed; for, to the honour of 
the exhibitors, be it said, they came -out nobly on the occasion, many of 
them having reserved their best plants for Chiswick, and some, to do 
honour to the old ground, abstained from exhibiting the previous week 
at the Crystal Palace; and the result was, as we have before stated, a 
first-rate exhibition, excepting perhaps fruit, of which, though excellent 
in quality, there was but a very short supply ; and we fancied we had 
seen the collections of Azaleas better in former years, though it must 
be admitted many of the specimens exhibited in mixed collections were 
as magnificent as could be imagined. In the miscellaneous groups 
(mixed stove and greenhouse), the exceptions to well-grown specimens 
were very few indeed, considering the large numbers staged, but some 
few very large plants were evidently past their best, and no longer 
presented the vigorous growth or rich profusion of bloom to enable them 
to compete with younger and better flowered specimens. It requires 
an effort to throw away large plants ; but unless they can be grown to 
furnish a due quantity of bloom, it is better to make the sacrifice than 
run risks by placing them in competition with more juvenile and 
healthier specimens. We are of opinion, too, that mixed stove and 
greenhouse plants would be improved by excluding Azaleas, which look 
best grouped by themselves ; and we are further of opinion that they 
should consist of a due proportion of both stove and greenhouse plants, 
or what would be better, perhaps, grouping each into separate classes. 
In Orchids, ornamental foliaged and variegated leaved plants, together 
with Ferns and Lycopods, the exhibition was pre-eminently grand. 
The great conservatory was devoted to these productions, having been 
