1876.] 
THE NATIONAL CARNATION AND PIOOTEE SOCIETY. 
243 
and sickly from confinement. Prevention is at all times better than cure, and the 
dreaded and destructive enemy, spot, may easily be kept at arm’s length by 
thorough cleanliness and an abundant supply of air. 
. Frequently go over the plants with the brush and scissors, removing all 
dust and decaying foliage. Destroy green-fly by brushing over the plant 
affected with a weak solution of soft-soap and tobacco-water. Draw off the 
lights on every favourable occasion, and in wet and windy weather tilt them 
both at back and front. Some little difference of opinion prevails as to the best 
aspect of the frames for wintering. I prefer the north, as keeping the plants 
more at rest, and enabling us to leave them guarded with the lights (of course, 
freely tilted) on questionable mornings, with more immunity from the gleams of 
sunshine which break out often unexpectedly in the autumn and winter months. 
Be sparing in the application of the watering-pot, but when needed, let the 
plants have a thorough soaking, and in the morning.—E. S. Dodwell. 
THE NATIONAL CAENATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETY. 
[T an early period in the existence of the Midland Horticultural Society, 
with which during my residence in Derby I had an intimate connection, 
a Committee with a very ugly name, but very important functions, a 
“ Fault-finding Committee,” was formed, and to the judicious performance 
of the duties thus delegated undoubtedly a large measure of the success which 
followed the operations of the Society was due. 
If, in recurring to the exhibition of the National Carnation and Picotee 
Society, as I proposed to do {vide p. 210), I constitute myself for the nonce a 
“ fault-finding ” committee, I do so with a full assurance that neither my purpose 
nor my expressions will be misunderstood. 
To begin at the beginning, the schedule of Prizes was constructed, in my 
opinion, on a vicious principle, one which, in a very brief period, would stifle 
instead of stimulate competition. For this I am well aware the honorary 
secretary of the Society, the Eev. F. D. Horner, was not responsible, as he simply 
followed the dictum of a meeting of exhibitors. 
The late Mr. Glenny laid it down as a rule that a schedule of prizes should 
contain “ few classes, but many prizes”; and where a large number of exhibitors 
can be brought together, the rule is golden. A further rule is that the prizes 
shall be so graduated that seven-eighths of the exhibitors shall be prize-winners. 
The framers of the list of prizes for the late exhibition took no account or an 
insufiScient account of these rules, and the whole of the classes being open^ as the 
event proved, the growers of large stocks had a great advantage. For the future, 
I suggest that the arrangement shall be as under:— 
1. A class for 12 Carnations and the same for 12 Picotees, dissimilar^ and these 
classes to be open to all. If, as is probable, eight or nine competitors may be 
expected, at least seven prizes should be offered. In this class, as “ dissimilarity ” 
is required, exhibitors should be reminded that merely differently named flowers 
will not suffice, and thus a rock may be avoided on which some of those at the 
late exhibition suffered wreck. 
2. Similar classes for 12 Carnations and 12 Picotees, of which at least 0 
shall be dissimilar; open to amateurs onlp. 
Y 2 ■ 
