224 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 9, 1898, 
times smile at the strong enthusiasm of the 
florist, and his strange refining over the 
most minute distinctions, but then we have 
only to feel the fire which burned so 
fiercely in the bosom of our deceased friend 
to realise how much these apparently 
minute distinctions were to him, and 
perhaps how long he laboured to produce 
them. 
The floral world has been greatly en¬ 
riched through Mr. Dodwell’s efforts. It 
is the poorer now for his death, and we 
look in vain at present for any one to take 
his place. After all, his work may have 
been done. Knowing the extreme delicacy 
of his health, the fragility of his frame, we 
have often wondered that he was spared to 
us so long. Lovingly we will forget his 
weaknesses, and only will remember his 
goodness and his intense devotion to Flori¬ 
culture. 
HE Close of the Season.— Beyond the 
one small meeting which takes place 
at the Drill Hall, Westminster, on Tuesday 
next, the horticultural exhibition season is 
now over, culminating with that held at 
the Westminster Aquarium this week—a 
very satisfactory show, too, for the winding- 
up. There can be no doubt but that we 
have had a long and, generally, a very 
successful show season. Not in all cases, 
perhaps, have the shows come up to 
expectations, but still they have been very 
good, and throughout the country they 
have had very beautiful weather. Perhaps 
amongst the other very marked features of 
1893, we shall eventually credit it with 
being the ideal show season of the decade. 
It is most difficult to ascertain how far 
there is or is not any general inclination to 
discount flower shows. Probably there is 
a large body of persons who deprecate 
them as being much inferior in attractive¬ 
ness and interest to the shows of twenty or 
thirty years ago, and there is an equally 
large number of the younger generation 
who think they are better than ever. One 
thing is certain : we have in various direc¬ 
tions Begonias, Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, 
Liliums, and many other special show 
flowers, a wealth of beauty and variety of 
which the old frequenters of flower shows 
could not find, because they were non¬ 
existent. It is true that the fine old speci¬ 
men plants have largely disappeared, but 
their day is past. 
The most attractive features of flower 
shows now, when they are good, are plant 
groups, cut flowers, fruit, and vegetables. 
Hardy flowers alone make up a truly 
wonderful feature, and they give of their 
variety over a long season. We should 
like to see more of the early spring flower 
shows, but they would have to be created 
in what is a non-show season. Whether 
shows do really serve to stimulate public 
interest in horticulture is a debatable 
point, but it all the same seems improbable 
that they should not exercise some potent 
and beneficial influence. At least, we hope 
they do for the welfare of gardening. 
P RICES OF Fruit and Flowers.— It is at 
once distressing and also distracting to 
read, as we so frequently do, of the 
wretched returns for fruit and flowers 
obtained by some growers through market 
sale, and of the high returns that some 
others obtain. It is very easy for the 
unfortunate to hold that undoubted 
favouritism towards the fortunate is the 
cause, and will not hold that quality of 
produce and, not least, regularity or per¬ 
manence of supply has much to do with the 
diverse results. However, it seems as if it 
would be a good thing could we have a 
sort of Royal Commission appointed to 
inquire into all of our fruit, flower, and 
vegetable market arrangements, so that 
some reform, if any be possible, may be 
instituted in a system that seems to be so 
productive of deep dissatisfaction. 
We have not much reason to believe 
that the bond fide market grower is to blame. 
He is too frequently the victim of one of 
the most serious and meanest features to 
be found in any description of trade. In 
what kind' of business does the bond fide 
trader find that his efforts are discounted 
in the same way that market growers are, 
through a most unfair and unjust competi¬ 
tion. Certain of our market growers will 
still adhere to the notion that their chief 
trouble is found in the foreign competition. 
So far from that being the case we hold 
that the trouble is found closer home in the 
practical conversion qf thousands of private 
gardens into amateur market establish¬ 
ments, and for the sake of getting some 
return towards garden expenses, anything 
literally, fruits, flowers or vegetables, is 
sent to market, selling at one half its value, 
the vendor not caring about a “ living 
price ■’—for that must soon become as 
important a matter as a “livingwage”—so 
long as the return is something towards 
garden outla}^ It is all this sort of pro¬ 
duce that at times floods our markets, and 
causes the legitimate trader to tear his 
hair and gnash his teeth in bitterness of 
heart. It is that which creates the tight 
shoe. 
OT Hunting. —Such was the phrase or 
term employed by a distinguished 
horticulturist the other day in relation to 
an exhibit of plants that were a disgrace to 
a costermonger, arid yet were sent to a 
show from one of the most written-up of 
gardens in the kingdom for the mere sake of 
picking up a trumpery money prize. Such 
a thing is a wanton degradation of horti¬ 
culture, and if it be a product of the system 
of prize giving, then is prize giving respon¬ 
sible for many evils. But we do know that 
even if “ pot-hunting ” be a far too common 
element in exhibiting, at least most 
gardeners or exhibitors strive to put up 
something that is presentable, and thus it 
is that our exhibitions as a rule keep up a 
high standard of excellence. 
The particular instance on which we 
have commented is unfortunately not at all 
singular, for there are some notable allies, 
yet happily is but illustrative of a few. 
The conscientious exhibitors strive hard to 
win with their best, or they decline to show. 
The few who so degrade horticulture will 
show any rubbish if they can but pick 
up a prize. It is, indeed, hardly a matter 
of surprise when this mercenary spirit is 
displayed that so many gentlemen either 
prohibit their gardeners from showing at 
exhibitions, or severely limit them. Per¬ 
haps one distinguished society which so 
often secures fine shows without prizes 
may well ask whether what few prizes it 
does offer creates a game that is worth the 
candle. Sometimes we learn of remarkably 
fine shows organised on purely honora^ry 
grounds. There was a fine fruit show 
recently at Reading of this nature, in 
aid of the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan 
Fund. At Reigate, where relative to 
area they have one of the best quality 
Chrysanthemum shows annually held, no 
prizes are given, and as a result very 
liberal contributions are made to tlie 
gardening charities. All honour to those 
who make such noble and unselfish efforts. 
The iron of the “pot-hunter” has not 
entered into their souls ! 
In relation to some exhibits and awards 
we cannot hold committees and even 
judges free from blame. A rigid with¬ 
holding of awards to all inferior things 
would soon cool the ardour of the mere 
“ pot-hunter,” and give all fair-minded 
competitors satisfaction. We are just now 
passing through a critical time for exhibi¬ 
tions, and every effort should be made to 
maintain the highest excellence as well as 
to uphold high motives and absolute 
honesty. 
-or*.- 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.—We are 
asked to state that the Committee of this Institution 
has recently received in aid of its funds the sum of 
/31 los. from the Reigate and District Chrysanihe- 
mum Society; and also £7. ns. from Mr. Bailey 
Wadds, of Birdsall, York. 
Mr. Henry Cannell, senior partner of the firm of 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, has been 
elected an honorary member of the Academy 
(Industrial) of Science and Arts, Brussels, and 
presented with the Diploma of that Institution. 
Mr. William Colchester, of Ipswich, has also just 
received the Diploma and First-class Medal of the 
Academie Universelle, Brussels. 
Messrs. R. B. Laird & Sons, of Edinburgh, have 
offered to the Council of the City of Dundee as a 
gift glass-houses, trees and shrubs, &c., valued at 
£i,ooa. The houses, we understand, are the hand¬ 
some structures at Coates Gardens, Edinburgh. At 
a recent meeting of the Council it was agreed to 
make inquiries as to the cost of removal, and the 
probable cost of subsequent maintenance. 
Vt^atford Cluysanthemum Show.—We understand 
that the valuable set of silver fish carvers offered by 
Mr. William Colchester, of Ipswich, for the best 
exhibit of Chrysanthemums at the Watford Show on 
the 7th ult. has been awarded to Mr. M. Gleeson, 
gardener to C. E. Keyser, Esq., Warren House, 
Stanmore. Mr. Gleeson also further proved his 
skill as a grower by winning a silver cup, a silver 
medal, and three money prizes at the same exhibi¬ 
tion. 
The London Parks.—The retirement of Mr. John 
Gibson, on account of ill health, from the post of 
Superintendent of Victoria Park, has involved a 
series of changes in the management of several of 
the London Parks under the control of the London 
County Council, which were decided upon at the 
meeting of the Council on Tuesday. Mr. J. W. 
Moorman succeeds IMr. Gibson at Victoria Park, 
and by his able management of Dulwich Park has 
thoroughly deserved his promotion. He will be 
succeeded at Dulwich by Mr. W. Bailey, who for 
some time has had charge of the Southwark Park. 
Mr. R. Curie has been promoted from Waterlow 
Park, Highgate, to Southwark; and Mr. J. Pallett 
has been transferred from Myatt’s Fields to Waterlow 
Park ; Mr. White, late propagator at Victoria Park, 
being made Superintendant of Myatt’s P'ields. 
Mr. James Douglas.—We are resquested to correct 
a misapprehension that may arise from our short 
reference to Mr. James Douglas’s connection with 
horticultural instruction in Surrey. “ Mr. Douglas 
is in no sense an Inspector of the Lecturers. He has 
absolutely nothing at all to do with them. He is 
appointed by the Royal Horticultural Society with 
the sanction and at the expense of the Surrey 
County Council to visit the various horticultural 
classes for the purpose of asking at the close of such 
of the lectures as he may be present at a few 
questions arising out of the lectures, and also to 
note the principal points taught in the lectures for the 
purpose of founding on them questions to be put when 
thenext May National Examination in Horticulture is 
instituted. That is all.” And we would add, enough, 
too, to cause some very curious reflections. There 
is a very good story going the round with regard to one 
of these National Examinations to the effect that in 
one district a gentleman, his gardener, and a 
youngster employed under the latter submitted 
themselves for examination, with the result that the 
master obtained a First-class Certificate, and the 
youth one of the Second-class, while the gar¬ 
dener was incontinently plucked. Can it be 
wondered at if many gardeners become of the same 
opinion with regard to examinations as oijC of 
H. M. Elementary School Inspectors, who in reply 
to a question whether they were not frauds, ad¬ 
mitted that they were farces. 
