February 25, 1905. 
THE QARDEMNO WORLD . 
167 
Letters to the Editor. 
Flower Shows. 
To tjie Editor of The Gardening World. 
gi r —The committees of summer and early autumn flower 
iows often find no small difficulty in keeping up the interest 
f the public in their annual displays. In not a few instances 
scourse has to be had to what are termed side shows, such 
s athletic sports, acrobatic performances, etc., in order to 
ttract visitors. This state of affairs may be attributed to 
ome extent to the unvarying character from year to year of 
he flower shows themselves. In a circular I have just 
eceived from a show secretary, it is described as “ the element 
>f tameness in the proceedings”; and judging by the remark¬ 
ing similarity to be found in the schedules issued by 
mateurs’ societies there must be a dearth of ideas among 
heir promoters. In a district of very limited area, with 
vhich I am acquainted, several summer shows are held 
Annually. To them all, or nearly so, a few exhibitors 
egularly send a number of entries, taking prizes in the 
ggregate worth several times the value of their entire crops, 
’hese shows are very much alike as regards the nature of 
he classes, and in almost every case have to provide outside 
ttractions to secure a sufficient attendance of paying 
isitors. 
Without in any way deprecating the provision of amuse- 
aents, it is safe to say that horticultural exhibitions need not 
n any case be allowed to fall to a secondary position, 
Especially as their educational value to persons interested 
n gardening matters may at the same time be promoted and 
idvanced. One of the best things to do would be to 
ncrease or to widen the interest of exhibit ors, which I think 
■an be accomplished, partly by the occasional introduction of 
resh classes, and also by the dropping or variation of some of 
he older subjects. With this view in mind the following 
suggestions are offered, not as in any sense exhaustive, but 
merely to indicate how a programme may be varied from 
time to time, A carefully directed and sustained interest 
among competitors is more than likely to ensure a career of 
usefulness and popularity for a society. 
The collections mentioned below should be restricted to a 
stated number. 
1. Early Chrysanthemums may now be put on the list for 
lugust exhibitions, as cut flowers and as specimen plants. 
2. Clematises in a group or as single specimens are worthy 
of a place in every list. 
3. Perennial Campanulas may constitute a class embodying 
a collection of varieties. 
4. Everlasting flowers, freshly cut and shown in vases. 
5. Perfume-yielding flowers. 
6. Plants with foliage yielding perfume. 
7. A collection of decorative grasses, freshly cut and staged 
,in vases. 
8. Plants bearing foliage adapted for use with cut flowers. 
This might be made a means of bringing out new subjects 
and varieties. Examples illustrating their use might also be 
shown. 
9. Fruit bearing or berried plants for table decoration. 
10. Cupid Sweet Peas in pots. A collection of varieties. 
11. A collection of rock plants. 
12. Ornamental gourds. 
13. A collection of bulbous plants in flower, with or with 
out foliaged plants. A group of such, with a suitable inter¬ 
mixture of delicate foliage, would make a brilliant exhibit. 
14. A class devoted to such perennials as Delphiniums, 
Pyrethrums, Pentstemons. Phloxes, Columbines, Anemones, 
and the like, ought to be included in ail seasonable lists. 
15. Dress and coat bouquets of foliage and berries, and of 
foliage only. 
16. An easily growm and easily purchased Orchid might 
very well be given a place in practically all schedules. Com¬ 
mittees are rather apt, however, to drop a new class after the 
6rst season if the entries have not been as numerous as in 
other and older classes; and this is likely to be the unfor¬ 
tunate fate of a class for the Orchid ; but it is worth trying. 
17. A specimen plant of Heliotrope. 
18. The beautiful herbaceous Calceolarias might be given a 
class to themselves. They are now but- seldom seen. 
19. In the vegetable section a class might be opened for 
mushrooms, aggregating 6 or 8 oz. in weight. Such an item 
would]illustrate to the public what good, clean Mushrooms 
are like, and would perhaps lead to their more presentable 
treatment in shops and markets. 
20. A class for a small collection of vegetables not specifi¬ 
cally named in other classes. 
All exhibits in the cut-flower section should be staged with 
an eye to the effect produced. During recent years a very 
decided advance has taken place in the mole of staging 
llow T ers. The adoption of the vase and other forms of holder 
has made a clear and distinct improvement, but the change 
is not yet complete. Take the staging of cut Roses as an 
example of what is yet to be done. Is it not time that 
painted boxes for this and a few other subjects were finally 
bauishea from the show tables ? And could not the Rose 
be exhibited with its own foliage in preference to moss ? In 
judging these flowers I think points ought to be given to 
those yielding perfume. Shakespere’s contention that “ a 
Rose by any other name would smell as sw T eet” unfortu¬ 
nately does not hold good nowadays. 
To obtain the most pleasing effect from Sweet Peas when 
they are staged on side tables, a dark background should be 
attached to the tent curtain, with a corresponding table 
covering. In the garden other plants furnish a natural 
setting. 
The classes for show and fancy Dahlias may now be 
omitted where competition is failing. And the over-worked 
Pelargonium deserves a rest. Many other variations may, 
according to local circumstances, be brought under review by 
committees seeking a change. When the visiting public 
realise that new ideas and new subjects are likely to reward 
their patronage, show managers will find themselves duly 
rewarded. 
Wvbunbury. W. H. Wharton. 
Burning Withered Forage. 
To the Editor of The Gardening World. 
.Sir,—Observing your reply to a correspondent in your last- 
issue regarding the burning of withered pasture, you consider 
the burning a somewhat drastic method of dealing with such 
land. Perhaps it may appear a somewhat reckless and un¬ 
practical method of husbandry, nevertheless it is a practice 
resorted to more or less extensively in this district, northern 
Fifesliire, annually. Considerable stretches of sheep pasture 
are burned by the farmers in this neighbourhood every spring, 
and judging from the results attending the practice 1 see no 
reason why it should be cried down, as for one thing it 
appears to be a convenient and speedy method of getting rid 
of what is popularly known in this part of this “ olde coun- 
trie ” as the “ Winnlestrae.” Certainly the fields present a 
scorched and blackened appearance for some weeks after¬ 
wards, but by midsummer the burned parts are the greenest 
and nicest parts in the whole Held. The burning does not 
apparently injure the roots of the grass to any perceptible 
degree. Of course, it is hilly pasture and meadow land that 
have lain for a considerable number of years with a sort of 
natural grass that I refer to. I never saw fields which are 
frequently ploughed and sown with rye grass and clover 
require burning. 
Of course, the burning of a small field of three-quarters of an 
acre in close proximity to a garden and house would entail the 
exercise of some caution, otherwise disastrous results might 
ensue. We have a lease of a large meadow here, nearly twenty 
acres, as grazing for the cows and pony, and whilst I commit 
