ON FLOWER EXHIBITIONS. 
117 
and there we saw a pretty large tray-full of Dahlia blossoms labelled 
“ Plugged in the Eyes, and unfit for Exhibition.” Only one an¬ 
nouncement more was necessary,—the name of the party placarded 
in large letters, or rather printed and distributed among the mem¬ 
bers and spectators. After this announcement, the offending 
party is not likely to have plugged the eye of another Dahlia; 
and others might have taken warning by his example. ' 
These tricks must be known to the respectable part of the trade, 
who frequent these exhibitions; and therefore it is their duty, as 
well as interest, to put them down, to expose the tricks, and scout 
the parties out of their society. We believe that none of the very 
highest order of florists exhibit at those meetings. Indeed, 
except among a few of the older ones, florist’s flowers have now 
become very second-rate objects with those at the top of the head 
of the profession. Something more new, nearer nature in its cha¬ 
racters, and more costly, is what they seek. They do this for 
various reasons : in the first place, if they can afford the expense 
of collectors abroad, and proper houses, and skilful superintend¬ 
ence at home, these new subjects are far more profitable than 
common florist’s flowers ; and to those who know how to treat 
them, the expense is less rather than greater. In the second 
place, these new flowers attract a higher set of visitors than the 
old ones. This is partly owing to the love of novelty, no doubt; 
and it may be in part that it is not very wise, but still it is the 
fashion, and fashionable florists must follow that even though they 
discard a better one for the sake of it. In the third place,—and 
it is the most important of the whole,—there is far more scope 
for talent in the management of these new flowers. The old ones, 
however beautiful they may be, have all been improved by change, 
until change can improve them no farther; and therefore, he 
who seeks for novelty by the breeding of them, must be content 
with different flowers, not with better ones. But when the plant 
is new, fresh from Nature’s own garden, and man has done 
nothing either to alter or improve it, the whole skill and labour 
necessary for this purpose belong to the individual florist who im¬ 
ports the specimen ; and thus he has a far larger field of knowledge 
than presents itself to a grower of florist’s flowers, even though 
he should grow all the species. Such are the study and labour 
requisite to know how the plant is to be successfully grown, and 
varied, and improved by hybridization or other means, that they 
are occupation enough for any man, whatever his talents may be ; 
