June 1, 1903. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
il 
country around Sydney and suburbs has 
never looked better than it does at pre- 
sent. The orange orchards especially are 
splendid, the trees vigorous and clean, and 
the fruit both clean and of good size. The 
orange tree seems, with seasonable wea- 
ther, to recover itself wonderfully after a 
protracted drought. The recent drought 
left many trees apparently withered up, 
the bark even wilting on the — trunks. 
They were considered practically dead, 
and were left standing until rain fell and 
the ground was more suitable for grub- 
bing them up. But when the rains fell 
the trees threw out both blossom and leaf 
in such profusion that it seemed as though 
they had really been benefited by the en- 
forced rest. In some instances these 
drought-stricken trees have made such 
wonderful growth that they cannot be dis- 
tinguished from the more favored trees. 
The old trees are the ones that suffered 
the most. 
Just now the florists are making dis- 
plays of Japanese Maples, the tints of 
which are superb. I have also noticed 
many blooms of the large Blue Water Lily. 
This latter seems to be growing in favor 
with those who affect that kind of flower. 
I have not remarked many good specimens 
of Roses this autumn, and many gardeners 
comment in a similar strain. 
Chrysanthemums are now nearly done, . 
and the recent cold weather will hasten 
their end. Last week I ncticed some 
splendid specimens in Searl’s windows, and 
this florist informs me that booking 1s 
very brisk. Personally, I do not think 
this flower is as popular as 1t was seasons 
ago, but it still retains public favor, the 
more so in view of the fact that it makes 
a great display, and that it blooms at a 
time when other flowers are scarce. 
Another flower that is not as popular 
now as it was years ago is the Camellia. 
I have some in my own garden, and have 
never seen them looking better. This 
plant always makes a handsome shrub, 
and with a little care repays all troubie. 
Gt SeStooe 
SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
In South Australia the Autumn Queen is 
highly favoured, and the annual show of the 
S. A. Horticultural and Floricultural Society 
brought together the finest display of 
Chrysanthemums ever seen here. It was 
thought that adverse atmospheric conditions 
in the early part of the season, and then 
later on the blight plague, would have 
depreciated the blooms for show. But 
growers for show are too careful of their pets 
to allow anything to interfere with them, 
and the result was most gratifying. With 
all their care, however, they have no time. 
for much doctoring to the shape and setting 
of the blooms, and it is perhaps as well to 
avoid anything in the way of artificiality that 
would spoil the naturalness of the bloom. 
A good deal of interest was centred in 
the champion prizes. Our illustration of the 
Cave and Lewis trophy, consisting of 30 
Japanese, 18 large flowering, and 12 
Anemone flowered, shows a collection of 
plants, exhibited in the name of Mrs. J. 
Lipman, that would be difficult to improve 
upon. They were all good prizetakers in 
each department, The prize for 36 varieties 
went to Mr. W. T. Collins, while for 24, 
Mr. W. Thomas was successful, Last year 
Mr. H. Dutton finally won the champion 
prize for a single Japanese bloom, but this 
year Mr, W. Nicholas staged a magnificent 
white flower of ‘‘ Mrs. Weeks,” and caught 
the judges’ favour, although the yellow bloom 
of Frank Hannatord,” showed by Mr. H. 
Dutton, divided honours in public  esti- 
mation. The points, however, were in 
favour of the white. 
Many blooms that claimed special 
attention cannot be noted, but those that 
could not be passed were specimens of 
primrose and of white Madame Carnot, 
white cream Hero of Mafeking, lilac 
Antoniette Henley, pink Mrs. Barkley, 
Golden Gate, Success, and Mrs. Tom 
Rand. 
The staging of the exhibits, taken as a 
whole, was good, although a possible im- 
provement in the grouping of colours might 
splendid flowers. Nothing can be prettier. 
Messrs. Giles and Halliday, and Mrs. 
“Thomas staged some good cactus dahlias, 
while the roses were also good. Those 
exhibited by Mr. Arthur Scarfe, in 
his artistic fashion, won the first prize 
easily. The twelve he staged were 
Golden Gate, Reine Victoria, | Mare- 
chal Neil, La France, Reine Marie 
Henriette, Niphetos, Ethel Brownlow, 
Laurette, The Bride, Mamen  Cochet, 
Marquise Litta, and Kaiserin Augusta 
Victoria. 
The exhibits of Delphiniums, few though 
they were, called for much praise, but the 
staging detracted from their beauty. They 
did not look any the better for flopping 
about in every direction, as though they 
were suffering a recovery from a previous 
night’s storm. The Gladioli were good, but 
might have been better, and the Carnations 
attracted a great deal of attention from 
specialists 
That South Australia has a flower loving 
population is amply testified by the number 
of Flower Shows that are annually held in 
the suburban and country towns. Space 
will not permit of mentioning them in any- 
Mrs. Schubert’s Prize Flowers at Jamestown Show. 
have been studied. A mass of colouring 
thrown together in a miscellaneous fashion 
-carries dangers of spoiling an exhibit, what- 
ever qualities the individual blooms may 
have as show flowers. Great care, however, 
was exercised in having good forms, good 
colourings, and freedom from _ weather 
stain. heonly exhibit that suffered from 
tarnish of travel stain came from Wirrabara, 
a district over 150 miles distant in the 
North. It was a great pleasure to see these 
beauties from a country that carries the 
impression that nothing short of a desert 
prevails everywhere. And very good 
blooms they were too. 
It became apparent to the authorities 
that however showy the Chrysanthemum 
blooms undoubtedly are for exhibition 
purpose the shows were waning in popularity. 
This year a distinct advance was made in 
putting on the prize list other flowers in 
season, also fruits. Amongst the other 
flowers first worthy of mention were Mr. 
H. M. Giles’ Begonias: The size and tint- 
ing of these blooms were delightful, and we 
hope sincerely that such beauty will incite 
everybody who can command a sheet or two 
of glass, or more, as required, to grow these 
thing like detail, but we have received reports 
from two of the long distance northern towns 
of Laura and Jamestown. Laura is the town 
near to the Wirrabara forest reserve, and the 
foresters engaged there keep up a keen in- 
terest in flowers. So much so that the 
Autumn Queen has representatives at the 
Adelaide Show. Mr. Melville, the President 
of the Society, had the pleasure of beating all 
growers outside the city for the best twelve 
blooms. The show at Laura had some ex- 
cellent blooms staged, particularly those of 
Armetta Henley by Mr. Curtis, Florence 
Molyneux, Marshia Jones and Ma Perfection 
by Mr. Melville, and Louis Boehmer by Mr. 
Blesing. A feature of the Show was the 
Competition in floral designs. These were 
tastefully put up in the form of a gate, a- 
ladder, a cradle, a coronation crown, and 
a wedding cake. Miss E. L. Blesing’s gate. 
carried off first honors. Misses A. and F 
Bowker gained the popular vote for theire 
table decoration. ; 
Another report comes from the Jamestown 
Show. ‘This town is famous for its tree plan- 
tations, of which it has reason to be 
understood when 
that its main street 
proud, as . may be 
it 1s mentioned 
