76 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  23,  1896. 
FLOWER  SHOWS. 
Thanks  to  the  assistance  of  “  Argus  ”  (page  28),  I  was  flattering 
myself  that  there  would  be  no  necessity  of  my  replying  to  the  criticism 
“  Vespa  ”  vouchsafed  to  pass  (page  596)  on  my  communication  on  the 
above  subject.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  did  not  take  “  Vespa”  seriously, 
but  I  see  by  the  note  on  page  59  that  he  really  expects  a  reply. 
“Vespa”  wonders  if  it  is  for  the  “horrid  bawbees.”  No,  “Vespa,”  it 
is  not  for  the  “  bawbees  ”  (which  you  yourself  hint  at  as  not  being  over- 
plentifully  earned  by  gardeners  when  prize  money  has  to  be  devoted  to 
the  purchase  of  Sandy’s  shoon)  that  I  remain  a  gardener,  for  I  had  the 
chance  many  years  ago  of  entering  the  ranks  of  another  craft  in  which 
the  bawbees  were  more  easily  and  plentifully  earned.  But  I  had,  and 
have,  a  love  for  my  calling,  and  that  is  why  I  remain  in  it,  and  although 
the  bawbees  mu9t  accompany  it  (for  it  is  impossible  to  live  on  love 
alone),  yet  were  it  not  for  that  love  of  horticulture  I  should  not  be  a 
gardener  to-day.  Had  I  the  chance  of  going  over  my  life  again  the 
same  honourable  association  and  love  of  my  present  calling  would  make 
me  adopt  it  again.  I  could  understand  “Vespa”  asking  why  I  did 
not  give  up  showing,  but  why  he  thinks  I  should  give  up  gardening 
simply  because  malpractices  go  on  at  flower  shows  I  cannot  understand. 
Surely  he  does  not  think  that  exhibitions  of  fruit,  flowers,  and  plants 
represent  what  gardening  is  any  more  than  exhib;tors,  and  especially 
dishonest  ones,  represent  what  gardeners  are  ?  If  we  are  to  follow 
“  Vespa’s  ”  argument  to  its  logical  conclusion  we  shall  be  perfectly 
justified  in  believing  that  our  own  country  is  past  redemption,  simply 
because  in  every  town  in  the  whole  kingdom  a  police  court  is  held  in 
which  from  year’s  end  to  year’s  end  one  continual  story  of  crime  is 
heard. 
I  was  quite  aware,  as  already  intimated,  that  the  love  of  money 
among  exhibitors  ran  the  love  of  honour  in  many  instances  very  closely, 
but  if  Mr.  Raillem’s  former  assistant  is  a  type  of  the  average  exhibitor 
of  to-day,  I  am  afraid  he  has  reached  a  stage  that  even  I  had  not  dreamt 
of.  “Barren”  honour,  as  Mr.  Raillem  terms  it,  has  done  much  in  the 
way  of  furthering  gardening  as  other  scientific  and  social  causes,  and 
notwithstanding  the  mercenary  spirit  of  the  present  time  it  is  destined 
to  do  still  greater  service  in  the  future.  Mr.  Raillem  has  seemingly 
been  as  fortunate  as  I  have  been  unfortunate  in  his  experiences  of  flower 
shows,  or  he  would  have  otherwise  seen  more  than  one  solitary  instance 
of  swindling  during  his  long  experience  as  an  exhibitor,  and  would  not 
perhaps  have  thought  my  communication  so  uncalled  for. 
Had  I  felt  any  doubts  as  to  the  utility  of  bringing  the  questionable 
practices  at  flower  shows  to  the  notice  of  your  readers  they  would  have 
been  swiftly  swept  aside,  as  I  am  pleased  to  note  that  it  has,  at  least, 
been  the  means  of  letting  British  gardeners  know  that  they  have  one 
clear-headed  genius  amongst  them — signing  himself  “An  English 
Gardener.”  My  thankfulness  at  having  been  saved  from  demoralising 
my  fellow  craftsmen  the  world  over  is  only  equalled  by  my  admiration 
for  the  wonderful  perspicacity  displayed  by  “An  English  Gardener,” 
who  has  so  timely  appeared  on  the  scene  to  prevent  the  dire  calamity 
which  would  have  resulted  from  the  acceptance  of  the  principles 
contained  in — what  he  terms— my  “by  no  means  weighty  effusion.” 
My  kindly  critic  affects  to  treat  my  main  points  with  disdain,  but  he  was 
really  not  able  to  do  so,  and  1  join  with  him  in  saying,  “  Truly  we  live  in 
wondrous  times.” 
I  am  asked  to  give  examples  of  dodging,  or  something  worse,  on  the 
part  of  exhibitors.  I  will  do  so  to  the  Editor,  though  I  do  not  suppose 
he  will  publish  them,  and  if  he  did  it  might  be  said  they  are  of  no  use 
without  names.  I  wish  to  be  credited  with  a  higher  motive  than  any 
petty  exposure  of  names.  It  is  a  question  of  principles  not  persons  that 
impelled  me  to  write,  and  I  expressed  my  belief  that  our  exhibitions 
would  be  purified  by  the  removal  of  money  prizes,  and  that  certificates 
would  cause  as  much  emulation.  This  has  been  derisively  laughed  at  by 
my  opponents.  Still,  it  has  been  stated  in  this  Journal  since  this 
controversy  started  that  the  National  Society  of  Amateur  Gardeners, 
which  is  doing  excellent  work,  has  as  its  emulative  power  only 
certificates  and  other  honours,  no  money  prizes  being  given  by  this 
Society,  thus  showing  that  my  proposition  is  not  such  a  glaring  absurdity 
as  some  would  have  us  believe,  for  here  it  is  already  an  actuality. 
The  incongruous  character  of  horticultural  exhibitions  offends  many 
persons  besides  myself.  I  have  been  very  pleased  to  see  that  during 
the  last  few  weeks  even  some  of  our  ablest  men  have  been  calling 
attention  to  it.  The  Royal  Botanic,  among  other  societies,  has  been 
severely  criticised  for  its  undignified  exhibitions,  resulting  from  the 
desire  to  draw  the  reluctant  British  public.  I  have  been  at  the 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society’s  show  in  the  Aquarium  when  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  enjoy  a  good  sight  of  the  exhibits  for  the 
performances  of  gymnastB,  clowns,  and  performing  elephants.  How 
anyone  can  assert,  as  one  of  your  correspondents  did  last  week,  that 
flower  shows  were  never  in  a  more  flourishing  condition  than  at  the 
present  time,  when  such  “  adjuncts  ”  have  to  be  introduced  to  make 
them  a  financial  success,  I  cannot  understand. 
I  must  now  bring  this  much-too-lengthy  reply  to  a  close,  and  will  do 
so  by  once  more  expressing  my  opinion,  that  unless  flower  shows  become 
the  centres  of  only  the  most  honourable  competition,  and  not  the  happy 
hunting  grounds  of  the  avaricious,  they  must  sooner  or  later  be 
institutions  of  the  past. — Scottish  Gardener. 
[It  is  right  to  add  that  the  so-called  “adjuncts”  which  our  corre¬ 
spondent  last  objects  to  are  not  provided  by  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society,  which  we  have  no  doubt  would  much  prefer  to  have  the  whole 
Aquarium  space  for  the  exhibits.  Nor  is  the  great  attendance  at  the 
shows  drawn  by  the  regular  performances  (which  can  be  seen  at  any 
time),  but  by  the  plants  and  blooms  ;  and,  moreover,  many  persons  are 
convinced  that  visitors  to  the  shows  would  be  still  more  numerous  if 
the  entire  building  were  given  up  to  them  alone. 
The  “  examples  ”  supplied  by  our  earnest  contributor,  and  able 
gardener,  of  malpractices  are  the  petty  acts  of  petty  men,  or  of  a  few 
pot-hunters — the  exceptions  which  prove  the  rule  that  in  overwhelming 
numbers  educated  and  well  trained  British  gardeners  compare  for 
probity  and  rectitude  with  any  other  class  of  men  in  the  community. 
“  Scottish  Gardener  ”  seems  to  emphasise  this  with  great  force  in  his 
reply  to  “Vespa,”  in  which,  however,  he  contrives  to  reach  the  “Police 
Court.” 
In  connection  with  this  there  is,  as  he  says,  a  “continued  story  of 
crime.”  Crime  will  no  doubt  exist  as  long  as  weeds  grow  ;  but  one  of 
the  most  encouraging  facts  of  the  times  ia  its  steady  and  continuous 
reduction,  notwithstanding  the  great  increase  of  population,  as  is  revealed 
by  Government  statistics — the  result  of  better  educational  methods  and 
wholesome  training. 
Analogically  we  have  to  say,  not  as  a  mere  opinion,  but  as  a  stern 
fact,  that  notwithstanding  the  enormous  increase  in  flower  shows,  also 
the  number  and  value  of  prizes,  that  we  do  not  receive  half,  nor  one 
quarter,  the  number  of  complaints  of  dishonest  exhibiting  that  poured 
in  some  years  ago,  when  prizes  were  much  fewer  and  lower  ;  and  we 
suspect  that  the  greater  the  number  of  exhibitors,  and  the  closer  the 
competition,  the  less  chance  will  an  occasional  delinquent  have  of 
escaping  detection,  and  the  greater  the  certainty  of  his  being  scouted  for 
at3empts  to  deceive.  We  admire  the  spirit  and  the  objects  of  our  corre¬ 
spondent,  and  his  words,  with  others  he  has  elicited,  will.it  is  hoped, 
influence  for  good  some  weak  member  of  the  craft — some  weed  that 
pushes  up  in  the  garden  of  exhibitors. 
In  one  point  his  innocence  misleads  him.  He  thinks  “  honours  ”  are 
not  bought.  We  have  an  impression  that  he  is  greatly  deceived.  As  he 
has  given  a  few  instances  of  the  way  in  which  some  money  prizes  have 
been  won  we  will  give  him  one  instance  in  return,  though  we  could  give 
many.  A  person  coveted  a  certain  medal,  and  he  told  us  he  intended 
having  it,  if  it  cost  him  £100.  As  a  fact  he  spent  much  more  in  the 
attempt.  This  is  not  a  solitary  instance,  and  we  suspect  more  curious 
ways  have  been  resorted  to  for  obtaining  so-called  “  barren  honours” 
than  for  securing  money  prizes  in  competition.] 
CYPERUS. 
These  easily  grown  plants,  which  thrive  well  in  either  a  greenhouse, 
intermediate  or  stove  temperature,  ought  to  be  largely  cultivated  in  ail 
gardens  where  the  demand  for  decorative  material  is  extensive.  This  is 
especially  true  of  that  fine  old  species,  alternifolius,  It  is  one  of  those 
plants  of  which  decorators  seem  never  to  have  too  many.  This  is  doubtless 
because  the  grass-like  leaves  borne  on  long  slender  stems  are  peculiarly 
adapted  for  arranging  with  cut  flowers,  while  well-grown  plants  in  pots 
are  equally  suitable  for  use  in  that  state. 
When  used  in  either  of  these  ways  their  lasting  qualities  are  goodt 
and  to  all  arrangements  they  impart  a  characteristic  appearance.  Were 
it  not  for  the  fact  that  for  the  sake  of  novelty  it  is  necessary  to  vary  the 
kind  of  greenery  mixed  with  cut  flowers,  I  should  seldom  think  any 
arrangement  complete  without  a  few  whorls  of  Gyperus  rising  above  the 
flowers.  Of  course  it  is  necessary  to  have  whorls  of  varying  sizes 
according  to  the  receptacle  in  which  the  flowers  are  placed,  and  in 
catering  for  this  demand  the  accommodating  nature  of  the  plant  is 
clearly  demonstrated. 
To  provide  a  constant  supply  of  small  stems  such  as  only  young 
plants  produce,  numbers  of  tops  should  be  inserted  in  sand  at  regular 
intervals,  the  present  time  being  very  suitable  to  commence  with  the  first 
batch  for  this  season.  The  operation  is  simple  enough.  I  usually  cut 
the  medium-sized  tops  with  half  an  inch  of  stem  attached,  and  insert 
them  in  sand  placed  in  pans  or  a  propagating  case.  Good  bottom  and 
top  heat  is  necessary,  and  the  sand  should  be  kept  constantly  moist.  In 
the  course  of  two  or  three  weeks  young  shoots  will  begin  to  push  from 
the  centre  of  the  whorls.  When  these  have  grown  about  an  inch  in 
length  the  young  plants  are  ready  for  transferring  to  3-inch  pots,  using 
light  soil,  loam  and  leaf  soil  or  peat  in  equal  parts  answering  well.  When 
these  young  shoots  have  grown  to  maturity  they  are  ready  for  cutting. 
By  the  time  the  first  crop  of  shoots  have  reached  this  stage  others  will 
be  found  springing  from  the  base.  It  is  therefore  a  good  plan  to  cut  the 
fully  grown  ones  and  shift  the  plants  into  larger  pots.  The  succeeding 
shoots  will  then  be  considerably  stronger.  Old  stools  shifted  into 
10-inch  pots  when  well  rooted  will  produce  strong  noble-looking  shoots 
and  tops,  especially  if  they  can  be  stood  in  a  tank  or  tub  where  the  water 
rises  to  the  rim  of  the  pots.  Shoots  of  this  character  are  always  welcomed 
for  placing  in  large  glasses.  C.  a.  variegatus  does  Dot  grow  so  strongly  and 
thrives  best  when  given  a  stove  temperature.  As  a  pot  plant  it  is 
extremely  effective  for  dinner-taDle  decoration,  as  well  as  for  use  in  a 
cut  state. 
C.  laxus  is  a  true  greenhouse  species,  and  should  be  kept  in  a  damp 
position.  Its  chief  value  lies  in  its  usefulness  as  a  pot  plant,  and  to 
display  its  peculiar  beauty  to  advantage  it  ought  to  be  raised  well  above 
Ferns  and  other  dwarf  foliage  plants ;  in  fact,  it  is  par  excellence  a 
“  dot  ”  plant.— Plantsman. 
