A FEAST OF FLOWERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 10

A FEAST OF FLOWERS.

HUTT VALLEY SUMMER SHOW. The Hutt Valley Horticultural Society is to be congratulated on the success of the flower show, which was opened in the Drill Hall, at the Lower Hutt,'yesterday afternoon, and which. is-to he opened again this afternoon and evening. It was a very good show: considering tho long spell of dry weather, a wonderfully good show.; Everything • was well arranged, the exhibits being ranged on tables covered with, white, so that each flower was seen to the best advantage. A trellis of white intertwined with green foliage, converted the platform into a pleasant 1 tea-room, and a band' played during the afternoon. The Hon. Jas. M'Gowan, who opened the show, drew attention to the special educative value of-one exhibit, the collection of New-Zealand ferns. Mr. Chapman's exhibit of flowers and foliage plants was the feature of the show. He had a fine display of begonias and gloxinias, and a great variety of calladiums,. Japanese-looking plants, with pointed transparent leaves in green or reddish shades, or veined with green or pink; Mr. Harvey's' display of flowering plants was also much admired for the tustefulncss•of its arrangement. There were roses, sweet-peas, and asters, but not in any numbers. .The chief flowers wore, the cactus dahlias, of which there were many very fine, specimens! shown,, and the gloxinias—purple; white,. crimson, and heliotropel—perhaps a finer collection than has ever previously been exhibited. Mrs. Riddiford took the prize for the largest cactus dahlia exlubited, and' Mrs. G. Peareo won the trophy for the best decorated:'table, and this being the third year that she hf.s won it the. trophy becomes her own. Her table was very gracefully decorated in white and green.. A good deal more could bo.dono with-decorated tables, and it is a, pity that women do not give more study to this, the prettiest of household arts. The prize-list is as under:— . . OPEN CLASS. Pot Plants—Specimen, foliage plant, H. Foole, 1. Specimen-flowering plant, H. Poole, 1. New or raro plant, 11. Poole,' 1. Three foliage plants variegated (distinct); 11. Poole, J: foliage plants .not variegated (distinct), il. _ I polo, 1.. Three single begonias tuberous, in flower (distinct colours), 11. Poole, 1. Two foliage begonias' (distinct), S. Knight, 1. Two eoleus (distinct), Mrs.- Bunny, 1; 11. Poole, 2. Group of foliage and flowering plants, H. Poole, 1; G. Harvey, 2. ; Cut Flowers.—Collection' of asters,' Bellevue Gardens, 1; F. C.vFrantis, 2.. Twelve spikes gladioli.- not. less- thani.-.sue varieties, S. 'Knight, 1; Mrs. E. J. .Kiddiford, 2. One cactus dahlia (champion), Airs. .E; J. Riddiford, 1; Bellevue Gardens, 2. SixVcactus dahliasj S. Knight, 1; Mrs. E. J.'-Riddiford, 2. Twelve cactus • dahlias, S. Knight; <1: R; Kingdon, 2. Best collection of cactus dahlias, • Bellevue Gardens, 1. Twelve varieties sweet peas. C. Trevethick, 1 and '2. Three spikes of lilies- • Bellevue Gardens, 1. Six roses (not le?s than three varieties), Evans and Son, 1 and 2; Twelve roses (not less than six varioties); Bellevue Gardens, 1. Collection of "cut flowers (not more than 30 varieties), Bellevue Gardens, 1; Mrs. E.'J.' Riddiford, 2. Fruit.-—Twelvo-kitchen apples, S. Knight, 1; ;F.- Westbury, 2. Twelve'dessert apples, A'. -J. Hobbs, 1. Six pears (one variety), C. j. L'yne, 1. Twelve plums (one variety), Miss L. Spilman, 1; A. W. Williamson, 2. Six peaches (one variety), Miss L.-Spilman, 1; C. Holland, 2. Two bunches white grapes, A; J. Hobbs, 1. Two bunches black grapes, R. Strand, 1 and' 2. Vegetables—Two cucumbers (one variety), R. Strand< 1 and 2. Twenty-five kidney beaiis, dwarf (one variety), F. Westbury, 1; R; Kingdon, 2. Twenty-five kidney beans, runner (one variety), F. Westbury, 1 and 2. Twenty-five pods of peas, A. J. Hobbs, 1; F. Westburv, 2. Twelve potatoes, round (one variety), F. Westbury, 1. Twelvo potatoes, kidney (one varietv), F. Westbury, 1 and 2. Three cabbages, A. J. Hobbs, 1; F. Westbury, 2. Three cauliflowers, F. Westbury, 1 and 2. Three lettuces, F; Westbury, 1 and 2. Six carrots, F. Westbury, ,1 and 2. Six parsnips, F. Westbury, 1. Six turnips, F. Westbury, 1; R. Kingdon, 2. Six red beet, F. Westbury, 1 and 2. Twelvo tomatoes, Miss L. Spilman, 1; R. Strand, 2. 'Two vegetable marrows, R. Ivingdon, 1; A. J. Hobbs, 2. Collections of vegetables (not more than fifteen varieties), Miss L. Spilman, 1; R. Kingdon, 2.