ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Evening Star, Issue 3023, 28 October 1872, Page 2

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Tho downpour of rain on Saturday evening greatly interfered with the financial success of the exhibition of the above Society, the number of visitors being necessarily much smaller than would otherwise have been the case. Still there was a fair attendance, and those who had the good fortune to be present were amply repaid for their visit. The most prominent feature of the exhibition was the number and beauty of '.he azalias, a class of plant not before seen at any of the exhibitions of the Otago Society. The cyclamens also attracted attention, and some of them were remarkably lino. Amongst the vegetables were some very fine brocoli and cabbage ; and Mr Edwards, of the Forbury, exhibited the finest lot of rhubarb we have yet* seen in the Province We on Saturday noticed the artificial flowers exhibited by Mrs Simons, They were equally attractive in the evening by gaslight as they had been during the daylight, and formed a striking feature in the exhibition. In the evening Mr Matthews, the President of the Society, introduced Mr Jngo, who read a short essay, to which the prize offered by Mr Geo. Scoit had been awarded, tiie subject being “ The Beauty and use of Flowers.” The exhibits of flowers on Saturday consisted mainly of pot plants grown under cover. The season being late for outside spring blooms, and early for other flowers. The uncertainty of the seasons here renders it extremely difficult to fix beforehand a time for the display of any particular class of plants or flowers, and in consequence many flowers were awanting which it was expected would have been in bloom for this exhibition, such as camelias, hyacinths and aurcculas, of which the exhibition was poor, hyacinths being unrepresented altogether. The absence of good anemones and ranunculus was very noticeable. The pansies shown were, with the exception of one or two flowers, but very indifferent. We do not seem yet to have got many good specimens of this very favourite flower in the

Province. The number and variety of forest trees exhibited by Messrs Matthews, Beverly, and Martin, show that a considerable amount of attention is being paid to the introduction of suitable trees to the Province, and that a fair amount of success is attending the effort in this direction. We append the prize list, and hope the accession of a large number of members to the rdciety will so strengthen the hands of the committee as that they may be able to offer further inducements for the earnest prosecution of floriculture in the City and neighborhood 'lhe names of the successful competitors will be found below : GARDENERS’ LIST. PLANTS IN FLOWER. Greenhouse plants: 1, W. Martin; 2, A. G. Clements. Azaleas : 1, A. G. Clements; 2, W. Arrol. Heaths : A. G. Clements. Pelargoniums :J. Gebbie, jun. Cyclamens : J. Wilson. Auriculas :G. Scott. FOILAGE PLANTS, Fine Foliage : W. Arrol. Ferns : W. Martin. BULBS IN FLOWER. Tulips : J. Gebbie, jun. CUT FLOWERS, Pansies: 1, J. Wilson; 2, G, Scott. Anemones; J. Cebbie, jun. Cut bulbs :J. Wilson. Hand Bouquet; 1, G. Matthews; 2, W. Arrol. Abase of Flowers :J. Gebbie, jun. AMATEURS’ LIST. PLANTS IN FLOWER. Greenhouse Plants : 1, T. Dobbie ; 2, A. H. Shury. Camellias : A. Crawshaw. Azaleas : 1, T, Dobbie, ; 2, A. Crawshaw. Fancy Pelargoniums : A. H. Shury. Stage do. : T. Dobbie. Cyclamens: 1, A. H. Shury ; 2, T. Dobbie. FOLIAGE PLANTS. 1, A, H. Shury ; 2. T. Dobbie, BULBS IN FLOWER. Tulips: T. Dobbie. CUT FLOWERS. Pansies : 1, Mrs G, Forrester ; 2, A, H, Shury, Cut Bulbs: T. Dobbie. Hand Bouquet: I, A. Crawshaw; 2, A. H. Shury, Vase of Flowers : 1, A. Crawshaw; 2, A, H. Shury. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Strawberries; W. M‘Cardie. Cucumbers: A. P. Smith. Peas : W. M‘Cardie. Cauliflowers : 1, G. Soott; 2, W. M‘Cardie. Cabbages : 1, C. Sonutag; 2, W. Langmuir. Rhubarb.- 1. G. Matthews ; 2, G. Scott. SPECIAL PRIZES. Gunn and Ross’s Prize for Bouquets ; Miss A. Crawshaw. Matheson Bros.’ Prize for Specimen Plant; G. Matthews. R. M'Leod and Co.’s Prize for Pair of Bouquets: W. Arrol. Jas. Gebbie, jun.’s Prize for Bouquet : 1, W. Arrol : 2, T. Dobbie. G. F. Re d’s Prize for Best 12 Forest Trees suitable for Otago: J, A. Beverly ; 2, W. Martin. B. Bagley’s Prize for Cyclamens : A. H. Shury. H. Walden’s Prize for Best 12 Native Shrubs; A. Beverly. A M‘Kinlay’s Prize for Gooseberry and Currant Wine: J. Sibbald. EXTRA PRIZES. Collection of Artificial Flowers : Mrs Simons. Stocks : M. Fogarty. Rhubarb : G. Edwards. Flowering Plants ; G, Mat- > thews. Bouquet: Miss Laura Begg.