AUCKLAND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 8 September 1926, Page 9

AUCKLAND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.

SPRING SHOW TO-MORROW. At present Auckland gardens are a mass of splendour with the gay blooms of spring. Daffodils, narcissi, anemones never seem to have bloomed better than on this occasion, thanks to a kindly Dame Nature, who arranged the elements of the past autumn, winter and early spring so that all might be gay and colourful now.

Hence the Auckland Horticultural Society has found it necessary to secure the commodious Concert Chamber of the Town Hall to stage its spring show to-morrow and on Friday. This fine hall will be changed into a veritable fairyland of spring on these days, for Auckland growers have entered enthusiastically the choicest of blooms from their gardens. At present it has become necessary to extend the already generous space provided to accommodate all the additional entries received. The show bids fair to excel all its predecessors and to be one of the finest in the annals of Auckland's floral displays.

Entries have come in not only from the city and suburban growers, but also from the country districts, and hence the keenest competition is likely to bo seen on this occaiion.

The president of the society, Sir Henry Brett, is arranging a special display of carnations and other spring flowers.

The whole of the stage will be necessary to give adequate space for the Auckland City Council's display of spring flowers, including the slipper orchids which have done remarkably well this season, while the vivid colours of cyclamens and anemones will lend radiance to the predominating yellow of the daffodils.

The progressive policy of the society has led to new classes being placed in the schedule, which will attract the small growers, the beginners in daffodil culture. These have attracted numerous exhibits and the bulbs which the society distributed to interested growers during the season will figure their blooms in these newly established classes.

Nothing adds more attractiveness to a show than the decorated tables. On this occasion a record number of entries has been received, with the result that on each day something decidedly picturesque will grace the centre of the hall. On the first day competitors will use narcissi only for their decorations, and on this occasion the Smith and Caughey Challenge Cup will be awarded for the first time to the winner of this class.

Another novel display arranged by the society will serve an educative purpose. The various types and varieties of narcissi will be grouped in their classes, their characteristics displayed so that the mere layman can readily grasp what often ia so bewildering in its complexity that it is left to the expert to fathom. Again the process of hybridisation will be realistically set out so that every detail of this fascinating work will b"e made perfectly plain. The society offers a fine range of trophies for competition at this show. The list comprises the Hall Challenge Cup for seedling daffodils, the Daffodil Challenge Bowl, the Kirker Memorial Trophy, the Selwyn Upton Cup and the and Caughey Challenge Cup. The two last-named trophies are being awarded for the first time this year. The awards in many of the classes will consist of bulbs of high-class quality, s.) that competitors will receive prizes which wiU further stimulate their interest in spring flowers. The show will be opened in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall by his Worship the Mayor of Auckland. Mr. G. Baildon, to-morrow at 2.30 p.m., and will be_ open to the public on Thursday and Friday afternoons and evenings.