Hints on Showing

Hutt News, Volume 6, Issue 16, 14 September 1938, Page 7

Hints on Showing

(By G. S. NICOLL)

In. the- early stages of exhibiting Roses and other flowers in season, the house would be littered with pickle bottles, jam jars,, etc., but a long bench .and tables in a cool roomy basement, with cheap -reject vases, have made it easier for everyone. Selecting and picking can be carried out without family criticism or neighbourly search for prob-' ably non-existent perfume. One of the essentials for exhibiting is to know what classes your flowers are going in before you leave home, so that much sorting and trying out are required. Every flower should be named correctly. Then one should go to the show armed with secaturs, sharp knife, scissors and camel hair .brush. In staging the correct sized vases should be chosen to give uniformity in display. Avoid showing sweet peas in. | a six inch vase when they would be better displayed in a ten inch vase, while Roses in 8-inch vases dwarf those in 6-inch. Before unpacking your lowers, find out where you are going to stage and reserve that space. You should know the number of vases required, and should immediately secure that number, and see that they are perfectly clean on the outside. Water is the next requisite, but do plant. Chrysanthemums without foliage, andi the blooms should be level. The the gladiolus stem should be cut on the slant to allow the stem to take up a maximum of water. The best spikes should be placed in the most prominent position, and you should try and make the judge look at the flowers and not J at stems. Watch the colour effect of your exhibit. Before finally staging count your blooms with the schedule and see that your tickets agree with the schedule class numbers. In the case of Annuals (unless specially forbidden), colour variation is always allowed in the bunches, but Sweet Peas are usually not preferred in mixed colours. The points to look for in a stand of Hardy Flowers are: — Quality of blooms, freshness, elegance o.f habit, rarity or difficulty of cultivation, variety of form and colour, arrangement, naming, etc. In Floral Baskets the judge looks for artistic arrangement, harmony of colouring, absence of discord, quality of flowers Mr Nicol concludes his interesting and instructive remarks with the poem, TRULY GREAT. My walls outside must have some flowers, My wall within must have some books, A house that's small,, a garden large, And in it leafy nooks. A lovely wife, and gentle, too; Contented that no eyes' but mine Can see her many charms, nor voice To call her beauty fine: Where she would in that lone cage live, A self-made prisoner with me; While many a wild bird sang around, On gate, 011 bush,, on tree: And sho sometimes to answer them, In her sweeter voice than all; Till birds that loved to look 011 leaves, Will dote on a stone wall. With this small house, this garden large, This little gold, this lovely mate,,^ With health in body, peace at heart-