THE SPRING SHOW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13846, 4 September 1908, Page 8

THE SPRING SHOW.

" 'A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS, SPLENDID DISPLAY OF FLOWERS. The' Auckland Horticultural Society's Spring Show, opened yesterday afternoon ,;: 'in the Choral Hall, provides one of the ■v best displays of spring, flowers <seen |in Auckland for many ft day, and the society may be congratulated on ibis year's exhibition without, any reservations. The at- ' tendance was unusually large, and the day's ..takings constituted a record for the brat day of a spring show in Auckland. Prior to the show being declared open and during the afternoon Meredith's string band ' contributed a pleasant, musical programme. The opening ceremony, performed by the ' Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers), was very brief. ' The flavor remarked that the splendid display 'and large attendance amply _ justified . the society iu its decision to continue the spring show. As soon as the Mayor bad concluded there was a general move to examine the ■ ' various groups of exhibits, and lie throngs round the daffodil stands clearly indicated which spring flower holds popular esteem ***** THE DAFFODILS. ' Daffodil-growing is a cult. To grow! daffodils, once is to grow them always. The ; - daffodil, beloved iu old rustic England as | the daffadowndilly or daffadilly, has, pro- \ C "bably more lovers among the human kind f; than any other■flower that grows, and it has been She source of much poetic inspira- . " tion. As the first flower of spring it has a charm of itsvown. Did not the greatest * ..Of all poets describe the daffodil as the -flower 'That comes before the swallow dares, and takes The wind of March in beauty. - 'the daffodils at. this year's show are L ■ fine. Size is their characteristic. It is doubtful whether larger specimens than . some of the exhibits could be produced any- ■■' ■' where The Auckland climate suits the daffodil—one, somehow, prefers the homeI? lier name to the Greek narcissus—and it . icplvs loving culture in the most delight- * ful possible wav. Even Peter Barr, tho great' "daffodil king," must have been pleased with the display at the Choral Hall V Yesterday.' could' he have seen it. : There were maiiv line seedlings that may yet take rank in the daffodil world. For the benei' .• fit of the uninitiated it may be explained " that half of the charm of the daffodil culture lies in the hvbridiaation of the flower, and the long, long wait before the grower I. • knows the result of his experiment. Five, •"'■ :V ' six or seven vears may elapse before his seedling bloom's, and tells him whether he has secured a good new variety or not. If ••'•'■■ he has, he reaps a rich harvest. He may j - ; ensiiv command £20 for a new bulb-per-haps mere. The King Alfred variety, of > which some nice specimens are present in , this show, started at £6 6s in 1900, and is still one of the standards, though now, cf course, much cheaper in price. At the present time there is a big boom m daffo- . dils in the Old Country, and there is a , great demand for new varieties. This fact j ■ adds to the interest of the present, show. '" ', The competition in the daffodil classes - this year lias been very keen, and some wonderfullv good blooms are shown. The champion "daffodil vase was competed for liv Mr. J. Kirker and Professor Thomas. The latter, who was, unfortunately, absent through dllness, secured the honour ; with an undeniably fine lot. which included ■■' joveral- seedlings of his own raising. Mr. ■ * Jvirkerls. many of high i'i > merit."** The champion vase has to be won. , •■ three.times in succession, or five times at •intervals, before it becomes the property. i/l of the winner. Messrs. Barr and Sons' vase for a collection of 30 varieties" was won 'by-Mr. W. Rosser, and the bronze medal went Mr. Andrew Nicoll. OTHER FLOWERS. - .The. cyclamens and camellias are not very i Jnimeroa6,-bufe-thev--are good.. Mr. W. B. 7,'ESll' took first prifcey and -the certificate of * be- Royal Horticultural Society , for a dis- ; plaV in pots of the firstnamed. Mr. Mere teridge and Miss Amy Reynolds are other 'successful exhibitors. " " "Mr. Henry Brett "took » the Royal Horticultural Society's certificate for'a decorated table and exhibition of 10-week stocks. Mrs. J. J. "Mackav also secured the Royal Horticul- . tural' Society's certificate for her beautiful display of'floral designs, consisting of a choice , daffodils and other spring flowers. * And-here a word of praise is due to all the ? Competitors, mostly" ladies, prize winners - and. non-prize winners alike, for the arti6i tic,merit of the displays on all the decorated tables. They were all so good that "the judges must have found it difficult to '• make a final selection. ' • The judge* for the whole show were Daffodils, the Rev. W. Beatty and Mr. W. F. Buckland v other cut flowers, Mr. T. E. Pearson and Mr. A. MfeDouald ; deco- ; . rated tables, bouquets, epercnes, and ■ ladies' sprays, Mesdames A. M. Myers, * Segar, and G. J. Mackay. In the evening there was again a large attendance at the show, and. as in the . < afternoon, the daffodils were the first attraction, though some of the other classes ran them close. The fine collections of both ""Professor Thomas and Mr. J. Kirker are ■worth spending a long time over. The .Duke of. Bedford bloom, with which Mr. -Kirker won one" of'the championships, is ' a,"striking bi-coloured daffodil, with yellow trumpet and white wings. Near to it is Professor Thomas' yellow champion —a. perfectly-shaped, very "large King Alfred. • The show will be open from 10 o'clock this morning, and will remain open till this, ' evening, when'the blooms will be auctioned by Mr. E. A. Perkins, Meredith's orchestra will again contribute a musical proyk!■'".•■'■ gramme. " "-."■•'"■'■''.■:'■ .'' ■-■ - .. ■ The folowing is the prize list: — CUT FLOWERS. .'. . NARCISSI.. ''' "Maghi Coronati (excluding doubles).'— varieties, distinct, three to Ave blooms each (open): Charles Heaketh 2. Six varieties, distinct, three to Ave blooms each (open): 11. E. Sharp 1, Chan. Hesketh 2. Six varieties, distinct, three to live r' ; . •■ blooms each (amateur) A. E. Oriadrod 2. :? '■■',"-. ;"• Medio Coronnfi («xoludlng' double varieties).— ■f Twelve varieties, distinct, three to five blooms " v : each (open): J. Kirker 1. Six varieties, distinct, :•'.:. three to five blooms each (open): J. Kirker 1, Charles Hesketh 2. Six varieties, distinct, three T% to five blooms (amateur): A. E. Grindrod 2. C\- : Six varieties', distinct, red or orange-stained 'v, cups, three to five blooms each (open): U. E. bbdjp 1. Double.—Three varieties, distinct, three blooms each (open): W. Rosser 1, Andrew Nicoll 2. - ' Polyanthus Narcissus (including • any variety j- bearing three or more flowers on one stem).— \ ~, Six varieties, distinct, three stalks each (open): i.. Andrew Nicoll 1 and 2. Three varieties., dis- ■ tinct, three stalks each (amateur): A. K. Grindy}-;■'■'■'" -Kid .1. .- ...,-\ , - COLLECTIONS. i\ , ■' " ' Champion daffodil vase ana silver medal, for i|pX' .;'.' -collection - ot 40 distinct varieties of daffodil ;'■ -) "blooms'' (excluding polyanthus narcissi!*), of which '30 kinds must be represented by at least .. three blooms, whiln not more than nine, blooms may be shown of any one kind; any foliage. .'.I Vase to be won three times in succession or ti'i five times at intervals, before becoming the property of .any competitor; second prize, bronze ?•: medal (open): Professor A. P. W. Thomas 1, •* J. Kirker 2. • -:. Collection of 30 varieties, distinct, all classes /.;■:■ except polyanthus ' narcissus; three to five -blooms each;■ daffodil foliage only, varieties i priced at more than 5s per bulb in Barr's latest *"c*rilogue no*, admissible. Prize, handsome daffodil vase and silver medal. Vase to be won three times in succession, or five times at inter- • •'■'( vals, before becoming the property of any comL ;! t !-' ;"jaetitor.-•, Second pri«e, bronze medal." This class i. : v "is not open to exhibitors in preceding class: W. .' Ebsser 1, Andrew Nicoll 2. I •. • Collection of 20 varieties (polyanthus narcissus !.',-•• excluded).' three to- five blooms each; bronze ; v , medal; second prize, Bourne's " Book of , the :; ! . Daffodil::' J. Kirker 1, J. W. Tibbs 2. is. ' is! Collection oi 10 popular varieties, three to five blooms each. selected from the following:Em~§f'i peror, M. J. Berkeley, P. R. Barr, Queen of jjV Spain, Prlnceps, Empress, Michael Foster. Mrs. W." T. Ware. Victoria, Cernuiiß (Bishop Mann), fJ.W. Cowan, Princess Ida, Cynosure, Owyther, 1 King' of Netherlands, Frank Miles, Queen Bets, i ■ * Kir Watkin, Butter and Eggs, Codlins and Cream, . -itorrii Conspicuous, Orphee, Stella, S. Superba, Minnie Hume, Autocrat, K. Spurrell, Amabilis, fjensatlon, Madge • Matthew. Prixe, bronze "medal; second prize, Bourne's "Book of the "jOaindiC (open): tf,,R, W- Thomas 1,, J. W. ;:'■.•.-'.,■-• ■.Tibb5.2>...,;.„„'",..' .>,,... .« :...-,.' .„... , CHAMPION BLOOMS. Magni Coronati, yellow: Professor A. P. W. " (King Alfred bloom). ■•-•■ i.. Magni Cdrbnatl, bl-colour: J. Kirker (Duke of :,V •Bedford bloom). ; *; Medio Coronati, ail classes: Professor A. P. . .W. Thomas (Tongariro bloom). ... .. OTHER BOLBS AND BULBOUS PLANTS. ■/ ' Anemones.— varieties, single, one bloom }?\ ' etch (open): Mrs. Brown Clayton 1. Six varic-, ,i feu ■■;■' ":. ■■■.• ■,:,-. ', . ." •: gg|t; .;■ :- ; .V'/-;. ■*■";..■ • ■:' '■ i V !'>''„-' ' '. ' '■■■■■'■• ■■ ■ ' • ill Wh

ties, double, one bloom each (open): W. MoFeterldge 1.. Six varieties, single, one bloom each: W. MiFeteridge 1, L. F. Edger 2. Ranunculi.—Twelve varieties, one bloom each : W. O. Abraham 1, Mrs. A. Q. Lee 2. Six varieties, one bloom each: W. C. Abraham 1, Mrs. A. G. Lee 2. Cyclamens.—Six varieties, six. to 12 blooms of each (open): W. McFeteridge 1. Three varieties, six to 12 blooms of each (open): W. McFeteridge 1. Camellias.— variety, six blooms (open): Miss Amy Reynolds 1. .MISCELLANEOUS CUT FLOWERS. Collection of 12 varieties (open) Henry Brett 1. Collection, six varieties: Mis. J. 11. Hutchison 1, Miss Amy Reynolds 2. Epergne or other centre-piece daffodils, any foliage: Mis. Marriuor 1, Miss Margaret Oliphant 2. Basket of spring flowers: Mrs. O'Rorke 1, Miss Mary Oliphant 2. Bowl or vase with any one variety of flowers, with any foliage, arranged for effect (amateur): Miss K. Nelson 1. Hand bouquet, of violets, any foliage: Miss Amy Reynolds highly commended. Hand bouquet of" primroses and polyanthus, any foliage (amateur): Miss Minnie Peel highly commended. Hand bouquet, my flowers and any foliage (amateur): Miss Jean Richmond 1. Table decoration, bulbous flowers, with any foliage, table 4 by 3 (amateur): Miss Kent. 1, Mrs. Brown Clayton 2, Miss Hazel Buckland 3, Miss Towle highly commended. Junior table decoration, bulbous flowers, with any foliage, table 4 by 3: Miss Gwen Msrriuer 1, Miss. Beatrice Oliphant 2. POT PLANTS. Narcissus Magni, one pot (open): A. E. Grindrod 1. Narcissus Media. —One pot: A. E. Grindrod 1. Cyclamens. varieties, one of each : W. B. Ball 1. Three varieties, one of each: W. B. Ball 1. Primula*.— varieties.', one of each: A. K. Grindrod 1.