Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-05-23
A riornl SHOW IN England

FEOrat snow IN England.
| A London correspondent Of the Bos
ton Globe gives sketch.of a visit to 6
| floral exhibition Of the Crystal Palace
on a recent guinea day, when the fash
ionables are out in all their glory. The
writer describes how the English florists
train their flowers:
Size seems to be the one thing aimed
at. Here is stand of geraniums and
pelargoniums. Not a fower-pot is to
be seen as the plants swell out in huge
balls, three feet in diameter, hiding eve
rything, and entirely covered with fow-
ers. If they had been sheared into
shape they could not be more stiff,
regular and precise. A close examination
shows every twig and fower-stem secured
to slender stick fastened in the pot.
This regular shape was not nature 8
doings? Oh, mol She is not such a
goose as to produce such hideous things.
Presently we come to a lot OF fuch-
sias, trained in umbrella shape, six feet
high, and in full flower They are GER
tainly wonderful. Think of the hours
the gardener. spent in coaxing the
plants, against their wills, into these
artificial shapes. Perhaps you don't
think them very lovely2 My dear, it is
the fashion = There is as much fashion
among plants as in dress goods. Fash
ion has not much in common with ma
ture or beauty, but then, one might as
well be out of the world. as out of the
fashion. .-, .q
Next we come to a collection of
LaatboI II ax..4a 1f AZ \ ct,H fa.,s.n Al = .,
are wonderfully beautiful, and show
great skill on the part of the growers.
We cannot produce such plants at home
as our sun is too bright. Here is some
thing interesting; show Of American
plants; rhododendrons, azaleas, kalmias,
and the like. Strange that we should
come to England to discover the glories
Of our native woods. The plants are
trained in the usual stiff fashion, and if
rather unnatural, still they show pro
fusion of bloom and wealth Of color
truly wonderful, There is something in
the climate here that brings our native
flowers into perfection we never see at
home. .i.erlr r..rrqeygtang
We move on and come to a stand of
orchids in full bloom. Words cannot
describe the strange, fanciful shapes
these flowers assume. Usually we are
content with roses. heliotrope, carna-
tions and the like in our bouquets
| What a sensation a bunch Of such flow
ers as these would make in Boston
drawing room. Till one has seen these
orchids it does not seem possible that
flowers can put on such forms. Not all
of them are beautiful. Most of them
are merely curious. 1taJ
After passing huge collection of
zonale and yariegated geraniums we
come to the hardy roses. We can only
pause here to remark that the brilliant
colors and markings of these geraniums
are in measure Disappointing In the
shady greenhouse, and under the half
obscured sun of England, they may keep
their colors. In our bright sunshine they
soon fade, and until we can produce ma
tive seedlings they will not be of much
value to US. The roses, being hardy,
are more Interesting. We picked the
following out of the lot as best worthy
of Importation, and we hope we may yet
see them in Boston gardens; Ia,
Miss Ingraham, white; Celine Fores-
ter, yellow; Madam Margottin, cream
colory Lord Napier, red; Madam Clert,
pink; Mile Maria Rady, deep red. From
these we turn to the collections of foliage
plants, crotens, dracens, ETC., maze of
dazzling color and strange forms In
these we feel obliged to confess the
English outstrip US. The patience and
skill displayed in the culture of these
plants are something marvellous We
do not, and cannot have such flower
shows as this at home. In the first
place, labor is too high, and secondly
the culture Of these rare and exotic
plants does not pay. Until we are will
ing to pay the prices we must content
ourselves with the roses, violets, pinks
and other cheap flowers that we produce
in such profusion. 4si,
Could we see the places where all |
these plants come from, our admiration |
might be lessened. The clumsy tools, |
ill-arranged buildings and ancient ways |
of these gardeners make us wonder that |
they produce the results we see before
us. Let us be patient Give us time,
and if we do not beat these English |
gardeners / am mistaken. Moreover |
when we do try, we will not initiate the
stiff and artificial ways they so much
delight in. aii BID h