Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-15
a pILD FLOWER ExHIBIT.
A Novel Exhibition That Might DO
Attempted Here With Great Probabiii-
ties of Success.

The following letter from William X. ,
Iazruby, an American visitor to Edin-
burgh, Scotland, to Garden and Forest,
describes in a most interesting man
nor the novel wild flower exhibition
held recently in that city. II is sugges-
tive of what might be very prettly
essayed and successfully accomplished
in this city in the way of an autumn
will flower exhibit, the proceeds to DC
applied to the needs of the two hospitals
of this city:
One OF the most vivid and pleasing
recollections Of recent visit to Scotlanc
is the wild flower exhibition held at
Edinburgh. The principal objects OF
this exhibition are to engage the actlve
energies of the young in healthful and
instructive recreation, and to enlist their
sympathes on behalf of their suffering
and unfortunate fellow-creatures in
children's hospitals. The exhibition at
Edinburgh was the fourth one held
under the auspicies of The Peoples
Friend, juvenile paper. The former
| exhibits were held in Glasgow, Dundee
| and Aberdeen. The distinguishing
feature of the one just held is, that the
exhibits have been entirely gathered ny
children. In all, there were over ,1Oo
entries, consisting Of hand-bouquets,
baskets, bouquets of heather and thlstles
of heather and bluebells, OF wild grasses,
of white heather, of wild ferns in rustic
baskets, wreaths of wild roses ana
houeysuckles, collections OF dried wild
flowers, and of dried leaves of native
trees tastefully mounted, crosses OF
wild flowers, and window fower-boxes.
All, with the exception of the last class,
was the work of children. These floral
attractions were Systematically grouped
into various classes and artlstlcally
arranged upon tables in Music Hail,
where they were subject TO lelsurely
inspection.
The exhibition was opened by Sir
William Muir. Principal of the Unlver-
] sity of Edinburgh, while Mr.. John Leng,
M. p, acted as chairman. Upon the
t platform were many gentlemen OF note,
{ including several members OF royalty
I. and many Of the principal clergymen OF
} the city. Apologies for absence We're
{ received from the Duchess Of Buccleuch,
/. the Marchioness Of Tweed, the Earl OF
S Stair and others, showing the general
t interest taken in the enterprise.
G After calling the large assemblage to
i. order, Mr.. Leng said, in substance, that
e Edinburgh was city of exhibitions. 1t
i was regarded, not only by Scotchmen
If but by all who visited il, as an exhibit
If ton in itself. They had floral exhibit
lc tions to safety, representing all the
Il seasons Of the year. In the last week
N they had held grand horticultural
ii show, but they had never yet had q
IN show like this one, which claimed TO DC
&c unique, both in its exhibits and in respect
ID TO its exhibitors As a wild flower eX
le hibition it had character OF Its own
at and he would admit that people gen
es orally had little idea that the common
.ir wild flowers Of the highways ant
IN hedges, the meadows, woodlands, hill
id and mountains, could be set forth VIII
to such artistic effect or could produc
es such beautiful combination, The ex
nd hibition was not local in its character
it did not bring together simply the will
de flowers of id-Lothian or the east
n Scotland it set before the visitors TIL
Nv entire midsummer wild flora of Scot
Nv land from the Shetland Islands to tn
NJ Borders, and even beyond the Borders
III for there were exhibits from Englan
he and Ireland as we'll. The exhibitors {
il these bouquets and baskets, these d'
as vices and decorations, werc all children
of The flowers had been gathered by the
,ue industry and arranged by their skill,
,rlI that there We're represented before the
nd the results of the Iabors of nearly 2,oC
for children working with purpose and
of will, that purpose being to help their SIC
not brothers and sisters in the Royal Slt
but Children's Hospital.
rly Sir William Muir said he believe
i've that in many respects this would be u
has most charming exhibition ever held
an Edinburgh. Nothing could be mo
lily pleasant than to see how the people
ing the country, especially the childre
10 were interesting themselves in {
left growing of flowers. Ii was one OF tho
hat objects which the public should encot
t to age to the utmost of their power.
ney trusted that by this tlower-show t
tire funds of the most useful hospital, I
to one devoted to sick children III the C
ure of Edinburgh, would be greatly
at larged, for the institution was W
liar worthy the confidence and support
hey all interested in the exhibition. !
yof people of Scotland owed an lmmel
hey debt to MIR. Leng for having origina
the this idea. The exhibition was u
ocks formally declared open. During
like day excellent music and dramatic
old citais were provided,
vote The most largely patronized comp
ully ton was that of the hand-bouquets
7 be wild flowers. In this class there W
ther two sections, junior and senior, wit
a OF grand total of no less than 800 entr
cum One of the principal constituents
haa these bouquets was the wcll-known
Iitlcs eve daisy, while the dandelion, pop
ever yetch, clover, huttercup, and OF
nley species common to the United Sta
% an were seen in profusion. The basket
IN OF wild flowers formed very pleasing
lg 1t, hibits. The baskets themselves v
)afiie nsnaliv rustic IN character. being m
'hesI OF rushes, willow, bark or some sim
material The flowers in them v
usually of the same general characte
those in the hand bouquets, altho
by a many species with short stems were
in addition The hand-bouquets
heather and thistles were very nrr
mad Gus, and formed pleasing featur
nck," the exhibition. 1t was evident that
II the group appealed most strongly to
paper nationality OF the greater portion OF
bust visitors, and this section of the spac
rious hall was crowded during the W
week. period of the exhibition. The ma
ay he Scotchman fingered proudly am
lndle these characteristic plants Of "bon
Fren- scotland. The bouquets of wild gra
le, he formed another large exhibit, I
Office being upward of $50 entries in this c
4 his The Yorkshire fog is the common n
lett of species very largely represei
ing to but in addition to this observed IL
ously tastefully arranged collections col
read ing in part Of timothy, red-top,
9 un' grass, meadow fox-tail, oat grass