la A leader in the Settlement, who' is certainly' not without the sense of form, beauty, and colour, was overheard on Monday at the Town Hull to remark that he found Chrysanthemum shows monotony ous, that there was no variety about the exhibits, and that at the best the most successful blooms from the grower's point of view were the least lovely to look upon. 'The rework wae intended generally, not as applying to. Monday's show in particular, but' it indicated such startling want of perception that sure the many who walked with delight around the exhibits on Monday night. would have been only too glad of an opportunity; to repudiate. the assertion.. They could have retorted at all events that th same argument applied still more forcibly to horographs, in which the leader in qu ion finds the livd ion," The special charm of a 0 is, surely, that the eye is not distracted by multiplicity of species from apprecintion of the fine detail of col owe and form, The eye must have been lacking indeed: which failed to find variety on the stands which lined the walls and adorned the floor of the. Town Hall on Monday... In_ spite of poor' promise in the early autumn it was. good slow, not quite so many: private exhibitors as on some former ocensions, bnt the professional growers and the Municipal Gardens, which Mr. Macgregor has brought Into splendid" condition, amply filling all gaps, which ° might. otherwise have occurred. 'The blooms were of about average merit, the grouping' an improvement on any we have previously soon. The-centre of the hall was ocoupied by a magnificent four-sided pyramid of the flowers surmounted by a palm. In the contro of one glass panel was let in, with contre design of the. Municipal: flag worked in. tiny pompons, Other Municipal exhibits (not all chryssnthermums). were arranged on flanking tables, while the inner square was in great part lined by standard plants in full flower. Others of those were grouped about the platform on which the Town Band was stationed and from which the items of the evening concert wore given. The platform decorations were mostly of palm, while in front small but very fine collection of ferns invited inspection.
the special competitions did not,"
ly, attract as much atten-might be ire; and"
is 'a pity that the I do not take a more sporting interest in these friendly contests of taste and' skill} if only as encouragement to Miss Proctor who works so hard to: bring about these pleasant gatherings of the spring and autumn, One prize went a-begging for want of entries.
'The Volunteer reading room, where these special exhibits were set out,' was, however, an attractive corner.. In the gymnasium beyond, there was a very! small, but very choice, collection of-.vege-* tables, which the Shanghai soil produceg
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.