CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. 



^H^^^^^^ "^"E LATEST TRIUMPHS 



iT^li^a^^^^Tj HAT GOOD management goes 

 IbS/^ fnr^ I^wfl ^ 'oi^g way toward success, 

 K^'^j^^ijjftj^ii^^^ the great New York Chrysan- 

 ly^i^^^l^^j' themum Show fully testified. 



^^=^^v^ -^^''^ A varied programme, with 

 new attractions daily, and the 

 duplicating of about 40 prem- 

 iums, insuring fresh plants and flowers for the 

 latter part of the week, held a constant drawing 

 power over the crowds whose attendance meant 

 both financial and horticultural success. 



Messrs. Siebrecht & Wadley, Pitcher & Manda, and 

 T. H. Spaulding were among the largest exhibitors, but 

 nearly every florist and grower of note near New York 

 aided in creating the admirable display. In addition, 

 F. R. Pierson, of Tarrytown, H. A. Dreer, of Phila- 

 delphia, E. G. Hill & Co., of Richmond, Indiana, and 

 John H. Dunlop, a rose specialist of Toronto, Canada, 

 added their quota to the exhibit. Chrysanthemums, the 

 great feature, were supported by roses, carnations, 

 orchids and greenery, all of which attracted about as 

 much attention and admiration as the gorgeous chrysan- 

 themums themselves. 



A noticeable feature of the exhibition was Pitcher & 

 Manda's display of specimen plants ; standard and trellis 

 forms and low bushes. Much was due to the varieties 

 selected, mainly two seedlings, both of which were 

 awarded special certificates of merit. One of these, 

 Mrs. Hicks Arnold, an exquisite bronze having gold- 

 backed petals lightly lined with red, showed a propor- 

 tion of its flowers almost pure gold in color, giving the 

 plant a rarely beautiful appearance. Besides many 

 specimen plants, a mass of this variety covering 50 

 square feet was shown. The other was a fine, broad- 

 petaled sort, cream white, shaded to palest yellow at the 

 base of the petals, with some blooms showing the petals 

 loosely whorled, and others showing a large, yellow 

 center. Three other fine seedlings of this firm were 

 Harry May, Annie Manda — a Mrs. Alpheus Hardy im- 

 proved in habit and depth, and covered more heavily 

 with the glistening, plush-like surface pile — and that 

 desire of every florist's heart, a yellow variety of the 

 hairy type, in which the pride of the firm exhibits 

 itself by giving it the name of W, A. Manda. Once 

 the furore over Mrs. Hardy had quieted somewhat, it 

 became apparent that our growers would feel no satis- 

 faction until they had reproduced the beautiful type in 

 all the favorite colors Louis Boehmer, although 

 gushed over to a considerable degree, was an alien, and 



OF THE AUTUMN QUEEN. 



was never satisfactory in color, the tinge of purple 

 spoiling the pink ; but the new yellow is of the purest 

 color and of good form, although not very full. 



The great attraction to growers lay in the classes for 

 new seedlings ; this was a special for Wednesday . Thurs- 

 day was the day for the dinner-table decorations, in the 

 interests of the city florists, and Friday for the seedling 

 carnations not before exhibited. The chrysanthemum 

 seedling exhibit was large, but space forbids even the 

 mention of many fine sorts which carried off certifi- 

 cates of merit. The silver cups donated by Mrs. Astor 

 and others were awarded as follows : That for the best 

 new white seedling, to a medium-sized, high, rounded 

 ball of pure white, named Miss Mabel Simpkins ; for 

 the best pink, to a huge white-hearted sort with pink- 

 tipped petals lined with purplish red, christened Edward 

 Hatch ; for the best yellow, to a pure lemon yellow 

 named E. Hitzeroth ; for the best red, to the medium- 

 sized deep velvety maroon sort, so high as to be almost 

 pointed, known as Emily Ladenburg ; for the best 

 bronze, to the magnificent Harry May, of the largest 

 size and finest form, dull gold at back of the petals and 

 reddish within, full of broad petals to the very center, 

 and of lusty habit — indeed, the originators say the best 

 in habit of all varieties they have ever been permitted 

 to see; for the best in " any other color, " to a grand 

 bloom shading from pinkish fawn through yellowish 

 fawn to pale gold at the vheart, to be known as H. F. 

 Spaulding; for a new variety shown previous to i8gii 

 but not yet in commerce, to a huge bronze with yellow 

 reverse of petals, thinly lined with red, resembling Harry 

 May, although not so good, named Col. R. Smith. 



Strange to say, the seedling which attracted the most 

 attention and admiring comment was none of these, but 

 a sort named Brydon, Jr., almost the exact counterpart 

 of E. Hitzeroth in every point except color. This was 

 nearly the shade of Harry E. Widener. It was really 

 more beautiful than either Hitzeroth or Widener, but it 

 lacked the well-built-up, rounded form so dear to the 

 heart of the chrysanthemum grower — as did Hitzeroth 

 also, for that matter. A sort that received a certificate, 

 and of especial beauty, was Miss Grace Brown, a pure 

 yellow with twisted and drooping petals of large size 

 and very artistic form. 



Just as our poultry friends are going back to the old 

 method of comparison-judging, the talk about a scale of 

 points for judging chrysanthemums is crystallizing in 

 the florists' camp. Some claim that such a scale was 

 really used during the exhibition just past; others 

 assert that the "scale" amounted to no more than a 



