1883.] 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



231 



NEW-YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



The " Great Chrysanthemum Show," held 

 on the 7th and 8th of November, has proved 

 eminently successful in every respect, and 

 has for several days been the leading topic 

 of conversation among those interested in 

 plants and flowers. It was, witkoiit excep- 

 tion, the best special floral exhibition ever 

 held in this city, and has done much to 

 stimulate a livelier interest, not only for 

 this class of plants, but in floriculture gen- 

 erally. 



The tasteful arrangement of the exhibits, 

 and the seas of gorgeous colors, combined 

 with the general decorations of the hall, 

 produced a pleasing and really grand effect. 

 Along the sides of the hall, near the walls, 

 were placed potted plants, the tallest in the 

 background, dwarf Pompones edging the 

 walks, so as^to form two monstrous flower- 

 beds. Two wide tables near the center of 

 the hall, and stretching through nearly its 

 entire length, were loaded with cut flowers, 

 while the platform at the far end was adorned 

 with tall standards and other exquisitely 

 trained specimens. 



To those not familiar with the improved 

 modern Chrysanthemums it would be diffi- 

 cult to convey an adequate idea of the brill- 

 iant colors and manifold forms and sizes 

 represented in this genus. The blossoms vary 

 in size from that of a Buttercup to a large 

 Dahlia, mimicing in form almost any style of 

 flowers possible in the Composite family, and 

 to describe all the shades of colors, changing 

 from pure white and yellow through all 

 imaginable tints of rose, carmine, orange, 

 lilac, purple, and maroon, would occupy 

 many pages. Attempting to name the best 

 varieties, we find ourselves at once con- 

 fronted by the difficulty to choose among so 

 much beauty ; yet we will venture to name 

 a few of those which appeared to us as pos- 

 sessing most merit. 



In the Japanese Section, which evidently 

 was most admired by the public generally, 

 the most beautiful varieties were : Golden 

 Dragon, large lemon-yellow, with long, droop- 

 ing petals on the outside portions of the 

 flowers ; Ceres, a lovely flower of immense 

 size, some flowers being over eight inches in 

 diameter ; J. Delaux, deep maroon crimson, 

 grand color ; Striata perfecta, flowers globu- 

 lar, petals long and pointed, and color light 

 rose and pure white in lines ; Rubra striata, 

 deep orange ground color, with deep rosy- 

 red cherry markings — one of the largest 

 and most beautiful ; Admiration, deep pink 

 petals in plume-like masses ; Fantasie, a 

 most erratic shaped flower, difficult to de- 

 scribe, petals narrow and twisted, color dead 

 white, with creamy blush shadings ; Comte de 

 Germiny, buff and orange, very large and 

 distinct ; Grandiflorum, deepest clear yellow, 

 like a Marechal Neil Rose in color ; M. Plan- 

 chenau, white and mauve pink, a lovely 

 flower. 



The Chinese Chrysanthemums, though not 

 as popular as the Japanese, deserve not less 

 admiration for their strictly symmetrical 

 flowers. The best twelve cut flowers were : 

 from Dr. H. P. Walcott, Cambridge, Mass., 

 Antonelli, brassy amber ; Barbara, deep 

 orange ; St. Patrick, red purple ; Prince of 



Wales, rich plum crimson ; Nil Desperandum, 

 rich red brown with gold tips ; Minnehaha, a 

 new seedling, pure white with delicate tips, 

 — a beauty; Empress of India, large, pure 

 white; Golden Beverley, deep yellow; Fingal, 

 rosy purple; Venus, beautiful rose; Mabel 

 Ward, deep primrose yellow, very finely 

 shaped; Duchess of Connaught, silvery blush 

 white. 



Among the Pompones, best yellows were : 

 Golden Marthe, General Canrobert, Souvenir 

 de Jersey, and Golden Crest. Best whites : 

 Mdlle. Marthe, Snowdrop, Souvenir Melanie. 

 Dark reds: Bob, Fanny, Meteor, Firefly. 

 Purple: President. 



Although premiums were awarded for 

 Chrysanthemums only, some other flowers 

 found their way to the exhibition tables, 

 relieving agreeably the sameness of the 

 general effect. The most notable of these 

 was a large basket of the celebrated Charles 

 Francis Bennett Rose, a hybrid tea of re- 



j markable beauty. In form it resembles the 

 Niphetos, in color General Jacqueminot, and 

 in fragrance the La France. A more perfect 

 flower can hardly be imagined. This variety, 

 which is expected to become the fashionable 

 Rose of the future — at fabulous prices, of : 

 course — is owned by Charles F. Evans, of 

 Philadelphia, who has secured the entire con- 

 trol of the stock for this country for the 

 next four years, binding himself not to sell 

 or dispose of any plants or buds during this 

 period, but flowers only. For this privilege 

 he has paid the originator seven hundred 

 and fifty pounds sterling. 



During the two days and evenings of the 

 exhibition the hall was crowded with an 

 admiring public , expressing freely their satis- 

 faction with the beauty and general manage- ! 

 ment of the exhibition. The thanks of the ! 

 members of the Society, as well as the i 

 visitors, are due to Messrs. Hallock & 

 Thorpe, who were by far the largest exhib- 

 itors, and who, although being awarded 

 some thirty premiums, must have incurred 

 great expense in the getting up of their 

 magnificent collections ; also, to President 



| Sloan, through whose liberality and efforts 

 the extra premiums were provided, as well 

 as to the indefatigable Secretary Murkland, 

 to whose excellent management a large 

 share of the success of the Society and its 

 exhibitions is due. 



Encouraged by this grand success, another , 

 special exhibition will be held on December 

 4th, which will be devoted exclusively to 

 floral designs, bouquets, and ornamental 

 flower work generally. Over twelve hun- 

 dred dollars will be awarded in premiums, a 

 sum which should be sufficient inducement 

 to bring out the best talent the city affords. 

 Schedules and prize lists may be obtained 

 by addressing Secretary J. Y. Murkland, 12 

 Cortlandt street, New- York. 



THE AMERICAN POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



The rules adopted at the last meeting of 

 the American Pomological Society, held in 

 Philadelphia, relating to the naming and de- 

 scribing of new fruits, to competitive exhib- 

 its of fruits, to committees on nomenclature, 

 together with the portion of the president's 

 address referring to the names of fruits, 

 have been published in a separate circular 

 for distribution among kindred societies. It 

 may be had by addressing the Secretary, 

 i Professor W. J. Beal, Lansing, Mich. 



lscellaneou! 



IT PAIS, 



It pays to wear a smiling face 



And laugh our troubles down; 

 For all our little trials wait 



Our laughter or our frow n. 

 Beneath the magic of a smile 



Our doubts will fade away. 

 As melts the frost in early spring, 



Beneath The sunny ray. 



It pays to make a worthy cause, 



By helping it, our own ; 

 To give the current of our lives 



A true and noble tone. 

 It pays to comfort heavy hearts, 



Oppressed with dull despair, 

 And leave in sorrow-darkened lives 



One gleam of brightness there. 



It pays to give a helping hand 



To eager, earnest youth ; 

 To note, with all their waywardness, 



Their courage and their truth ; 

 To strive, with sympathy and love, 



Their confidence to win ; 

 It pays to open wide the heart 



And "let the sunshine in." 



Anna E. Treat, in Good Cheer. 



CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. 



"Christmas comes but once a year, 

 And when it comes it brings good cheer." 



So says the poet. That it may bring good 



cheer to every reader is the hearty wish of 



The American Garden. But 



THOSE STOCKINGS? 



Yes, they will hang by the chimney, as 



usual. Shall we tell you 



HOW TO FILL THEM 



for nothing? Send a few subscribers to 



The American Garden, and secure one of 



the valuable premiums we offer — a Watch, 



a pair of Ice or Roller Skates, Drawing 



Instruments, Tool Chests, Paints, etc., etc. 



See page 233. 



AN EXTRA COLORED PLATE. 



Our October offer to send a copy of our 

 Lily plate to all subscribing then for 1884 

 so reduced our supply that we have no more 

 to offer. But to new subscribers we want to 

 say that we have a few colored plates of the 

 Shaksperean Carnations — so greatly admired 

 — and will, when requested, present one to 

 each person subscribing to The American 

 Garden for 1884, before January 1st, as 

 long as the stock lasts. Send your order now, 

 to be sure of receiving it. 



With the January number another hand- 

 some colored plate will be presented to all 

 subscribers for 1884. 



A GREAT HELP. 



to you in soliciting subscriptions for The 

 American Garden is that you can promise to 

 each member of a club the same premium that 

 he would be entitled to if he sent us the money 

 direct, personally ; namely, any one of the 

 seeds, plants, or bulbs offered on page 234, 

 numbers A to U inclusive. He loses noth- 

 ing by giving you his subscription, and at 

 the same time helps you to secure some club 

 premium for which you may be working. 



INDEX, 



A carefully prepared alphabetical Index 

 of the American Garden for 1883 will be 

 mailed with the next number to all sub- 

 scribers. 



