750 P-IRST 



Brandegea is a new genus of cucurbitaceas from 

 the southwest, described by Cogniaux, the present au- 

 thority upon this perplexing family. The genus is 

 named in honor of T. S. Brandegea, a well-known 

 California botanist. Two species, B. Bigeloini and B. 

 tiionosperma, are described. 



A Card. — To the Society of American Florists — It is 

 with much pleasure that I beg to tender my most sin- 

 cere and warmest thanks to the members of the S. A. 

 F. whom I had the great pleasure and honor to meet 

 during my recent visit to the United States, for their 

 unvaried kindnesses, courtesies and hearty good will. 

 The Boston Convention astonished me. The floral 

 exhibition was beautiful and far surpassed my expec- 

 tation. 



The conferences were exceedingly well carried out 

 and attended. As regards entertainment and pleasure 

 I think all will agree that we were treated "right roy- 

 ally," as we say on this side. In fact, the convention 

 week will always be regarded by me as one of the 

 brightest periods of my life. 



Most noticeable was the prevailing fraternal feeling 

 displayed, each endeavoring to ensure the success of 

 the convention. We should all wish every success to 

 the Boston Gardeners' and Florists' Club, for its 

 generosity and hospitality during our sojourn in its 

 fine city. I was astonished to find America so ad- 

 vanced in horticulture, and I feel certain that with the 

 aid of so many intelligent and eminent horticulturists 

 she will run us a close race. 



I regret that I had not more time to enable me to 

 call on other friends, but I hope they will kindly accept 

 my apologies. With pleasing remembrances of your 

 beautiful country, I am 



Ja.s. H. Laing, of John Laing & Sons. 



Forest Hill Nurseries, London, England. 



A Gorgeous Display of Chrysanthemums. — We 

 may no longer say with Bryant, "The melancholy 

 days have come," for these are the days of the chrysan- 

 themum shows, and the chrysanthemums of the present 

 day are as much of a specific for melancholy as is the 

 sun-fiower for malaria. During the past month, the 

 United States nurseries, of Short Hills, N. J., have been 

 exhibiting the glories of their chrysanthemum house to 

 the members of the press, while during the week of 

 Nov. lo to 15 inclusive, the general public is invited to 

 feast its eyes upon the modern ten-inch floral won- 

 ders evolved from the old "artemisia." 



Two noticeable points of this year's exhibition are : 

 First, the almost complete change in the " bill of fare," 

 the varieties prominent last year being scarcely present 

 now ; Second, the prominence given to yet unnamed 

 seedlings. Of course, little can be done in the way of 

 description of these for the benefit of people at large 

 until they receive names by which they may be identified. 



Some English growers did not hesitate to say last 



R L ITS. 



spring that the deluge of new varieties would work ill 

 to this popular flower because there were so very few of 

 them that were in any way superior to the known va- 

 rieties. The plants which called out these comments 

 were very largely from French growers ; whether 

 American chrysanthemum raisers can be doing better 

 than their French compeers, seems always to be a 

 question in the minds of the authorities, especially 

 English authorities, yet the seedlings shown at Short 

 Hills do seem to show that advance is being made. 

 True, many of the new kinds are coarse, and of an 

 ugly form, showing several rows of petals around an 

 open center ; yet many of them are extremely fine, be- 

 ing improvements on named varieties which they re- 

 semble in beauty of form or color, or in breadth of 

 petal. 



Mrs. A. Hardy, the great card a year ago, was this 

 year relegated to one corner. She is a beauty par ex- 

 cellence, but a wretched grower. The cut blooms of 

 the pink "Ostrich Plume" so heavily advertised last 

 spring, as shown at Short Hills, bear no comparison 

 with Mrs. Hardy in respect to beauty. The size is 

 good, and the hairy surface quite similar to that pioneer 

 in this style, but the color is a dull, characterless pink 

 which does not please. 



A heavy bank at the farther end of the house, was com- 

 posed almost entirely of Mad. Lacroix and Rohallion. 

 The latter is one of Messrs. Pitcher & Manda's Jap- 

 anese importations. The color is a fine deep yellow ; 

 the long twisted petals are open and flat at the end and 

 the flower is deep. It is a distinct and most beautiful 

 variety, which makes its special corner fairly glow. 



Mrs. Grace Hill is similar to Excellent (which some 

 growers characterized last spring as "the best pink yet 

 introduced for general purposes ") but is of finer color, 

 and has greater breadth of petal. 



One fine new variety shows a coloring most marvel- 

 ous — a pinkish gold, very near a pure salmon, and is 

 odd and beautiful, beyond description. 



One of the firm's own seedlings, offered last spring at 

 $1 per plant, under the name of Mrs, Hicks Arnold, de- 

 serves especial mention. The lower petals of the 

 flower are pink, shading softly to a white center. It is 

 a Japanese, of dwarf growth, and is claimed to be 

 the finest early variety in existence. 



Among medium sized varieties. Flora Fewkes (white), 

 Cullingfordii (crimson) and Vieil Or (translated old 

 gold) hold prominent place. No doubt they would give 

 more general satisfaction to amateurs than the show 

 varieties, so many of which are poor growers. Vieil 

 Or, far from being "old gold," as shown here is of the 

 purest golden color, with twisted petals and a fluffy ap- 

 pearance that is very attractive as well as novel in the 

 chrysanthemums. 



Last year's western beauty, the " Mrs. Harrison 

 cup " chrysanthemum, Ada Spaulding, was conspicu- 

 ous by absence, greatly to the disappointment of some 

 of the expectant ones, who expected the cup-winner in 

 great style. — C. S. Valentine. 



