698 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



October 29| i8?8> 



A 



MORN 



3 Ml 



saluberri 



I have an announcement to make this week which will, I feel sure, 

 afford much satisfaction to readers of this paper. Peter has been 

 induced to take up the question of chrysanthemum rust. Knowing that 

 in a matter of current interest such as this no expense ought to be spared 

 I acceded to his request for a few days' holiday, and the amount of a 

 bicycle hiring, and despatched him Londonwards. His gyrations on the 

 bicycle were not a bit more amusing than Mr. Riddell's among the roots, 

 but they were far more destructive, particularly in the case of a heavily 

 laden furniture van that was thoughtless enough to get in his way and 

 suffered for its neglect However, he duly reached St. Stephen's Hall, 

 and once there my knowledge of him tells me that he must have made 

 his presence felt in a very singular degree. 



When Peter returned he was labouring under the weight of a great 

 secret, and so much did it engross him that I had some difficulty in 

 getting him to discuss the rust at all. Eventually, however, he un- 

 bosomed himself. " Now, the first thing about this rust," he began, " is 

 that them there chaps don't know anything at all about it. What do you 

 think most of them was doing when they was talking ? Why nothing no 

 ore than saying a lot to hide what they didn't know. Now " But 



here I interrupted. * Remember, Peter, that it is the rust and not the 

 root critics you are discussing. I fear you are confusing the two." 

 "There is a bit o' confusion about, I must confess," returned Peter, 

 grimly. 11 There's the name for one thing. It seems to me as there's an 

 idea about |in some quarters— for they talks in a fatherly way of having 

 started the Maggiezeen on it— that it woirt do to have a name given in 

 our paper, but they must find another. Now I can tell you the name o' 

 this rust. It isn't Journalia Abbeyi, nor yet it isn't Maggiezeenia Masseei. 

 It's Hardbrediana Peteri." 



My excellent but erratic helper surveyed me with much complacency 

 as he propounded this startling suggestion. It evidently afforded him 

 very great satisfaction. Perceiving an enigmatical something in his 

 manner, I patiently awaited the continuation of his remarks. " There's a 

 lot o' people," he resumed, " who'd never understand the meaning o' that 

 name. I was going to get up and tell 'em it at the Aquarium, and then I 

 thought to myself, why, poor chaps, they'd not like me to show 'em all up 

 afore their friends, so I won't. But that's it, sir, right enough." " And 



Hardbrediana, I suppose, conveys, Peter, that " " Of course it does ; 



nothing else. There's these people been a-doing nothing but a-breeding 

 and a-cross-breeding the chrysanthemums till they've knocked the con- 

 stitution out of 'em, same as they did with potatos an' hollyhocks, and 

 same as they will with dahlias before they've done. You mark my 



Well 



guefying 



Why 



is no good, and so they go on, one a-contradicting the other. All the lot 

 of 'em won't do any good till they give the plants the constitution they've 

 been a-robbing them of, an' that's all I've got to say about rust." 



As I am well aware that it is useless to argue with Peter when he 

 comes to the decision that a subject is closed, and as I perceived that he 

 was still oppressed with his secret, I changed the subject in order to 

 give him an opportunity of unbosoming himself. He was, however, 

 wary. I have reason to believe, notwithstanding this reserve, that 

 there is serious risk of my losing him. Strange as it may appear, 

 Krr 1S closely conne cted with the recent leader on the future of the 

 N.C.S. I gather from his guarded hints that he has been approached 

 with a view to ascertaining whether he would, in case of certain 

 eventualities, interest himself actively in organizing exhibitions at a great 

 place of entertainment in London. What can this mean but that the 

 directors of the Royal Aquarium mean to run a society and shows of 

 their own if the N.C.S. packs up and departs? With Peter as sub- 

 manager things would certainly boom. But think, gentlemen, what it 

 means. Two "national" societies and two "national" shows. Can 

 both succeed ? It is as plain as a pikestaff that cleavage is in the air, 

 and only the most wise and resolute diplomacy can unite the disunited. 

 Who is to be the Chrysanthemum Bismarck ? 



If there is no error in the report, our onion champions are making 

 still further headway. On page 676 we are told that Mr. Fife exhibited 

 twelve Lord Keeper weighing 30X lbs. That, of course, means 2^ lbs. 

 per bulb. I had no idea that the variety (a semi-flat one) could be grown 

 to this enormous size. It has not the physical advantages of Ailsa Craig, 

 and if it has really been produced of the same size as that more globular 

 variety Mr. Fife has achieved a remarkable triumph. If he gets them 

 much bigger than this we shall have a drum and fife band of a new sort. 

 VVhere, however, is Mr. Bowerman ? Is he retiring from the field of 

 battle, and leaving the fray to younger bloods ? 



In reading the report of Mr. J. Wynne's paper on exhibition 

 vegetables (page 676) I was struck by the coincidence of his taking up 

 the very crop which Mr. Riddell and I have been sparring about for the 

 purpose of suggesting root mutilation as a means of hastening growth, 

 llt\ Partially rehfting the plants, and breaking off some of the 



7£n™ « SayS ' ?l^ n , spur on slu Sgish celery. I haven't tried it, but 

 IS^MZ? UW help 0n ! his ^sult. A good many people have 



We have all read of the root that went twentv nr *v . 

 climbed the latter, passed through a hole, and w ^ 

 decaying matter. And some misguided and obscure sciSs f I a ^ 

 sure whether one Charles Darwin was not of the number ? ? ( u m not 

 crassly ignorant as to suggest that the food drew the root thiTS u So 

 —to speak practically and without quibbling— created' hv SJ r em & 

 But it was a knowing root, a wary root. It was iust fonim^v, . ,0 rmer. 

 What really happened (see Mr. Riddell) m uS W 

 different. No doubt, the root « created "Th food i^sorn. T 11 :^ quite 

 and carried it through. the wall to a secure h^ 

 will take away and hide a succulent bone. hSw 



impostor of a root must have laughed at us all till Mr. Riddell earne d 

 and showed it up ! c dlon j? 



I must thank Mr. Riddell for giving to the world in general ,n 

 accurate a description of, and to me in particular, so excellent a weaoon 

 about trees in undug soil. The very best that he is able to claim Z 

 them is "growth short and small, fruit scanty and under the averaS 

 size. ' A truly tempting picture, is it not ? Something admirably calcn 

 lated, we must all agree, to stem the tide of foreign fruit. No matter that 

 the digging and cultivating system gives the healthiest of trees and the 

 most magnificent of fruit, we must still cling to worn-out theories and 

 leave the soil alone. When I read about Mr. Riddell's hundreds of 

 ruined trees I could not help thinking of a certain summer day when our 

 editor took me to see some southern orchards, and one, above all which 

 has been often talked about from the splendour of its produce! This 

 orchard is annually dug and surface cultivated, and the "mutilated" 

 specimens were pictures of health and laden with superb fruit. " Growth 

 short and small, fruit scanty and under the average size." This, then is 

 the ideal set up for growers in Britain. Mr. Riddell has given his case 



awa y- Lt T *. 



New Plants and Flowers. 



L KLIA PUMILA COLMANI. 



A fine form with almost pure white sepals and petals and a violet-purple coloured 

 apex to the white-tubed lip. The flowers measured iust over five inches across and 

 havea white stripe down the centre of the apex of the lip. A.M., R.H.S., October 

 25. Mr. W. King, gardener to J. Colman, Esq., Gatton Park, Reigate. 



L-ELIA PERRINI LEUCOPH/EA. 



A handsome and distinct form of this popular winter flowering orchid. The 



flowers are very broad, the sepals and petals being of a pale lilac shade. The lip 



has a long, white tube and white throat, but a deep reddish-rose apex. A.M., 



R.H.S., October 25, Mr. W. H. Young, grower to Sir F. Wigxn, Bart., East 

 Sheen. 



Chrysanthemums. 



Soleil dOctobre, a fine early- flowering, golden Japanese chrysanthemum, 

 already described. A.M., R.H.S , October 25. Mr. H. J. Jones, Lewisham ; 

 and Mr. J. Hudson, Gunnersbury House Gardens. 



Golden Queen of the Earlies, a bright yellow-flowered sport from the well-known 

 Queen of the Earlies, and quite as valuable for decoration and market work. 

 A.M., R.H.S., October 25. Mr. H. T. Jones. 



Nellie Brown, a most useful early-flowering, decorative variety, making bushy 

 plants covered with bright, bronzy-orange flowers. A.M., R.H.S. , October 25. 

 Mr. W. Wells, Earlswood ; and Messrs, H. Cannell and Sons, Swanley. 



Baronne de Veillard, a large incurved chrysanthemum of a 50ft bronzy-buff 

 colour; the inner surfaces of the florets are deep crimson. A.M., R.H.S., 

 October 25. Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth ; and Mr. R. Owen, Maidenhead. 



Major Matthew, a small-petalled but large-bloomed incurved variety of a soft 

 bu: noc over bright rosy-mauve colour; inner surfaces purple. AM, R.H.S., 

 October 25. Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth. 



Ettie Mitchell, a useful decorative variety with pretty yellow flowers faintly 

 streaked with scarlet and so giving an orange effect. A.M., R.H.S., October 25. 

 Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth. 



Mrs. IV. Seward.— A large, finely-built Japanese, and, like many of Mr. 

 's seedlings, very rich in colouring. It is deep in build, the florets are tut 

 and of good substance, and very regularly arranged. The colour is deep rosy- 

 cerise, with a reverse of gold, and the florets are tipped an edged gold. F.C.C., 

 N.C.S., October 24. Mr. W. Seward, Hanwell. 



Market White.— Decorative Japanese. A pretty little flower ; colour pure 

 white, tinted sulphur in the centre. F.C.C., N.C.S., October 24. Mr. W. 

 Wells, Earlswood. 



Jules Mary.— A decorative Japanese ; florets narrow, stiff, and neatly dis- 

 posed ; colour deep bright crimson, reverse golden; very effective. r.uc, 

 N.C.S., October 24. Mr. W. Wells. _ a f ^ 



Mrs. IV. Cursham.-This is another of the b'g battalion. The fleets are 

 broad and deeply grooved, twisted and intermingling, and curly at the tips ; tne 

 ground colour is white, shaded pale lilac mauve. F.C.C., N.C.S., October -4. 

 Mr. W. Wells. * 



Mrs. Wingfield.—A very pretty decorative Japinese, and s^ eth ^S ' e * 

 sembling the Christines in form; colour deep bright pink. F.C.C., N.<-3» 

 October 24. Mr. W. J. Empson, Ampthill. ' ^ nirt . 



Ada Owen.— A very nice looking, regularly built incurved, close andcomp^ , 

 florets broad and stiff; the blooms are of good size ; colour pure white. r#V.**i 

 N.C.S., October 24. Mr. R. Owen, Maidenhead. 



Lady Phillips.— An incurving Japanese, big, bold, and sold; floret^ very 

 broad; colour pale mauve, with a reverse of silvery pink. F.t.t., ■ 9 

 October 24. Mr. R. Owen. , . j 



1 



Seward 



florets 



and 



tional 



Mr. H. J. Jones, Lewisham. n , mmM 



President Bevan.— Japanese incurved. A big mauve flower ot excej 

 build ; florets grooved and pointed ; colour deep golden-yellow, shaded 1* 



Wells 



F.C.C., 



to make a raid on the roots. 



new andwefrd^h^D^! 1 °L interest > and Mr. Riddell throws some and 



~m uhvh iu tit scouts my idea of food creating roots. 



globular, well-built, medium-sized flower; rich rosy-pink. 

 October 24. Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth. 



Ceropegia Woodi. v-ated, 

 A quaint little climbing plant with pairs of heart-shaped leaves si «r vane, 

 small white flowers tipped with crimson. B.C., R.H.S., October 25. 

 W. Bull, Chelsea. VV 



