DBCBMBER 3, 1898 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



785 



CHRYSANTHEM 



aoaries and influences of the past season. 



/ that the rush and bustle of the shows is past we may take breath, 

 I*' th some degree of profit review what has resulted from our 

 W1 among chrysanthemums under the influence of the most abnormal 

 ^•^experienced for many years. Very few growers, I feel sure, will 

 SCa ee with the statement that our disappointments have been above 

 dl5agI erage (we always look for some), and these have followed on the 

 l1 ? 6 *lt universal promise of exceptionally fine results. 



\ever before has the fact of peculiar seasons bringing out the best 

 flies of certain varieties, and at the same time showing an adverse 

 VrVuDon others, been more strongly emphasised than during the past 

 and those of mature (if this expression be allowable) experience 

 y ear ' f ji we ll that we must not too freely discard those which have 

 ri° d nor place too much reliance on those which have behaved so well. 

 t has been a season when calculations have been often upset in bud 

 1 rtion and timing, and consequently note-taking of various doings and 

 Its of 1898 will mostly be more interesting as a matter of history than 

 reSU ful as data upon which to base our treatment for another year. 



The absence of sunshine and the low temperature of the late spring 

 1 jy p ar t of summer compelled us to protect plants with frames 

 1 -rer than usual, and this treatment seemed to induce an earlier forma- 

 of the "break" bud in several varieties. In the case of some 

 'Tch were stopped early in April the shoots made rather more rapid 

 ogress owing to the continued protection, than we have noticed in other 

 Sasons when at the corresponding period the plants have been fully 

 nosed Consequently buds formed a little earlier than we expect them 

 to do in an ordinary season on a few kinds, but curiously the subsequent 

 heat and long-continued dry weather seemed to exert a contrary influence, 

 Ind some which we usually have too early came later, and were longer 

 than usual in developing their flowers. This tardy development was a 

 nrettv general experience in the South, and proves that our pet theory of 

 fine wood may be nursed too much, though it may be that only one such 

 opportunity will occur in a lifetime of testing how much sunshine and 

 dry atmospheric conditions can be overdone. " If we could only have 

 known " is a vain regret, but there is good reason to believe that had 

 "Queens," for instance, been partially shaded after the third week in 

 August* we should have had more good blooms, for very few indeed were 

 the typical flowers cf this family which came under my own notice at the 



various shows. t 



The later additions to the incurved section have doubtless been the 



mainstay of the exhibitor during the past month, and, as many of these 



are much in the way of Japanese in habit of growth, we may assume 



that the season has conclusively proved that the old type of incurves do 



not succeed so well in a hot season, that is, they do not produce their 



most perfect blossoms on hard, or, as it is generally termed, well-ripened 



wood. . . a m _ 



Failures amongst Japanese varieties were common, though not so 



bad or complete as many growers anticipated early in October. Madame 

 Carnot was a great offender ; almost everyone lost buds of this, and men, 

 too, who were not guilty of overfeeding. In various localities the same 

 complaint arose that buds on plants in small pots, as well as large ones, 

 buds taken in mid-August and at the end of the month, equally succumbed 

 to the excessive heat. One grower wrote me that all his Carnot buds 

 were gone, excepting on two plants, which were partly shaded by some 

 runner beans. This was the first discordant note of the season ; then 

 followed others ; Simplicity, Lady Byron, Duke of York, and a few more 

 followed suit. Later on, when plants were housed, hard centres to the 

 buds was the story told, and though foliage and buds both appeared to 

 be in fine condition ultimate development was too slow and erratic ; lots 

 of growers began to fidget and almost wish for the time to come when 

 they could be getting to work at their cuttings for another year. One 

 large grower wrote : " from three dozen plants of Viviand Morel, Charles 

 Davis, and Lady Hanham I shall hardly get three good blooms." An 

 amateur friend told me that he had carried about 7,500 gallons of water 

 to his plants, which were the most promising he had grown, and yet half 



of ihem were failures. 



To the uninitiated these " sidelights," as it were, might appear very 

 discouraging, but we very seldom find they are so— certainly not to the 

 earnest cultivator. The lukewarm may despair (and these would never 

 shine or succeed under any conditions), but not the enthusiast. The 

 brighter side of 1898 has been seen in the fine productions of Oceana, 

 Mrs. Weeks, and Mons. Chenon de Leche, probably the three varieties 

 above all others which have been most consistent throughout the country. 

 Fine flowers were shown in Edinburgh, as in London, and they repre- 

 sent grand types. Madame Ph. Rivoire, Mutual Friend, Edith Tabor, 

 Phoebus, Mrs. W. H. Lees, and Lady Ridgeway have also done well, 

 though in some cases better than others. 



The Scotch growers have this year surpassed themselves, and I 

 believe I am quite safe in saying that never before have such fine blooms 

 been grown in the North as those represented in the principal exhibits 

 the Edinburgh Show. True, their season has been more genial, and 

 *s admitted on all hands to have been very favourable ; but it must be 

 dually true also that the finer details of cultivation are now better under- 

 wood, and doubtless the determination was abroad amongst Scocsmen 

 l hat the leading prizes should not go south of the border without a big 

 «wt on their part to retain them, and right well have they succeeded. 

 L *dy Ridgeway was shown better than I have ever seen it, and such a 



"arming of colour. Pride of Madford, with petals naturally 



" Davis 



will doubtless be largely grown another year. The novelties presented 

 to the Floral Committee, too, have been of a very promising nature, and 

 good ones have failed to obtain a certificate owing to the high standard 

 of excellence displayed. Readers have been made familiar with these 

 through the published reports of meetings, but the list may be repeated 

 at an early date to ensure the good things obtaining the popularity they 

 deserve. Many valuable additions have been made to the list of early- 

 flowering decorative varieties suitable for flowering in the open border, 

 and though the recent fine autumn may mislead us a little, no one can 

 go far wrong in planting a good number of these beautiful autumn 

 flowers. Long after the Michaelmas daisies were over these border 

 chrysanthemums gave us a splendid show, and they fully deserve a border 

 to themselves in every garden. 



Trent Park Gardens. W. H. Lees. 



Australian Chrysanthemums. 



That the chrysanthemum growers in the Antipodes have long been 

 interested in the raising of new seedlings is common knowledge to most 

 of us here in the old country, and on numerous occasions the fact has 



been alluded to in the pages of the Gardeners' Magazine. Some of 



these colonial varieties, like Oceana, Pride of Madford, and Australie, are 

 well known for their massive build and substantial dimensions, and have 

 evidently come to stay. During the present season many new additions 

 have been met with at the trade exhibitions, and the older ones have 

 merited the high opinion already formed of them. The following list 

 gives the names and descriptions of the best of those seen this season, 

 and the only cause for regret is that the dates and raisers' names cannot 

 be furnished. Mr. Pockett, however, of Melbourne, is probably respon- 

 sible for several. He is an enthusiastic cultivator and raiser, and is the 

 author of a little treatise on the cultivation of the chrysanthemum, which 

 was specially written for the Victorian Horticultural Society some few 

 years since. 



Australian Belle— Japanese, with very long tubular florets ; colour 

 deep rosy-pink. Mrs. C. Sown — A Japanese of good size ; colour white. 

 Purple Emperor— A very fully-formed, deep, compact flower of the 

 Japanese type ; florets medium sized and grooved ; the colour is a 

 beautiful velvety shade of plum-coloured purple, reverse silvery ; not 

 large, but most effective in appearance. Cnatsworth— Japanese, with 

 very long, narrow, drooping florets, forming a deeply-built flower ; colour 

 white, streaked pinkish-purple. Mr. T. Carrington—K worthy com- 

 panion to Australie and Pride of Madford ; very massive Japanese in- 

 curved, with long, medium sized florets, grooved and pointed ; colour 

 deep bright purple, reverse silvery pink. The Convention- Japanese in- 

 curved, with long pointed florets; a globular flower; colour deep 

 golden terra cotta, lined with bronze inside. Mrs. G. A. Haines— 



" ; rather broad incurving florets ; 

 Mrs. J. 7. Tibbs -A white sport 

 from Lilian B. Bird, raised in New Zealand. Mrs. If. P. /figgins-Y try 

 large Japanese; medium-si/ed florets; a fine flower ; colour very deli- 

 cate creamy white. Miss Mary Underhay ~ 



incurved , , «, ~ 



shade of buttery yellow. Euterpe A short- petalled Japanese ; the 



florets are pointed, grooved, and rather broad ; rosy mauve, witli a 



reverse of silvery pink. 



Miss Nellie Pockett— Very pretty, Japanese, with very narrow in- 

 curving florets, grooved and pointed at the tips, closely built ; colour 

 pure glistening white. John Pocket/— A deeply-built Japanese incurved, 

 with rather broad florets ; a very rich shade of deep golden brown or 

 chestnut, reverse gold. Pride o< Madford— Ont of the biggest, too well 

 known to need description. Australie— The same remarks apply to this 

 one Pride of Stokell—A sport from Pride of Madford ; colour deep 

 velvety crimson, with golden reverse. Mabel Kerslakr— I >robably a 

 svnonym of the preceding, being a crimson sport from Pride of Madford. 

 Wonderful— A Japanese incurved, of the Wheeler type ; broad florets; 

 colour velvety purple-crimson, with straw reverse. / Bxdencope-U not 

 actually of Australian origin, it is at any rate named after an Australian 

 grower ; a purple amaranth Japanese, with silvery reverse. Mrs. Btssett 

 -lapanese florets, slightly incurving, good size and form ; colour white, 

 slightly tinted. G. Kerslake, JunK— Very long flore ^, a Japanesej 

 colour white. Miss 



. »ng tone 



Orooping, was very fine. Mrs. Weeks, Simplicity, and Chas. 

 * e re splendid amongst well-developed blooms of the best kinds, and the 

 jpnd display of these noble flowers, shown in vases with their own 

 0Il *ge, has not been surpassed. 

 Many of last year's introductions have proved remarkably good, and 



Japanese ; striking, but rather small 

 colour golden bronze, reverse gold. 



One of the best Japanese 

 medium-sized florets", grooved and incurving ; colour a rich 



^ 1 ~ J I w 



May Fouscr— Japanese incurved, broad 

 Grooved florets ; very fine shade of warm terra cotta, reverse golden. 

 Master H 7W^— Japanese ; colour deep velvety br.ght crimson, 

 ret e gSden. Oceana - A fine, well-known yellow. Mrs If. Brtscoe- 

 Tananese of large sire, very long florets; colour bright losy mauve 

 s kery reverse. Beauty of Adelaide-)*?™^ With great length of 

 flore colour dull rosy pink. Mrs. Ernest CVrrAr- Japanese of fine 

 form/long, closely arranged, drooping florets ; colour pretty pure shade 

 of deep primrose. 



— 1 ea f Miner.— We have had some difficulty in cultivating 



Ma If for some vean past, as leaf-miners ( fephrites) are very plentiful here 

 mar f T f. 1„/Xr olants, though strange to say the celery has escaped attack 

 r lhC v iL^ The Targuerites g m pots^nave been so severely and repeatedly 

 i0 \ T J £2 without a remedy we cannot grow them to be of any use. An 

 attacked ^^X'VtL, however, has been found in the use of a mixture 

 effectual meth odd P ^Jj^ two ounce8 , wa ter, one gallon ; and a 



of SO f soap and I petrol* am v to where the 



S^Sef«SSu £ Sm "We likely to be applied regularly. It should be 

 marguerites grow, as ^ ^ the most tcnt attack will 



used every W.^JKJ^i, will become clean ; it may take several weeks to 



ultimately yield, ^ £ ^"certain to follow. The large white marguerite is 

 accomplish this but v y fc ^ oq make fi wmUr 



a good ^""^e'-eiiow varieties are not winter bloomers to the same 

 flowering plants, i £ ^ ^ wheQ pJanted QUt in thc op€D . 



extent, out are »picu« 



-George Harris, Alnwick. 



