476 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t November 24 , 1881 . 
the Tom Thumb varieties. One thing must be insisted upon—viz, 
purity of stock, otherwise disappointment will ensue. The safest 
plan is no doubt to save the seed. This is best done by striking 
cutt'ngs, wintering them on a shelf near the glass, and planting 
them out ; the seed saved from these is likely to give every satis¬ 
faction. I find them the most effective when employed in ribbon 
borders or as panels in large beds—viz., between dark blue or 
scarlet. A softer combination will be found between white and 
pink. I am speaking of the soft yellow Tropteolum ; the scarlets 
are equally good. 
The last plant to be noticed is a very dwarf, slender-stemmed, 
scarlet Dahlia. I do not know its name ; I had it from a neigh¬ 
bour some years ago. I find it excellent for a back row in ribbon 
borders or the centre of large beds. It has one fault—it does not 
flower so early in the season as Pelargoniums and other plant-’, 
but later on and till frost commences nothing gives more satis¬ 
faction. I have long been in want of a good yellow and a white 
to match this red. 'J hough I have tried some half-dozen varieties 
this last summer—White Bedder, Snowball, Alba, Drap d’Or, and 
Golden Bedder, they all seem wanting in the qualifications so 
conspicuous in the red variety above mentioned. They are with¬ 
out exception far too stiff and brittle, though they flowered 
profusely, but late. My red variety is neither stiff nor brittle, 
having a fine wiry stem. Its graceful procumbent habit makes 
it as tractable as Verbena. This with the great number of 
blooms produced renders it in valuable.— John Taylor, Hard wide 
Grange. 
RHODODENDRON PRINCESS ALEXANDRA. 
The greenhouse hybrid Rhododendrons of the R. javanicum 
and R. jasminiflorum type are deservedly general favourites for 
their delicately richly coloured flowers, which in all the best 
forms are freely produced. One that especially deserves a high 
position is Rhododendron Princess Alexandra, of which a spray is 
shown on the next page. It is by no means a novelty, having been 
raised some years ago by Mr. Taylor; indeed it was one of the 
earliest he obtained. Now it is one of the cheapest, and being of 
good habit, easily grown, and profuse in flowering, it certainly 
has sufficient good qualities to recommend it strongly to the 
attention of all who endeavour to render their greenhouses as 
attractive as possible. The flowers are not quite so large as those 
of some of the type—such, for instance, as R. Taylori. They are 
rather more slender but neat in form, and are produced in remark¬ 
ably large and compact trusses. Individually the flowers are 
almost pure white, with a faint delicate tinge of pink that imparts 
a very pleasing appearance to the heads. A beautiful specimen 
in Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons’ nursery at Chelsea was, a week since, 
in fine condition, and has been greatly admired by manj'- visitors. 
We understand that this form was the result of a cross between 
the well-known R. Princess Royal and R. Brookei. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
KINGSTON.— November 17th and 18th. 
Chrysanthemum growers and exhibitors throughout the kingdom 
have this year felt more or less interest in the Kingston Show, for 
there was a possibility of the champion challenge vase contest being 
finally settled in favour either of the north or south. A third com¬ 
petitor. however, having entered the lists with success the result is 
deferred until next year, when the interest will be redoubled, as the 
class will be confined to the three winners. The magnificent blooms 
in these stands will be long remembered, and that they constituted 
the great feature of the Show there is no doubt. In the other classes 
also the blooms were good—the best we have seen this year; and 
though some of the classes did not appear to be so well filled as usual, 
yet the competition was keen in the majority. Two very fine collec¬ 
tions of specimen plants and several handsome groups were staged, 
but most of the others were below the average, as has been the case at 
most exhibitions this year, especially as regards Pompons, very few 
really good examples of which have been shown. In the miscel¬ 
laneous classes plants for table decoration were numerous and of 
excellent quality, being very usefully employed as central lines on 
the tables between the rows of stands of blooms. Primulas and 
berry-producing plants were also abundant, and with the fruit, in¬ 
cluding fine Apples and Pears, constituted one of the best shows 
held by this Society. The Drill Hall was well filled without being 
crowded, and a brighter or more tasteful arrangement of the exhibits 
could not have been desired. Mr. T. Jackson, the Secretary, and other 
assisting members of the Committee, certainly deserve to be highly 
complimented upon the admirable result of their efforts to provide 
an attractive exhibition. 
Cut Blooms .—The “ cup ” class formed the great feature in this 
section, and in the six collections entered by far the best blooms in 
the Show were staged. Both incurved and Japanese varieties were 
grandly represented, but the greatest weight was in those from 
Liverpool, and it soon became evident that the southern exhibitors 
had no chance of obtaining the cup this year. This surprised many, 
for the Liverpool Show is fixed for the 30th inst., and it was, there¬ 
fore, surmised that Chrysanthemums in that district were even later 
than usual, but it is evidently not the case as regards at least two 
exhibitors, or they could not have staged such finely developed 
blooms. Mr. P. Paulkner, gardener to F. R. Leyland, Esq., Woolton 
Hall, Liverpool; Mr. W. Tunnington, gardener to Chas. Maclver, 
Esq., Calderstone, Liverpool; Mr. C. Gibson, gardener to J. Wormald, 
Esq., Morden Park: Mr. G. Harding, gardener to J. Galpin, Esq., 
Putney Heath ; and Mi Hinnell, gardener to F. A. Davis, Esq., 
Anglesea Road, Surbiton, were the competitors, Messrs. Harding and 
Tunnington having previously won the cup in 1879 and 1880 respec¬ 
tively. The two Liverpool collections were magnificent, and so ex¬ 
tremely close in quality that it was very doubtful which would take 
precedence. The flowers were most carefully compared individually 
and collectively, and after more than an hour s deliberation the 
Judges concluded their difficult task by placing Mr. Faulkner first 
and Mr. Tunnington second. The decision met with general ap¬ 
proval, for though the difference was very slight, there were a few 
points in favour of Mr. Faulkner’s stand taken as a whole. His in¬ 
curved blooms w'ere extremely even, of large size, remarkable sub¬ 
stance, and good form, including the following varieties—Prince of 
Wales, grand ; Mr. Brown, White Venus, Prince Alfred, of fine sub¬ 
stance ; Blonde Beauty, Princess Beatrice, Queen of England, Hero 
of Stoke Newington, Mrs. Dixon, neat; Mrs. Heale, fine; Barbara, 
Princess of Wales, Mr. Howe, Jardin des Plantes, Lady Hardinge, 
Golden Empress, magnificent; Inner Temple, excellent; Prince of 
Teck, Beauty, good ; White Beverley, Cherub, fine ; Empress of 
India, Sir Stafford Carey, and Venus. The Japanese in the collec¬ 
tion were also handsome, bright, and large, representing the under¬ 
mentioned varieties—Cossack, rich colour ; Soleil de Levant, large ; 
Mdlle. Moulise, Cry Kang, fine ; La Nymphe, good ; Comtesse de 
Beauregarde, Hiver Fleur, large; Mons. Lemoine, rich, neat; Peter 
the Great, Oracle, good ; Arlequin, Baronne de Prailly, large ; James 
Salter, Gloire de Toulouse, Fair Maid of Guernsey, Bismarck, good ; 
Striatum, handsome ; Red Dragon ; Nuit d’Automne, Elaine, Ten- 
dresse, Pere Delaux. very rich in colour; Bouquet Fait, and Khedive. 
Mr. Tunnington’s collection was especially strong in Japanese, the 
blooms being of admirable size and substance. Incurved blooms were 
also good, and some were unusually large, though compact. The 
varieties were Queen of England, Alfred Salter, Golden Empress, 
Empress of India, Princess of Wales, Emily Dale, Prince Alfred, 
Mrs. Heale, Sir Stafford Carey. White Venus, Refulgence, Venus, 
Inner Temple. White Beverley, John Salter, Beauty, Mrs. J. Bundle, 
Mrs. Bunn, Barbara, Princess Beatrice, Jardin des Plantes, Lady 
Hardinge, St. Patrick, and Prince Teck. The Japanese were Sul- 
tame, Japonnais, Pere Delaux, very rich in colour ; Soliel de Levant, 
Magnum Bonum, Diamond, Hiver Fleur, Apollo, Fair Maid of Guern¬ 
sey, Tendresse, Nuit d’Automne, Madame d’Audiguier. Peter the 
Great, Cry Kang, Meg Merrilees, Exposition de Toulouse, Bismarck, 
Sarnia, Ethel, Baronne de Prailly, Criterion, Red Dragon, Mons. Le¬ 
moine, and Elaine. The third prize was awarded to Mr. C. Gibson, 
whose incurved blooms were much smaller than in the preceding 
collections, but his Japanese were considered by many the best in 
the class. They w-ere especially remarkable for the richness and 
clearness of the colours. Mr. Harding was adjudged an extra prize 
for neat examples, not, however, up to his usual standard, but it is to 
be hoped the credit of the southern growers will be well maintained 
by him next year at the final settlement of the competition. 
Though less interest attached to the other classes for blooms, yet 
in several the competition was keen, and the exhibits of fine quality. 
The handsome timepiece offered for the best twenty-four incurved 
varieties was secured by Mr. Faulkner, who certainly has no cause to 
regret his journey south. The blooms were similar in varieties and 
quality to those in the cup collection, and therefore need not be 
enumerated. Mr. Tunnington was again a very close second with 
handsome examples. Mr. W. It. Strong, gardener to Mrs. David 
Reid, Kenwold Court, Virginia Water; and Mr. Burns, gardener to 
H. A. Rigg, Esq., Wykham Lodge, Hersham, followed in the order 
named, both showing well. Ten collections of twelve incurved 
varieties were staged, the premier stand from Mr. E. Molyneaux, 
gardener to W. H. Myers, Esq., Swanmore Park, Bishop’s Waltham, 
including some particularly handsome blooms of the leading exhi¬ 
bition varieties. Mr. J. Strong, gardener to H. Sweet, Esq., Dornay 
House, Weybridge, was second ; Mr. J. McPherson, gardener to 
S. Page, Esq., St. Leonard’s Lodge, Surbiton, third ; and Mr. E. 
Beckett, gardener to J. P. Currie, Esq., Sandown House, Esher, 
fourth. So nearly equal in merit were several other stands that 
extra prizes w'ere awarded to Mr. J. Hill, gardener to H. Savory, Esq., 
Potters Park, Chertsey ; and Mr. G. King, gardener to R. Few, Esq., 
Wolsey Grange, Esher. Japanese were well represented in the 
classes for twenty-four and twelve blooms respectively. In the first- 
named Mr. E. Beckett was the most successful exhibitor, the blooms 
being of good size, very bright, and fresh. Criterion, Daimio, 
Triomphe du Nord, Alba Plena, Bronze Dragon, Lutea Striata, Pere 
Delaux, and Hiver Fleur were the best. Mr. Molyneux followed 
very closely, and Mr. G. King was third. The leading stand of 
twelve was from Mr. J. Strong, very satisfactory e amples. Messrs. 
Burn, McPherson, Gibson, and Hill followed in that order. Mr. J. 
Hill had the best stand of twelve reflexed blooms, representing Cloth 
