October 30. 1884. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
393 
The central bed has a beautiful effect, considerable taste being exercised 
m the arrangement of the different colours to contrast or harmonise. The 
blooms are mostly of exhibition size and substance, clean and bright in 
colour, and a large number of varieties are represented, including the best 
of the new ones. Japanese and incurved are alike good, and a large collec¬ 
tion of seedling Pompons, which promise some valuable novelties, are fast 
■expanding. The majority of Mr. Davis’s blooms are taken from the ter¬ 
minal bud, and in several cases he has tried the cutting-down plan upon 
plants of the same variety struck at the same time, and the results are 
striking as illustrating the comparative value of the systems. The cut- 
down plants have a greater number of flowers, are dwarfer and more useful 
for decoration, but the taller plants have much the finer blooms. By 
practising both systems a gre.ater diversity in the heights of the plants is 
ensured, and they can be thus arranged to better effect. 
Many of the varieties are not yet in their best condition, but the old 
favourites, James Salter, Fair Maid of Guernsey, with many others, are in 
splendid form amongst the Japanese, while of the incurved the Bundle 
type is fast advancing to perfection. The new varieties also deserve 
mention, for there are many that will take a foremost position amongst 
exhibition flowers. Some notes on them must, ho we , er, be reserved until 
next week. 
MOEDEK PARK, LOWER MERTON. 
During several years the Chrysanthemum blooms shown by Mr. 
Gibson from Morden Park have gained high positions at the chief metro¬ 
politan exhibitions, and have excited much admiration. This year he 
appears likely to ably maintain the credit he has won, for his blooms are 
superb in size and substance, and though they are somewhat early he 
considers he will have them right to time. In previous years, and 
especially last season, his blooms have been somewhat too early, and if 
he can guard against this he will prove a formidable competitor wherever 
his productions are staged. About 400 plants are grown, the majority 
very tall, 6 to 8 feet high, and bearing about three blooms, or a few more 
in the case of the Bundle family and some of the Japanese. In most 
instances the blooms are magnificent in all the qualities esteemed in a 
Chrysanthemum, and especially notable in this respect are Fair Maid of 
Guernsey, Comte de Germiny (very large). Queen of England (superb). 
Empress of India (magnificent). Criterion (grand). Garnet (large and 
rich colour), L’Incomparable (handsome), and Prince Alfred (fine). 
There are scores of others nearly as good, and it is to be hoped they will 
be in condition to take the position they so well deserve on the exhibition 
tables. 
It is worthy of special remark that Bendigo has been tried here, and 
the opinion formed respecting it, as in other establishments, is that it 
cannot be distinguished from Mabel Ward. It is curious, however, that 
a plant raised from a cutting struck in March is now bearing one fine 
bloom which differs slightly from that variety, but the different colour 
appears to be nothing more than is seen when early and late buds are 
taken on the same plant. 
MR. G. STEVENS’ NURSERY, PUTNEY. 
A good general collection of incurved and Japanese varieties is grown 
by Mr. G. Stevens, and the plants are healthy with fine promising blooms, 
which may be expected to afford some effective groups at several shows. 
Two varieties are, however, largely grown—one the well-known Blaine, 
of which nearly 1000 plants are represented, and the other is the hand¬ 
some reflexed variety certificated last year under the name of George 
Stevens, of which there are 400 plants. The Elaine blooms are obtained 
early, cutting commencing at the end of September or early in October,and 
some thousands are, during the season, despatched to market, where they 
are always in demand. The plants are all dwarf, strong, and bear large 
handsome blooms, while after the earliest and finest are cut, a second 
crop of smaller but useful blooms is obtained, which continues the supply 
up to Christmas. To the variety George Stevens a word or two of praise 
may be well afforded, and first it may be remarked that Mr. Stevens very 
strongly and reasonably objects to the description given of it in the 
National Society’s catalogue. The colour is there said to be “ chocolate 
brown,” which does not convey the slightest idea of the true shade. When 
first describing this last year I used the term crimson-maroon as indi¬ 
cating the colour of the upper surface of the florets, and I cannot add 
anything to that now, except that it is an extremely rich shade, and, as re¬ 
marked then, the under surface of the florets being golden and slightly 
incurved in the centre gives a very distinct appearance to the blooms. It 
is very free, strong, but compact in habit, and is easily distinguished by 
the very dark green foliage. 
Several seedlings in the different sections are expanding their flower.°, 
the majority of which are in their second or third year’s trial, and as they 
well retain the characters which led to their selection we may expect to 
see something meritorious amongst them. 
BRISTOL HOUSE, PUTNEY HEATH. 
As the winner of the first challenge cup offered at Kingston Mr. 
Harding has gained a considerable degree of fame in the Chrysanthemum 
world, and as a careful intelligent cultivator he holds a high position. 
This season he has about 350 plants, mostly dwarf, 3 to 4 feet high, with 
some of the exceptionally tall ones as much as 6 or 7 feet high. They 
.are, however, all of useful decorative size, and when arranged in the 
handsome new Bose house and vinery they will form a beautiful display. 
Mr. Harding recommends and practises cutting down to induce a dwarfer 
habit, enabling anyone to see the flowers, as he expresses it, “ without 
climbing a ladder.” The success of his method is manifest, and he 
further considers that it is as easy to obtain six to a dozen good blooms 
on a well-grown plant so treated as it is to have three or four on the 
taller unstopped specimens. Opinions may differ on this point, but be 
has good grounds for his statement when he points to his previous 
successes. The few-flowered system does, however, result in the largest 
blooms unquestionably ; the only evil is, perhaps, that they are liable to 
err on the side of coarseness, and thus defeat the object of the grower. 
As regards neatness and symmetry Mr. Harding’s blooms are excellent, 
and they are certainly not too forward, but seem to be expanding at 
exactly the right speed to be “ in ” at show time. 
It may be added that Mr. Harding considers the 20th of June the best 
time for cutting the plants down, a few days earlier or later according to 
the season and the varieties to be treated. Many cultivators, however, 
even in the same district, regard this as too early, and think the first 
week in June quite late enough, as, if the operation is deferred too long, it 
retards the blooms to such an extent that some degree of forcing has often 
to be resorted to, which is most undesirable, and frequently disastrous. 
The plants are cut down to various heights from 6 inches to a foot from 
the soil, or indeed to any point where it is seen a good break can be 
obtained. The lower they are stopped the dwarfer the plants, and the 
value of such specimens for front rows in groups cannot be over¬ 
estimated. 
BELVEDERE HOUSE, WIMBLEDON 
The chief feature amongst Chrysanthemums at this establishment are 
the specimen Pompons which Mr. Lynes grows extremely well, though a 
general collection of Japanese, incurved and others are also cultivated with 
extreme care and more than ordinary success. The Pompons are, how¬ 
ever, a speciality, and seem to be even finer than usual this season. 
Pyramids, dwarfs, and standards are all represented by neat freely-grown 
plants, the standards being particularly notable, as they are not formally 
trained and tied down to a wire trellis as they are often seen, but they are 
allowed to assume a natural form, only a few ties being employed to regu¬ 
late the branches or prevent their being broken when the plants are out¬ 
side. They are bearing a large number of promising buds, and some of 
the specimens will when these are fully expanded be ” a mass of flowers.” 
It is to be regretted that Pompons are not more generally cultivated for 
exhibition than is the case, for they make charming little specimens when 
grown as Mr. Lynes has them, they do not require one-fourth the 
labour that the rigid tied down plants necessitate, and they have a far 
more graceful appearance. 
COOMBE LEIGH, KINGSTON HILL. 
For many years Mr. Orchard has given most careful attention to the 
cultivation of Chrysanthemums, and he bears the well-merited reputation 
of being one of the most intelligent and observant growers around London. 
He has always been a strongl advocate for the cutting-down system, and 
his success has been amply sufficient to support his views and statements. 
This year is no exception to the rule, for he has blooms of fine exhibition 
quality upon plants in many instances not exceeding 2^ feet high, and in no 
case do they exceed 6^ feet. Plants of the former size well clothed with 
foliage down to the rim of the pot are extremely beautiful, and when they 
bear blooms of a size and substance more than ordinarily good they are 
additionally remarkable. 
From two to half a dozen flowers are allowed on these dwarf plants, 
and a few more in the case of the free-flowering Japanese ; but the blooms 
are all of excellent quality, good in substance, clean, bright, and in the 
right stage of forwardness. When these are arranged to form a group in 
the handsome conservatory they will have a beautiful effect fully equal to 
displays of a similar character provided by Mr. Orchard in previous years. 
All the best varieties are grown, including many novelties, which will, 
however, be referred to in another issue. It should be added that these 
plants are cut down the first or second week in June, some being cut to 
within 3 inches of the soil, and others up to a foot or 18 inches, the exact 
time and height of cutting requiring some knowledge of the peculiarities 
of the different varieties. 
Near to Coombe Leigh is Warren House, the residence of Lord Wolver- 
ton, and there the experienced gardener, Mr. Woodgate, has a number of 
well-grown Chrysanthemums, which are bearing buds of great promise. 
They are mostly tall, but the blossoms are of such substance and colour 
that it is evident they have received the most careful and considerate treat¬ 
ment. At Anglesea House, Surbiton, Mr. Hinnell has also a collection of 
great merit, and some of his blooms will undoubtedly take a foremost posi¬ 
tion at local or other shows.—L. Castle. 
The awards of the Jury at the International Health Exhibition, 
South Kensington, have been announced, and we find that the following 
medals have been awarded for the Collections of Seeds. The gold 
medal to Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn ; and silver medals to 
Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Beading ; Wheeler k Son, Gloucester ; and E 
Webb k Sons, Stourbridge. 
