856 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 23,1S90. 
resolved to raise a fund, to be called the William Holmes’ Memorial 
Fund, and that a Committee be formed to obtain subscriptions to the 
same, and to consider suggestions and formulate a method of applying 
the Fund. 
It was also resolved that the following should constitute the com¬ 
mittee, together with the officers of the Society and the representatives 
of affiliated societies :—Messrs. E. Sanderson, E Molyneux, J. Laing, 
T. Bevan, H. Cannell, L. Castle, Geo. Stevens, W. Roupell, W. Witty, 
N. Davis, C. E. Shea, E. Beckett, C. Gibson, G. Gordon, G. Prickett, 
B. Wynne, B. Owen, and E. F. Kemp. 
Mr. Harland of Hull proposed that Mr. Lewis Castle be desired to 
act as honorary secretary, and consent having been given, the proposition 
was duly seconded and carried unanimously. 
Mr. Molyneux’s suggestion, which was most favourably received by the 
meeting, was as follows :—“ That the memorial take the shape of a class 
or classes in the schedule of the N.C.S., to be called the Holmes’ 
Memorial Class, to be competed for at the November Exhibition of the 
N.C.S., terminable at a period consistent with the amount of the funds 
forthcoming.” 
Mr. Shea’s suggestion was to this effect :—“ That the form the 
memorial to Mr. W. Holmes should take be that of a medal or medals 
given triennially, after the character of the Veitch Memorial 
Medal.” 
Several subscriptions have already been promised, and all com¬ 
munications should be addressed to Mr. L. Castle, Hotham House, 
Merton, Surrey. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The display of Chrysanthemums at the recent Westminster Show 
was surprising both in numbers and quality, and indicated that many 
plants are very early this season in flowering—rather a bad augury for 
the November shows. There can be no doubt that the National Society 
acted wisely in providing prizes at this time of year, as in previous 
seasons many handsome Japanese blooms have been lost before the end 
of October, and the date fixed (15th, 16th, and 17th inst.) was exactly 
suited for these. 
With twenty-four Japanese blooms, not less than twelve varieties, 
the.e were fourteen eompetitoi’3, Mr. C. Gibson, The Gardens, Morden 
Park, Mitcham, winning first honours with superb examples of Stanstead 
White, E. Molyneux, Mdlle. Lacroix, W. ITolmes, Elaine, Comte de 
Germiny, Peter the Great, Sunflower, Stanstead Surprise, J. Delaux, 
Golden Dragon, and Mrs. J. Wright. All these were beautifully fresh 
and of considerable size, Stanstead White being wonderfully good. Mr. 
J. Doughty, Cranbrook, followed closely, showing handsome flowers of 
G. Daniels, Madame de Sevin, Avalanche, Baronne de Prailly, and 
Margot. C. E. Shea, Esq., The Elms, Foots Cray, was third, having 
Avalanche, Etoile de Lyon, Mrs. F. Jameson, and Val d’Andorre in ex¬ 
cellent condition. In the class for twelve Japanese blooms, distinct, 
eight competitors entered. Mr. C. Blick, gardener to M. R. Smith, 
Esq., The Warrens, Hayes Common, Kent, took the lead with fine 
specimens of Baronne de Prailly, G. Daniels, Val d’Andorre, E. Moly¬ 
neux, Hamlet, M. Freeman, Etoile de Lyon, Avalanche, F. Marrouch, 
Carew Underwood, Belle Paule, and another variety. Mr. Shea was 
second, and Mr. W. Collins, gardener to J. W. Calile, Esq., Ashendene, 
Bayford, Hertford, third. For six white Japanese, one variety each, 
Mr. C. Cox, gardener to J. Trotter, Esq., Brickenden Grange, Hertford, 
was first amongst twelve competitors, showing grand, full, pure white 
blooms of Avalanche. Mr. C. Ritchings, gardener to W. Lindsay, Esq., 
Brandries, Beddington, was a close second, his blooms not being fully 
expanded, but in a few days they would have surpassed the others. Mr. 
W. Howe, gardener to H. Tate, Esq., Park Hill, Streatham Common, 
was third with Elaine. 
At a meeting of the Floral Committee on October 15th, Mr. 
B. Ballantine in the chair, certificates were awarded for the following 
Japanese varieties :—W. H. Lincoln (Mr. E. Beckett), very handsome, 
blight clear yellow incurving florets, a first-rate variety ; Puritan (Mr. 
E. Molyneux), pure white, excellent; Mrs. Falconer Jameson (Mr. 
Molyneux), generally known, brownish orange ; Charlie Sharman (Mr. 
E. Beckett) rich purple, a fine variety ; Annie Clibran, the pink sport 
from Mdlle. Lacroix ; and Anna Hartzhorn, a grand white variety, with 
incurved florets, from Mr. Davis. 
Early Flowering Chrysanthemums. 
This season has been a bad one for the growth and perfection of 
the early flowering Chrysanthemums. The spring was good, inasmuch 
as there were not so m«ny late frosts as usual. Then we had a fine 
warm May which forced some plants into bloom before their time, but 
after that came June, July, and August, wet and cool, with insufficient 
sunshine. September was a fine month for the later sorts, but it was 
then too late to restore the forward ones. There has also been more 
earwigs than usual, which, in many cases, destroyed the hearts of the 
shoots, causing many to be blind and crippled. The florets were so 
weak that the backs of the blooms faded before they were hardly open. 
All this told with great effect on the show at the Crystal Palace, for the 
plants were not equal to those of former years. There was nothing 
particularly noteworthy there except the appearance of a group from 
new exhibitors, Messrs. Reid & Bornemann of Trewsbury Road, 
Sydenham, S.E., who took the second prize. 
The September Show of the National Chrysanthemum Society at the 
Aquarium, Westminster, on September 10th and 11th, was a remarkably 
good one. The display was extensive. For groups, Messrs. J. Laing 
and Sons of Forest Hill, S.E., were first; Messrs. Reid & Bornemann of 
Sydenham, S.E., were second. In this exhibit was a very fine large 
white Japanese sort called by them “ Sydenham,” but there seems some 
doubt as to its origin, and it may be found to have another name ; but 
if it should come as early, when not disbudded, which this plant was, 
it will be useful for early work. They also at this time showed a sort 
called Spiralis, which was a disbudded plant with about three flowers. 
There is some doubt, too, regarding this. There are two plants of the 
same name, and it does not seem certain if either of them is really early. 
Mr. N. Davis of Camberwell, London, was third. Mr. H. J. Jones, who 
has recently commenced business at the Ryecroft Nursery, Hither Green 
Lane, Lewisham, S.E., and with whom early flowering Chrysanthemums 
are features of importance, exhibited, not for competition, a fine group, 
for which he was given a silver medal, and a certificate for the new 
yellow Pompon Golden Shah. 
The class for cut Chrysanthemums was filled with a more than 
usually great variety of sorts ; Mr. R. Owen of Maidenhead being first 
with sixty sorts, among which was Miss Phyllis Broughton, exhibited for 
the first time, and the beautiful little white Pompon Miss Lily Stevens, 
for which he received a certificate. Mr. N. Davis of Camberwell was 
second. In this class, and exhibited for the first time, a new early sort, 
Mr. Harry Laing, a straight petalled magenta Japanese ; and Ernest 
Bergman, a new crimson, both of which I have grown, but have not seen 
in condition to say what their value is, and it must be deferred till another 
season. They are both new French sorts of this season. Mr. E. F. Such 
of Maidenhead was third for cut flowers. In the class for twelve 
Pompons Mr. D. B. Crane, of 4, Woodview Terrace, Highgate, London, 
N., exhibited some flowers of Rosamundi, which I do not remember to 
have seen before at any early show, and if it will grow good flowers 
without disbudding it may be useful. I have grown one of this name 
this season, but it is late and evidently a difficult plant. I will grow 
the other next season and test its merits for myself. Of course, I do not 
consider because blooms of any sort can be shown in September that 
such a kind can be called early or semi-early, but only such as will do it 
without any buds being taken off, or forced in any other way except 
good cultivation in the open. 
Though the season has been a bad one for the growth it has been a 
very good one for the extension of the culture in many directions. 
Many of those who have thought nothing of the early sorts find that it 
is to their benefit to grow them ; but it is in the many good varieties that 
have come to light in this country that the season shows the most 
advance. We have not had to grow so many poor plants to discover 
good ones as we generally do, and besides there are several good English 
seedlings from English seed in view for next season. 
Perhaps the best find of the year is P. Radaelli. This is a very 
beautiful early sort, blooming first in August on the crown bud, but 
afterwards shooting on and blooming during the following months. It 
will grow a flower 4 or 5 inches across without a bud being removed. 
It is white with a narrow reflexed petal with a rounded end. It has 
spare foliage, and grows to a height of 4 feet or more. 
Arthur Crepey, certificated, is a very good early dwarf plant, bloom¬ 
ing in September, perhaps another season in August. It is a primrose 
yellow varying to white ; blooms about 3 inches across ; height of plant 
2 feet. It resembles Madame Desgrange, but the petals are rather 
broader, and the buds come naturally further apart, making it better for 
growing without any buds being taken off. It is of stiff habit, 
and can begrown without sticks. It seems to be a seedling of 
he above, and is likely in many places to be grown instead of Madame 
Desgrange. 
Madame L£on Collin is an entirely new form and colour among the 
early sorts, being a bright light bronze, Japanese in form, with narrow, 
twisted, and curled petals. It does well either disbudded or grown 
naturally. Flowers 3 to 4 inches across. Plant about 3 to 4 feet 
high. It is a charming addition to the early sorts, quite a new 
shade of colour, and has had a certificate granted to it. Blooms in 
September. 
La Perle is a fine dwarf white, blooming at the end of September. 
It is a stout plant, and will come into competition with La Vierge, but 
while that is reflexed this is slightly incurved, has broader petals than 
that, and is considerably earlier. Grows 2 feet 6 inches high, with 
flowers 3 inches across. 
There are several others which will probably come earlier another 
season in colours much desired—viz., crimsons, reds, and purples; but as 
they are not yet out (October 15th) sufficiently to be spoken of with 
certainty, and there are some promising novelties among them, I will 
try to write a little more on semi-earlies in a week or two. 
Of the few new good ones of last year, I may say that Madame la 
Comtesse Foucher de Careil, which seemed a weak plant last season, 
turns out to be not so. It is a real good stout sort, being so dwarf 
(just over 2 feet high) that it can be grown without sticks. It is a very 
great acquisition because there are so few reds, which it is, and a very 
bright red, too. The ladies call it a terra-cotta, but it is very much 
lighter than a garden-pot red. It is a lighter colour than L’Amirable, 
besides being nearly a month earlier ; in fact, there is no other like it. 
It stands alone as a red September reflexed Japanese beauty, and being 
so dwarf is excellent for front rows in decoration. As a cut flower it 
is striking and distinct both by day and night. It will probably be a 
great market sort in a season or two, both as a pot plant and for cut 
flowers. It has been certificated. I have one or two good seedlings 
from my own seed, and so has Mr. Owen from his own seed ; but as they 
will not be sent out next season I shall reserve dgment upon them 
