Kovember (i, 1890. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
407 
Queen family, such as Queen of England, Empress of India, Emily 
Dale, Bronze Queen, Golden Queen, &c., when well grown form a hard 
centre most densely packed with small florets, which could never all pro¬ 
perly expand, and in endeavouring to do so unassisted they would cause 
the upper half of the bloom to reflex instead of incurving. Blooms so 
grown could not after being cut be made by any skill in dressing to 
appear perfect in form, whereas they can be by judiciously centering 
them when only partly developed, and whilst the flower is still growing. 
Nature is thus assisted to complete her own work in her own way. 
Some varieties, such as Princess of Wales and its sports, Prince Alfred, 
Lord Wolseley, Venus, Mrs. Bundle, &c., when well grown require 
scarcely any dressing, save the removal perhaps of a few faulty florets, 
whilst the blooms are growing ; whilst others, such as some members of 
the “ Queen ” family mentioned above, Befulgence, Lady Hardinge, 
Mrs. W. Shipman, Prince of Wales, JeanDe d’Arc, and some others 
require much attention whilst growing, and some skill after they are 
cut to secure perfection. 
The last named variety when grown from the crown bud is most 
likely to come with florets split at the end, recurving a little at the points. 
No amount of skill or patience in dressing will render such a smooth per¬ 
fect flower. It is therefore always advisable to take terminal buds of 
this variety, which, although producing slightly smaller flowers than 
those from crowns, are much smoother, and more likely to assist in 
gaining a prize than the larger but rougher. Japanese varieties require 
less attention to dressing than the incurved, but even they may be 
assisted and improved, always remembering that whatever form or type 
Nature has intended the flower to take is the type to be aimed at, and 
all which is done to the flower in the matter of extracting faulty florets, 
removing centres or rearranging, incurving, or straightening florets left, 
should be with the object of rendering such type as pronounced, 
complete, and perfect as possible.—W. K. W. 
Chrysanthemums at Lewisham. 
Mr. H. J. Jones is well known in the Chrysanthemum world, for 
during many years he has been more or less identified with the culture 
and exhibition of the plants, especially during the past three or four 
seasons when in business with Mr. N. Davis. He has now returned to 
his old district, and the Byecroft Nursery, Hither Green, Lewisham, 
provides him with scope for his energy and perseverance. One large 
house is devoted to a display of Chrysanthemums, and not only is the 
house one of the largest appropriated to this purpose around London, 
but the show is also for effectiveness one of the best we have seen. 
The structure is 101 feet long, 25 feet wide and 11 feet high to the 
central ridge. About 2000 plants are included in 350 varieties, and 
there are not less than 10,000 blooms expanded at the present time. 
The plants are dwarf, and are arranged on one slightly sloping bank 
from one side to the path, so that an uninterrupted view is at once 
obtained upon entering the house. Most of the plants are grown with¬ 
out any severe disbudding, and have a free natural appearance ad¬ 
mirably adapted for grouping. Thus there are over 100 Mdlle. Lacroix 
in 21-size pots, flowering profusely, their pure white flowers showing to 
excellent advantage at the back or interspersed amongst the others. 
The collection comprises the best varieties in all the sections as well 
as many novelties that have not yet been fully proved, though they 
seem very promising. Special attention is being paid to the continental 
raised incurved, which have been generally discarded here as worthless, 
perhaps often without giving them an adequate trial. From one raiser 
in particular Mr. Jones has secured some new varieties that are worthy 
of note. One of these, named Camille Flammarion, is a purple tinted 
incurved, several shades darker than Violet Tomlin, as there grown. 
Sarah Bernhardt is another incurved purple and white. Madame Farrien 
is a medium sized variety of the same type, golden bronze, while M. B. 
Bahuant, if it keeps its character as a true incurved, is very extraordinary. 
The florets are very broad, of a deep rosy red tint totally distinct from 
any other variety in form and colour. It is said to be a seedling from 
one of the Queen type raised by M. Hoste. Madame Mante is another 
incurved of a fine bronze tint, the florets broad and obtuse, forming a 
neat bloom. Chrysanthemums are not, however, the only objects of 
attention. Tuberous Begonias and Tomatoes out of doors have been 
special features during the season, 20,000 of the former being planted 
out, and from the latter some tons of fruit have been obtained. Mr. 
Jones is evidently in earnest in his work and deserves success.— 
Visitor. 
Chrysanthemums at the Abbey Park, Leicester. 
The fine Chrysanthemum house at this well-managed park is now 
filled with a fine lot of strong, short, sturdy plants, having excellent 
foliage well down to the pots, and giving abundant promise of producing 
a fine display of flowers, which will be at their best about the middle 
of November. The house is a handsome light structure with a double 
span-roof supported on light iron columns, which are draped with 
greenhouse climbers in which Coboea scandens variegata plays a con¬ 
spicuous part. 
The size of the house is 60 feet by 40 feet. The plants are all 
arranged in sloping banks on the gravel floor. A very broad bank runs 
up the centre of the house, sloping each way from the broad gravel 
paths under the centre of each roof-span to the top of the columns 
supporting the central roof tree. The plants next the path are not 
more than 3 feet in height—what are known as cut-backs ; whilst those 
against the central columns are natural grown standards 8 or 9 feet in 
height. These close up between the opening between the two sections 
of the house, and give it the appearance of being two separate houses 
connected by a broad pathway between other banks of Chrysanthemums 
at the further end from the doors. This seems an admirable arrange¬ 
ment for a house intended for a public display. As the visitors, who 
esme in their thousands, pass in regular order up the first house between 
the sloping banks on each side, across the end, and down the other 
house likewise, the outgoing stream thus emerging some 20 feet from 
the ingress, and preventing confusion. About 1400 plants are housed, 
of which fully two-thirds are grown on the cutting down principle. 
Many of the earlier varieties are now carrying some very fine flowers, 
which would make a creditable display on the exhibition table, and, 
indeed, considering that the plants producing them were “ cut-backs,'’ 
I was astonished at their depth and solidity. Very fine indeed was 
F. \V. Burbidge in the way of Mdlle. Lacroix, but a fuller, deeper 
flower, of a purer white, and every way superior as here shown. Chas. 
Lawson, a pink reflexed Japanese was also very fine, also Miss Gorton, 
a full reflexed flower in the way of Bouquet Fait, but larger, and Dr. 
Dufresne, a new French variety, creamy yellow, reflexed Japanese. 
Amongst older sorts now in fine condition are Mandarin, Mons. 
W. Holmes, Lord Wolseley, Lady Selborne, Dr. Macary, Hiver Fleuri, 
Marguerite Marrouch, Maiden’s Blush, Beverie, L’Isle des Plaisirs, Comte 
de Germiny, James Salter, Japonaise, Fernand Feral, Soleil Levant, Mrs. 
Dixon, Geo. Glenny, Mrs. G. Bundle, &c. The present is not the first, but 
will be decidedly the best public display yet held of the flower in this park, 
and appears likely to compare well with the excellent displays of like 
character in Finsbury Park and the Temple Gardens. Mr. Burns, the 
able Superintendent, seems determined that in all such matters the 
park under his charge shall be equal to any elsewhere, and in this he is 
ably seconded by his foreman, Mr. Burton, to whose skill as a cultivator 
the present fine condition of the Chrysanthemums is due. The display 
will be open to the public throughout the present month.—W. K. W. 
Chrysanthemums in the Isle of Wight. 
I must confess to an agreeable surprise to find Chrysanthemums so 
well grown here. Much interest is taken in the flower, and it is evident 
that gardeners, amateurs, and I might say cottagers, have got the 
prevailing fever. The town of Byde encourages two exhibitions, one 
the first week in November for the professional element, and the second 
a fortnight later for the cottagers. At the first Exhibition some good 
cut blooms are generally shown, the tug of war resting between Mr. 
G. Wilkins, gardener to W. S. Bidley, Esq., The Castle, St. Helens, I.W., 
and Mr. J. Earle, gardener to Henley Grosse Smith, Esq., The Priory, 
St. Helens, both of whom are very good growers and exhibitors. J. O. 
Brooke, Esq., Swanmore, near Byde, is an enthusiastic amateur, and 
grows and shows well, and is generally to the front. The baskets, 
epergnes, designs, and stands of triplets that are encouraged at this 
Exhibition form an agreeable relief to the visitor from the monotonous 
rows of cut blooms. There are no stiffly trained plants exhibited here, 
but, trained on the bush system with ‘from thirty to fifty flowers of 
good average quality, they make a good display. Mr. G. Wilkins is 
generally to the front with these, and this season he bids fair to hold his 
own. Newport, too, in the centre of the island, holds an Exhibition 
during the second week of November, which is well patronised, market 
growers, amateurs, and cottagers coming out well. The climate here is 
favourable for plant growing and ripening the wood ; the greatest art 
is in “ timing the buds,” many of the Queen family and other early 
incurved coming too early if the bud was taken to suit exhibitions near 
London. Mr. G. Wilkins this year seems to have hit the happy medium. 
His plants are very strong and heavily timbered, and the incurved blooms, 
especially the Queen section, look very promising. A salmon buff 
sport of two blooms from a Golden Empress resembles Emily Dale or 
John Doughty—another instance of the confusion likely to arise with 
these sports this year. This is not recognised as anything new. 
I find here there is the old grievance of getting varieties not true to 
name. Moonlight has been bought, grown, and shown for Pelican, 
White Venus for Mrs. Heale, and Mr. Wilkins has just got a plant this 
year that he purchased for Golden John Salter which turns out ro be Mr. 
Brunlees. To the cultivator that has gained experience the disappoint¬ 
ment would be bad enough, but to the uninitiated it means confusion 
and possibly disqualification on the exhibition table. I have seen good 
blooms of Violet Tomlin, but some have come very pale, and likely to 
cause a little confusion with its parent the Princess of Wales. Volun¬ 
teer (Jap.), an American introduction, is likely to make a good show 
flower. It has long spreading flowers, blush white. Mr. Wilkins has 
got two good flowers, also Mrs. J. Wright on a cut down plant, very good. 
Mr. G. Burt, gardener to — Darnley, Esq., Brading, has got a good show 
of bloom, very select but good varieties, distinct decorative varieties 
finding most favour. Volunteer is here very good, being tried with 
other new ones for the first time. Avalanche, Sunflower, Wm. Bobinson, 
Wm. Cobbett, Salmon, Mr. Matthews, Terra-cotta, Wm. Holmes, Mrs. 
Orchard (reflexed Jap.), Old Gold, and Mrs. J. Wright being amongst the 
best that find favour in a very interesting collection. There are many 
others, but time will not admit of more being said at present.— 
C. Orchard. 
CHBYSANTHEMUMS ABOUND LIVEBPOOL. 
CLEVELEY ALLERTbN. 
Mr. Cromwell grows GOO plants, mostly on the tall system, and all 
looking very promising. Most notable in the Japanese are Belle Paule, 
Comte de Germiny, Madame C. Audiguier, Volunteer, Etoile de Lyon, 
j and Stanstead White, extra strong ; Sunflower, Charlie Sharman, Sarah 
