December 4, 1890. ] 
499 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
a empts to render shapeless outlines, a method of expression suitable 
on y for imitative painting. In woven fabrics, too, we see the flower 
over-burdened with petals and necessarily confused in form. The same 
a empts at naturalism are to be found in wood carving, wall-papers, 
<-'c. \\ e should do well to study the methods of Japanese adaptation, 
no necessarily to copy, but for the principles involved, and we should 
moie conscientious!v study the flower itself, and not accept as accom- 
piisned that which Nature has still reserved for us to do, in the doing of 
w ich we invest the growth with a human interest. These conditions 
pie-suppose no a,rbitary restrictions, inasmuch as the probabilities of 
7%^ a £ e practically endless. The flower as such is perfect. It is 
e toi the genius of man to make it equally so for his defined purpose, 
or the very reason that it is so decorative in itself we should resist the 
c esire for imitative realism. The Japanese, to their credit and glory as 
an aitistic nation, never fall into this mistake. If they use the flower 
aS i a /-ui^ ^ 0r . c ^ as * n S hard metals, as steel, alloys, iron, &c., they 
se ect blooms simple and defined in form. On the other hand, in chasing 
m soft metal—gold or silver—or carving in soft woods, they choose 
. ooms, the beauties of which are better displayed in a more modelled 
orr P - me ^ work the treatment may be conxex or concave. 
n their paintings we at once perceive that they allow themselves a 
wider selection, almost every kind and variety of flower finding recogni- 
ion with greater latitude in treatment. Foreshortening, interlacing, 
am intricate arrangements are indulged in, and what may be termed an 
in ermediate course is taken in their pottery and fabrics. Having taken a 
general though hasty view of the subject it may be profitable to ask 
ourselves why this flower over and above its claim to beauty, was and is 
so readily selected as a decorative motif ? The fact of it being the 
mperial Radge of a distant and still almost unknown people can have 
ad with us, at least, little influence, however much it may have affected 
e Japs themselves. It rests its claim for admiration and selection 
upon a beauty of form as remarkable as it is varied upon a wide colour 
range, and a growth strong yet graceful, and a foliage no less beautiful 
than the blossom. 6 
Many a flower has been grown in obedience to the demands of the 
asnion of the day, and their contributions to the art would have been 
o a negative nature. But in the flower we have met to honour we 
. it not only adapted to a variety of treatments consistent with the 
princples of applied ornament, but that, too, with little, and in many 
cases no alteration. Nature, indeed, seems to have been so enamoured 
o Per production that she was half tempted to turn artist. Finally, 
we may all concede that we owe it a deep debt of gratitude, for it has 
made bright a period of our year that heretofore had been dull and 
nowerless. No longer can the poet sing— 
“ warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, 
No comfortable feel in any member ; 
No shade or shine, no butterflies, no bees, 
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds— 
November ! ” 
LETTUCES. 
. 1 OBSERVED (page 470) a note by “ B.,” in which he seems to 
impugn my veracity in regard to Blond Blockhead Lettuce which I 
received from MM. Yilmorin of Paris. I am always exceedingly careful 
m aD 'o statemen ts I venture to make, and enclose for your satisfaction 
P a ge20 of MM. A ilmorin’s wholesale catalogue for the currenc year, in 
which you will find both Blond Blockhead and Brown Blockhead quoted. 
. ^doh for the catalogue. As to the seed, I herewith enclose the 
original packet with some of the seed, which I shall be greatly favoured 
by your forwEirding to “ B.” for his satisfaction, and to enable him to 
J7 ars .^‘ c ^ ass Lettuce. I am afraid “ B.” thought I was the only 
lockhead in the matter ; but although I am painfully conscious of my 
imperfections 1 do not like that regretable fact to be hinted at by others, 
i quite agree with 11 B.” in his appreciation of Hick’s Hardy Cos, which 
l always sow every autumn for spring cutting, but have never tried it 
for summer work. Tom Thumb I have never grown. To follow in the 
lines of “ B.,” let me add that I received for trial from MM. Yilmorin a 
long Turnip like an enormous Radish, which was called Extra Early 
something, but I have unfortunately lost the seed packet. I sowed it 
in spring, and it produced good quality roots in less time and far supe- 
™. r , to ^ ^lilan, which unfortunately goes off so quickly. I do not 
think Vertus was the name, for that is familiar to me, but I think it 
had a name with which I was not acquainted.—H. S. Easts'. 
[Tne enclosures have been forwarded to our correspondent as 
requested.] 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
BERKHAMPSTEAD. 
The above Society held their third annual Exhibition in the Town 
Hall, and though the building has been considerably enlarged since the 
last show, it was none too large to accommodate the whole of the ex¬ 
hibits, which were brought together in large numbers. The day was 
fine, and the Hall was crowded with visitors during the afternoon and 
evening. In the class for twenty-four incurved,distinct, Mr. C. Brown, 
gardener to R. Henby, Esq., Abbots Langley, was first with a fresh even 
stand of blooms. For twenty-four Japanese, Mr. G. Sturman of Wat¬ 
ford, an amateur grower, who promises to make a formidable competitor, 
was easily first with a magnificent stand. Among his best blooms were 
Etoile de Lyon, E. Molyneux, Sunflower, Boule d’Or, Avalanche, Carew 
Underwood, very fine ; Fimbriatum, Volunteer, a grand bloom, finely 
coloured ; M. Bernard, and Mr3. Beale. Mr. C. Brown was second with 
a good stand also, among which was one of the finest blooms of Madame 
C. Audiguier staged this season. For twelve incurved, distinct, Mr. 
R. B. Lowe, gardener to the Earl Brownlow, was first with good 
blooms. Mr. Neave, gardener to C. Van Raalte, Esq., was second. For 
twelve Japanese, distinct, Mr. Neave was first with a fine stand, having 
a very fine bloom of Golden Dragon. Mr. H. Folkes, gardener to 
T. F. Halsey, Esq., M.P., was second ; T. Kirby, gardener to E. Mawley, 
Esq., was third. 
Miscellaneous groups are always well done here, and Mr. Lowe wa3 
well first with a very finely arranged one. Mr. G. Hillier, gardener to 
H. H. Cooper, Esq., was second with a good group also. The groups of 
Chrysanthemums, on a space not exceeding 40 feet, made a fine display . 
Mr. A. B. Higgins, gardener to Mr. A. G. Lucas, was deservedly first 
with a similar group to the one he had at Watford the Tuesday 
previous, but better arranged. This consisted of some very fine plants, 
both of Japanese and incurves. Very fine indeed was Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy. Mr. W. Lush, gardener to Mrs. Lionel Lucas, was second; 
equal third, Mr. H. H. Cooper and Mrs. Bedford, all very good. In the 
members’ class, Mr. W. F. Exler, gardener to Mrs. Oxenham, was first 
(with blooms somewhat rough) for twenty-four incurves. For twenty- 
four Japanese, Mr. F. E. Hicks, gardener to Mr. E. J. Pearson, was first 
with fine blooms. Second, Mr. Kirby ; third, Mr. Lowe. Mr. Folkes, 
Mr. Kirby, and Mr. Bone, gardener to Lord Chesham, were successful in 
smaller classes. 
Table plants, Primulas, and Cyclamens made a good show. Double 
Primulas, shown bv Mr. C. Sims, gardener to T. Gooch, Esq., were 
splendidly done. Fruit and vegetables were very largely staged, the 
Grapes were particularly good. For black Grapes Mr. Folkes was first, 
and for white Grapes Mr. E. J. Pearson, gardener to the Lion. A. Talbot, 
headed the list. Mr. C. Brown was the most successful with vegetables, 
showing a fine clean lot. Several very fine honorary exhibits were sent. 
Mr. Beard, gardener to Mrs. Valpy, Champneys, sent a magnificent 
group, occupying one end of the large hall. This contained some very 
choice plants, and was well arranged. Mr. Beard is one of the leading 
members of the Committee, and very much credit is due to him for lend¬ 
ing such a helping hand to the Society. He also staged a large collec¬ 
tion of vegetables, and about six dozen cut Chrysanthemums, among 
them some fine exhibition blooms. Messrs. Lane & Son sent a fine col¬ 
lection of Apples. 
Mr. Holloway, the hardworking and painstaking Secretary, with the 
Committee, are to be congratulated on such a very successful exhibition. 
BOLTON. 
The fourth Exhibition took place in the Town Hall, and proved the 
most successful yet attempted and attracted large numbers of visitors. 
The Hall, which is one of the finest in the north of England, being 
crowded, the miscellaneous groups, three in number, being very nicely 
arranged Mr. J. Pountain, gardener to Thos Wilkinson, Esq., taking first 
place ; Mr. R. Cockburn, gardener to W. Slater, Esq , second; Mr, Geo. 
Pearson, gardener to John Heywood, Esq., third. For the group of 
Chrysanthemums there were four entries and ail good, making a very 
fine show, Mr. J. Wainwright, gardener to E. Cross, Esq., J.P., C.C>, 
being first, Mr. J. Pountain second, Mr. George Pawson third, and Mr. 
James Taylor, gardener to Mrs. Chas. Taylor, last. 
Specimen Chrysanthemum plants were in grand form, those shown 
by Mr. It. Smith, gardener to Col. Omerod, being especially fine, taking 
first in six incurved and six Japanese, other exhibitors being Mr. 
J. Hicks, gardener to Mrs. Haslam, and Mr. J. Pountain. 
Cut flowers were well represented. For thirty-six, eighteen incurved 
and eighteen Japanese, Mr. Joshua Kirkman, gardener to John Stanning, 
Esq., being first with a grand stand ; the eighteen, nine incurved nine 
Japanese, being taken by Mr. Chas. Jones, gardener to Mrs. Shaw, Mr. J. 
Wainright, and Mr. George Corbett, gardener to Arthur Knowles, Esq., 
coming close behind. Mr. Jones a'so secured first for twelve incurved, 
twelve Japanese taken by Mr. Corbett, and twelve miscellaneous by 
Mr. Wainwright. The amateur classes were well represented, and 
showed a marked improvement on former years. 
HINCKLEY. 
This, the third annual Exhibition, was in many respects a com¬ 
mendable one. St. George’s Hall, Hinckley, the room in which the 
Show was held, is a very suitable one for such a purpose ; sufficiently 
large, lofty, well lighted, and well fitted, with a raised orchestra at the 
farther end from the door. The greater portion of the centre of the 
room, as well as the orchestra, were occupied by groups of miscellaneous 
plants stove and greenhouse, and Chrysanthemums, not for competi¬ 
tion. Across the front of the orchestra were three very respectable 
groups of Chrysanthemums in competition for the prizes offered. 
On a table down the right hand side of the room looking from the 
orchestra were the cut blooms, and a collection of hardy fruits ; and 
on the opposite side of the room, on another similar table, a number of 
very good collections of vegetables in trays of six varieties, single dishes,. 
&c. The Committee have this season, for the first time, offered a silver 
challenge cup value £5 5s., together with three of the N.C.S. medals, 
and a Centenary medal; but for all this they were disappointed in re¬ 
ceiving but a very poor entry list to all the cut [flower classes, these 
