December 11, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
525 
case in the season just past, and amongst growers and exhibitors with 
a good deal of experience. In all cases that came under my notice it 
was due to the exhibitor not being careful in the selection of the 
blooms, and not from any intention to deceive the judges. When 
true stocks of any particular variety are cultivated there should be no 
difficulty iin avoiding the unpleasant experience of disqualification, 
except through carelessness on the part of the exhibitor, or it may be 
just at the last moment a duplicate creeps in, unseen of course, and in 
the hurry of staging is overlooked. Nowadays, when there is such a 
great number of distinct varieties to choose from, it is highly injudicious 
to grow others about which there is any doubt. Where two, or even 
three, named varieties are found in any section that are so nearly 
alike in appearance that a difficulty arises in pointing out a distinc¬ 
tion, it is much the best plan to choose the one most promising, dis¬ 
carding the remainder, and by employing one name only the risk of 
disqualification is an impossibility in the case of doubtful varieties, 
of which there is the greatest danger in the Golden Queen of England 
section of the Queen family now. Disqualifications this season have 
all taken place in the incurved section, strange to say. Such varie¬ 
ties as Jeanne d’Arc, Lord Alcester, Queen of England, Alfred Salter, 
Princess of Wales, and Mrs. IJeale have been the transgressors. 
Perhaps the last two have been productive in years past of more 
disqualifications than any others. In this exhibitors have themselves 
to blame entirely, either in staging the blooms so nearly alike, or in 
mixing their stocks. When both are staged in true character there 
is a discernible difference. I also know that it is possible to cut from 
one plant blooms very different in colour, owing, of course, to the varia¬ 
tion in the times when the buds from which the blooms developed were 
“ taken.” If set too early, say before the middle of August, very 
little colour will be found in those of Princess of Wales by the time 
the flowers are fully developed. Even though such blooms are taken 
from the true stock of Princess of Wales, an exhibitor is to blame for 
staging them so much out of character. If he does not run a risk of 
being disqualified he loses points in the quality of the flower, because 
experienced adjudicators do not allow the same points of merit to such 
blooms as I have described, therefore it behoves a competitor to stage 
blooms in accordance with the distinctions. 
For the benefit of those who do not know the difference between 
them I will describe them both. Princess of Wales is the parent variety, 
being raised or sent out by Davis in 1864. The diameter of good blooms 
measure 5 inches ; although some have been staged larger, this is a good 
average size. The form is quite of the best, incurving thoroughly 
towards the centre, which in well-developed blooms is high and some¬ 
what pointed. The florets are narrow and pointed also slightly. The 
colour is blush, with distinct rose stripes down each floret, which gives 
it definition. Mrs. Heale is a sport from the above, which originated 
in 1867. The colour is creamy white, without a semblance of colour 
except that which the lower florets quickly assume with age or the 
base florets which become pink. The form of the bloom is similar to 
its parent, except that it causes a larger “ shoulder,” a term which will 
be understood by growers, but for those not initiated I will say it is the 
part of the bloom which is situated about half way between the base of 
the flower and the centre. This form is more pronounced in Mrs. Heale 
than in its parent, and so it is in the case of Miss M. A. Haggas, which 
is a sport from Mrs. Heale. In the case of Violet Tomlin, which sported 
from the Princess in 1888, this shoulder is less pronounced, taking after 
the form of the original type more clearly. 
Exhibitors should aim at staging all varieties in their true character, 
especially having regard to the colour of each. By so doing they 
increase the value of the stand, lessen the risk of disqualification, which 
is always an unpleasant duty for the judges to perform, but which they 
are compelled to do in fairness to other exhibitors, whose position in 
the lists is improved through the error committed by an opponent, but 
who does not always see the faulty blooms with the same eyes as the 
judges.—E. Molyneux. 
Cut-back Chrysanthemums. 
One of the great objections to the majority of Chrysanthemums 
when grown with exhibition blooms, especially among amateurs, is the 
height to which they grow. Many amateurs with small houses would 
probably have to open the top ventilators to accommodate the plants. 
Why should not societies encourage the system of cutting plants 
back by offering prizes for them ? The third prize group at the recent 
Hull Show consisted, I believe, entirely of cut-backs, most of them with 
flowers which would have done credit to the cut bloom section, and the 
somewhat unusual spectacle was witnessed of the exhibitor having to 
raise the plants at the back of the group several feet. I have not the 
least hesitation in saying if these plants had been shown among the 
specimens they would have been a revelation to most of the visitors and 
have created considerable interest. Up to the present the cutting-back 
system has, I believe, only been adopted for grouping purposes except in 
isolated instances. As committees are now arranging their schedules for 
next year I recommend the foregoing suggestion to their consideration.— 
B. Falconer Jameson, Bessie, Evil, 
The Queen Family. 
On page 476 of your paper there is another instance of the diffi" 
culties that are likely to arise with regard to the sports in the Queen 
family. At Cheltenham in the first prize stand for forty-eight distinct 
varieties, half Japanese and the remainder incurved, there was a bloom 
called sport from Lord Alcester ; being myself an exhibitor at the same 
place, and in the same class, I had the opportunity of seeing the said 
bloom, and had my attention called to it by two or three good growers 
of the Chrysanthemum. One of them directly said, “ Why you have a 
bloom in your stand exactly like it,” which I could see when I looked 
over the first prize stand. To make sure there was no error in the remarks 
myself and others made, the bloom was taken from my stand not only 
once, bub three or four times, and put side by side with the sport, and 
the remark was “ exactly the same,” in colour, width of flower, and 
build, but I will not say in size ; of the two mine was a little the smaller, 
but in every other particular the same as if they grew on the same plant. 
The bloom shown by me was a late bud of Emily Dale. Another in¬ 
stance, take a terminal bud or a late bud of Golden Queen of England,, 
you have the exact form and colour as in the sport; and therefore I 
fail to see how it can be distinct.—B. C. T. 
WQRKJ01\theWEEK,. 
HABDY FBUIT GABDEN. 
Pruning Operations. —It is advisable for several reasons to push- 
forward with the work of pruning and nailing, as not till this is done is- 
it possible to properly complete the manuring and digging necessary 
near to the trees and bushes. If delayed till the spring the chances are 
it will not be well done, so much other work requiring to be attended to. 
Much of the nailing might also be completed by midwinter, this being 
proceeded with whenever the weather is sufficiently mild and dry ; 
other work being found for the assistants to do in very cold weather. 
Pears. —These might well be first taken in hand, and when all are 
pruned and nailed much progress will have been made. All the leading- 
branches should, where possible, be laid in to their full length, this 
applying to all methods of training wall trees. Left unpruned the 
young wood will break evenly next summer, and in many instances form 
fruit buds at most of the joints. Top them lightly and they will break 
at the ends only, the rest of the shoot being quite naked. If it is 
necessary to prune leading shoots, either for want of head room or for 
the purpose of procuring more branches, then shorten them to about 
one-third of their length, and a good even break will result. All lateral 
growth to be spurred back to within one inch or three joints of their 
starting point. Left to a greater length long, ugly spurs are soon formed, 
whereas they are most serviceable when kept closer to the main branches, 
therefore the walls too. Where the old spurs are somewhat crowded, 
and, it may be, of a greater length than desirable, it is advisable to 
thin these gradually, a few being sawn off every pruning season 
to within one inch, or rather less, of the main branch. Most of the- 
short stumps will break afresh, and in the course of time all the 
clusters of spurs will be close to the main branches. 
Informally Trained Trees. —The majority of wall trees of Pears 
are either trained horizontally or some form of cordon training is 
adopted. There are some varieties that do not answer well under this 
treatment, foremost among these being the Jargonel'e, while the Doyenne- 
du Comice, Josephine de Malines, Beurre d’Amanlis, and Williams’ Bon 
Chretien also succeed remarkably informally trained. Where there is 
much head room, this including the ends of dwelling houses, stables, ancl 
outhouses, what are termed fan-shaped trees might well be planted, these 
being allowed to spread in all directions, and fresh branches laid in 
according as there is room for them. Thus treated they soon attain a 
great size, productiveness usually accompanying this comparatively 
unrestricted giowth. It is the most simple of all methods of training. 
These and any other strong wall trees ought now to be very securely 
fastened to the walls. Ordinary shreds are not strong enough, and 
strips of leather, buckskin, strong cords, or other somewhat similar 
material should be substituted ; such will last two or three seasons. A 
close look out ought to be kept for too tight shreds and nails in close 
contact with the branches, these often doing much harm before they 
are discovered. 
Protecting Figs. —In many districts Figs, no matter where grown,, 
are far from being hardy. Sometimes only the points of young shoots 
are injured by frosts, and occasionally the trees are killed down to near 
the ground. In the former case the loss of a crop is inevitable, next 
season’s fruit being produced from the points of sturdy, well-ripeped 
shoots formed this year, the young Figs at the present time being only just 
visible. When the trees are badly injured it often requires several seasons 
before they again attain a productive state, the soft sappy shoots thrown 
up by cut down old trees rarely fruiting, and in addition are the most 
liable to be damaged by a moderately severe frost only. Where, there¬ 
fore, Figs have previously been injured by frosts, and it would appear 
that only the south coast districts are exempt, some steps should be 
taken to protect the trees. If spread out considerably the branches 
may be unfastened and brought well up together, and these, as well as 
the more compact trees, can be then covered either by mats, branches of 
Spruce Fir or Pine trees, straw mats, or strong canvas. They will pay 
for the trouble taken with them. Figs being far more valuable and 
popular than many seem to be aware. The pruning to be deferred till 
the trees are uncovered in the spring. 
