December 25, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
559 
The bulk of those to be had were weak, and not at all like what cultivators 
prefer. The next adverse circumstance which occurred to prevent 
regular and steady growth, which is much to be preferred, occurred 
during the latter half of the month of May, when the bulk of the 
plants were in the pots preparatory to transferring them to the largest 
pots. The small pots were crowded with roots. The weather at that 
time was exceptionally hot for the time of the year ; on six successive 
days did the thermometer register 80° and over in the shade. No matter 
how much attention the plants received, it was difficult to keep them in 
a progressive state without feeling the effects of the extreme heat, 
which would conduce to premature bud formation instead of a free 
growth which is so desirable at all stages, especially at that period of 
their existence. The remedy in such an instance would be to provide 
shade for the pots until the plants can be placed into those in which 
they are to flower. Then followed an exceptionally cold, damp, and 
sunless summer, July being most remarkable in that respect. The con¬ 
sequence was the growth was *• soft,” and not of the character to pro¬ 
duce firm blooms. September and October were two of the finest 
months of the whole year, and did much to restore the lost wants to the 
plants. A great change came over many collections of plants, which at 
one time appeared like being in anything but good order to produce 
good blooms. The great power the sun had did wonders in ripening 
the wood and maturing the leaves, quickly making the latter assume 
autumn tints. The past season of growth and flowering of the p’ants 
should prove conclusively that the Japanese section does not require 
the wood maturing nearly as much as do the incurved, and more espe¬ 
cially the “ Queen ” family. While Japanese new varieties have been 
seen in goodly numbers it is remarkable how few first class varieties 
have been added to the incurved section. 
Chrysanthemum Golden Queen of England v. John Lambert. 
For the information of Mr. J. Lambert I may say that when I 
wrote my reply to “ West Riding.” giving a selection of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, I meant Golden Queen of England, as there stated and described. 
I have not yet seen a “ John Lambert ” which could be included in a 
stand of blooms in which Golden Queen of England was also staged, the 
whole to be distinct; therefore had I named John Lambert in preference 
to Golden Queen of England I consider I should have been misleading 
“ West Riding,” as he would have thought I regarded the two names as 
being distinct, which I certainly do not. This was not my aim in 
obliging the correspondent in question. Until Mr. J. Lambert has 
sufficient confidence in the distinctness from Golden Queen of England 
of his presumed new variety to exhibit it in the same stand as the 
Golden Queen, where all are required by the conditions of the schedule 
to be distinct varieties, I consider he has no right to attempt to influence 
others to do what he does not appear to have the courage to do himself. 
It cannot be said he has not had the opportunity of doing so during the 
last exhibition season. He competed largely and met with great success, 
upon which I congratulate him. To add names to varieties merely for the 
sake of doing so is not calculated to benefit those who do not know the 
distinction, but who simply follow the instructions and advice of others. 
—E. Molyneux. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. 
I should like to write a few words of encouragement to those 
who have been disappointed with the above variety, as having grown 
about one dozen plants this season I have bad the pleasure of exhibit¬ 
ing six very fair blooms. One was shown at the Crystal Palace ; 
this was the smallest, and I think I was the only exhibitor that 
had a bloom at the Palace. One was shown at Cheltenham, one at 
Monmouth, and three at Bristol ; cne of these at Bristol was, according 
to Mr. W. Drover, the second best bloom yet shown in England. As 
your readers might suppose, those blooms caused at each place no little 
attraction amongst the visitors and all connected with these Exhibi¬ 
tions. Besides these I have been able to cut nine other blooms, samples 
of which were shown at the N.C.S. floral meeting on December 10th. 
I have many more small blooms coming on plants which were stopped 
late and not disbudded ; these I can see will be very useful for cutting 
for vases, &c. How I think this ought to encourage all growers, but 
they must not look too much on the sunny side, for they cannot grow it 
like the Queen family. My advice is to all who have the room to grow 
eight or a dozen plants, to use different size pots and various soils, and 
stop a plant or two. My best blooms have been taken from plants 
grown in 7-inch pots, rather light soil, with a sprinkling of powdered 
oyster-shells and a little charcoal. I advise all to give Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy another trial.— John Aplin. 
Sport from Lord alcester. 
I SEE in the Journal that a correspondent who signs himself 
“ R. C. T.,” page 525, says he had a bloom of Emily Dale staged at the 
late Cheltenham Show which was the same as the above. Having to 
hurry away to Monmouth with another box of forty-eight blooms I had 
very little time to look over the blooms shown at Cheltenham. I have 
Emily Dale but not Golden Queen of England, as no exhibitor ought 
to grow the two, nor have I John Lambert, which I was told at the 
Crystal Palace was the nearest approach to this sport. As regards 
Emily Dale I have grown it for years, and have taken buds at various 
times ; but I never had a bloom of it but what was rather flat, whereas 
this sport is a very deep bloom. It was much admired at Bristol and 
Monmouth. I might say here that it made its appearance as a root 
sport about the middle of last February. Your correspondent and all 
other exhibitors can rest assured that this will cause no confusion in the 
Queen family. I have declined to part with the stock although I have 
had several tempting offers ; but I have placed two cuttings in the 
hands of a very able Chrysanthemum grower, who will be able to let us 
know next season if it is distinct from Emily Dale and other varieties 
of the Golden Queen family.— John Aplin, The Gardens, Ilasfidd 
Court, Gloucester. 
Mr. W. Drover. 
In another column we publish a review of the Chrysanthemum year, 
but it would be incomplete without reference to the winner of the 
greatest prize ever offered — the historic centennial — and Mr. W. 
Drover seems fully entitled to be included amongst the Chrysanthemum^ 
men of the time by the publication of his portrait in the Journal of 
Horticulture. It will be remembered that the class provided by the 
N.C.S. was for cut blooms of forty-eight distinct varieties—twenty-four 
incurved and twenty-four Japanese—and that Mr. Drover won the first 
prize (£25) easily by the great superiority of his incurved blooms. He 
was also similarly successful in the contest for the first prize offered by 
the proprietor of this Journal for eighteen incurved blooms, excluding 
FIG. 75.—MR. W. DROVER. 
the Queen family, w T hich brought together some of the most interesting 
stands of incurved blooms in the Exhibition. 
Derby Chrysanthemum Association. 
The annual dinner of the Derby Chrysanthemum Association took 
place at the Victoria Restaurant, Victoria Street, Derby, on Saturday 
evening, December 13th, when the following members were present— 
Messrs. W. Allen, J. E. Barnisby, F. Bancroft, II. Bancroft, V . Boyes, G. 
Fayers, W. Fowkes, E. Letchford, F. Radford, Jarvis, W. E. Bates, J. 
Chandler, Lane, Woodward, Beach, J. B. Chapman, Adams, and H. J. Bell, 
the Hon. Secretary. The gentlemen’s gardeners were represented by 
Messrs. Goodacre (Elvaston Castle), Barlas (Willersley Castle), Stopps, 
Borrowash, Evans, Spondon, Smith (gardener to Arthur Cox, Esq., Mill 
Hill), Potter (gardener to James Williams, Esq). In the unavoidable 
absence of the"Chairman, Geo. Sutherland, Esq , the chair was occupied 
by Mr. W. E. Bates, whilst the Hon. Secretary filled the vice-chair. 
After the usual loyal toasts had been honoured, Mr. Boyes proposed the 
health of Mr. Bell, the Hon. Secretary, an! referred to the admirable 
manner he had performed his arduous duties during the past season, the 
success of the Association being due to his untiring efforts. Mr. Good- 
acre, the winner of the 10-guinea Challenge Derby China Vase, in rising 
to second the proposition, complimented the Association on its present 
satisfactory state, and characterised the recent Show at Derby as the 
prettiest one held in the Midland counties without exception. The 
proposition was carried with acclamation. Mi. Bell, in returning 
thanks, said it was a pl-asure to him to be engaged in the work of the 
Association, and acknowledged the assistance rendeied him the 
Committee. . 
Mr. Hudson (one of the visitors) in proposing the toast of the 
evening, “ Success to the Derby Chrysanthemum Association,” refeired 
in eulogistic terms to the courtesy extended by the Hon. Secretary, and 
