254 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 16, 1886. 
Madame Desgrange, G. Wermig, and the summer Pompons do, they will 
be greatly mistaken and probably disappointed. It is a question how far 
it will answer even from a “ trade ” point of view to encourage what may 
be termed these accidental precocities, which, viewed from a florist’s or 
even decorator’s standard of excellence, are wanting in essential qualities that 
can alone render them acceptable—namely, perfect blooms in one case, and 
a reliable free-flowering character in the other. This is a practical aspect 
of the question that should not be overlooked in a reference to September 
shows of the popular flower that it is sought to make more popular still. 
The Exhibition under notice has shown that there are very few 
large early-flowering Chrysanthemums that can he properly placed in com¬ 
parison with Madame Desgrange and G. Wermig. If these had been left out 
there would have been little left to notice beyond the “ pretty Pompons.” 
Still there were a few large-flowering vari- ties more or less promising. The 
two named, especially the former, were splendidly represented, and the Show 
was worth holding if only for letting the public see what can be done with 
them by disbudding and high culture. Instead of “ ragged clusters,” line 
full blooms, 5 inches in diameter, predominated. Small early-flowering 
varieties were excellently represented. It must be conceded, however, that 
the effect of the Chrysanthemums was somewhat dimmed by the greater 
and brighter display of Dahlias, Zinnias, Gladioli, Gaillardias, and other 
early autumn flowers that occupied the greater extent of the tables. 
The best large-flowering varieties of the Japanese type, apart from the 
two above named, were M. Pynaert Van Geert, bronzy orange, in Mr. Davis’s 
group, and Martha Harding in Mr. Stevens’. This is a larger flower and a 
little darker than the one just named, with long twisted florets. Both 
these varieties appeared quite “ in season ” and worthy associates of 
Madame Desgrange and its yellow sport. William Holmes required another 
week for expansion, and gave promise of fine blooms, while the colour ex¬ 
ceeded in richness, bright crimson, all others in the Show. Madame 
Lacroix can evidently be made to flower in September very well; but what 
is wanted is a “ crimson Desgrange.” Alice Butcher is the most distinct and 
bright of the summer Pompons. It is a sport from Lyon and almost the 
colour of a dark French Marigold. It was effectively shown by Mr. Davis, 
as was Blushing Bride, a charming companion plant with silvery lilac 
symmetrical blooms. Other good varieties are named in the winning col¬ 
lections. When towards the close of the summer both the hardy-border and 
bedding plants begin to lose their beauty, early Chrysanthemums commence 
to bloom freely, and they make the garden gay and provide abundance of 
flowers for cutting. Instances of their effectiveness may be observed at the 
present time in Hyde Park, where several large beds are planted with such 
varieties as summer Jardin des Plantes, Madame Desgrange, and Precocite, 
and very striking they are. 
The groups of plants at the Aquarium Show were very fine, but one or 
two classes had not filled well. This remark does not apply to Class 1, for 
a group not exceeding CO square feet, in which there were five entrants, Mr. 
N. Davis, Lilford Nurseries, Camberwell, gaining a somewhat easy victory. 
His admirably arranged group was surprisingly good. Many plants bore 
excellent blooms, and there was sufficient variety of colour to gire the 
exhibitor an effective advantage over the other groups in competition, in 
which there was a great preponderance of white and yellow flowers. Mr. 
J. Wright, gardener to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, 
London, staged a pleasing group of healthy plants, well furnished with 
flowers, and was awarded the second prize. Lacking in variety, but of 
good quality, were the plants constituting the third prize group of Mr. 
G. Stevens, St. John’s Nursery, Putney. A class provided for a group of 
plants on a space not exceeding 40 square feet, nurserymen excluded, fell 
through from absence of entries, and there was but one in that for a collec¬ 
tion of forty-eight plants as grown for market; the second prize being 
awarded to Mr. William Holmes, Frampton Park Nurseries, Hackney, 
London, N. This group was composed of dwarf bushy plants in 8-inch pots, 
but it would have been more effective had the show been a little later, for 
few plants were in full beauty, the majority being liberally furnished with 
buds. Entries were likewise scarce in Glass s 4 and 5, these being provided 
respectively for six untrained plants of Madame Desgrange, and for six 
untrained plants of any varieties except the latter. In the former Mr. 
J. Wright was first, each of his plants bearing about half a dozen very fine 
blooms, dwarfer but good plants from Mr. Stevens gaining him the second 
prize. This exhibitor was awarded first prize in the other class referred to, 
showing well. 
Cut Flowers. —Competition was good in the majority of the classes 
for cut flowers. For a collection, any varieties, a stand from Mr. Stevens 
was placed first. About twenty varieties were staged, and they were 
arranged in threes with blooms of Madame Desgrange ; G. Wermig, Mrs. 
Cullingford, Martha Harding, Nanum and Lyon were very fine.° Mr. 
N. Davis took second place. His collection was a large and in every way 
excellent one, the varieties being numerous and arranged in bunches of 
from twelve to twenty flowers each in wide-mouthed bottles. Mrs. Culling¬ 
ford, Blushing Bride, Mrs. Pilcher, Madame Desgrange, M. Pynaert Yan 
Geert, and Fiberta were particularly good. This collection was unquestion¬ 
ably more representative than the first prize one. Mr. W. Piercey, 89, West 
Road, Forest Hill, was awarded the remaining prize for a smaller but good 
assortment. There were four entries in the class for twelve blooms of 
Madame Desgrange, and this provided the feature of the cut flower portion 
of the Bhow in the beautiful blooms which so deservedly won the first prize 
for Mr. Wright. They perhaps averaged 5 inches across, and were 
charmingly compact, symmetrical, and pure. Mr. Stevens’s second prize 
blooms were little inferior in size, but were less regular, neverthelf ss good ; 
and a pretty stand from Mr. Sadler, gardener to C. Lambert, Esq., Leigham 
Court Road, Streatham, received the third award. With twelve blooms, any 
varieties except Madame Desgrange, there were but two competitors— 
namely, Messrs. Sadler and Davis, who were awarded first and second prizes 
respectively. Both showed good stands, the first prize one consisting of 
M. Astorg, L’lle des Plaisirs, Madame de Sevin (exceptionally fine), Mdlle. 
Lacroix (good), Orphee (rich), and Isadore Ferral. Mr. Davis showed 
G. Wermig, Margot, Madame Pynaert Yan Geert (bright), Boule d’Argent, 
Mdlle. Lacroix, and Henderson & Son in capital condition. This exhibitor 
was first with twelve Pompons, three flowers of each, having a charming 
box of the following varieties—Lyon, Blushing Bride (very beautiful), Mrs 
Cullingford, Alice Butcher, Precocite, Madame Blanchet Pertuzts, Flora’ 
Madame Piccol, and Fiberta. The only other exhibitor was Mr. W. Holmes, 
whose stand of smaller flowers was adjudged the second prize. There was 
only one entry, strangely, of six bunches of Madame Desgrange—namely, 
that of Mr. Stevens; his blooms were very fine, and the first prize was 
awarded. In the corresponding class for any varieties except that just 
named there were two stands, and these were of such moderate quality that 
a third prize only could be given, it going to Mr. Bolas, The Gardens, Hopton 
Hall, Wirksworth. 
Gladioli. —Two classes were provided for these—one for a collection of 
spikes, any number, the other for a stand of twelve, but there was no 
competition in either. In the former class Messrs. Burrell & Co., Howe 
House Nurseries, Cambridge, were awarded the premier prize for a superb 
col ection of nearly 150 spikes, all very fresh, and composing some of the 
finest varieties grown ; while the Rev. H. H. D’Ombrain, Westwell Vicarage, 
Ashford, leceived first prize for twelve spikes, which worthily upheld the 
reputation of the grower. Collectively the Gladioli of course made a most 
brilliant display. 
Dahlias. —As an inaugural show of early Chrysanthemums could be 
only anticipated to be of moderate extent, the Executive wisely provided 
for a Dahlia section. The schedule embraced nine classes, the majority of 
which were well filled with some of the best growers. The leading class 
was for forty-eight show and fancy blooms, not less than twenty-four 
varieties, and there were five entries. Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co., 
Salisbury, were first; Mr. C. Turner of Slough second; and Mr. Boston, 
Manor Farm Nurseries, Carthorpe, Bedale, third. The following varieties 
were represented in the first-prize stand, and it will be observed that few 
fancy blooms were included :—Back row—Charles Wyatt, Miss Cannell, 
Mrs. Langtry, Thos. Hobbs (two), James O’Brien, Frederick Smith (two), 
James Cocker, Mrs. W. Slack, Mrs. Jefford, Royal Queen, ,G a ' e tyi a scarlet 
seedling, Harry Keith, and Henry Walton. Middle row—George Barnes, 
sport from G. Barnes, William Rawlings, Mrs. Wyndham, Mr. Spoffortb, 
sport from Gaiety, Mrs. Stancomb, Spitfire, Imperial, J. B. Stephen, sport 
from Rebecca, Miss Cannell, General Gordon, Richard Dean, Flora Wyatt, 
and Harry Eckford. Front row—Mrs. Gladstone, Mrs. Foreman, Joseph Ashby, 
Thos. Goodwin, Lady Golightly, Mrs. Glasscock, Mrs. Langtry, Bessie, General 
Gordon. Rebecca, Harrison Weir, Rev. J. B. Camm, Seraph, Lizzie Leicester, 
James Vick, and Mrs. S. Hibberd. All were fresh and symmetrical blooms 
of good size. Many good blooms were noticeable in Mr. Turner’s collec¬ 
tions—for instance, Sir G. Wolseley, Grand Sultan, Clara, Mrs. Gladstone, 
and John Forbes. Mr. Boston’s flowers ran these close, the stand containing 
some excellent flowers. There were no less than ten entries in the class for 
twenty-four show blooms, and Mr. C. Turner secured the first prize with an 
excellent stand, in which George Rawlings, Mrs. Foreman, Jas. Stephen, 
and Ethel Britton were conspicuously good. Messrs. Saltmarsh A Son, The 
Nurseries, Chelmsford, were a good second, their flowers being fresh, but 
somewhat small; and Messrs. Keynes, Williams & Co. were third. 
A corresponding class for fancy varieties produced four entries, and here 
Messrs. Kevnes, Williams <fc Co. were first with a very fine Btand, splendid 
blooms of General Grant, George Barnes, M. Chauviere, and Rebecca, with 
two sports from Gaiety, being noticeable. Mr. W. Boston was second with 
a good stand, and Messrs. Rawlings Bros., Old Church, Romford, third, their 
blooms being fresh bur small. There were five entries in the class for twenty- 
four bunches of Pompons, and several fine collections were staged ; that of 
M- ssrs. J. Cheal & Son, Lowfield Nurseries, Crawley, which secured the first 
prize, was a splendid one, Gem, The Khedive, Isabel, Lady Blanche, Fair 
Helen, Nymphe, Favourite, &c., being superb. Mr. C. Turner was a good 
second, and Messrs. J. Burrell ifc Co., Howe House Nurseries, Cambridge, a 
close third. Messrs. J. Cheal & Son repeated their victory in the corre¬ 
sponding class for single varieties, their stand being a most beautiful one, 
Mrs. Bowman, White Queen, Dorothy Fell, Mrs. Walker, Juno, and the 
recently certificated Mr. Kennett being very fine. Mr. Turner was second, 
also showing remarkably well; and Messrs. Keynes, Williams it Co. were 
third. There was one other entry. 
Nurserymen were excluded from the four remaining classes, and in the 
first of these and that for twelve Show blooms there were as many as nine 
competitors. The premier prize fell to Mr. H. Glasscock, Rye S reet, 
Bishops Stortford, for a very fresh and regular stand. Tne vai i- ties were :— 
Back row—Prince of Denmark, Earl of Ravensworth, James Stephen, and 
J. D. Saltmarsh. Middle row—Mrs. Dodds, J. N. Keynes, Mrs. G R iwiings, 
and Mr. H. Glasscock. Front row—James Dick, Ethel Britton, W. R wlings, 
and Mrs. Gladstone. Mr. C. Hockney, Greenfield House, Stokesley, was a 
good second ; and Mr. J. West, gardener to W. Keith, Esq., Cornwalls, 
Brentford, third. In the c’ass for twelve fancy blooms a fine collection from 
Mr. Glasscock was placed first, followed as before by Mr. Hockney, the third 
prize going to Mr. H. Vincent, gardener to J. Hartley, Esq., Keymer, Sussex. 
All showed well. There was but one entry each in the classes for twelve bunches 
of Pompons and twelve of single flowers respectively. In both cases first 
pi izes were deservedly awarded, in the first case to Mr. West, and in the 
second to Mr. T. W. Girdlestone, Sunningdale, Berks. 
Miscellaneous. —Many exhibits not in competition were worthy of 
note. Messrs. Kelway <Si Son, Langport, S u ers- t, showed a large collec¬ 
tion of Gladioli. Some of the spikes were past their best, having presumably 
done service at a p evious show; nevertheless, the group was a very fine 
one. Messrs. Cheal it Suns staged a large collection of Apples and some 
boxes of Dahlias, and Messrs. Keynes, Williams it Co. a box of pretty 
Cactus Dahlias. Mr. R. Owen, Maidenhead, sent a collection of cut flowers, 
including some fine Begonias, early Chrysanthemums of the segetum and 
coronarium types, very fine, and double Zinnias, for which a vote of thanks 
was accorded. Messrs. H. Cannell it Sons, Swanley, Kent, staged a large 
and fine collection of cut flowers, Dahlias and double Zinnias being its chief 
feature. Messrs. J. Laing it Co., Forest Hill, were represented by a collec¬ 
tion of Begonias of the high quality usually conspicuous in the firm’s 
exhibits : and Mr. J. Blundell, The Nurseries, West Dulwich, showed a 
beautiful stand of Hollyhocks. Various horticultural sundries were Bhown 
by Messrs. H. G. Smyth, 21, Goldsmith Street, Drury Lane, London, W.C., 
and B njamin Field, Swan Place, Old Kent Road, London. Messrs. Wood 
and Son, Wood Green, London, N. showed samples of their special com¬ 
posts and artificial manures : and Messrs. W. & J. B rkenhead of Sale had 
on view the cockroach and beetle trap described in our report of the Royal 
Horticultural Society’s Show last week. 
