478 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER , 
[ November 25,1836. 
of Musk. There are also Tomatoes in a forward state, Vegetable Marrow 
plants potted off, Celery in boxes pricked off, French Beans in boxes, and 
quite a novelty in the shape of Scarlet Runners running up strings 
against the back wall, which I understand is the first season ; but as 
French Beans do well enough, why not Scarlet Runners ? In pots are a 
quantity of Ashleaf Potatoes. Two sets are put in a 12-inch pot about 
the middle of January, and by the middle of April there are Potatoes fit 
to lift, and these have a ripeness frame ones as a rule do not have so 
early. When I saw them (April 13th) they were large, in tubers, and so 
ripe as to evidence good cooking quality. The indispensable Mint was 
present in quantity, but to enumerate everything would only be a reitera¬ 
tion of many plants that are well known. Some of the common white 
Lilium (L. cand dum) were over a yard high, showing buds plentifully. 
Of the many good plants in the grounds and garden I must for want of 
space omit mention, but there are some fine pyramid Apples that promise 
well, Ribston Pippins very fertile, without a trace of canker, Plum trees 
on low walls, all bloom from bottom to extremity, and there is a fine 
piece of lawn without a speck of Daisy or other weed to mar its close 
deep green velvety surface, and gives evidence of great care being taken 
to make and keep it in that order so necessary for enjoying the popular 
game of tennis. It is the firest piece of lawn I have seen, so level, so 
close and firm, as to merit especial praise —G. Abbey. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
HULL. —November 18th and 19th. 
Though the Hull Chrysanthemum Society has only been established a 
little over two years, it already occupies a leading position in the country. 
The gentlemen constituting its directorate combine enthusiasm with quick 
business aptitude, and they appear to know how to gain the support that is 
requisite for carrying out their object—the encouragement and promotion 
of the cultivation of the Chrysanthemum in the district. To effect this 
object a considerable number of open clas363 are wisely provided, and liberal 
prizes offered to bring the best products that can be obtained from other 
districts. The superiority of those products over what may be raised in 
any given district directly stimulates local growers to aim at a higher 
standard of excellence, and they are impelled to strive to equal or surpass 
the achievements that arouse general admirati >n. This is a far better 
policy and more certain to accomplish what is desired than simply collect¬ 
ing money and distributing it over a number of local classes to be divined 
amongst local men, while the products remain at the same old and it maybe 
low standand that prevails in the district. We have seen wonderful im¬ 
provement follow brisk and splendid competition in an open class, not at 
Hull only, but in other places. Nowhere, however, do we remember of a 
greater advance being made in ajshorter time than at the show under notice. 
When the character of the Chrysanthemum blooms generally that were 
staged two years ago are remembered and compared with those of last week, 
we are bouud to regard the improvement as simply marvellous. Much the 
same progress has been made in the effect groups, that are now quite equal 
to the best in the kingdom. A marked improvement in plants is also 
apparent; but as yet the district growers have given scarcely any attention 
to trained specimens. This year, however, a good specimen was obtained 
by the Secretary as an “object lesson,” and we may expect to see some 
better locally grown plants iD the future. As regards the character of the 
floral decorations, we found excellent taste displayed in the dressing of 
dinner tables ; but not so in the arrangement of bouquets, which were, as a 
rule, too large, smooth, and crowded. The Show now to be noticed wa 3 
arranged in the very extensive Artillery Barracks, and proved worthy of 
the excellent attendance of visitors from the opening till the close of the 
Exhibition. 
Cut Blooms. —The chief point of interest naturally centred in the 
challenge vase competition. The vase, value fifteen guineas with the first 
money prize of £10, is generously provided by the Chairman of the Society, 
George Bohn, Esq., the remaining prizes in the class being £8, £5, and 
£2. Last year there were four competitors, and the vase was won by Mr. 
D. Lindsay, gardener to Sir T. Edwardes Moss, Bart-., Otterspool, Liver¬ 
pool, Mr. W. Mease, Liverpool, pressing him closely; he, however, 
accepted his defeat manfully, resolving to try again. This year, though 
there was the same number of entries as last, only the above named exhibitors 
kept their engagements. Both arranged heavy stands of blooms, Mr. 
Lindsay’s at tne first glance appearing to take the lead ; but after a care¬ 
fully examina'ion of every one of the ninety-eight blooms and recording the 
merits of each Mr. Mease was found to lead by about the same small 
number of points that his rival led with last y ar. The vase therefore 
changes hands. The superiority of the incurved of Mr. Mease gave him 
the advantage (the Japanese being practically equal). Mr. Lindsay had a very 
grand back row which pointed decidedly higher than the corresponding 
line in the other stand, but Mr. Mease gained twice as many points in the 
other two rows that he lost in the back one ; in fact finer front row blooms 
were perhaps never seen than in this collection. The class was for “twenty- 
four incurved blooms in not le-s than eighteen varieties and twenty four 
Japane-e blooms in not less than eight en varieties.” Mr. Mease’s blooms 
were arranged as follows :— Incurved: —Back row—Lord Alcester, John 
Salter, Queen of England, Alfred Salter, Empress of India, John Salter, 
Lord Alcester, and Queen of England; full, fresh, solid, smooth, and 
bright, hu-, not of great size. Second row—Prince Alfred, Empress of 
India, Golden Empre's, Lord Wolseley, Golden Empress, Jeanne d’Arc, 
Jardin des Plan'e", and Alfred Salter ; the Golden Empress rather small 
here lost som ■ points, but the others wore excellant. Front row—Princess 
of Wales, Mr. Bunn, Hero'of Stoke Newington, Mrs. Heale, Refulgence 
Cherub, Lady Hardings, and Princess of Teck—a fine row, Refulgence 
being splendidly renre-ent/d. Japanese: —Back row.—Boule d’Or, Mar¬ 
guerite Marrouch, Fair Maid of Guernsey, Madame 0. Atidiguier, Yal 
d’Andorra, Boule d’Or, Baronne de Prailly, and Elaine. Second row.— 
Madame de Savin, Triompbe de la Rue des Chalets, Mens. Tarin, Comte 
de Germiny, Meg Merrilies, 1 J. Delaux, Belle Paule, and Japonaise. Front 
row. Val d’Andorra, Meg Merrilies, Criterion, Belle Paule, Golden Dragon, 
J ohn Laing, Soleil Levant, and Madame C. Audiguier. Mr. Lindsay staged 
many magnificent Japanese blooms, especially in the front row ; but taking 
the stands throughout, and notably the incurved, Mr. Mease’s blooms were 
decidedly the fresher, some of Mr. Lindsay’s being very stale and at least 
a week too old. 
The result appeared to take the loser by surprise, and we believe he 
eitered a written protest against the awards in this and another class that 
were against him, but not againBt those where he was placed in the leading 
position. Tne decision of the Judges was upheld. We have in our posses¬ 
sion the record of the Judges’ point, those of two other fir3t-rate growers 
an I judges, and the total points determined with great care by a member of 
the Committee; and as they were all taken independently—that is, the 
Ju iges and scrutineers being quite in ignorance as to conclusions of each 
other, tha comparison is a little remarkable, for in one case there is a total 
of one point above the official Judges’ numbers, and in the other one point 
below them; therefore there is, so to say, a triple verdict in favour of Mr. 
M -ase, who won well, and received the more congratulations became of the 
peculiar circumstances attending the competition. 
In the open class for twenty-four blooms in not less than nine varieties 
each of incurved and Japanese, Mr. Lindsay won the chief prize (£5) with 
splendid examples, but some a little scale, Mr. Mease closely following with 
fresh but smaller blooms, and entered no protest. He was placed first with 
twelve incurved varieties, distinct, with b autifully fresh and broad petalled 
ex amples of Empress of India, Emily Dale, Alfred Salter, Golden Empress, 
Prince Alfred, John Salter, Lord Aleester, Refulgence, Princess of Wales, 
Mrs Hea e, Jardin des Plantes, and Hero of Stoke Newington. Mr. Lind¬ 
say followed with larger blooms, but several of them too stale and loose to 
merit a higher position. Mr. Usher, gardener to E. Hargit Johnson, Esq., 
Thorgumbald, was adjudged tne third priz > for neat examples. 
In the corresp mding cla^s for Japanese Mr. Lindsay secured the premier 
position with magnificent blooms of the following varieties:—Fair Maid of 
Guernsey, M >ns. Desbrieux, Mdme. Lacroix, Val d’Andorre, Japonaise, 
Criterion, J. D laux, Soleil Levant', Mons. Tarin, Boule d’Or, Belle Paule, 
and M g Merrilies. Mr. M ase was an excellent second with a fresh fine 
stand. 
F. W. Jameson, Esq., Est Ella, was first in the open class for twelve 
Anemone blooms in not lessthan six varieties, with excellent pale and clean 
exa mples of F abian de Mediana, Mdme. Oabrol, Lady Margaret, Dorothde de 
Souibe, Emperor, Bertbe Pigny, Marguerite Solleville, and Acquisition, 
f ollowed by Mr. E. Mason, gardener to George Bohn, Esq , and Mr. H. 
Berkmar, gardener to David Wilson, Esq., Park House, Cottingham, both 
arranging good stands. The same exhibitors occupied similar positions 
with twelve reflexed blooms, of which six coll ctions were staged, those 
w-nuing the prizes being excellent and very close in point of merit. In the 
class for six bloo ns of any variety, Mr. Mease was first with Lord Alcester, 
Mr. Lindsay second with J. Delaux, and Mr. F. W. Jame.son third with 
Mons. Tarin. M ssrs. Mease an i Lind-iay were respectively first and second 
with six bl >omi of Cullingfordi and Mr. Bohn third, all having rich fine 
blooms. The class for new Japanese varieties was not a success, the blooms 
staged bflng very small. Mr. E. P. Dixon’s prize for twenty-four blooms, 
twelve incurved and twelve Japanese, was won by Mr J. P. Leadbetter, 
gardener to Arthur Wilson, Esq., Tranby C oft, with fresh and excellent 
specimens, Mr. F. W. Jameson being an extremely close second with 
heavier but o der blooms, and Mr. Harland, Th ■ Sycamores, Cottingham, a 
creditable third. Mr. Leadbetter was the leading p izewinner in the class 
for twelve incurved blooms, also with twelve blooms of incurved and 
Japanese, M s-rs. F. A Thompson, gardener to J. Fish-r, Esq., Manor House, 
Wilier by, F. W. Jameson, Esq., Harland, and J. Dalby, gardener to J. H. 
Horsley, Esq., Southfield, Cottingham, being successful exhibitors in those 
classes. 
All the classes above referred to were open. In the amateurs' classes 
there was excellent competition, Messrs. A. W. Stanley, E. Goddard, G. 
Kidson, and W. Roper being the prizewinners, all contributing well to the 
quality of the Show. The two amateurs’ challenge cups for twelve incurved 
and twe ve Japanese blooms respectively were won by Mr. Stanley with 
very large but rather stale blooms, Mr. Goddard closely following with neat 
fresh exampl s, but several only half developed. 
The premier blooms in the amateurs’ classes were Boule d'Or and Golden 
Empress, both exhibited by Mr. Stanley, the premier blooms of the Exhi¬ 
bition being Lord Alcester in one of Mr. Lindsay’s stands, and a magnificent 
Boule d’Or in Mr. Mease’s vas -winning stand. Mr. J Winkworth, gardener 
to R alph Brocklebank, Esq., Coildwell Hall, Liverpool, was awarded a first- 
class cer ificate for a yellow sport from Meg Merrilies named Mr. Ralph 
Biocklebank, which has been previously certificated at Kingston. Mr. Owen 
of Maidenhead also had blooms of his Improved Cora Marigolds, which 
were highly commended. 
Groups and Specimen Plants. —Seven imposing groups were arranged 
in competition for the ten-guinea challenge cup and £5 in money, the space 
accorded to each being 100 square feet. The stipulation was for “ A group 
of Curyeanthemums interspersed with foliage plants,” hut the latter were 
sparingly employed throughout. A graceful Palm or Fern in most cases 
formad the top or central plant, and a fringe <f Ferns and other suitable 
plants quite mask d the pots and stems of the Chrysanthemums, imparting 
a most agreeable finish to the arrangements. The Judges had not much 
difficulty in selecting the first group of Mr. J. S. Graham, gardener to George 
Lawson, Esq., Newland Grove, Hull, for premier honours. It was an ellip¬ 
tical rather than a semicircular arrangement, the top, or highest point next 
the wall, being about 9 feet from the ground, the Chrysanthemum plants 
all bearing fine fresh blooms sloping down, but not in a flat formal way, to 
2 feet from the floor, the margin consisting of a tasteful association of Ferns, 
Selaginella ■, and ornamental foliage plants, a few of the latter, such as 
Palms, being interspersed at int rvals of 2 or 3 feet with the Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, not hi ling them but formin ? a foil t > the handsome blooms : these 
we- e indeed very fine as was the foliage This group was not in the leasq 
cr iwled, nor wat it thin, while every plant was fresh, and not a pot was 
visible. It w.X3 in every way meritorious, and the most attractive group 
we have yet seen at an autumn show. Tn - second prize was adjudged to 
Mr. J. P. Leidbet’er for a tasteful, free, and bright coll action. The blooms 
of the majority of the Chrys mthemums were lacking in size, but the 
pleasing freedom of the arrangement could not be overlooked. Mr. Henry 
