December 21, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
657 
mention in the same breath our reigning queen of the winter flower— 
the Chrysanthemum. As an old-fashioned practical gardener on the 
other side of my Jubilee year, I almost dread going to act as a judge at a 
show nowadays, not considering myself an “ expert ” in anything.— 
Yorkshike Gardener. 
At the Birmingham Chrysanthemum Show, in a conversation with 
Mr, Robert Owen, I remarked what a blessing it would be if at flower 
shows the arrangements should be completed and plants in position over¬ 
night, with oiily the cut blooms admissible early next morning, so that 
judging could commence promptly at nine o’clock, or at the latest at 
ten o’clock. I have had considerable experience of flower show work, 
and have known instances at Edinburgh when everything was com¬ 
pleted overnight, and judging commenced before breakfast. In 
Belgium I have seen this done, and at Shrewsbury the principal 
portion of the plants are to a great extent in their position overnight. 
I hold strongly the opinion that all award cards should be placedj^on 
the exhibits properly and legibly filled up before the public are 
admitted ; and this and careful judging can only be done by giving 
more time for the work. Then, also, there should be a heavy fine of 6s. 
or lOs. for anyone entering in any class and not filling it, unless notice 
to the contrary is in the Secretary’s hands twenty-four hours before the 
morning of the day, so that the Superintendent of the staging of the 
exhibits may be able to have all spaces closed up, and himself saved 
much trouble and worry.—W. D, 
NEW VIOLAS. 
{Concluded from page 439.) 
It appears to me, so far as I can judge at present, that at least 
fifty new varieties will be shortly sent out for the first time, and 
although it is strong evidence of the popularity of the Viola, I am 
Fig. 80.—L.ELIA FINCKENIANA. {See page 540.) 
Notwithstanding the magnitude of this Exhibition, everything is 
obliged to be ready by ten o’clock on the morning of the show, and the 
judges start at their work immediately, and have invariably finished by 
the time the public are admitted. 
Birmingham is alluded to in page 530 of last week’s Journal, and 
the rule is strictly enforced of clearing the hall at eleven o’clock. Still, 
that does not allow of sufficient time for the judges to do their work 
with ample time for consideration, and for the oflScials to get the 
prize cards properly filled up, whch I regret to say at some exhibitions 
is done in a very slovenly manner. This is not the case at Bir¬ 
mingham, for at no exhibition in the kingdom is this work better done. 
And then the award books have to be made up for the reporters of the 
local daily papers, certificates and special awards made to honorary 
exhibits, and many little details seen to, so as to let matters run in a 
pleasant groove. 
very much inclined to think that others will agree with me that these 
are far too many new ones for one season. These are in various hands, 
Messrs. Bobbie & Co., Smellie, Irvine, Pye, Paul, Forbes, and others, 
and many of the finest have been raised by Mr. J. B. Stuart of Belfast. 
My descriptions of the new ones must be necessarily brief, and I shall 
confine myself to those I have seen and know to be good. Of their 
bedding out properties I am unable to speak, excepting Buke of Clarence, 
and this is a fine variety for that purpose. All are more or less beautiful 
as outdoor plants, although some bloom more freely than others. 
The following are the new varieties which are to be introduced in the 
spring, and which I have seen, and arranged alphabetically with the 
raiser or introducers’ name appended—viz., 
Blue Garter (J. B. Stuart).—Very like Skylark, but with lighter 
coloured margin. 
Carissima (.1. B. Stuart).—Veined rosy lilac and white ; fine. 
