December 21, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
661 
rCHR 
MUMS 
- 
National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The last of the Floral Committee meetings for the present season 
was held on Wednesday, the 13th inst., at the Royal Aquarium, when 
Mr. C. Harman Payne presided. The exhibits were bright, in good 
condition, and numerous, considering the lateness of the meeting, which 
was rendered attractive by a large contribution ol cut Chrysanthemums 
from Mr. R. Owen, to whom a silver medal was awarded for his collection. 
Secretary Farson, a large incurved Japanese, a deep globular flower of a 
dull rosy bronze, was commended. John Noble, another of the same 
type, colour carmine crimson, with a paler reverse, tipped yellow, the 
Committee wished to see again, together with W. G. Newitt, a white 
Japanese, with long drooping florets flushed yellow in the centre. An 
ingenious expanding show-board was exhibited by Mr. C. B. Shea ; it is 
made in sections, each of which can be moved in any direction, so that 
the board can be used for staging incurved as well as the largest of 
Japanese. The Committee highly commended the exhibit, as it would 
enable exhibitors to use their present show-travelling boxes. 
First-class certificates were awarded as under :— 
Owen Thomas .—A Japanese incurved of large build. The florets 
are of medium width, curly at the tips, and of a bright, clear canary 
yellow. One of Mr. Owen’s seedlings, who was the exhibitor. 
Good Gracious .—A Japanese, with tubulated florets of remarkable 
length. They are curly, twisted, and intermingled, forming a globular 
and apparently solid bloom. Upon close inspection, and without 
support, the flower falls open rather loosely. Its colour is blush pink, 
passing to white in the centre. An American seedling shown by 
Mr. Owen, 
At the close of the meeting Mr. Kendall called attention to a bloom 
of Henry Perkins, which some time since was certificated as an incurved 
Chrysanthemum. It was resolved that it be transferred to the section 
of Japanese incurves in the official catalogue of the N.C.S. At the close 
of the meeting the Chairman, in the name of the General Committee, 
thanked the members for their attendance during the season, and hoped 
that the meetings for 1894 would be as interesting in every way as those 
this season, which he ventured to think would be the case, considering 
the remarkable progress the flower had made during the past few 
seasons. 
New Chrysanthemum Eva Knowles. 
Mr. Knowles of Headlands, Pontefract, is the fortunate raiser 
(from American seed) of a grand new Japanese variety. It is a sturdy 
grower, and the blooms were good both from crown and terminal buds. 
In colour it is crimson carmine, in size equal to Vi viand Morel, in 
growth as good as Etoile de Lyon.—W. S. 
Rooting Chrysanthemum Cuttings. 
A WELL-KNOWN grower referring to best method of securing a good 
strike of cuttings said that it was better to place several into a 5-inch 
pot than to put them singly into small pots, as in the latter case the 
soil will become somewhat soured through frequent waterings ere the 
roots were fully formed. I called upon a gardener the other day who 
said that suggestion was no doubt good when the pots were stood 
on stages or shelves in houses where, of course, the soil would soon 
dry, and need frequent waterings. “ I, however,” said he, “ root mine in 
small pots singly, and stand them in a close frame on an ash floor, where 
from the time of putting in after once watering, and give them only 
light sprinklings with the best results.” I saw his cuttings so rooted, 
and they were looking all that could be desired.—A. 
Incurved Japanese Chrysanthemums. 
[1 wish to correct the error I made on page 497 by stating that 
Leon Frache and Mdlle. Marie Hoste were in the first prize stand at 
the Reading Chrysanthemum Show. I should have said that the 
varieties mentioned were in one of the prizewinning stands.— Beginner. 
Being one of the judges at the Reading Chrysanthemum Show, I 
have been somewhat interested in the discussion on the above question 
in the Journal. I cannot understand “ Beginner ” (page 497) accusing 
the winner of the first prize exhibiting unfairly. I am glad to notice 
Mr. Lane (page 537), the winner of the prize, offering to give the names 
of the twelve varieties he exhibited. Though by mistake he mentioned 
Gaspard Rozain for Leon Frache, I have since had his word he staged 
neither variety. I consider this class should be revised before another 
season. With so many varieties now before the public there should be no 
doubt, either to exhibitors or judges, what constitutes a Japanese 
incurved. For example, why should Boule d’Or be allowed in that class ? 
In judging at a show this season, where it was largely exhibited as a 
Japanese incurved, I could hardly bring myself to believe it would be 
found in the National catalogue classed as such.— Edwin Beckett. 
[VVe have heard many expressions of surprise that Boule d’Or 
should be classed as an incurved in the Japanese section of the N.C.S. 
catalogue.] 
New Chrysanthemums. 
I NOTICE that Mr. E. Molyneux, in his useful notice of new Chrys¬ 
anthemums (page 514), refers to my seedling. Miss Dorothea Shea, as 
having been sent out last year. This is a slight error, for as a matter 
of fact, it was not sent out until the season 1893. Of course in a first 
season a variety does not, as a rule, appear in its best condition ; it is, 
therefore, the more gratifying to me to learn that, in this, its first year, 
the variety in question furnished, in Mr. Molyneux’s opinion, “ the 
finest individual bloom ” that he saw “ this season in a rather extended 
tour.”—C. E. Shea. 
The “ Shoesmith ” Cup and Tube 
Invented by Mr. George Coppiuiof Croydon, and named in com¬ 
pliment to an excellent gardener and Chrysanthemum grower, this 
FIG. 81. 
receptacle for blooms, including Roses and cut flowers generally, is as 
neat as it appears effective. The material is white pottery-ware, light 
and smooth. Just within the cup is an indiarubber washer that grips 
the tube and holds it w'here wanted, high or low, as the case may be. 
There is also a washer in the neck of the tube that grips the stem of the 
bloom, holding it in position without the aid of pegs or wedges. From 
the cup and tube we tried there was no escape of water when held 
upside down. The washers may be expected to relax their grip in the 
course of time, but they must cost next to nothing, and can be inserted 
in a moment. The material is breakable under rough usage, the same as 
cups and saucers and flower pots, yet both have come into fashion and are 
FIG. 82. 
not likely to go out. It remains to be seen whether the “ Shoesmith ” 
cup and tube will become and remain a favourite with exhibitors of cut 
blooms. The appliance is ingenious, yet simple and worth trying. The 
example shown in figure 81 is for incurved blooms, that in fig. 82 for 
Japanese. The invention is “ protected.” 
Hairy Chrysanthemums. 
I AM afraid your correspondent “P.” (page 515) is not very 
favourably impressed with these Chrysanthemums. Many of us thought 
they would form a very valuable addition to our lists, but 1 fear the 
majority of growers, like myself, have been sorely disappointed. The 
advent of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy was hailed with delight, but very few 
exhibitors place any reliance on it. In Louis Boehmer we obtained a 
plant with a fine habit and good growth, but the less said about the 
colour the better, unless the plants are grown naturally; under such 
