562 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 21, 1893. 
culture the colour is far more attractive, and its floriferousness is 
remarkable, I regard it as one of the best Chrysanthemums we have 
for decorative purposes. Miss Annie Manda is said to be an improve¬ 
ment on Mrs. Alpheus Hardy. I ask where is the improvement ? In 
W. A. Manda we certainly do get a good decided colour, but its hirsute 
character is not too strongly developed. It is an excellent decorative 
variety. H. Ballantine has nothing to recommend it, so far as I am 
capable of judging. Like your correspondent, I have grown White 
Plume during the past season, and am so favourably impressed with it 
I shall grow a larger number next season. It possesses the true Louis 
Boehmer habit and floriferousness, while the colour is pure white. I 
certainly think it will make a good decorative variety, Sautel 1893 is 
a variety of pleasing colour.—J. B. R. 
Chrysanthemums in Baskets. 
At the late Windsor Show substantial prizes were offered by the 
Dowager Duchess of Sutherland for twelve blooms, any kind, arranged 
in a basket or vase, to be cut with a stem not less than 1 foot in length, 
retaining the foliage with the blooms. Seven competed, and a very 
effective display this class produced. Where the colour of the blooms, 
mostly Japanese, was chosen with a view of harmonising them with 
hardy foliage, such as Cryptomeria japonica, various forms of Spiraea, 
Mahonia, Bramble leaves, and such-like, the effect was pleasing. This 
appeared to me as being an excellent way of utilising these large 
blooms for decoration, and worthy of imitation. 
Chrysanthemum Mars. 
Anyone requiring a really good decorative variety should lose no 
time in adding this to their list. As exhibition blooms go nowadays, 
this Japanese is too small for the “ boards.” The best blooms are of 
medium size, very full in the centre, the florets are broad and flat. The 
colour is its great charm, being rich orange yellow, heavily suffused and 
spotted with chestnut bronze. The habit of growth is most desirable, 
being dwarf and carrying good foliage. 
- Chrysanthemum Mrs. A. Hardy. 
This variety seems to be a free seeding one, judging from the number 
of new sorts obtained from it in this way. Mr. Godfrey sends me a 
bloom cut from a seedling plant which exhibits a marked improvement 
upon its parent in the massiveness of its florets, which are of greater 
length, and possessing much more substance. The hirsute appendage, 
perhaps, is not quite so striking as it is in well-developed blooms of Mrs. 
A. Hardy, but the extra thick petals CDupled with the purity of its 
colour is an equivalent to the loss of its hair-like addition.—E. M, 
Damp-resisting Japanese Chrysanthemums. 
Mr. E, Molyneux (pages 514 and 537) gives us such a good account 
of new varieties that I should be glad if he, or some of your correspon¬ 
dents with knowledge of the new varieties, would give a selection of 
varieties up to show size that are the best damp resisters. Many gar¬ 
deners are expected to maintain a display in the eonservatory, and 
whether a bloom will keep three days or three weeks is a matter of 
consequence to the grower. The following varieties are the best keepers 
in my collection :—Mons. Freeman (best of all). Beauty of Castle wood, 
Mrs. Wheeler, E. Molyneux, Japonaise, J. Shrimpton, Lord Brooke, 
Princess Victoria, W. W. Coles, Mrs. C. Harman-Payne, Waban, and 
J. S. Dibbens.—F. Geeson. 
Habits op Chrysanthemums—A Suggestion. 
It is now too late for the following suggestion to be carried out this 
season, but in good time for the consideration of nurserymen and others 
who may see fit to adopt it next autumn. It is this, namely, that if the 
character and habits of the different varieties of Chrysanthemums—the 
newer sorts, especially—were given, and less said about the splendid 
colours, which rarely appear in the blooms when they are open, it would 
be a step much valued by intending purchasers of plants and cuttings. 
When a grower advertises a certain variety for sale and states its price, 
it is presumed that the vendor or introducer has tried the plant first, and, 
consequently, has a fairly full knowledge of the peculiarities of it as 
regards growth. When customers at present buy a new sort they have 
to devote the first season to the work of finding out the proper way to 
grow it; but if a few hints only were given in the first place, a 
practical grower would be able to treat the variety with some assurance 
of success. I have seen many catalogues of Chrysanthemums, and take 
the following from one of them as being the nearest to what I mean. 
“ Mrs. C. Harman Payne (Jap. Inc.).—Rosy blush, of immense size 
and substance ; one of the best of the present season’s introductions. 
First-class certificate. Very vigorous grower, 10-inch pot, at least five 
shoots should be left on each plant, pot firm, use manure water sparingly. 
Crown bud.” 
“ President Borel (Ref. Jap.).—Brightest possible rose, pale golden 
centre. One of the handsomest and most welcome of the season, grand, 
vigorous grower, 8-inch pot, liberal supplies of manure water. Crown 
and terminal bud.” 
A grower cannot, with every variety, find out its proper treatment 
during one season, but the time is sufficient to prove whether the sort is 
very late, medium, or very early, and also whether it gives the best 
flower from the crown or terminal bud. I will not take up your space 
further than to say that if nurserymen gave some such description as 
the above with all new sorts which they offer as worthy of cultivation, 
they would earn the gratitude of hundreds of Chrysanthemum growers. 
—G. Garner. 
French Chrysanthemums. 
Ever since I can remember the French raisers of new Chrysanthemums 
have been seriously taken to task for the large number of worthless 
varieties they have sent out, not perhaps without good reason at times ; 
but, on the other hand, nobody can deny that many of our leading show 
varieties are of French origin, and still continue to occupy a most 
important position in the winning stands of the leading exhibitors at 
our shows. Many of us expected a few years ago that the new seed¬ 
lings from America would in a short time eclipse the French ones, and 
that the latter would be practically excluded from our shows in future 
by the high quality of those from the States ; but I cannot helf) thinking 
we are as yet a long way off such a consummation. It would perhaps 
take a very patient man to tabulate the lists of English, French, and 
American seedlings, so as to show precisely their relative value at say a 
dozen of our leading shows, and even if this were done I feel sure that 
the French seedlings would occupy anything but an unimportant 
position in such a compilation. In looking over the reports of a few of 
the early shows, it is most remarkable to find how many Japanese Chrys¬ 
anthemums of French origin have been staged, and how frequently some 
of them, like Viviand Morel, Mdlle. Marie Hoste, and Etoile de Lyon, 
appear in all the shows. 
I have had the curiosity to put down roughly the names of the French 
flowers reported to have been staged in two or three of the large classes 
at Liverpool, the Crystal Palace, the National, Kingston, and Brighton 
Shows only, with the result that twenty-three varieties are still con¬ 
sidered worthy of finding a place on the show boards of those who may 
be considered leading exhibitors. As there are some people who fancy 
our French friends have almost reached the length of their tether, these 
names may be of interest to them, especially as the flowers are of 
modern date in several cases, and do not include sports which have 
been obtained from varieties received from the French. They are as 
follows:—Etoile de Lyon, Viviand Morel, Mrs. C. Harman Payne, 
Mdlle. Marie Hoste, Boule d’Or, M. Bernard, Bouquet des Dames, 
President Borel, Madame E. A. Carriere, Condor, Alberic Lunden, 
Pelican, Van der Heede, Madame J. Laing, Beautd Toulousaine, Mdlle. 
Th^rese Rey, V.P. Calvat, G. Daniels, V.P. Darquier, Marquis de Paris, 
Val d’Andorre, Madame Baco, and Louise Leroy. 
These may be all regarded as established varieties, and in the hands 
of the general public ; but there are others in the hands of the trade 
which will be distributed next year, and consequently swell the list. 
Many of these novelties are distinctly promising, and although the 
French raisers, who have hitherto kept us well supplied, do not shine 
this year, there are one or two new ones who may take their place, and 
thus maintain the credit of their country for new Chrysanthemums. 
Of these I consider Mr. Ernest Calvat is destined to take the leading 
position as a raiser of new .Japanese Chrysanthemums, for although he 
has only been engaged in the work for a period of three years there are 
more of his seedlings now in the English trade than most of us are 
aware of. Those which have been exhibited at the meetings of the 
Floral Committee or which have been seen in good form at the 
importers, are worth naming. It is unnecessary to attempt descriptions 
for the present purpose, as they can easily be had from the trade cata¬ 
logues. They are Madame Calvat, Mdlle. Marie Recoura, Dr. Gache, 
Exposition de Grenoble, L’Ami Etienne, Le Drac, L’Isfere, Louise, 
Madame Ed. Rey, Madame Ch. Molin, Commandant Blusset, Madame 
Ad. Chatin, Madame Ch. Capitant, M. Aug. Perrin, Mdlle. M. Ricoud, 
Madame Zurich, of which there are sure to be some that will be seen 
in good form next season.—C. H. P. 
DESSERT TABLE COMPETITIONS. 
I AM pleased to find that in answer to my inquiry (page 519) as to 
the proper interpretation of the words of the schedule of prizes of the 
Hull Chrysanthemum Show, as it relates to the dessert table class, the 
answers of your numerous correspondents are so overwhelmingly in 
favour of the judges who made the award. Mr. W. Iggulden (page 532) 
describes my letter as a “ queer nut to crack,” but does he not also 
extract the kernel when, after supporting the judges, he says, “If I 
intended to compete for the prizes at Hull, I should certainly feel 
justified in using four good dishes of fruit, both because the wording 
admits of this being done, and more especially because I am certain that 
would gain me a few points with the judges ? ” 
“ A Yorkshire Bite” (page 532), however, attributes to me two quite 
opposite opinions, a ludicrous mistake which an ordinary careful 
reading of my letter would have saved him from. If I thought the first 
prize was “ rightly awarded ” I should scarcely be so foolish as to believe 
that “ if a protest had been entered it would have been disqualified,”^ I 
expressed no opinion, but stated the case from opposite points of view 
for the purpose of having openly settled a point which had been raised 
by numerous visitors to the show. The instructive and interesting 
replies of your able correspondents will, I think, dispel any mis¬ 
understanding that has arisen, and I hope help to secure a good 
competition next year.— Edw. Harland. 
Whether the adjudicators at the Hull Show were right or wrong 
in their interpretation of the conditions which guided them in the 
awarding of the prizes in the dessert-table decoration competition is 
not a matter which I wish to enter into. I have pondered over the 
views given as to what is the difference between a “ dessert table’’ and a 
“dinner table.” Evidently “A. D.” (page 531) thinks there is a difference. 
If he bad much experience as a decorator in large establishments he would 
