October 12. 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
839 
each, are offered for twenty-four incurved blooms, and twenty-four 
Japanese, in separate classes, a money prize of £10 to the winner 
in each case. Are not these the best prizes of the year for twenty-four 
blooms 1 
The two end silver cups on pedestals, value £2, are given by Messrs. 
E. P. Dixon & Son for twelve blooms incurved, and twelve blooms 
Japanese, respectively, in addition to the money prize. The class is 
confined to growers twenty miles round Hull. The two silver cups on 
the table, value £2 each, are given by the Society for twelve incurved 
blooms, and twelve Japanese blooms in the amateurs’ class. 
The challenge plate, in a case, value £5 Ss., is for the dessert table 
decorations, ladies’ class. 
I t The encouragement thus afforded by the Hull Society and its 
generous friend ought to insure a high class and spirited competition. 
The illustration is reproduced from a photograph by Messrs. Kirk & Co., 
Limited, Hull, Leeds, and Liverpool. The exhibition will be held on 
November 15th and 16th. 
National Chrysanthemum Society. 
On Monday evening last, the 9th inst., a meeting of the General 
Committee of this Society was held at Anderton’s Hotel, when Mr. R. 
ultimately be placed before the schedule sub-committee. The principal 
speakers were Mr. Beavan, Mr. Rowbottom, Mr. Gibson, Mr. Geo. 
Srevens, Mr. G. Gordon, Mr. Crane, Mr. Harman Payne, Mr. Witty, 
Mr. Wynne, and one or two representatives of affiliated Societies. Mr. 
Pearson replied and received a vote of thanks for his paper, which it is 
intended shall be ultimately printed in the schedule for the coming 
year, together with the remarks of those who took part in the discussion. 
SOFT VERSUS HARD COLD WATER FOR PLANTS. 
I HAVE been deeply interested in the correspondence which has been 
carried on for several weeks in the Journal under the above title. But 
what is meant by the words, “hard water?” I have read every word 
which has appeared in the Journal, but fail to find a definition of the 
word “ hard.” If I may be allowed to give my opinion on what I take 
to be the meaning generally understood by gardeners of “ hard water,” 
I should say it is nothing more or less than water which contains a large 
per-centage of lime. 
Your correspondent “ J. B. R.” (pages 239 and 286) has made 
mention, to serve as illustrations, of the market growers, but I cannot 
Fig. 50.—hull AND EAST RIDING CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY’S CUPS. 
Ballantine took the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting having 
been confirmed, and various letters read resulting from new nomina¬ 
tions and elec'ions, the Secretary reported that prize money to the 
amount of £17 178. 6d. was awarded at the recent September Show, of 
which £3 was contributed by Messrs. Sutton as special prizes for 
vegetables. There were also three medals awarded to exhibitors on that 
occasion. A rough financial statement was submitted, showing the 
receipt of £201 Is. lOd., a much'larger sum than was received last year 
up to the same date. The Secretary also announced that since the 
month of February last ninety new members had been elected and eight 
societies affiliated. A further addition was then made to the list by the 
nomination and election of eighteen new members and Fellows. The 
reserve fund now amounts to nearly £40. and it was hoped the fund 
would be largely increased by the close of the year. 
The chief interest of the meeting was the reading by Mr. C. E. 
Pearson of Chilwell of a paper entitled “ How to Improve our Chrys¬ 
anthemum Shows,” which was listened to with very great interest 
and attention. Mr. Pearson dealt with the whole subject, from the 
staging of the cut blooms in long monotonous lines upon the show 
board, and instanced the improved American method of setting 
up the blooms in vases with long stems, to the formal method of 
arranging the groups, and the questionable utility of the rigidly trained 
specimens. 
An interesting discussion thereupon ensued, in which a large number 
of members took part. Many of the remarks were favoura le to 
Mr. Pearson’s suggestions, and the subjects upon which he touched will I 
see how this has strengthened his argument, unless he can also prove 
that the water these growers use contains a large per-centage of lime ; 
because, in my opinion, it is the lime that does the mischief, or at least 
the greater part of it, and not the low temperature. “ J. B. R.” must 
bear in mind that the lime, where it is contained in water to the extent 
of 4 or 5 per cent., as is the case in the neighbourhood from where I 
write, has a very injurious effect on plants when used in a cold raw 
state. Why ? Because it, so to speak, burns the small hair-like roots 
or spongioles, hence the action of chill on them. Your correspondent 
has asked why it is that the market growers who have to depend on 
water drawn directly from the companies’ mains succeed in growing 
such fine plants if cold hard water is “ slow poison.” I think that 
most of the water which is used in London and neighbourhood is drawn 
from the Thames and New River. This being so, if “ J. B. R.” will 
analyse it, he will probably find that it contains very little lime indeed ; 
moreover, it cannot be said that it is cold to the extent of chilling the 
roots of plants after being exposed to the sun and air so long, even if it 
is confined, and undergoes the various processes to which it is subjected. 
At any rate, 1 venture to say that the difference in temperature between 
the London water, which has to be pumped up from a depth of over 
200 feet, and that of the town from whence I write, is very considerable. 
Herein, then, I think, lies the whole question at issue between your 
several correspondents. 
Would it not be useful as well as interesting if each of those gentle¬ 
men who have taken part in this question of hard and soft water would 
send to the Journal office a statement as to the depth from which the 
