406 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 2, 1893. 
Lincoln are magnificent, as also are those of Florence Davis and Mons. 
W. Holmes. Amongst the many varieties which promise to be of 
exceptional merit are J. Stanborough Dibben, the superb Lord Brooke, 
Mdlle. Marie Hoste, and Robt. Owen, a very fine incurved Japanese of 
a deep bronzy yellow shade. With these the list must be closed, but it 
should be borne in mind that only a few out of the many excellent 
varieties have been mentioned, and those persons who will come to 
London to see the various Chrysanthemum shows cannot do better 
than devote an hour amongst the Chelsea plants ; it will, as everyone 
who goes will afterwards say, be an hour well spent, and well worth 
any little inconvenience or trouble it may cause. 
Messrs. Cannell & Sons. 
The great Swanley growers have a very fine display this year, their 
large house, which is 150 feet long and 25 wide, presenting a very 
beautiful appearance. The plants form a broad central and two 
narrower side banks, and the principal one is broken up by handsome 
Musas and other foliage plants which throw the colours into bold relief. 
The Chrysanthemums are admirably grown, good culture setting its 
mark on them, as well as on everything else at the Home for Flowers, 
and all the most noteworthy of the newer varieties are represented, 
together with a large number of seedlings. 
The increasingly popular incurved Japanese section is materially 
strengthened by Duke of York, a large deep flower showing a pink 
reverse. The white Japanese, Beauty of Exmouth, is chaste and 
pleasing, and only lacks depth to make a grand sort. Wm. Seward is 
one of the features of the collection, this grand Japanese being in 
splendid condition. The difference between flowers on the crown and 
terminal buds is very marked, those on the latter being deeper in colour 
and with more slender florets than the others. Without question it is a 
great acquisition. A very large Japanese named M. Fernard Bertin, 
tinted with rosy lilac, is highly promising. The beautiful bronzy 
Japanese, Colonel Smith, is too well known now to need description. 
Messrs. Cannell have grafted it on Chrysanthemum Halleri maximum, 
as suggested by the accomplished Belgian horticulturist, Mr. Everaerts, 
in the Journal last spring. Good bushes have been secured by grafting 
in March, and it is noteworthy that the flowers on the grafted plants do 
not damp like many of the others, owing perhaps to the smaller amount 
of water required by the stock. There are several excellent decorative 
varieties, such as Miss Watson, a yellow Japanese; the old, but still 
useful Elsie, Eynsford White, Gold Mine, and Golden Ball. 
International, a rosy lilac Jap fading to creamy white, is noteworthy 
for its great size ; Madame Edouard Eey, a soft pink with very broad 
florets, incurving on the second bud, is a very promising Jap ; and so is 
Eda Brass, soft blush, very large and full. A good incurved does not 
turn up so frequently as a good Jap, but there is one in Globe d’Or, a 
bronzy yellow with very broad petals, and another in the bronze Baron 
Hirsch. A white of this section named Madame Chataing, raised by 
Calvat, is very promising. A new white Japanese seedling named Amy 
Chantler, which has extremely long florets, may fill up into a good 
flower. Commandant Blasset has done so already, being full, well 
formed, and fine, colour rosy crimson ; Lord Brooke, the incurved Jap 
which aroused so much attention last year, is coming well, and with 
very deep colour, showing deep reddish bronze ; Primrose League, a 
light yellow Jap, is extremely good ; and so is G. W. Childs, its colour 
being very rich. Such old favourites as W. Tricker and Vi viand Morel, 
for such they now are, hardly need mention, for their qualities are 
familiar. The yellow Viviand, Chas. Davis, is represented, and is vary¬ 
ing curiously in colour, some flowers being clear yellow, others fawn, 
and others again suffused with lilac. But what promises to be a still 
greater acquisition is Mdlle. Th^r^se Rey, a Japanese with florets as 
broad and substantial as those of Marie Hoste ; it is white, save for a 
yellow shading in the centre. Another grand novelty is J. Shrimpton, a 
Japanese with wonderfully rich crimson flowers, and a thoroughly good 
grower ; Striped Odorata, a sport from La Triomphante, lilac striped, is 
pleasing ; and last may be mentioned a Jap named Vice-President 
Calvat, a bronzy very deep flower, and carrying splendid foliage. 
It is noteworthy that"the collection is much dwarfer this year, a 
result brought about no doubt by the effects of the weather, combined 
with the multiplication of dwarfer sorts than those which used to rule. 
It is a very gratifying fact. A visit to Swanley is well repaid just now, 
for in addition to this grand display of Chrysanthemums, the Zonal 
Pelargoniums and winter Begonias are in splendid bloom. 
Messes. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill. 
Chrysanthemums are well represented at the nurseries of Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons this year, and the firm justly maintains the good reputa¬ 
tion they have long had in this respect. Whilst many of the better 
varieties are staged in a large span-roofed structure at the Stanstead 
Road Nurseries, it must not be supposed that these constitute the whole 
of the stock. At the Vineyards, Catford, there are several long houses 
filled with Chrysanthemums in excellent condition. All the best varie¬ 
ties are grown, and these now make a grand display. The plants are 
noticeable for their robust appearance, and the flowers are obviously of 
no ordinary character. Whilst keeping abreast of the times, the 
principal point in view here is to grow only the best of the numerous 
varieties that are now in existence, and to do these well. That this 
object has been attained no one who pays a visit to Messrs. Laing’s 
nurseries can doubt. 
When a call was made last week many of the Japanese varieties 
were expanding some splendid blooms, and by the present time they will 
be in prime condition. The pretty salmon pink reflexed Japanese 
variety Eda Brass is exceptionally good, and so is Charles Davis, the new 
sport from Viviand Morel. Some splendid examples of Col. W. B. 
Smith are grown, and the white Louis Boehmer, known also as Enfant 
des Deux Mondes, is a worthy representative of the hirsute family. 
Golden Wedding is seen in fine order here. This is a splendid Japanese 
variety with large blooms of a rich golden yellow. Miss Dorothy Shea 
(J) is a flower of good form and colour, and Miss Muriel Scott may be 
described as a really good light yellow, similar in build to Etoile de 
Lyon. Primrose League is very fine with its large creamy white grace¬ 
ful flowers, and Princess May, a Japanese variety of merit, is well grown. 
William Seward is in excellent condition with its magnificent richly 
coloured blooms, and the exquisite form of Vicomtesse Hambledon is 
noticeable. The last named is an incurved Japanese of a large size and 
silvery pink colour. Rose Laing still retains a prominent position on 
account of its usefulness, and F. W. Flight is deserving of notice. The 
last named is a reflexed Japanese variety, crimson florets and a golden 
reverse, Eugene Farez is another of the same type with crimson red 
flowers, and Duke of York is an incurved Jap of a deep pink shade. 
This is a dwarf grower but possesses a strong constitution. The popular 
Stanstead White still retains a first position, and amongst others such as 
W. H. Lincoln, W. H. Atkinson, Middleton Clarke, and Miss Maggie 
Newton are conspicuous. 
Although less extensively grown, perhaps, than the Japanese the best 
of the incurved varieties command attention, and fine blooms of these 
will be now developing. Mons. R. Bahuant we noted as being particu¬ 
larly fine, and the same applies to Baron Hirsch, considered by some to 
be the finest incurved in cultivation. Mrs. J. Mitchell, a sport from 
Empress Eug6nie, is a splendid variety of a golden amber tint. Mrs. 
Robinson King is likewise good, the same applying to other standard 
varieties. 
Mr. H. j. Jones, Ryecroft Nursery, Lewisham. 
Although but three or four years have elapsed since Mr. H. J. Jones 
established himself at Ryecroft Nursery, Hithergreen, Lewisham, he has 
by characteristic perseverance built up a business that, so far as Chrys¬ 
anthemums are concerned, is practically unsurpassed. This enviable 
position in the Chrysanthemum world is due solely to the exceptional 
capacities displayed by Mr. Jones, his extensive knowledge of the 
“ Autumn Queen,” and the unceasing manner in which he has striven. 
From early morning till late at night this enthusiastic grower, aided by 
his estimable partner in life and assistants, may be seen busily engaged 
amongst his plants, and thus a Journal representative found him last 
week. The result of this continuous labour, as before hinted, is a 
magnificent collection of the best varieties, including the latest novelties 
and numerous new seedlings of merit not yet in commerce. 
The plants make an imposing display, even at this early period, and 
by the middle of November the spectacle will be well nigh beyond 
description. It is not an easy matter, however, for anyone to form an 
adequate idea as to the magnitude of the Ryecroft collection without 
paying a visit, but a few facts will show that it is of no ordinary 
dimensions. Nearly 10,000 Chrysanthemums for providing large blooms 
are grown, and in addition to these there are 18,000 plants in 6-inch 
pots. Then we find 2000 plants of the early flowering varieties, of 
which a speciality is made. These, however, were not sufficient, and 
ever on the alert for making further progress, Mr. Jones last week 
purchased by private contract the whole of Messrs. Pitcher and 
Manda’s European stock of Chrysanthemums, comprising some 3000 
plants, including many choice American seedlings. These have been 
removed from Swanley to Ryecroft Nursery at a cost of £40, 
and the two collections make a display of a unique character. The prin¬ 
cipal show house is 104 feet long by 24 feet wide, a splendid span-roof 
structure, lofty, and well ventilated. In this no less than 4000 well 
grown plants are most admirably arranged. Instead of the customary 
straight path and formal crowded masses of blooms, the plants are 
placed so that a winding walk is made through the centre of the 
structure, the Chrysanthemums on each side forming a charming undu¬ 
lating surface of varied colouration. Apart from the house mentioned 
there is another huge structure of similar dimensions filled to the 
utmost with well grown plants of choice varieties. Thousands of home- 
raised and foreign seedlings are on trial in pits and frames, and it is 
obvious that from these some magnificent varieties will be forthcoming. 
Regarded individually the blooms on the plants in the exhibition 
houses are remarkable for their size and colour, comprising all the 
latest novelties. The Japanese forms are especially good, and the 
incurved varieties are showing wonderfully well. Space will not 
permit us to enumerate other than some of the new varieties, but whilst 
these are so much in evidence it may be taken for granted that the 
standard choice kinds are similarly well grown. Amongst the novelties 
of this year The Tribune takes a prominent place. Mr. Jones has 
already secured two certificates for this charming Japanese variety, and 
from a bloom grown by him the illustration (fig. 59) on page 403 has 
been prepared. The flower is very large, of good build, with broad and 
long florets of a soft primrose colour. For exhibition purposes this is 
likely to prove a useful variety, the plant being also dwarf in growth. 
Pearl Beauty is a beautiful incurved Jap, with long pearly white florets, 
and Primrose League is destined to take a foremost position. The last 
named is very large and of graceful appearance. Charles Blick, which 
was raised at Lewisham, is grand golden yellow Japanese, and another 
of Mr. Jones’ seedling, W. H. Atkinson, is in splendid condition. G. W. 
Childs is the best scarlet crimson of the year, and a decided improve- 
