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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 33, 189$. 
An Amkrican Notion. 
Messrs. Pitcher & Manda in offering Chrysanthemum seed (in 
their English catalogue, Hextable, Swanley) saved in their nurseries, 
New Jersey, U.S.A., also offer a first prize of £20 for the three best 
varieties raised by purchasers of seed for the three best varieties to be 
exhibited at the N.C.S. Show at the Westminster Aquarium in November 
with £10 and £5 for the second and third best varieties respectively, 
the prize winning plants to become the property of the donors of the 
prizes. 
Dwarf Plants. 
It is pleasing to see the great advance made in raising varieties that 
produce large blooms on dwarf plants. Last year we had Viviand Morel 
not more than 4 feet high, and carrying fine blooms. For the informa¬ 
tion of those who wish to add dwarf-growing varieties to their collection 
I append a few names as they occur to my memory :—Mrs. Falconer 
Jameson, orange bronze ; Mohawk, chestnut red and tipped gold while 
young ; Mons. Bernard, purple ; Mrs. E. D. Adams, creamy white and 
tinged pink ; Mrs. F. A. Spaulding, ochre yellow shaded bronze (I can¬ 
not see any difference between this and J. Stanborough Dibbens) ; 
Comte F. Lurani, white ground, heavily veined and mottled rose ; 
W. H. Lincoln, deep yellow, a decided improvement upon grandiflora ; 
and Marquis de Paris, white. The above are comparatively new varieties 
belonging to the Japanese section. 
Two years since Mr. Molyneux exhibited blooms of several varieties 
of the “ Queen ” family at the Kingston Show, and these were quite as 
fine as any in the competition classes. He also showed parts of the 
main stems which had produced the blooms, which were of less size than 
the small finger of a man’s hand ; the plants were not more than 4 feet 
in height. I noticed too that the wood from which the blooms were cut was 
very hard. It seems to me that there is much yet to learn how to secure 
high-class blooms of naturally tall-growing varieties from plants under 
4 feet high, and still obtain them from “ crown ” buds. 
September Varieties Out of Doors. 
What a pity these are not grown more extensively for flowering in 
the borders during the autumn. Apart from their usefulness in a cut 
state they brighten up the herbaceous borders at a time when the 
regular occupants are waning. Madame Desgrange is as good as any, 
the white blooms being always admired. Mrs. Hawkins, deep yellow ; 
Gustave Wermig, pale yellow; and Mrs, Burrell, sulphur yellow, are 
also well suited for the purpose. The new Lady Fitzwygram ought to 
prove useful where a whole bed of Chrysanthemums is required. The 
habit of growth, low and spreading, should render it more desirable 
for beds than borders. Its pure white freely produced blossoms are of 
good form. 
Single-flowered Varieties, 
At last this section is receiving increased attention. Not only are 
the single varieties much more showy when arranged in clusters than 
the ordinary incurved section, but they make a welcome break in the 
long rows of the stiff formal blooms at exhibitions. The colours are 
extremely diversified, and varieties like Oceana and Jane are always 
admired. It is surprising to what a huge size some varieties will grow 
when the plants are cultivated with the express object of producing 
the largest blooms. I have seen the variety Admiral Sir S. Symons 
grown in this way, giving single blooms measuring 8 inches in diameter. 
Such results, however, are not desirable. 
The tiue way of showing off this section is by setting up in bunches 
long spikes with all their blooms developed, disbudding being rigorously 
dispensed with. Another advantage which these single flowered sorts 
possess over any other is the easy way they can be cultivated really well 
in exceptionally small pots, thus rendering them so much more useful 
for the decoration of the dwelling house.— Sadoc. 
Profitable Chrysanthemums. 
I HAVE been much interested by the remarks of your correspondents 
on this subject. The varieties described by “ Enfieldian ” (page 117) are 
I know most suitable, and find favour with the majority of the growers, 
I fully concur with his judgment anent the superiority of Madame 
Louise Leroy over the well-known Elaine ; but I would here point out 
that “ circumstances alter cases.” Surely “ Enfieldian ” knows why 
Elaine secured the highest returns last season. At least I should have 
thought that every grower in the Lea Valley would have an idea as to 
the true facts of the case. It will be well within the memory of your 
readers that we had a severe frost on September 18th, which caused dire 
havoc amongst the early plants. If I say 100,000 plants were crippled 
in the Lea Valley alone I should be well within the mark, and at the 
same time it will serve to show this portion of the supplies were cut off. 
As a natural consequence prices ruled high, and it was no uncommon 
thing to pay Os. and 123. per dozen bunches for Madame Desgrange— 
bunches that could be obtained the year previously for Ss. per dozen. 
Elaine followed the Desgrange family while the prices were still high, 
and of course realised a good figure. The moment Madame Louise Leroy, 
Mdlle. Lacroix, Florence Percy, and Fair Maid of Guernsey came on the 
scene, however, down came the prices, so they could be obtained at 4s. 
and 5s. per dozen bunches. So the prices obtained last year for Elaine 
must be considered exceptional. 
Fashion has much to do with regulating the prices of different 
colours. For instance, last season yellow was almost as much in demand 
as white, and prices were high accordingly, I am not surprised to hear 
that Mons. Bernard failed to establish a position on the market, 
for few would wear such a colour. This season, however, sees a change, 
and the very colours which were at a discount will now be appreciated. 
Such is the fashion that rules the market colours and prices. I should 
like to ask if any of your readers grow Mrs. Carey (yellow) ? Nearly all 
market growers cultivate the white form, but as far as I can ascertain 
the yellow form comes from the Channel Islands only. All through 
January there was an enormous supply from Guernsey. A friend of 
mine has now established a pink form of Mrs. Carey which I believe will 
prove useful. I am trying a few plants this season, so I shall be able 
to report thereon. 
Louis Boehmer will become a marketable variety, for, when grown 
on market principles, its character is considerably altered. The blooms 
are reflexed instead of incurved, the colour seen in large blooms is 
changed for a much more delicate shade, and its hairy character less 
prominent. The variety is so vigorous, and has the facility of develop¬ 
ing every bud, after the style of La Triomphante, that it cannot fail to 
become a prime favourite, Mr. Divers some time ago called attention 
to its adaptability for growing in small pots. I can also strongly 
recommend it for this purpose. I rooted about two hundred cuttings 
in boxes last June and grew them in 6-inch pots. They were pinched 
once, so that good bushy plants were formed, I am so satisfied with the 
result obtained that the variety will be grown on a larger scale in 
future. 
I quite agree with “ Enfieldian ” in his remarks anent the Val 
d’Andorre type for cut flower purposes. As pot plants they are simply 
invaluable, but all such varieties that have very little stem above the 
foliage are practically useless for market purposes, and they are much too 
stiff.— Jas. B. Biding, Chingford. 
National Chrysanthemum Society—Annual Meeting. 
The annual meeting of the members of this Society was held on 
Monday evening last at Anderton’s Hotel, Mr. E. Ballantine presiding. 
The whole of the officers were present, and there was an exceptionally 
large attendance of members, which would probably have been much 
greater but for the rain which fell heavily for an hour before the time 
appointed for the meeting. 
The minutes of the annual meeting held on March 15th last year 
were read, and the Chairman observed that there was only one item that 
called for explanation upon them. Mr. Leopold de Kothschild on that 
occasion had been chosen the President of the Society, but being unable 
to accept it the Committee had applied to Sir Edwin Saunders, and he 
was sure they could not have chosen a better man. Sir Edwin had 
attended several of the Society’s meetings and evinced much interest in 
the proceedings of the Society, and he felt sure the meeting would 
approve of the selection. 
The Secretary then submitted the annual report and financial state¬ 
ment for the past year, by which it appears that it has been one of the 
most prosperous the Society has had. Numbers have steadily increased ; 
a large accession of affiliated societies has taken place, there being now 
620 members and 100 societies at home and abroad in affiliation, show¬ 
ing an increase of fourteen during the year. The November show was 
highly satisfactory, the competition for the Holmes’ memorial cups 
being very keen. Mr. Earland’s frozen blooms from New Zealand had 
drawn considerable public attention to the Society, and in order to 
return the compliment it had been decided to send out some English 
prize-winning flowers to the colony for exhibition there. In the ensuing 
year there are to be three shows held by the N.C.S.—viz., one in 
October, November, and December, the ordinary September show being 
taken over by the Koyal Aquarium Company. Reference is also made 
to the Conference on show boards, and the reason that led the Committee 
to make no alteration for the present. The Society’s receipts for the 
year amount to £944 14s. 3d,, of which £209 15s. 7d. was members’ 
subscriptions, £163 139, donations and special prizes, £291 16s. amount 
contributed by the Aquarium authorities, and £49 78, affiliated societies’ 
fees. The expenditure has been heavy, and in spite of previous antici¬ 
pations has swallowed up the entire revenue excepting a few shillings. 
The chief items on this side are prize money at the September, October, 
and November Shows, with some arrears of 1891, £429 16s. 
The Secretary explained the reason why the expenditure had been 
somewhat heavy, and pointed out that the members’ subscriptions were 
a small amount when compared with the outgoings. He hoped every 
member would see the importance of introducing new members, as the 
loss by resignation and removal amounted to about seventy or eighty 
members per annum. 
The Chairman moved that the report and financial statement be 
received and adopted. The work of the Society had met with the 
approval of the gardening press, and with respect to the correspondence 
in one of the gardening papers he was able to say that an accession of 
members was distinctly traceable to that cause. 
Mr. E. C. Jukes thought the report was really more favourable than 
it appeared to be. Upwards of £40 was due by affiliated societies, and 
