November 24, 1892. ] 
■JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
461 
and damping will need to be performed cautiously, but the hot pipes can 
be steamed and the atmosphere kept in a moist condition under the most 
unfavourable circumstances. In foggy weather an even temperature 
should be maintained and excessive heat avoided as likely to do more 
harm than good, and if the plants are kept as close to the glass as they 
can be placed with safety the chances are all the more in their favour.— 
Enfieldian. 
NEW VIOLAS. 
Now the Viola has become an established favourite for decorative 
work, a few words as to the new varieties now being introduced may be 
welcome to many. Before alluding further to them, however, I may 
just throw out a hint as to what delightful pot plants they are early in 
the spring for greenhouse decoration. It is only necessary to put a few 
plants into 5 or 6-inch pots according to the strength of each plant, 
keep them in a cold frame during the winter ; or pot them in February 
•or March and grow them in a cold frame until they begin to show their 
buds, then remove to the greenhouse. The Viola is essentially a welcome 
spring flower, for it is so early in blooming, so varied in colours, 
excellent for cutting for glasses, and so many varieties are deliciously 
fragrant. 
The immense popularity of the Viola is strong evidence of its value 
as an outdoor decorative plant, and new varieties are plentiful, so many 
n °7 J^ evo ^ n l? themselves to the raising of seedlings. Messrs. Dobbie 
and Co. have persistently for a few years brought the Viola into notice, 
and some good sorts have emanated from Rothesay, and this autumn 
they sent out five new varieties of considerable promise. One is named 
Peter Barr, after a well known honoured horticulturist, and has received 
three certificates. Lemon Queen, Edina, Rob Roy, and White Duchess 
also are introduced by Messrs. Dobbie. Other new varieties are expected 
from the Kyles of Bute, as I understand that some of the Belfast 
seedlings are to be sent out from there. 
I sent you notes not long since of Dr. Stuart’s and Mr. George 
Steel s new varieties of miniature Violas and others, also of some very fine 
seedlings from Belfast, and I have recently received from Mr. Stuart of 
Belfast blooms of Mary Stuart, which closely resembles Bridesmaid, but 
is a little lighter in colour, and a first-class variety. Another named Mave 
Roe (in the Irish language “ White Maid ”) is a French white, slightly 
flushed with lavender, and of fine form. Other promising seedlings 
also accompanied them. 
We certainly are on the right track for many lovely acquisitions in 
spring; but some are procurable now.—W. Dean, Sparhhill , 
Birmingham. 
ICHR 
Tums~I 
The National Chrysanthemum Society. 
The remarks which have been circulating lately in reference to our 
head Chrysanthemum Society lead me to suggest that it behoves the 
executive to be on the alert to avoid that loss of public confidence 
which is the breath of life to any society, and which once lost 
can hardly by any exertions be restored. In matters horticultural 
it is a decided advantage to have a central authority whose deci¬ 
sions are as unimpeachable as is possible with poor humanity, 
and which at any rate shall be absolutely above the suspicion of being 
influenced by favouritism or self interest; this being so I hope every 
lover of the Chrysanthemum will abstain from any course likely to 
bring discredit upon the Society, and endeavour to strengthen the hands 
of the management in every way possible. With this object I may 
suggest that the position of the Society would be immensely improved 
in the eyes of the country at large if steps were taken to widen the 
basis of the Committee by an infusion of fresh country blood, and 
do away with such sarcasms as “ London clique,” &c., which are at 
present much too frequent. Country members could not of course 
attend meetings with the regularity possible to those living near town 
but travelling becomes more easy and general every year, and genuine 
enthusiasts, who are to be found in every large town in the country 
would, if elected, be seen at the table often enough to be a help and 
strength to the Society, and be the means of keeping it in touch with 
the principal provincial centres. 
.. , e su ^’ ecfc reforms I would, in common with many 
others, like to know if every possible effort has been made to secure a 
better place of meeting than the dismal one in which the Shows are 
now held. I would especially draw attention to the injustice 
that may be clone to novelties by adjudicating upon them in a place 
where the light is so bad that the best eyesight cannot tell a white 
Chrysanthemum from a yellow one, thus practically restricting judgment 
to two of the three qualities which go to make a perfect bloom—viz., size 
and form—leaving colour, which is of equal importance, almost entirely 
Z ° question. I hope these matters may be taken up in a practical 
®P^it to the lasting benefit of the Society. — Chas, E. Pearson, 
Kingston and Surbiton. 
The Committee of the Kingston and Surbiton Chrysanthemum 
Society have decided that their next Exhibition will be held on 
November 7th and 8th, 1893, and Judges are chosen to officiate on the 
occasion. 
Derby Chrysanthemum Show, 
We are informed that the prizewinners of £10 to £8 and £6 in the 
class for forty-eight blooms were won by Messrs. W. & G. Drover, Fare- 
ham ; Mr. Evans, gardener to Sir Henry Wilmot; and Mr. Goodacre, 
Elvaston, respectively, in very close and excellent competition. The 
Show was held on the 11th and 12th inst. 
A New Chrysanthemum Society in Belgium. 
A Society has just been founded in Brussels under the title of the 
Societe. des Chrysanth^mopMles. The work undertaken by it, the 
promotion of knowledge concerning the culture, propagation, hybridisa¬ 
tion, diseases, and insect foes of Chrysanthemums. The President is 
M. F. de Lombaerde; the Secretary M. Frangois Peeters. 
Reading Chrysanthemum Show. 
We are requested to state that Mr. Garner, The Gardens, Amberwood, 
Christchurch, was awarded the second prize in the class for forty-eight 
cut blooms at Reading Chrysanthemum Show, and not third, as given in 
our report last week. Mr. Garner has also succeeded in finally winning 
the silver challenge cup at the Lymington Chrysanthemum Show, and 
several medals at other Exhibitions. 
Chrysanthemums at Barkby Hall, Leicestershire. 
Mr. Brooks, the proprietor of this seat, has one of, if not the best, 
collections of Chrysanthemums in the country ; and the Leicester and 
Midland Chrysanthemum Society, which was fortunate enough to 
secure Mr. Lansdeli, the head gardener, as judge, and by the same 
act unfortunately lose an extensive and strong exhibitor. This week I 
had the pleasure of looking over the “ mums ” under his Gare, and was 
deeply impressed by the very healthy look of the plants, also by the 
excellence of the blooms. The incurved varieties are the best I have seen 
in the county this season. Amongst others were Queen of England, 
Lord Alcester, Golden Empress, Alfred Salter, Mrs. Coleman, Princess 
of Wales, Miss Haggis, and Lord Wolseley. Haifa dozen blooms of any 
of these could be cut quite up to exhibition mark. The Japanese have 
grand representatives in Mrs. E. W. Clarke, Yiviand Morel, Sunflower, 
Comte de Germiny, Avalanche, Edwin Molyneux, W. W. Coles, 
Macame Baco, George Daniels, Puritan, Gloire de Rocher, Val d’Andorre, 
and W. H. Lincoln, some of which could give a dozen specimen blooms ; 
while of Etoile de Lyon fully twenty blooms could be cut as fine as any 
I have seen on a show board this season. Stanstead White is remarkably 
good, so are Mrs. Irving Clark, Sarah Owen, Madame J. Laing, and 
Madame Marie Hoste. 
Mr. Lansdeli has several rather pleasing sports, two of which are 
likely to prove acquisitions ; the first being a bronze sport of Boule d’Or, 
and the second a pure yellow one of Maiden’s Blush.—W. Bell. 
The Twickenham Show. 
In the interest of gardeners in this district may I call attention to 
the following circumstances ? I went by train on the evening 15th inst., 
arriving at the Town Hall about 7 P.M. The charge at the door was Is., 
which I paid. After inspecting the plants in the large room I went 
to the rooms above to see the cut blooms, fruit, vegetables, and other 
exhibits, when, to my surprise, also to the surprise of other visitors, 
the police ordered us out of the hall and locked the doors of these two 
rooms. On arriving at the bottom of the staircase there sat the 
Honorary Secretary, who informed us that we might have re-admission 
to the large room, where a concert was about to commence, by paying 
an additional 2s. 6d. Myself and others had come to see the exhibition, 
but were prevented doing so, and had to leave the hall by 7.30. 
To advertise the show without publishing the conditions on which it can 
be seen appears to me very extraordinary. I paid to see the exhibition 
and was abruptly turned out before seeing it. Enclosed please find a 
schedule with the balance sheet for 1891. I see that the Horticultural 
Society are charged with a concert to the amount of £17 7s,, and that 
the takings at the door amounted to £18, tickets sold £1. I think 
gardeners should be made aware of these facts. I also enclose a copy 
of an advertisement cut from the Surrey Comet.— G. S. 
[The advertisement announces the show and also mentions evening 
promenade concerts, but neither states the time for opening and closing 
the rooms, nor the price of admission to either the show or the concert. 
It is signed by the Honorary Secretary of the Horticultural Society. The 
accounts were audited by Messrs. G. J. Duncan and W. Bates, members 
of the Committee, and are no doubt correct. We presume the prices for 
admission were published on handbills or in some other way. There is 
certainly no mention of them in the advertisement before us.] 
Chrysanthemums at the Birmingham Gardeners’ Association. 
An “ Exhibition night ” of the Society took place on the 14th inst., 
when new Chrysanthemum blooms and a discussion were invited. Mr. 
Robert Owen, Maidenhead, sent a few new sorts, but evidently grown 
on small plants. A daylight inspection next morning enabled the fol¬ 
lowing notes to be taken :—The Bride, incurved, pure white, a beautiful 
flower of first-class quality; a certificate was awarded to it. Seedling 
