854 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 20, 1892. 
comer, and papers of the two latter classes published sensational articles 
concerning the size, properties, &c., of this wonderful flower, the result 
of which was an increased attendance of curious if not well informed 
visitors. Many laboured under the impression that the plant was 
carnivorous and had to be fed through the opening in the centre of the 
flower. To my personal knowledge one lady who had heard of the 
Aristolochia’s frog-eating propensity brought a poor little frog in a small 
card-board box, whose life was to be sacrificed to satisfy her curiosity ; 
correct information was of no avail, and she was finally dismissed 
as it was past “ feeding time.” In the Journal of Horticulture for 
October 29th, 1891 (fig. 73) is' a figure of A. gigas, which gives the 
veinings and mottlings very distinctly, but the tail seems abbreviated 
The flowers are about 16 by 20 inches, with tails often almost a yard 
long ; the centre is deep maroon, while the body of the flower is deep 
purple and crimson blotches and patches interveined with creamy white 
or pale rose. In early morning when first they open the stench is some¬ 
thing abominable. The popular name for this fine stove climber is the 
* Pelican Flower,” given in consequence of the buds resembling that 
bird in shape. The plants are readily propagated by cuttings, and I 
believe that a considerable number have been distributed through the 
country. Small plants occasionally flower, as was shown at Westminster 
on Tuesday, 20th September, when a plant in flower grown in a pot was 
exhibited by Messrs. F. Ross & Co. of Merstham, Surrey, and received a 
first-class certificate. A large plant has been flowering profusely 
planted out in the old Lily house (close to the Palm house) at 
Kew.—C. K. 
THE POTATO DISEASE. 
The admirable detailed report on Messrs. Carter & Co.’s experi¬ 
ments, which appeared in your issue for September 22nd, was both 
interesting and instructive. There can be no doubt the dressing 
was effectual. Potatoes have been so seriously attacked in these 
gardens during the past three years that we were compelled 
reluctantly to discard some of the varieties, while in an open field 
some of the same sorts were good, scarcely a diseased tuber 
amongst them. I had decided to discard Beauty of Hebron 
another year. It is such a splendid Potato and such an abundant 
cropper that we do not like to part with it, and since Messrs. Carter’s 
experiments have proved so satisfactory we shall retain it and 
dress a portion, while a part shall be left undressed next year. 
Attention is wisely drawn in the report to planting the Potato 
a good distance apart between the rows. I have long since arrived 
at the conclusion that a much larger crop of tubers can be obtained 
from land in good heart when the rows are placed 3 feet apart than 
if the same ground was planted with the same kind only 2 feet 
apart. For years I have been in the babit of planting early 
varieties, such as Covent Garden, Myatt’s, and others in rows 3 feet 
asunder to allow of early Brussels Sprouts between them. The 
Potatoes have grown twice as strong as those planted 1 foot less ; 
in fact, they grow'so well and crop so heavily that the Brussels 
Sprouts have only a poor chance unless they are very early and get 
ahead of the Potatoes. 
One thing I particularly noticed in the report of the experi¬ 
ments in question, namely, that no allusion was made to the ground, 
or whether manure was applied for the crop or not. It would be 
interesting if Messrs. Carter would supply this information, and the 
weight of manure per acre, also if the land had been heavily 
manured in {previous years. The condition of the land in this 
respect might influence largely any experiments that may be tried 
in the direction in which they have been so successful. I am not 
drawing attention to this matter for the mere purpose of criticising 
the report,$but to elicit further knowledge on the subject, which 
will no doubt be freely given. I have always found that the 
heaviest crops are obtained from well-manured ground, but the 
tubers are much more seriously attacked by the dreaded murrain 
than those grown in fields in poorer soil. The heaviest crops of 
Potatoes are generally obtained in gardens, and these are frequently 
very heavily manured, in fact too heavily to produce tubers of the 
best quality free from disease. For some years I have tried to 
exhaust the ground before planting Potatoes upon it, by such crops 
of Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, and Cauliflowers. 
I have found on heavily manured land that has been devoted to 
garden crops for a number of years that a good dressing of lime 
before planting has been very effectual, and on the portions dressed 
we have had very few, and in some cases no diseased tubers.— 
WM. Bardney, Osmaston Manor. 
[We shall be obliged if Messrs. Carter & Co. will supply the 
information suggested, and doubtless some of our readers will be 
glad if Mr. Bardney will explain the quantity of lime per rod and 
acre he regards as a “ good dressing.”] 
A&a. _ 
UMS 
Japanese Chrysanthemum, Beauty of Exmouth. 
Among the many new Chrysanthemums that are being constantly 
introduced Beauty of Exmouth, represented in the illustration (fig. 48), 
is destined to take a high place. This is a beautiful variety, and 
will probably be grown extensively, with the result of being seen, 
in many stands next year. Beauty of Exmouth was raised from 
seed by Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, and is the result of a cross 
between Avalanche and Stanstead Surprise, the former being the 
seed-bearing parent. The blooms, although large, are entirely devoid 
of coarseness, and are of a pure ivory white. The florets are of 
good substance, medium width, and curl gracefully, as shown in the 
sketch. The raiser informs us the plant is a sturdy grower, averaging 
4 or 5 feet in height, and possesses an exceptionally good constitution. 
Moreover, Mr. Godfrey states that “it can be had in bloom from 
October to January.” It will therefore be seen that Beauty of Ex¬ 
mouth justly merited the first-class certificate awarded to it by the 
National Chrysanthemum Society at the Royal Aquarium list week. 
It may be interesting to growers to add that Duchess of Devonshire, 
another promising variety of a rosy purple colour, also exhibited last 
week by Mr. Godfrey, was procured from the same batch of seedlings 
as Beauty of Exmouth. 
[Just on going to press an extraordinary letter reaches us, containing 
grave allegations against one member of the Floral Committee of the 
N.C.S. in particular, and we may have something to say on the subject 
another week. The information supplied to us is of a rather startling 
nature, and demands serious consideration.] 
White Chrysanthemums. 
Our Chrysanthemum growers are finding it very difficult to keep 
pace with the new varieties introduced with such abundance, especially 
of the white section. We seem to have got in this colour varieties so 
perfect that it is very difficult indeed to excel them, and yet we suppose 
some new ones will turn up trumps, even excelling Avalanche and 
Stanstead White. Now the premier coloured variety of the Japanese 
section last year was undoubtedly Viviand Morel, and it is not a matter 
for wonder that a white sport apparently an absolute reproduction in 
pure white of that fine variety, should create the liveliest interest. I do 
not know whether anyone else has that sport besides Mr. Wells of Earls- 
wood, but he certainly has it in quantity. He told me that he had 
upwards of 1000 Viviand Morel, and of these he looked to find a very 
large number of the pure white form when they flowered. His plants 
shown at the Aquarium from spring root cuttings were but 18 inches in 
height, and carrying their very large though not fully expanded blooms. 
—A. D. 
Large Japanese Blooms. 
I could not attend the Conference held at the Royal Aquarium 
respecting incieasing the size of the flower stands to accommodate the 
huge flowers now being produced in far too abundant quantities, but 
everyone, of course, recognises the difficulty experienced in providing 
broader boards and boxes. Could not the difficulty be met by putting 
certain recognised blooms into a big-flowered section, giving them special 
classes and excluding them from other classes ? That would give the 
smaller but more refined and beautiful flowers a chance. Then to meet 
the case of the big blooms, let boxes that now hold twelve flowers be 
utilised to contain nine only, the flowers being angled, so as to give each one 
ample room ; that would necessitate classes for nine blooms or ten blooms, 
taking the place of twelve and twenty-four, but, of course, only for the 
big ones. These huge flowers are on the whole so coarse, they evidence 
such lack of quality and refinement, that it hardly seems worth while to 
do more to encourage them than is suggested. Any flower exceeding, 
say, so many inches in diameter should be classed as a big bloom.—D. 
Plants and Prospects about Sheffield. 
The Chrysanthemum season now fast approaching bids fair in this 
district to be of the same interesting and absorbing character as it has 
been in previous years. For weeks preceding the great Show in the 
Corn Exchange the flowers that are likely to figure there are inspected, 
criticised, and admired by hosts of weekly pilgrims, who iDvade the 
amateurs’ and cottagers’ greenhouses to see their productions and note 
the development of the blooms. They also make comparisons with the 
flowers they have previously seen in a similar call upon other growers. 
On such days the amateur Chrysanthemum grower keeps “ open house.” 
His flowers are there to be seen and enjoyed. He does not shut himself 
in with a pious reserve, and keep the glory of his white, golden, bronze, 
and purple blooms entirely for his own pleasure, but with a wide 
generosity good naturedly welcomes every comer. Being such an 
