October 27, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
379 
conferences, can be obtained from the Secretary, Mr. R. Dean, Ranelagh 
Road, Ealing. 
The Great Flower-stand Controversy. 
I CALLED upon Mr. George Woodgate, the estimable Secretary to the 
Kingston Chrysanthemum Society, the other day, to learn his views on 
the subject now exciting the attention of Chrysanthemum growers so 
largely, that is, the proposed increase in the size of the show stands for 
Japanese flowers. The Kingston Society is one of not the least im¬ 
portant around London, and the views of its chief executive officer, 
who is also a grower and an exhibitor, merit attention. Mr. Woodgate 
was present at the meeting reported in your columns last week, but 
could not remain to learn the final decision. He generally agreed with 
the purport of Mr. Shea’s paper, thought it presented an admirable 
summary of what was to be said in favour of the change, and also 
thought that a change being determined upon it would be folly to have 
other than one of a complete and satisfactory kind. All the same Mr. 
Woodgate is no special admirer of big blooms, and rather fears that the 
concession now proposed to be made to big flowers by so materially 
enlarging the show boards will rather tend to the wider culture of big, 
and as a rule, coarse bloom varieties rather than those refined and 
beautiful varieties which, if wanting size, yet have elements of quality 
which it should be the desire of all to retain. If, said Mr. Woodgate, 
judges would lay more stress on depth or solidity in Japanese flowers 
and less on mere size, it would do much to check the present tendency 
towards favouring the large flowers. Then again, if the boxes are 
enlarged how will the front row blooms look at 7 inches apart unless 
they, too, are of the big section? Practically, the proposed enlargement 
will be putting a premium on size or breadth at the expense of depth, 
refinement, and beauty. Again, the incurved section we cannot enlarge 
if we would. There is little probability that of these we shall ever see 
finer flowers than the Queen and Empress types give now, and these 
will therefore look more dwarfed than ever when the Japanese boxes 
are 3 inches wider, and the blooms increase from 5 to 6 inches to 6 to 7 
inches in diameter. 
So far as Kingston is concerned, this year at least, there will be no 
change; indeed, the matter of alteration, whatsoever may be done in 
London, must be left to the exhibitor members of the Society to deter¬ 
mine. Any unanimous alteration in the size of the boards so far as the 
Kingston Society is concerned can only be made by the members in 
general meeting, and when made they must be embodied in the schedule 
next year. With respect to the champion cup class, which has always 
attracted such good competition at Kingston, Mr. Woodgate thinks that 
it would not be a congruous one to have should it be determined to 
enlarge the Japanese boards. The class then with twenty-four incurved 
and twenty-four Japs as it is at present would wear such an irregular 
aspect that all its present charms would be destroyed. With respect to 
the taking out of the Jap section all such specially big forms as W. H. 
Lincoln, Stanstead White, Etoile de Lyon, and some others, and 
making a class for them, Mr. Woodgate sees no insuperable objection, 
so that for all ordinary blooms the old boards would still answer fully. 
He would like to see some check also put upon the methods of setting 
out the blooms by the aid of wires, as these tend to broaden the base of 
the blooms, to cure any artificial appearance of breadth, where if the 
lower petals were allowed to droop as they naturally do, greater depth 
would be reached and the beauty of the blooms much enhanced. 
As to the encroachments made by the new boards on table space, 
Mr. Woodgate regards it in a more reflective aspect than some others have 
done. At Kingston they rarely, as it is, have one inch too much, and 
cannot spare room for more tabling ; that is out of the question. It was 
said at the Aquarium meeting that the additional table room required 
with the enlarged boxes would not exceed 3 inches per yard, but that is 
below the mark. It would really be nearer to 5 inches, and on a table 
20 yards long that would mean abstracting 100 inches, or nearly 3 yards, 
a matter of supreme importance. It would seem evident, therefore, to 
meet such a difficulty that some small classes would have to be cut out 
of the schedule that this ardent favour shown for big blooms might 
have full play. It was mentioned at the meeting referred to that in 
connection with the Rose, for instance—and the Dahlia might have been 
referred to also—uniformity of staging was invariably found. So also is 
uniformity in judging, yet here we have judges invited to depart from 
that unanimity found in judging the flowers named where quality and 
body have ever found the chief places in favour of size, specially in the 
Japanese Chrysanthemum. I suggested to Mr. Woodgate that he should 
get a board made of the new size, place some good blooms in it, and 
exhibit it at the ensuing Kingston Show. That he will probably do, 
and thus exhibitors and others will have a good object lesson before 
them. It would be well if that proposal were generally adopted at 
Chrysanthemum shows next month.—A. D. 
Piercy’s Seedling. 
This is a most useful early variety, flowers of fair size, colour a good 
bronze, compact in growth, and very free, and having a good constitu¬ 
tion it is certainly worth a place in gardens where early autumn flowers 
are required in quantity. We have now plenty of bushes of this kind 
6 feet in circumference and one mass of flower, and have been for some 
weeks past, from cuttings inserted last autumn in a cold frame, 
planted out in early spring in various parts of the garden, stopped once 
or twice, and then allowed to grow at will. Thus their culture entails 
but little trouble, and this, added to the other good points of this variety, 
makes it a valuable acquisition. A great many of the early ones are 
not definite enough in colour, and this is the only one I could select 
from about a dozen bought in some two years ago, that was of any 
particular merit. Others we grow are Madame Desgranges, G. Wermig, 
Precocity, and Canary, the last-named much like the preceding, but 
paler in colour, the blooms somewhat smaller but neater. These grow and 
flower so freely that one might almost say they are perpetual bloomers, 
and last a long time in perfection when cut that in places where a 
large demand exists these are some of the things to grow where you can 
“ cut and come again.” With this communication I send you a few 
sprays of the above.—J. J. C. 
[The bunches sent show the floriferousness of Piercy’s Seedling, and 
its bronzy gold colour renders it effective for garden and room 
decoration.] 
Chrysanthemum Madame Louise Leroy. 
In the hurry after novelties some of the older varieties are apt to be 
forgotten. The variety under notice cannot be termed old by any 
means, it being introduced four or five years since ; but after the first 
flourish of trumpets it dropped into the background. I consider it one 
of the finest white Chrysanthemums in cultivation, either as a large 
flower or as a bush grown freely without disbudding. It is really a 
splendid flower, also a capital keeper, the pearly-white petals stand¬ 
ing out, but not too formally, and being of this form it is proof against 
damp. I have flowers now fully developed in the conservatory, and 
expect them to last in good condition for quite three weeks. It kept 
good last year for almost a month. This season I have several plants, 
a group in the conservatory being very effective. The flowers com¬ 
menced to unfold the last day of September, and now (October 21st) 
they are almost fully developed, and I expect them to last for another 
three weeks. What other variety is there so lasting ?—A. Young. 
Chrysanthemums in Norfolk. 
Up to the present time I have had only one opportunity afforded me 
of inspecting a really first-class collection in this county, although there 
are numerous good cultivators in Norfolk. I do not, however, expect to 
find better flowers than those I saw on Thursday last at Sennowe Hall, 
the residence of B. Le Neve Foster, Esq. Mr. W. G. Gilbert, the 
gardener, is well known to Chrysanthemum men as a prominent and 
successful exhibitor, and judging by the present appearance of his plants 
and flowers he will be even still better known at the close of the present 
season’s campaign. A large light airy Peach house is filled with splendid 
Japanese, and what strikes one most on entering is the uniform dwarf 
habit of the plants, coupled with stout stems and large robust foliage. 
The average height of the plants will, I believe, scarcely exceed 4 feet. 
Most of the best new varieties are represented. Especially good is 
W. Tricker, broad florets, deep flowers, highly finished. Gloire de 
Rocher is also grand on many plants, better than I have before seen it. 
The same may be said of Kioto, Louis Boehmer, Pelican, Stanstead 
White, Viviand Morel, Avalanche, Eynsford White, and Etoile de Lyon, 
these opening splendid flowers. 
I was not a little surprised to see that Mr. Wells, of Earlswood 
Nurseries, Redhill, is not the sole possessor of the white sport from 
Yiviand Morel. Mr. Gilbert has a plant carrying two flowers, one 
of which is a large white bloom slightly tinged pink, but promising to 
be pure white when fully expanded ; the other is of the normal type and 
colour. Thus the truth of the assertion that when a sport from a well- 
known variety is announced we expect to hear of its having appeared 
simultaneously in one or more other places is again about to be demon¬ 
strated. Mr. Gilbert’s flower will, I believe, be seen at the Aquarium 
Show. 
He has also two very fine seedling Japanese. One is a large deep 
creamy-white flower, having the build of Belle Paule, with, like it, long 
curly florets, falling downwards: the florets broad and stout, in every 
way a fine exhibition flower, is named Mrs. Le Neve Foster. The other 
is an incurved Jap., somewhat resembling Mons. Freeman in form; 
colour deep old gold, with a silvery turnover. Another house contains 
a batch of incurved varieties, not yet far advanced, but opening very 
fine buds. Mrs. Robinson King is in good condition, opening fine 
flowers.— W. K. Woodcock. 
Finsbury Park. 
For years past the Chrysanthemums at Finsbury Park have been so 
good that an excellent display is now annually looked for by those 
interested in the matter. This season is no exception to the rule. The 
plants possess a remarkably dwarf sturdy habit and dark green foliage, 
which, as everyone knows, are indications of good blooms. Owing to 
securing the buds early this season Mr. Melville, the Superintendent, 
assisted by his lieutenant, Mr. Batchelor, has managed to be the first in 
the field so far as the metropolitan parks are concerned. The plants 
are arranged in a large span-roofed house near the Manor House entrance 
to the Park, and have been on view since October 1st. Many of the 
early flowering varieties are p<st their best, but there are numerous 
Japanese sorts just now in the zenith of their beauty, whilst the in¬ 
curves will be fully a week or ten days before the blooms are properly 
expanded. 
About two dozen of the newer varieties are grown, but in order to 
ensure a good display many of the old standard sorts are given a pro¬ 
minent place, and we think wisely. Elaine has been exceedingly fine, 
though now past its best, there being many sturdy plants carrying 
splendid flowers. Avalanche, too, is superb, and the same may be said 
of Edwin Molyneux. Toe popular Mdlle. Lacroix has contributed 
largely to the display, as likewise has the old Peter the Great, still one 
