November 3 , 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
401 
Dorothea Souille, in the way of Jean Marty, and a vote of thanks was 
awarded to him. From M. Ernest Calvat, Grenoble, came three new 
Japs.—viz., Madame Viviand Morel, a large creamy white incurved 
variety; Madame Rey, the basal florets deep pink with a light centre ; 
and L’Isere, creamy white tinted with pink. It should be said that 
M. Calvat’s method of packing, and the distance the blooms have to 
travel, militate against the flowers being put before the Committee 
under favourable conditions. A vote of thanks was accorded. From 
C. E. Shea, Esq., The Elms, Foot’s Cray, came two Japanese varieties— 
viz., Gaetano Guelphi, a full ivory-white flower with a yellow centre, and 
Sylphide, yellow, bright in colour, and reflexed in the way of Sun¬ 
flower. 
A number of new varieties was sent by Mr. H. J. Jsnes, Ryecroft 
Nursery, Lewisham. A first-class certificate was awarded to a plant of 
a dwarf growing decorative Jap named Ryecroft Glory, raised from seed 
sown in December, 1891, of a bright golden yellow colour, and singularly 
free ; also to Jap Colonel W. B. Smith, a fine and striking flower of the 
Edwin Molyneux type, orange with golden reverse ; very fine and 
distinct. Mr. Jones likewise had a white sport from Louis Boehmer, 
named Child of the Two Worlds, and Comte F. Lurani, the petals lined 
with white and pink like a Comet Aster, very pretty and distinct; both 
of which the Committee wished to see again. Several other new 
varieties were also staged by Mr. Jones. From Mr. W. Wells, Earlswood 
Nurseries, came a number of seedling single varieties, but to a consider¬ 
able extent semi-double ; several of them were bright in colour. Japanese 
John Dyer the Committee wished to see again. Mr. Wells also had a 
white sport from Viviand Morel, named Mrs. W. R. Wells, and it was 
said that it is characteristic of this variety to come white from an early 
bud. In proof of this Mr. Norman Davis sent two plants, each with 
three blooms ; and in both cases one was rose coloured and the other two 
white. The Committee thought that under the circumstances it was 
inexpedient to recognise Mrs. W. R. Wells as a fixed white sport. A 
vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Wells for his collection. 
Mr. C. Gibson, The Gardens, Morden Park, Mitcham, sent two new 
Japs—viz., La Belle d’Algers, a large reflexed variety, ivory flushed 
with pink; and Dey of Algiers, a large semi-double flower of the 
character of E. Molyneux. Messrs. Pitcher & Manda received a first- 
class certificate of merit for Japanese W. A. Manda as a hairy or spiny 
variety ; large, and deep golden yellow in colour. This variety appears 
in the annual report of the Society as having been certificated last year ; 
but w T as inserted in error. The same exhibitors also had Jap George 
Savage, white with primrose centre, which the Committee wished to see 
again ; and some other varieties which will doubtless be seen later in 
better condition. 
The following addition to Rule 3 was on the motion of the Secretary, 
seconded by Mr. George Stevens, unanimously adopted :—“ And no 
persons but those officially retained are allowed to be present at the 
sittings of the Committee.” 
Birmingham Chrysanthemum Show and the Division of the 
Cut Bloom Classes. 
Mr. Molyneux, in his remarks anent the Birmingham Show in 
the Journal for October 20th, says that it is very difficult to assign a 
reason for the division of the class for forty-eight cut blooms. He 
will, therefore, perhaps pardon me if I draw his attention to the 
Journal for March 10th last, where on page 185, he will find very 
tangible reasons given for the change—viz., to simplify the judging by 
placing Japanese against Japanese, and incurved against incurved, and 
to give increased opportunities to those exhibitors who cannot manage 
to stage a forty-eight stand, but who can manage a twenty-four, and 
this, too, without excluding those who can manage both. The Bir¬ 
mingham Committee certainly do not want to discourage the large 
growers, and surely these latter will not be afraid of the competition of 
the smaller ones. 
I have no doubt that Mr. Molyneux can remember occasions when 
j udging forty-eight-bloom classes—nay, and even when exhibiting himself 
—that if the first and second prize lot had been taken and divided into 
two classes, one of twenty-four Japanese and one of twenty-four incurved, 
and each section rejudged on their respective merits, he would sometimes 
have found that the first prizewinner in the forty-eight would not have 
been the first prizewinner in both classes when divided in this way. It 
is not when one exhibitor’s Japanese and incurved are superior to his 
opponent’s that the difficulty in judging occurs, but when one is 
superior in Japs and the other superior in incurved, and yet so closely 
matched on the whole that it is difficult to see which is first. Then in 
that case much depends upon the relative merits of the two sections in 
the estimation of the judges. One may think there is nothing in the 
world like incurves, while the other may think there is nothing so 
graceful and beautiful as the Japanese, "but when the competition is 
respectively confined to each section, then it is immaterial which is the 
greatest favourite with the judges. 
After twenty years’ experience in the management of Chrysanthemum 
shows I am thoroughly convinced that the more distinctly the various 
sections are classified, and the less they are mixed up, the greater will 
be the competition, the more simple the judging, the greater satisfaction 
prevail amongst the exhibitors when the judging is completed, and the 
more likely will the successful exhibitors be able to see the points by 
which they have won and the unsuccessful ones why they have lost, the 
latter especially being very important if harmony is to prevail. For any 
show to be a success committees should, in framing their schedules, first 
offer the largest possible prizes their means will allow ; secondly, open 
the widest field possible for competition; thirdly, so classify the exhibits 
that the judging shall be as simple as possible ; and, lastly, make the 
conditions so clear and distinct that it shall be impossible not to under¬ 
stand them. This done, with good management, success is sure to follow. 
We in Birmingham, although successful, do not pretend to be infallible, 
but content ourselves that time will prove all things.—J. Hughes. 
The Show Board Controversy. 
I have read with much interest the remarks of “ A. D.” (page 379, 
Journal of Horticulture) touching his interview with Mr. George 
Woodgate with reference to the above question. It must not be inferred 
from the fact that I prepared a paper (by request) for the recent 
Conference of the National Chrysanthemum Society, advocating the 
enlargement of the show board for Japanese Chrysanthemums, that I 
am indifferent to the considerations urged by “ A. D.” and the Secretary 
of the Kingston Chrysanthemum Society. On the contrary, so strongly 
do I feel that the undue preference often given at our shows to mere 
size directly tends to banish from the exhibitor’s collection many of the 
most refined and beautiful varieties, merely on account of their relative 
smallness, that I have no hesitation in saying that if the alternatives 
must be either to part with these varieties in order to make room for a 
sufficient army of the “ big ones” or to discontinue showing altogether, 
the latter alternative ought to be accepted. In theory we know that a 
perfect bloom of Criterion is supposed to receive as much consideration 
as an equally fine flower of Viviand Morel, but who, may I ask, would 
have the hardihood to put this theory into practice on a stand of twelve 
blooms? But while claiming justice and equality for the smaller 
varieties, we must not accord other treatment to their larger rivals. I 
suppose that it will be generally conceded that it is idle, if indeed it 
were desirable, to seek to exclude the modern race of giants from the 
exhibition tables—as well might we try to induce water to run up hill. 
And if their exhibition be admitted, the stands upon which they are to 
be presented to the judge must be large enough to permit of a really 
effective judgment. If it be conceded (and the late Conference con¬ 
sidered the point to be established) that the show boards originally 
designed for the incurved section are inadequate for the requirements of 
the present day race of Japanese blooms, then minor considerations 
must be subordinated, and an essential of effective judging must not be 
refused because the so-called “ concession ” may be thought to have the 
indirect effect of “ putting a premium on size and breadth at the expense 
of depth, refinement, and beauty.” 
Passing by the question whether “ depth ” will not, in fact, be 
better estimated upon a board whereon the blooms stand free, I must 
reply that the salvation of the smaller varieties must rest upon some 
other and better basis than the refusal of a needed reform to a large and 
constantly increasing class of exhibition blooms. That every effort 
should be made to retain such gems as Criterion, Florence' Percy, 
the Lacroix family, and Martha Harding, I am strongly of opinion, 
and whether the proposals of Mr. Woodgate would serve to ensure 
this result is a question well worthy of consideration. Certainly 
a practical step in the right direction has been taken in the decision of 
the N.C.S. to require “distinct” varieties in the class for forty-eight 
Japanese. This must serve to bring back many varieties which have 
almost disappeared from the exhibition tables, but necessarily the effect 
of this regulation will be limited to those who contemplate competition 
in this particular class, and something further is certainly required, but 
while this “something” is being sought for I think that it would be 
impolitic and unwise to seek to make the matter in any way dependent 
upon the question raised in this discussion. The cause of the smaller 
varieties can well afford to stand on its own intrinsic merits. 
Of course it is not necessarily incumbent on the Kingston Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society to adopt the results of the N.C. Society’s Conference, 
but it is obviously desirable that uniformity of practice upon the 
subject should, if it be possible, prevail throughout the country. That 
the Committee of the National Chrysanthemum Society will adopt the 
practically unanimous decisions of the Conference which itself had 
called, I may infer as a safe conclusion, otherwise one would scarcely 
realise the meaning and utility of the gathering of the Conference 
at all. 
The suggestion that a stand of the proposed new regulation size, 
filled with appropriate blooms, should be exhibited at the leading Chrys¬ 
anthemum shows next month is a good one, and I hope to see it generally 
adopted.— Charles E. Shea, The Elms, Foot's Cray, Kent. 
Chrysanthemum Shows and Garden Charities. 
You gave last week a list of no less than eighty-seven Chrysanthe¬ 
mum shows, most of them of two days duration, which will be held 
during the present month. Very probably there are some forty or fifty 
more smaller ones that do not get so much notice. But supposing 
the shows reach a hundred, here is a field which it does seem 
ought to be worked in the interest of our garden charities. Why, if 
each show could be made to produce only £2 that would give £200 to be 
divided between the Gardeners’ Benevolent and the Gardeners’ Orphan 
Funds. That seems to be, however, a very low average, and did the 
hundred of exhibitors only return to the Fund’s boxes, or through the 
local secretaries, 3 per cent, of their winnings in the respective competi¬ 
tions, the sum named would be doubled. When I was in Mr. H. J. 
Jones’ fine show house of Chrysanthemums last week at Lewisham he 
showed me collecting boxes for the Orphan Fund fastened on to the 
respective doors, and told me that in the case of mere visitors, and not 
customers, he drew their attention to the boxes in the hope that they 
would make some little contribution. What he does many others 
could do ; in fact, in hundreds of private places Chrysanthemum collec- 
