362 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 27, 1887 
venient for all concerned, and what is also very much to the point, the 
Society has an excellent Secretary in Mr. Ford. It is said, however, 
that the Jubilee demands have been so great upon the purses of the in¬ 
habitants that it was feared insufficient support could be obtained, and 
rather than incur a possible heavy deficit in the year's accounts it was 
decided to discontinue it, at least in the present season. Many will 
regret that the Stoke Newington Show has been stopped, as it was—in 
name at all events—of much interest historically. The first Stoke 
Newington Show was held in 1846, long before the Chrysanthemum had 
become as popular as it is now, though the Society which has continued 
the shows in recent years is only a section of that which started them, 
the stronger portion having developed successively into the Borough of 
Hackney and the National Society. Still, for incurved blooms and 
specimen plants the Stoke Newington Show had retained much of its 
former fame. 
CHALLENGE CUPS. 
The chief shows of the year will probably be those at Southampton, 
the Crystal. Palace, Kingston, Westminster, Portsmouth, Birmingham, 
Hull, and Liverpool, at all of which substantial prizes are offered, besides 
several challenge and other cups. The contests at Kingston, Portsmouth, 
and Hull will be regarded with special interest, as at each there is a 
challenge competition as yet undecided. Mr. C. Gibson, Mr. E. Molyneux, 
and Mr. Mease were the last year’s winners, and if they are again suc¬ 
cessful will be the heroes of the season. 
CERTIFICATING NEW VARIETIES. 
It is as yet too early to say much about the novelties of the present 
season, but some that were brought into notice last year are gaining 
rapidly increasing favour already. Unfortunately, some of the French 
growers have become rather reckless and are sending out so-called new 
varieties by scores, evidently without fully testing their merits in com¬ 
parison with the numerous well-proved varieties already in cultivation. 
This will do much injury to both sellers and buyers if unchecked, and 
necessitates great care on the part of British nurserymen in announcing 
the continental novelties before they have had a season’s trial in this 
country. We have seen a collection of fifty new varieties under the best 
cultivation, a large proportion of which were much inferior to other 
varieties of a similar type already grown here. In checking such novelties, 
the Floral Committees of the Royal Horticultural and the National 
Chn santhemum Societies can do good service. The latter body has become 
much more cautious in the award of certificates that at one time were 
scattered very freely, but at Kensington, owing to the peculiar constitu¬ 
tion of the Committee, strange awards are made for exhibits of a special 
character. It was a matter of surprise to many recently to find that 
the Japanese L’Africaine had been honoured with a certificate there 
after being so many years in commerce and so little valued. In a mixed 
Committee which has to deal with plants of widely different character 
the opinion of specialists in each should have the greatest weight, but 
this does not seem to be followed, for more than one of the best Chrys^ 
anthemum Judges present at the meeting in question were opposed to, 
granting a certificate for the variety mentioned. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AROUND LONDON. 
A summary of the prospects in the north has already been given, and 
a few notes on the collections around the metropolis will indicate the’ 
probable character of the southern competitions. It must, however, be 
remembered that the plants generally seem to be later than usual, and 
much will depend upon the weather during the next fortnight. The, 
hot dry season has been favourable to the thorough ripening of the 
wood, but has necessitated close attention on the part of cultivators, 
especially in the supply of water, and neglect in this matter in such a” 
summer as the past would mean positive failure. Plants generally are 
most satisfactory, the growths well developed and matured, with abund-j 
ant good foliage, the buds large and expanding evenly. Belle Paule is. 
a^ain troubling some growers a little, but as one of the most experienced; 
remarks, “ It is so distinct and telling on a board when in good con-j 
dition that it is worth all the attention it requires.” There are few| 
complaints respecting the general stock of plants and varieties, and the! 
1 rospect is encouraging to the majority of exhibitors. 
CAMBERWELL. i 
At the Lilford Road Nursery, Camberwell, Messrs. Davis & Jones! 
have an excellent display, and as their plants, unlike most ethers, are' 
somewhat earlier than usual, there is a number of blooms out now well 
showing the characters of their respective varieties. The principal show 
house is a lofty span-roofed structure 65 feet long by 30 wide, and in that 
the plants, are arranged in a central bed, Japanese mostly on one side, 
the varieties of similar colour together, incurved on the other side, and 
miscellaneous varieties round the sides. Five other span-roof houses 
are also filled with Chrysanthemums in various stages, but about 3000 
plants are grown in large pots for specimen blooms, the others being 
for stock or to afford blooms for cutting. All the best varieties in the 
different sections are grown together with the novelties which come in 
such numbers from the continent every year, but at the present time 
the chief portion of the display consists of Japanese. Prominent i 
amongst these is Edouard Audiguier, which made its appearance last 
year, but we only saw one really good bloom of it, for which a certificate 
was awarded by the National Society. This y ar it has come in admi¬ 
rable form both from crown and terminal buds. The plants are from 
1 ite struck cuttings, are 3 to 4 feet high, and have three to six good 
blooms or buds each, every one of which is expanding freely, and in¬ 
dicating by the number of the florets the size the blooms will ultimately 
attain. The habit and constitution of this variety are exceptional, the 
growth strong, the leaves large and dark green, the stems being of a 
deep purplish tint, so that the plants are readily distinguished even 
when not in flower. The bloom represented in fig. 47 was from a crown 
bud, and measured 6 inches in diameter by 5* deep, the florets crimson 
maroon with a silvery reverse, twisted and drooping, showing the lighter 
under surface. From terminal buds the blooms are intense maroon 
tint, very rich, but with scarcely any of the crimson noticeable in the 
crown bud blooms. Large blooms would be extremely effective in an 
exhibition stand. 
The early variety, William Holmes, which was honoured with so 
many certificates last year, is well maintaining its credit as a fine 
variety, but is too early to be of much use to exhibitors, ttough some of 
the blooms would not disgrace any stand, and the colour is very rich. 
Carew Underwood is notable for its great size, some blooms being 
10.} inches across from tip to tip of the florets ; they are also filling up 
well, the colour a peculiar rosy bronze hue, yellowish in the centre. 
Phcebus deserves especial praise, and' it is certainly one of the best Mr. 
Salter has raised. The blooms are of fine shape and size, the florets 
slightly recurving, imparting a beautiful outline to the blooms, and the 
colour—a rich golden tint—is unsurpassed. This should constitute a 
telling variety in a stand. Ormonde, a new Japanese of this year, is not 
fully out yet at Camberwell, but some early blooms of it recently 
exhibited, though rather thin, were promising, as the character is so 
distinct. It opens of a reddish bronze hue gradually turning to yellow, 
the florets long, drooping and twisted. With a little more substance 
this would make a capital addition to the list, and we shall expect to 
see it much better another season. 
A small-flowered early Japanese, Roi des Precoces, is, of course, not 
an exhibition variety, but it will probably become one of the greatest 
favourites as a decorative plant for cutting, and in this respect it will 
take a place amongst the most useful. The blooms are neat with 
spreading slightly flute! florets, of a brilliant red colour, almost 
scarlet. They ara produced in great numbers during October, at a 
time when they are most valuable for harvest decorations, and arranged 
with white flowers they have an excellent effect. It has already 
attracted tha attention of growers for market. Alexandre Dufour is 
b tter known, of somewhat similar habit, but bearing larger blooms, the 
colour somewhat purplish crimson. Of such varieties as Mdlle. Lacroix, 
Lady S Iborne, Elaine, La Triomphante (very fine), Madame .0. 
Audiguier, Mandarin, and Comtesse de Beauregarde, there are numerous 
plants, and Mr. J. Laing is coming very fine this year, as it is else¬ 
where. 
It is too early to say anything about the incurved except that the 
plants are in capital condition with good buds, and Jeanne d’Arc is 
promising remarkably well. Amongst the Anemone Japanese Fabien 
de Mediana is expanding some large blooms, the charming Mdlle. Elise 
Dordan, the bronze red Alice Butcher and its parent Lyon being notable 
amongst the Pompons. But for several weeks to come there will be 
much of interest to be s en at Lilford Road, which, it may be added, is 
reached in a few minutes’ walk from Loughborough Junction on the 
Ludgate Hill and Victoria line. 
PUTNEY. 
The St. John’s Nursery at Putney will, no doubt, be visited by many 
admirers of Chrysanthemums this year, for Mr. Stevens has one of the 
best shows he has yet obtained, and under the management of Mr. C. 
Orchard several highly effective groups have been formed. Something 
like 6000 plants are grown, the principal houses devoted to them being 
two span-roofed structures respectively 52 feet long by 22 feet wide and 
54 feet long by 26 feet wide, besides a conservatory attached to the 
dwelling house, which formerly sufficed, but has been found much too 
small for the purpose in recent years. Large numbers of varieties are 
represented, the plants have been thoroughly well grown and are bear¬ 
ing substantial buds and blooms, though the majority of the latter are 
as yet far from fully expanded. Of Mdlle. Lacroix, however, there is a 
capital display, and the grand blooms recently shown both at South 
Kensington and Westminster are only examples of many more in the 
nursery. Elaine has also afforded a fine show, some hundreds of lar^e 
and pure blooms having been cut within the past week or two. 
Mr. Orchard has repeatedly given proof of his skill in the arrange¬ 
ment of groups of plants at shows and in the conservatory at Coombe 
Leigh, Kingston, and the large banks of plants at this nursery have 
afforded him an excellent opportunity for producing similar effects. 
When the blooms are more advanced these groups will constitute an 
important feature well worth a visit. A few of the new varieties are 
expanding freely and indicate their characters, some far surpassing last 
year’s expectations concerning them. Notable in this respect is Mrs. J. 
Wright, which was certificated last year at the Crystal Palace, but was 
then thought rather too small to make a first-rate exhibition variety, 
though well fitted for the front rows in stands on account of its purity. 
But this year the blooms have come of excellent size, full, deep, and 
well proportioned, though they are not all pure white, some being blush 
tinted. It is, however, quite distinct and a very handsome variety that 
will soon become a favourite. Edwin Molyneux is another Japanese 
variety, which was rather disappointing last year, but has greatly 
improved, and will probably take its place amongst the best flowers of 
the year. It is of the Comte de Germiny habit, with broad incurving 
florets, an intense crimson on the upper surface, with a bronzy gold 
reverse, and the only defect at present visible is that the florets do not 
seem likely to unfold sufficiently to permit the rich upper surface being 
readily seen. Possibly this may be avoided, and then it will be a very 
