364 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 87, 1887. 
MORDEN PARK. 
The residence of J. Wormald, Esq., where Mr. C. Gibson has gained 
such fame as a Chrysanthemum grower and exhibitor, is within half an 
hour’s walk of either Morden or Lower Merton stations on the 
Wimbledon lines from Croydon, London Bridge, or Ludgate Hill; and 
this year Mr. Gibson has equalled the best of his former efforts to 
produce good plants and blooms. About 500 plants are grown, 400 of 
these being incurved and Japanese, the others chiefly reflexed, Pompons 
and Anemones. Three lean-to vineries, 140 feet long, are devoted to the 
plants, and as some of the Vines still retain a portion of their foliage 
shading has not been necessary up to the present, though preparations 
have been made to afford it should the weather become unusually bright. 
During the summer the plants were placed in a portion of the gardens 
well exposed to the sun, but adequately sheltered from winds, and 
received every attention in watering. They are now fine vigorous 
specimens without a suspicion of grossness, the wood and foliage 
well developed, the latter clothing the stem to the base in the majority 
of cases. The blooms too, where open, are of excellent substance, while 
the numberless expanding buds are coming freely without any tendency 
to deformity or irregularity. Much of his success Mr. Gibson attributes 
to a good start and careful treatment in the early stages. He has fully 
detailed his system in the “ Chrj santhemum Annual,” and remarks 
respecting the early stage as follows :— 
“ In growing the Chrysanthemum for exhibition a great point is 
gained by a good start. Take great care to select the best cuttings 
possible—vigorous and healthy, rejecting the slender and weakly ones ; 
also to be careful to have them true to name. A little extra time spent 
in taking cuttings is more than repaid afterwards ; a strong cutting 
grows into a strong plant, but with a weakly plant the season is spent 
before it has gained full vigour with sufficient reserve strength to 
develope blooms satisfactorily. The time most preferred by myself for 
inserting cuttings is the end of November and the beginning of Decem¬ 
ber. We place them singly in small 00-size pots, arranging them in a 
cold pit. The pit should be in a position open to the sun, and at an 
angle to obtain the greatest amount of light. Mine is used for Cucum¬ 
bers or Melons during the summer, and a layer of ashes a few inches 
deep is placed on the soil, so that the cuttings are about 12 inches from 
the glass at the back and 6 inches in front. The advantages of a cold 
frame are the cuttings do not droop, so, of course, have no check ; and 
the cold frame is more in character with the hardy nature of the plant. 
If I had a frame but no brick pit, I would pack 12 inches of long litter 
or bracken round it, so that a covering of mats, according to the state of 
the weather, would be a sufficient protection.” 
It would be unnecessary to enumerate the varieties that are well 
represented at Morden Park, for that would mean naming the great 
majority of those grown. Incurved varieties have received much atten¬ 
tion, and the plants are very satisfactory. Earlier in the season, when 
the plants were out of doors, a long row was formed of the “ Queen 
family,” and very seldom could such fine even specimens be seen. The 
promises they then gave are being fulfilled, and we shall expect to see 
some admirably finished blooms in Mr. Gibson’s stands this season. 
Bronze Queen is opening a good colour, and if it attains sufficient size 
■will make a welcome addition to exhibition varieties. At Morden Park 
it looks better than we have hitherto seen it, but is not fully developed. 
Capital blooms of Prince Alfred are advancing, also of Jeanne d’Arc, 
Lord Wolseley, Princess Beatrice, Barbara, Novelty, Mr. G. Glenny and 
Mrs. G. Bundle. There are some exquisite blooms of the two last-named, 
very fine for those varieties, remarkable for their purity and substance. 
Refulgence is also unusually good, especially from the crown bud, as in 
several instances blooms from terminal buds are thinner, though a few 
later blooms are necessary. Mrs. Norman Davis is fully maintaining the 
good opinion formed of it last season, but grown upon the large bloom 
system it is coming earlier. 
Greater numbers of Japanese are open, and these are equally satis¬ 
factory. They vary in height from 6 to 9 feet high, the tallest being 
Thunberg, Madame C. Audiguier in excellent condition, and Belle Paule. 
Of the latter the blooms from terminal buds look the most promising, 
the crown buds not proving quite so “ kind ” this season. Some that 
remained hard for a long time and seemed very reluctant to open are 
now advancing rapidly, and when in this stage a few days make an 
astonishing difference in the blooms. Very notable amongst new and 
recent varieties is Album fimbriatum (Laing), which has pure white 
florets fimbriated at the points, but developes into a bloom of the Elaine 
build. Snowstorm is a beautiful variety, pure whit >, large, and, as Mr. 
Gibson has it, possesses much to recommend it as an exhibition bloom. 
Moonlight, yellowish white, is also expanding of great size. Such names 
as these might be increased, for they certainly possess more interest and 
more meaning than nine-tenths of the French titles, and the ordinary 
English names are not much better. Ralph Broelclebank is advancing 
steadily, half-opened blooms being of good size and a rich golden yellow 
colour. By the way, someone recently described this as a sport from 
Princess Teck ; it is, however, scarcely necessary to remind readers that 
it is a golden sport from Meg Mernlies, a Japanese sport from an in¬ 
curved variety would certainly be a novelty. Phoebus is excellent also, 
and in contrast with Peter the Great and Agr&nents de la Nature, which 
are near the plant, its superiority is instantly apparent. The colour is 
richer than the first, and in form the bloom surpasses both. Triomphe 
de la rue des Chaleos, Comte de Germiny, Pelican, M. Delaux, Iliver 
Fleuri, M. Ardene, Maiden’s Blush, Dormillion, are all represented by 
large blooms, and there are some fine Japanese Anemones developing 
freely, especially Soeur Dorothee de Souille, and Fabien de Mediana. Such 
reflexed as Chevalier Domage, King of the Crimsons, and Cullingfordi 
will soon be in prime condition.— L. Castle. 
THE HULL CHALLENGE CUP. 
Considerable interest in the past has been attracted to those 
societies which have ventured out of the beaten path and offered large 
trophies for Chrysanthemums to be the property of those who succeed 
in winning them two years in succession. Whatever may be urged in 
their favour or whatever popularity they bring to a society, cups offered 
on these principles are not now regarded with much favour amongst 
growers of the plants and blooms. 
The first of these cups was offered at Kingston-on-Thames, and finally 
resulted in the southern and northern growers trying their relative 
strength. The interest in this struggle was of the keenest description. 
It will be remembered that Mr. Harding ultimately succeeded in securing 
the cup, and I think north and south alike endorsed the verdict without 
calling into question the fair and unbiassed decision of the judges. At 
the same time, from what I can gather from southerners and northerners, 
it is conceded that Mr. Tunnington staged the greatest number of good 
flowers if the number of points had been counted throughout the 
contest, hence by this test the cup would have fallen to him. It is, how¬ 
ever, no part of my duty to act the part of judge in this matter, but 
one fact has been brought prominently to the front—namely, that more 
credit is due to Mr, Tunnington than to any other man for stimulating 
the high culture of this autumn flower, especially the incurved, while 
he can justifiably claim the same honour in regard to Japanese in the 
neighbourhood of Liverpool. 
During the last two years Hull has been unmistakeably the centre of 
attraction, especially in the northern parts of the country, for the con¬ 
test for the challenge cup has been waged between two noted Liverpool 
growers. I am aware the competition was not confined to these gardeners, 
but the struggle for the coveted prize naturally seemed to lie be¬ 
tween the two, for both up to the present have been successful. This 
year might have decided the conflict if Mr. Mease had been successful; 
if Mr. Lindsay had secured the custodianship of the cup another con¬ 
test at least would have been inevitable. If all went well no doubt 
both exhibitors would have come out in their finest form, and the 
struggle would unquestionably be close! But circumstances have 
occurred that have altered this state of things. Nobody now, at least 
in one great Chrysanthemum centre, seems particularly interested in 
the coming contest, for it has become known that Mr. Mease is not to 
take part in the competition for the coveted vase. It is contended, so I 
understand, that to allow him to do so would be illegal, as his 
employers, Mr. and Mrs. Neumann, have both died since he won the 
cup last November. At this time last year speculations as to the 
probable winner were fully discussed, but the matter this year is scarcely 
mentioned, and no wonder when one of the principal competitors has 
been debarred. 
I think when decisions of such a nature are arrived at they should be 
made known, for they are of great public interest. What are the 
grounds upon which such a decision has been arrived at ? This is a 
natural question to ask. Is any precedent known to the Committee of 
the Hull Chrysanthemum Society to warrant them in coming to the 
conclusion they have done, or has it been decided on legal grounds 1 
Under any circumstances it is important that intending exhibitors, as 
well as those interested, should know the grounds upon which Mr. 
Mease has been ruled out of tbe list of eligible competitors. A clear 
statement of the facts should be made public, for they might prevent 
considerable trouble and annoyance in the future, and, perhaps, legal 
proceedings, which it is always wise to avoid if possible, and often 
might be avoided if the reasons for such actions were placed before the 
public instead of being kept a secret. 
When the circumstances of the case are taken into consideration I 
fail to see any justifiable reason for excluding an exhibitor. If Mr. and 
Mrs. Neuman had left no representatives then I could have understood 
the contest being rendered void. But in this case the plants were kept 
for the purpose of carrying to a conclusion, either successfully or other¬ 
wise, engagements that had been entered into by Mr. Mease during the 
lifetime and with the sanction of his employer. After the decease of 
Mr. and Mrs. Neumann, who were legally entitled to the care of the 
cup until it had to be returned to the Committee of the Society, I 
venture to assert that the executors were the gentlemen to do it, and to 
them the Committee would have to look for its being returned, and who 
but these gentlemen would have had to replace it in case of damage or 
destruction 1 
I have said that trophies offered on the conditions that they have to 
be won two years in succession are not highly favoured by growers, and 
I feel convinced that they will attract less attention in the future than 
in the past; for many circumstances might prevent exhibitors taking 
part a second and third year, and if they are liable to be dropped out of 
the contest for reasons that are not very clear, or that are never laid 
before the public, attention will be concentrated towards prizes offered 
to be won in one year. 
This matter is not brought forward from any selfish or personal 
motives, but to ascertain, by discussion of the subject or otherwise, the 
basis upon which such decisions are formulated.—A Chrysanthemum 
Grower. 
[Our correspondent is not a disappointed exhibitor.] 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
The following are the dates of the principal shows to be held 
