400 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 10, 1887. "1 
these varieties. In announcing th'se prizes Mr. Cannell stated that 
they were to be judged by ballot—namely, each stand to bear a number 
only, small cards being sent to eighteen experts, who were requested to 
record upon these their decision, slipping the cards into a box, which 
was to be opened at 4 p.m. and the votes counted. Some doubts might 
bo entertained as to the advantages of such a system at large exhibitions. 
On a few occasions it might be suitable, but much delay would be 
caused in making known the awards. 
Beautiful as are the Chrysanthemums, their brightest colours pale 
in contrast with the brilliant Zonal Pelargoniums, of which there is 
grand display in several houses. In one the effect is strikingly rich, the 
white, pink, salmon, and scarlet tints being well proportioned and most 
tastefully arranged. There are several new varieties, but a quartette 
merit special notice—namely, Mrs. Cannell, a fine single white, with 
large beautifully formed flowers ; Swanley White, a double variety of 
excellent habit, very free, and pure ; Goldfinder, a brilliant double 
scarlet, most floriferous and co npact in growth ; and Chameleon, one 
of the dwarf decorative type, bearing double flowers of numberless 
narrow petals, scarlet, pink, and purplish, most variable and distinct. 
It will be useful both for decorative purposes owing to its compact 
habit, and for cutting, as the blooms stand well. Large numbers of 
Primulas are making good progress, and promise a fine show later on, 
and there are besides hosts of other attractions in the various houses. 
Mr. Cannell has now found ample scope for his energies at his Eynsford 
nursery and seed farm, where he has over 300 acres under cultivation. 
A considerable portion of the land near the railway (the Seyenoaks 
branch from Swanley), is devoted to hardy plants, Paeonies, Pansies, 
and Violets being grown by acres. A selection of the most useful herba¬ 
ceous plants is also included, and the soil evidently suits them. Other 
portions are devoted to vegetable seed growing. Some 20 or 30 acres 
have been planted with choice fruit trees, and the other part is at present 
devoted to pasture or ordinary farm crops. A seed store house of con¬ 
siderable size has just been commenced, and preparations for the first 
range of houses are also visible. The farm is situated in a very pretty 
portion of Kent, and within a few minutes’ walk of Eynsford 
station. 
FOREST HILL. 
Just as the last flowers are fading of the Tuberous Begonias, and the 
outdoor roots have been housed, Messrs. J. Laing & Sons are preparing 
to devote some of their convenient houses to the Chrysanthemums. For 
some years past the show of these popular plants has attracted many 
visitors, and this season it is one of the most satisfactory yet obtained. 
A new departure has been made in growing the plants dwarf instead of 
allowing them forun up to what exhibitors regard as the norrhal height, 
but which amateurs often Object to. When arranging plants for efiect 
it is most difficult to make a decent display of these giant-s ; and 
though fine blooms have great weight in competition, yet well finished 
groups are much more satisfactory, and a few dwarf well furnished 
plants in. the front have secured many an exhibitor honours that 
would not have been otherwise obtained. Several good growers have 
also proved that substantial representative blooms can be produced on 
such plants with due attention to disbudding and liberal treatment at a 
suitable period. This also Messrs. Laing & Sons have proved, for their 
plants were stopped the third week in June, and the majority are now 3 to 
4 feet high, bearingfour or five good blooms each, the stems clothed with 
well developed foliage to the base of the stems. A few of the taller 
growing varieties, which usually run up to (I and 7 feet when grown 
unstopped, do not exceed 4 to 5 feet on the stopping system. The plants 
are grown in 9 or 10-inch pots, and though vigorous growth is encou¬ 
raged no attempt is made to induce the grossness which some apparently 
consider essential to the production of fine blooms. 
The chief show house is a span-roofed structure 100 feet long, with 
a low central and two side stages. The plants being arranged upon 
these are brought near the glass, yet the blooms can be conveniently 
seen when passing round the house. All the best varieties are repre¬ 
sented, and the so-called continental novelties have also been tested this 
year, with the result that several are found to be synonymous with those 
sent out in previous years, and in several cases those really distinct are 
not superior to others already in cultivation. Last season Messrs. J. 
Laing sent out several seedlings raised at Forest Hill, and some of these 
have more than justified the good opinion previously formed of them. 
These were as follows, all Japanese varieties : —Agnes Flight, creamy 
white long florets ; Album Fimbriatum, pure white broad fringed florets ; 
Alpha, purplish rose : Evelyn, crimson ; Mrs. J. Wright, pearl white 
(figured last week) ; Mr. D. B. Chapman, purplish crimson, long florets, 
cut at the ends ; Mr. Stephenson Clarke, orange red, broad florets ; Mr. 
W. H. Burbridge, creamy white ; Rose Beauty, rosy lilac ; and Stan- 
stead White, a large bloom. Some of these, like Mrs. J. Wright, have 
proved very satisfactory this season. Alpha, Album Fimbriatum, and 
Mr. D. 15. Chapman have also gained certificates at several slio*s. 
Album Fimbriatum we recently noted in promising condition at Morden 
Park, and Mr. Gibson has a very favourable opinion respecting its 
qualities. It would bean advantage to English cultivators if the prac¬ 
tice of raising seedlings here was extended, as nurserymen in this coun¬ 
try are compelled to exercise more discretion in sending out novelties 
than the continental growers. 
Some of the most notable of the new and recent varieties are the 
following Japanese, the incurved not being quite out at present— 
Florence Piercy, white, narrow curled and twisted drooping florets, deep 
tine blooms from crown buds ; Val d’Andorre, grand, richly coloured 
blooms, cn plants 2.‘ feet high ; Coquette de Gasbille, excellent blooms 
on 2 feet high plants ; Ornements, deep red, gold reverse, not very large, 
but fine colour ; Forester, broad flat florets, white flushed with purple, 
large, but rather thin ; Duke of Berwick, narrow twisted florets, white- 
flushed with purple; and Lucien Baltet, purplish crimson, rich distinct 
colour, the florets broad and recurving. Other good varieties in flower 
are Madame de Sevin, Alexandre Dufour, Mr. Freeman, Mandarin, 
Madame Laing, Wm. Stevens, Comte de Germiny, Moonlight, Phoebus, 
Elaine, La Triomphante, Wm. Robinson, Madame Paule Dutour, Le 
Camoens, Bonnington, La France, Alfred Chantrier, Belle Paule, L’Or 
du Japan, and Theodore Bullier, The large Pompon, Elise Dordan, is 
also in excellent condition. 
In the other houses there are the usual sto.-ks of healthy stove and 
greenhouse plants, Orchids, &c., the. Nash Court variety of Lapageria 
rosea having -been an especial feature for some weeks past, its richly 
coloured flowers far surpassing any other variety in size and numbers.. 
STOKE NEWINGTON. 
The Brunswick Nursery, Stoke Newington, now occupied by Mr. 
J. R. Chard, of “ floral decoration ” renown, was once widely famed for 
its Chrysanthemums—namely, when Mr. Forsyth was the ruling spirit. 
■ Specimen plants and blooms are not'grown now, but some thousands of 
small useful plants for-cutting, or employment in decoration, have taken 
their places. A house 120 feet long is devoted to compact dwarf planta¬ 
in pots for a late display, as they are most in demand during December 
and up to Christmas. Handsome little bushy Pompons in 48-sized pots, 
now covered with blooms are very attractive and useful.- Mr. Chard 
also has a large stock of 1 Ferns, Pelargoniurtis, and miscellaneous bedding- 
plants. -i -i ■ : 
CHILWELL. 
A long journey may be taken and a good deal seen and done in a day in 
• these fast times. Leaving St. Pancras at 10 A.M.; We are at Nottingham in 
two hours and a half, and another ten minutes’ journey takes us to Beestom 
' for Chilwell ; we spend five or six hours there, and another equally good- 
train brings us back to St. Pancras at 10 p.m. A run cf about 250 miles- 
and reporting a Chrysanthemum show is perhaps not a bad day’s workq 
but “ work ” is scarcely the proper term, for a pleasant journey and a 
most agreeable reception at the end of it “renders the’day one of enjoy¬ 
ment rather than of labour. 
Judging front the great array of plants in the splendid houses of 
Messrs. J. R. Pearson & Sons, Chilwell must be regarded as the great 
Chrysanthemum centre of the midland counties. A greater number of 
plants are grown by some of the specialists in the south, and more 
attention paid to disbudding and the development “of individual blooms ; 
but’as a representative collection of plants, disbudded and otherwise, 
and the efiect produced by them, in a span-roofed house 100 by 30, and 
' about 15 feet high, this home exhibition at Chilwell must take very- 
high rank amongst the best of the year. But though special attention, 
has not been devoted to the production of a limited number of show- 
blooms throughout the collection, it must not be supposed there are 
none, for undoubtedly both of incurved and Japanese varieties could be 
cut worthy of being arranged in stands at the best public exhibitions. 
In the former section, perhaps, finer blooms of Jeanne d’Arc have- 
never been seen. They are remarkable for their depth and solidity, while- 
there is an absence of that roughness or bristliness which often mars the 
effect of this variety. Mrs. W. Shipman is in grand form, large enough 
for back row blooms in good stands, and unusually good in colour. It 
is questionable if finer examples have been seen of the variety. Lady 
Hardinge is above the average in size and depth, worthy of any stand. 
Prince Alfred, Lord Wblsdley and Alfred Salter are also very good, and 
the Queen varieties promising, while Lord Derby is deeper and finer than 
it is commonly met with. Mr. Bunn and the Beverleys are also good, 
and there is a bloom of Arigena, also known as Inner Temple, that is not- 
often seen equalled. It is prominent by its- size and effective by its 
amaranth colour, but the florets of this variety are coo short for incurv¬ 
ing, and even a bloom like this would weaken a stand of good incurved 
flowers. There are other varieties showing well, but as a rule Japanese- 
and'decorative varieties preponderate, and a few more good examples of 
the incurved section would give weight to the bright and diversified 
collection. 
Among the Japanese varieties the palm must be given to Wm. Stevens 
for brightness and effectiveness, handsome and elegant orange red blooms- 
of it showing to great advantage. For size, substance, and. general 
“ build.” also well coloured, Criterion is conspicuous, blooms of it equal¬ 
ling Mr. Tunnington’s best productions, and perhaps no. one has grown 
this variety better than he has. Madame Lacroix is represented in its 
best form, and must be regarded as one of the most constant and useful 
white varieties in cultivation. The newer Mrs. J. Wright, which Mr. 
James Douglas says is the best white yet raised, was not expanded, but 
the free growth and bold buds, seven or eight on a plant, characterised 
it as a “ good doer,” and that is what growers like, though the plant is 
too tall for low houses. It will be tried on the cutting-down-system at 
Chilwell, then taking the crown buds ; and if the “ crowns ” are a week 
later in consequence, that will probably be an advantage rather than 
otherwise, for southern shows at least, if not generally. . Mr. Stevens’ 
handsome blooms were too early for the shows, and so far as has been 
seen those from terminal buds are not large enough, yet charming for 
decoration. It is almost certain that the descriptions of varieties by a 
“Notts Grower,” on page 387 last week, though Mr. Pearson is not the 
author of them, were taken from this collection ; at any rate, they are 
very accurate, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat them here. The: 
beautiful new yellow Japanese variety, Mr. Garnar, was. flowering and 
