464 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 1, 1887. 
to the outlay.” The history of the past teaches whole¬ 
some lessons. Previous to the South Kensington con¬ 
nection a venturesome and unsound financial policy led 
to the sale of its house in Regent Street, also its library, 
and Chiswick was only saved through an appeal to the 
public resulting in the substantial sum of £2000. Nor 
can it be overlooked that the prevailing policy of the 
greater part of the past twenty-five years has been in¬ 
creasing the ‘ imposing aspect” of the Society in the 
form of musical attractions or of “ big shows,” which 
proved a source of weakness rather than of strength. The 
position at South Kensington was purchased at a ruinous 
price, for what do we find ? This : within about five 
years of the connection the Society had expended no less 
than £73,000 in completing the gardens, and was involved 
in a debt of £53,000, the whole of its liabilities previous 
to the undertaking being £4000. It will be seen the 
present obstacles are as nothing in comparison with others 
that have been overcome, and as the Society will soon be 
free from alien entanglements it ought by judicious man¬ 
agement to be placed on a satisfactory basis, and carry 
out usefully the work and objects for which it was esta¬ 
blished. 
The removal of the Society from South Kensington 
is now only a question of months. The final step has not 
been decided with unanimity, but has led to some resig¬ 
nations. This is almost inseparable in the abandonment 
of an old and the commencement of a new policy. 
Seceders in this case are gentlemen of great ability, and 
are held in high esteem for their probity. They are doing 
what they feel to be right. The Society must have 
financial support, but experience seems to show the futility 
of “trusting to hope” in its forthcoming in any sub¬ 
stantial manner from the inhabitants of South Kensington. 
Great and costly attractions are essential for securing and 
retaining local Fellows. When the attractions wane the 
Fellows withdraw, as was shown at the close of the great 
popular exhibitions, ending with the Colonial. The once 
“ most beautiful town garden in Europe ” is now a wild 
waste, save a narrow strip, and to incur an outlay of at 
least £2000 a-year for occupying this in the “hope” of 
its being recouped by local support would, instead of being 
advantageous to the Society, be far more likely prove its 
ruin. Besides, to provide attractions for the multitude is 
quite foreign to the purpose for which it was instituted. 
The time has now arrived for making a complete depar¬ 
ture in its administration. Let the objects as defined in 
the charter be kept in view, and accomplished in the best 
manner the finances allow; and in our opinion this can 
be best effected by developing the resources of Chiswick. 
That is the only safe anchorage of the Society. Let trials 
be made there, experiments conducted, and observations 
recorded—these to be published for the benefit of the 
horticultural public through the channels to which they 
naturally turn for information. It may appear dignified, 
and give eclat to a Society to publish a journal of its own ; 
but that is a matter of sentiment, and these are not senti¬ 
mental days. A journal would mean a loss of £200 or 
more a year to the Society if it were produced. This 
observation is not founded on supposition, but on fact. 
The public will not wait for official journals intermittently 
issued, for the simple reason that stale news is out of 
fashion; and the useful work that might be done at Chis¬ 
wick ought not to be left in obscurity. But it cannot be 
done without means. There is the garden and the man— 
both as good as can be found. Let them have all the 
support that is possible consistent with sound finance. 
Let all ideas of purchasing land and erecting buildings 
be abandoned. Take no city house at a necessarily high 
rent that could only be of real service about once a fort¬ 
night ; but if meetings are to be held in London, as may 
be desirable, do what some public and scientific bodies 
do—hire rooms for the occasion, and only then; thus the 
husbanding of resources will enable adequate recompense 
for sterling work, such as the Society ought to do and' 
which the public expect. Efficient service is cheap at 
almost any cost ; inferior workmanship and fanciful 
luxuries dear at any price. Let the Society be managed- 
on the principles indicated, and it will win the sympathy 
and receive the support of that large section (and it is. 
the largest) of the horticultural community who “ like- 
to see something for their money ” without long waiting. 
But time is a prime essential in the remodelling and for 
collecting the elements of strength. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
A REVIEW OF THE PAST SEASON. 
That the season of Chrysanthemum exhibitions just drawing; - 
to a close has been a successful one on the whole cannot be doubtei 
for a moment, not so much perhaps for the advance made in the 
quality of the flowers staged, as for the increased enthusiasm 
manifested in the exhibitions throughout the country. That the 
popularity of the flower, which is not unjustly styled the Autumn 
Queen, is on the increase, cannot be doubted ; we have only to look 
around and note the various exhibitions which have sprung up evea 
during the present year. 
I am inclined to think that some new incurved varieties may be 
brought to light during another year as the result of this season's 
tropical summer. I have noticed that an unusual number of petals 
have been found in all incurved blooms this season, probably the 
result of extra ripening of the wood. This may then be the means 
of producing new and varied forms in the section to which we have 
so few additions—the incurved. The great advance made in public 
favour of the Japanese section is the almost endless variety and 
form introduced, whereas in the large-flowered or incurved section, 
the production of new varieties is a very slow process. I am 
inclined to think that to obtain an advance in the incurved section 
in size and form we must have entirely new varieties, because I 
think all has been obtained from those varieties now in existence. 
Take, for instance, Princess of Wales, whieh I regard as the most 
perfect of all incurved Chrysanthemums. When seen in its proper 
character—size, colour, and form—I think there is nothing to equal 
it for quality and chaste appearance, and I have watched this 
variety- under many circumstances as to culture, climate, and other 
influences, but during the last half a dozen years I have not seen 
any advance made in this flower. Take again Lord Alcester, 
which is the best of the Queen family. No alteration can be 
found to have taken place with this for the better ; therefore I say 
if any advance is to be made in the incurved section it must be by 
the introduction of new varieties. No flower is nearly so popular 
with the poorer classes than the Chrysanthemum, either in a wish 
to cultivate it, or simply to inspect those grown by more favoured 
cultivators, and at the late Portsmouth Exhibition, where the 
executive adopt popular prices almost throughout the Show, but 
more particularly on the evening of the second day, when from 
six o’clock to nine the low charge of Id. is made, as many as 810i> 
people entered, and in a populous town like Portsmouth, where the 
difficulties of cultivating flowers are so great, it only shows what a 
hold upon the people the Chrysanthemum has acquired. In spite 
of the tremendous crush during the time named, it could not be 
said that a single instance of misbehaviour took place. Of course 
due precaution was taken by this enterprising society to prevent a 
block at any one particular place by fixing barriers and stationing 
policemen at certain points, but this was more for the convenience 
of the public, that all might have the same chance of inspection, 
than for any other reason. Many other societies in populous 
towns would do well to follow the example of the Portsmouth 
society, they would find it the means of adding to their revenue. 
As regards the quality of the flowers produced during the season 
now drawing to a close, referring first to the incurved section, it 
cannot be said otherwise than that the results have been disappoint¬ 
ing, when we consider the excellent appearance that the plants 
presented during the months of August and September for instance, 
it has been my privilege during the present month to see flowers 
grown in many parts of England, but speaking generally the re- 
s ilts have not been up to expectation. The blooms in many in- 
