December 1, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
471 
George Hawtrey, and who gave it its name ? Probably the florist of 
Sidmouth, Devon, could enlighten the Carnation growers in the matter, 
particularly Mr. F. Bridger, the raiser of the Pride of Penshurst.” 
We are informed that the first Show of Chrysanthemums, 
Fruit, and Vegetables at Bolton on November the 17th was a 
decided success from every point of view. The exhibits were good all 
round, the classes being well represented and the prizes well contested. 
In class 1, for a group of Chrysanthemums arranged for effect in a circle, 
the first prize was awarded to Mrs. Haslam] (gardener. Mr. J. Hicks) • 
second, John Heywood, Esq. ; third, Col. Cross Ormrod. The cut blooms 
were especially good. The best eighteen (nine incurved and nine 
Japanese) were from Mrs. Shaw (gardener, Mr. Chas. Jones) ; a grand 
collection, the second coming very near to it in merit. One very pleasing 
feature in the Show were the groups of stove and greenhouse plants 
arranged by P. Wilkinson, Esq. (gardener, Mr. J. Fountain), and Mrs- 
Shaw (gardener, Mr. Chas. Jones). The Committee have every reason 
to be satisfied with the result of their first Show. The Hon. Sec. was 
Mr. James Hicks, The Gardens, Ravenswood, Heaton, Bolton. 
CYPERUS ALTERNIFOLIUS. 
Vi here there are many flower-stands to be kept furnished, especially 
through the winter, it would be difficult to mention a more useful plant 
than the above for supplying graceful green foliage. It is easily pro¬ 
pagated. grows vigorously, and bears cutting well. It is an old, well- 
known plant, and is seen to a limited extent in most collections, but is 
seldom given the prominence to which its useful qualities entitle it. 
those, however, who have to supply a quantity of cut flowers and 
ioliage should know how to value a plant of this sort ; for with plenty 
of foliage it is surprising how few flowers arc required ; indeed, most 
people of taste would prefer a well-arranged stand of all foliage to one 
arranged with a number of flowers and scanty foliage. Cyperus alterni- 
folius can be grown from seeds sown in well-drained pans or pots, filled 
to within an inch of the rim with a compost of equal parts of sifted 
loam, leaf mould, and sand. They can also be propagated by division ; 
every piece of crown, under proper conditions, will form a plant. The 
quickest and best way, however, of increasing this plant is by rooting 
the umbrella-like heads, which should be prepared in the following 
manner :—Cut off the heads with an inch of stem to them ; then, draw- 
mg them through the hand, cut off the grass to within an inch of the 
centre, now cut off about half of the grass close to the stem ; the cutting 
is then ready for insertion. Prepare pans or pots as for seeds, and fill 
them with sand, into which the cuttings should be thickly dibbled, 
being very careful to bury that part of stem from which the grass was 
cut, as that is where the roots will be emitted. Give a good watering 
through a fine rose to settle the sand round the cuttings, then place 
them iri a close, moist, propagating frame, in a temperature between 65° 
and 75°, and in a fortnight they will be rooted, ready to place into 
thumb pots. These, if in a suitable temperature, will soon throw up 
small fine heads, which for decorating small stands are simply invalu¬ 
able ; or, if not wanted for cutting, will be found graceful amongst small 
flowering plants or for forming an edging round the stages. 
If large plants are wanted they must be repotted as"required. They 
are not fastidious as to soil ; but, as they require abundance of water, 
being sub-aquatic, about a sixth part of crocks, bricks, or charcoal, 
broken about the size of horse beans, should be mixed with the soil, 
which help to keep it porous and sweet. If they can be planted out, 
even if it be under stases, so that they get a fair amount of light, they 
will throw up grand heads on stems 5 feet long, when for decorating 
large stands they are extremely useful, and especially so when about 
half expanded. The above cultural remarks apply to all the cultivated 
varieties of Cyperus.—J. H. W. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
CHALLENGE CUPS. 
Permit me to tell Mr. Jameson that I have much more knowledge 
of the question that recently arose between Mr. Mease and the Com¬ 
mittee of the Hull and East Riding Chrysanthemum Society than I have 
chosen to make use of in the Journal; and Mr. Jameson commits a grave 
error when he repeatedly charges an opponent with “ ignorance of facts ” 
or of failing to “ grasp salient points,” because such opponent prefers 
to confine himself to such information as is elicited and given publicly, 
rather than make use of the abundant private and reliable information 
at his disposal. A wise man never underrates the knowledge or abilities 
of his adversary ; but Mr. Jameson appears to think that he may 
do so with impunity. During the past fortnight I have met nearly all 
the principal Chrysanthemum growers in the north of England, and 
the unanimity of opinion amongst them on the subject in question is 
surprising. I leave Mr. Jameson to infer whether that opinion is in 
favour of himself and his Committee, or of Mr. Mease and myself. ■ 
Mr. Jameson’s amendment to my suggestion is comparatively worth¬ 
less, because it probably would not meet 20 per cent, of cases ; and it 
would now utterly fail to serve as a “ bait ” to Chrysanthemum growers. 
My suggestion would prevent misunderstandings. The difficulty with 
Mr. Mease would have been impossible had such words as I suggested 
been inserted in the Hull schedule ; but Mr. Jameson’s would make 
confusion worse confounded.—J. Udale, Elford. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SPORTS. 
Mrs. Norman Davis. —Several sports have appeared this year amongst 
the incurved varieties, and those which were noticed last year have 
improved, this being very notably the case with the golden Princess 
Teck, Mrs. Norman Davis, which has been aptly compared to a late Mr. 
Bunn. In the Lilford Road Nurseries, Camberwell, Messrs. Davis and 
Jones have an extremely fine display of this variety, some hundreds of 
blooms being expanded, and one side of a long span-roofed house is 
entirely devoted to the plants. The variety is of robust habit; it is very 
free flowering, and the blooms are distinguished by their broad florets, 
depth, and richness of colour. Upon some of the outer florets a slight 
bronze or pinkish tint is sometimes noticeable, exactly of the same cha¬ 
racter as seen in the parent Princess Teck. As a decorative plant, and 
for affording a late supply of flowers, this Chrysanthemum will become a 
general favourite ; for the midseason and late shows it will also prove 
useful as a front-row bloom. 
Charles Gib on. —Last year a sport was observed on the varietv Mrs. 
Norman Davis, I believe in the same establishment—namely. Mr. Mizen’s 
of Mitcham—it was tested carefully ; and again this season under Mr. C. 
Gibson’s charge it has proved thoroughly fixed, quite distinct, and an 
acquisition of decided merit. It is of similar character to the parent, 
but with rather better-shaped blooms and very broad, substantial florets, 
of a deep reddish bronze colour—quite a lively tint for sports of that 
kind, which frequently come rather dull. It is very promising, and has 
been worthily named in honour of its grower. The Floral Committee of 
the National Chrysanthemum Society at once awarded a certificate for 
this variety, and there was some inclination on the part of one or two of 
the members of the Committee to award an equal recognition to Lady 
Dorothy, shown by Mr. Buss, as a bronze sport from Hero of Stoke 
Newington, and which had been previously certificated at Wimbledon. 
It was, however, finally decided that though there was some slight dif¬ 
ference perceptible betwe n the two as shown at Westminster, it was 
thought that the lighter colour of Lady Dorothy was due to its having 
been grown in a higher temperature, and that they were too much alike 
to be certificated separately. 
There is now quite a family of sports from Princess Teck, the white 
Lord Eversley coming nearest to that in character ; then the Hero of 
Stoke Newington, Mrs. Norman Davis, and Charles Gibson in a regular 
line of descent, Lady Dorothy coming from Hero of Stoke Newington. 
AN OLD CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
Blooms were recently sent to Westminster of an old variety of 
Chrysanthemum that has been lost sight of for many years—namely, the 
Old Tasselled Lilac. I have also been favoured with blooms of this 
historical curiosity, and its interest is certainly not its only merit. The 
blooms, it is true, would not do for exhibition in the present day, but 
they are pretty, graceful, light, and well adapted for arranging in vases. 
They are about 3J inches in diameter, with narrow quilled spreading 
florets of a pale rosy lilac hue, irregularly and shapely cut at the points. 
The blooms were sent from a Cornish garden, where it is said the variety 
has been grown for over fifty years. There seems to be no doubt that 
it is the original variety that was introduced, for I have carefully com¬ 
pared it with the descriptions published early in the present century. 
Mr. Harman Payne is also of opinion that it is the true variety, and has 
sent me a letter that he had intended submitting to the Floral Com¬ 
mittee, in which he discusses the mattei fully. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN FRANCE. 
I am informed that amateurs are giving much more attention to 
Chrysanthemum culture in France than formerly, and one gentleman— 
a reader of this Journal, by the way—has formed a collection of 2500 
plants. He recently opened his exhibition to the public on the payment 
of a small sum, and is reported as having obtained no less a sum than 
£480, which is to be handed over to a charitable institution. This is an 
idea that might be followed out by many gentlemen not only in France 
by in Britain. I also learn that a satisfactory exhibition was held at 
Roubaix, near the boders of Belgium, when a medal was awarded to Mr. 
Harman Payne for a collection of engravings representing varieties of 
Chrysanthemums. 
JUDGING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Frequently it is unnecessary to resort to pointing in judging 
Chrysanthemum blooms, but wherever the competition is close or"the 
prizes of considerable value it is much more satisfactory to do so. I 
have had several instances of its importance this season, and especially at 
Twickenham and Colchester, where it would have been very difficult to 
arrive at a fair decision without the aid of some system. At both these 
Shows the leading classes were for twelve Japanese and twelve incurved, 
and the varying merits of such mixed stands require very careful 
weighing. Thus at Colchester the number of points obtained by the 
collection from Mr. H. Lister, which won the Corporation challenge 
prize, was as follows —Incurved 42, Japanese 45—total 87. The second 
stand from Mr. Pragnall numbered, for incurved 36, for Japanese 39— 
total 75. The third from Mr. Neville scoring for incurved 38, thus 
within four points of the first, and Japanese 30—total 68. At Twicken¬ 
ham the contest between Mr. Furze and Mr. Munroe was still closer, the 
latter winning only by one point in the twenty-four blooms. In such 
cases as this a method of sub-division must sometimes be adopted, and 
