5 22 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 1#. 1887. 
Mr. A. R. Cox replied. The health of Mr. White. Chairman of the 
Association, and Mr. E. Bridge, Secretary, brought a very enjoyable 
evening to a close. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
The annual dinner of this Society was held at Anderton’s Hotel) 
Fleet Street, at 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday, December the 13th, and proved a 
remarkably successful gathering, about 100 members and friends being 
present. The President, E. Sanderson, Esq., was in the chair, and was 
supported by Sir Guyer Hunter, M.P., the Treasurer, J. R. Starling, 
Esq, and several other gentlemen: the Vice-President, R. Ballantine, 
Esq., and the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Wm. Holmes beine also present. The 
usual loyal and patriotic toasts were proposed and duly honoured, and 
numbers of other toasts were proposed and responded to in very appro¬ 
priate speeches. An excellent selection of songs diversified the proceed¬ 
ings. 
In the course of the evening the surprising progress the Society has 
made in the past few years was frequently alluded to, and Mr. Holmes 
stated that the number of members is now nearly 500, showing an 
increase within the past year of 145, and it is estimated that the total 
income of the Society by the time of annual meeting will be fully £700. 
It was also announced that the whole of the prize money awarded at. the 
November Show—about £300—had been paid to the winners, and on 
this occasion the silver cup (won by the President) with the silver and 
bronze medals were presented to the winners, Mr. G. Stevens of Putney 
having won four medals and £19 in money. It was pointed out that 
the Society had done much good work, and it was evident from the 
support they had received that their efforts were appreciated by amateur 
and professional floriculturists, but there is still abundant scope for 
greater efforts, and the coming year will bring much useful work for 
the Society and its Committees to perform. 
The prize fund for the ensuing season was opened, and it was an 
nounced towards the close of the meeting that £45 had been promised 
or paid. It may also be added that there are now thirty provincial 
Societies affiliated to the National, including one at Melbourne, 
Australia. 
RIVAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
A spibit of rivalry, when conducted upon proper lines and within 
certain limits, is generally admitted to be beneficial ; but when the 
rivalry exists between those who should be united as members of one 
family—as they are members of one household—then the results are 
very liable to be diastrous to one or both parties. In Sheffield two 
Chrysanthemum exhibitions are now annually held, exclusive of small 
but highly creditable shows got up by workmen in different parts of 
the town. There ought only to be one representative exhibition. The 
exhibition held annually by the Sheffield and Hallamshire Gardeners’ 
Mutual Improvement Society has the right of priority ; but until this 
year I believe that exhibition, in regard to exhibitors, was confined to 
members of that Mutual Improvement Society. The Sheffield and West 
Riding Chrysanthemum Society was formed three or four years ago for 
the purpose of establishing an exhibition wherein all classes of the 
community might compete, whether they were members of the Society 
or not. The latter Society is composed of amateurs, gardeners, and 
cottagers ; the former is composed chiefly of gardeners. Each Society 
receives considerable support from numerous patrons, and both of them 
have this year held most successful exhibitions floriculturally. That of 
the Mutual Improvement Society far surpassed in general quality 
any of its previous exhibitions that I have seen, and the Committee are 
to be congratulated upon the success of their efforts to improve the 
quality of their exhibits. Several groups of Chrysanthemums would 
have occupied honourable positions at either the Aquarium or Kingston- 
on-Thames, places noted for the quality of their Chrysanthemums. 
Primulas, as a rule, are not shown better anywhere than they are 
annually at this exhibition. 
The exhibition of the Sheffield and West Riding Chrysanthemum 
Society was very strong in cut blooms. Classes and competitors were 
very numerous, and the Judges in that section had two or three hours’ 
hard work. Specimen plants were well shown by one or two exhibitors; 
but one or two exhibitors cannot make a large show unless they happen 
to be what are termed “ big growers,” which they were in this instance. 
A deficiency of specimen plants or of groups of plants always causes an 
exhibition to look weak, especially so in very large rooms. In Sheffield 
there is sufficient material to make a Chrysanthemum exhibition second 
to none in the kingdom, if the growers will all unite. Divided, both 
cannot hope to occupy such a position except by a very lavish expendi¬ 
ture of money, and I fear the receipts would not justify such an ex¬ 
penditure in both cases. Why cannot both Societies meet on common 
ground and hold one exhibition ? I believe I am correct in saying that 
about nine-tenths of the members of the Sheffield and West Riding 
Chrysanthemum Society are desirous of such a course. I also under¬ 
stand that some of the members of the Sheffield and Hallamshire Mutual 
Improvement Society are equally in favour of the proposal. If such is 
the ease, surely there can be no insurmountable obstacle in the way. 
Concession on one or both sides appears to be the remedy. To yield in 
such a case is far more honourable, truly dignified, and courageous than 
to be unyielding. It is admitted on all hands and by all who are dis¬ 
interested, that the aspect of two such Societies in one town being in 
conflict upon such a matter is deplorable.—J. Udale, Elford. 
A REPRESENTATIVE CHRYSANTHEMUM CLASS. 
At most the leading Rose Shows classes are provided for seventy- 
two blooms. Why cannot something of the same kind be provided in 
the case of Chrysanthemums ? It is conceivable that representative 
collections comprising this number of blooms could be provided more 
easily than showing forty-eight blooms in two sections alone. In order 
to bring the class within the means of the greatest number of growers 
the conditions should be as little exacting as possible, and the more 
easily they could be complied with the better the aggregate display both 
as regards the merit of the stands and the number of competitors. As a 
suggestion for the consideration of those who may think good to take 
notice of it, the following proposition is advanced as the framework, 
open to improvement, of what might constitute a very fine and highly 
interesting class:—Twelve incurved blooms, distinct; twelve Japanese 
blooms, distinct; twelve reflexed in eight varieties ; twelve large Ane¬ 
mones, four to be Japanese ; twelve Pompons, six to be Anemones ; 
twelve singles in six varieties. The two last stands to be arranged 
with three blooms (not more) of each variety, with stems and foliage 
not less than 4 inches above the board. 
Six stands of the nature suggested would be much more easily 
furnished than would four large stands of twenty-four incurved and 
the same number of Japanese, would be as easily conveyed to a show, 
and would be even more interesting. If a gold watch were offered for 
a first prize, the winner's name to be inscribed thereon (or £10, at his- 
option), with three other prizes of £7, £5, and £3, good competition 
might be expected, and a diversified and effective display produced. 
Such a class ought to be popular with exhibitors, and the representa¬ 
tive exhibits could scarcely fail to attract the attention of visitors to 
shows. Perhaps readers who are interested in Chrysanthemum growing 
and showing may say something for or against the proposition. If it 
will not stand tie test of of public criticism the idea can be abandoned, 
and no harm will be done by its advancement.—M. N. C. S. 
CLASS CARDS AT EXHIBITIONS. 
I NOTICED at the Hull Chrysanthemum Society’s Show a capital 
system of arranging the class cards for the guidance of exhibitors, and 
one that might with advantage be imitated by a large number of 
societies. Large cards, similar to prize cards, only perfectly plain, with 
“ Class 1,” “ Class 2,” and so on for every class in the schedule, printed 
on them in large letters and elevated on a neat stake in the centre of the 
stage, denoting the exact position where the exhibits in that particular 
class were to be arranged. These cards would do for j ears if taken care 
of, and they save endless confusion to exhibitors, stagers, as well as re¬ 
porters, who can see at a glance to what class any particular exhibits 
belong. These cards are far in advance of the old chalk lines, and save 
the labour of going with each exhibitor to show him where to place his 
exhibits. This system would only entail the outlay of a few shillings, 
and would prove advantageous if adopted by all large Societies, such as 
Liverpool and others.—R. 
CHALLENGE VASES. 
In the last paragraph of Mr. Molyneux’s article, page 465, he 
applauds on one hand the various societies who have offered challenge, 
trophies to be the property of those who win them two or more years 
in succession, while, on the other hand, in the interest of exhibitors he 
gently rebukes them. No doubt the paragraph has been written on 
purpose to draw from others their views on this subject; if not, his 
testimony is a little conflicting. If challenge vases render societies 
popular, and are unpopular with exhibitors, what must eventually be 
the result ? To my mind merely offering large trophies, such as have 
been given at Kingston, Hull, and Liverpool—the latter may be in¬ 
cluded, although the cup given on these principles was slightly less 
valuable—during the past few years, may, and do unquestionably bring 
such societies before the public. In a sense this may render them 
popular, but how long would they retain their popularity without the 
aid of exhibitors ? The latter are attracted to those shows that offer 
the greatest advantages, but have exhibitors appeared in Ruch large 
numbers to compete for these vases as would justify societies offering 
them in the future on the same principles? I do not think they have. 
At Liverpool the competition has been keener and better for the valuable 
prizes given annually by Messrs. Williams & Co. than was the case when 
given to be the property of those who won it for two consecutive years, 
or a certain number of times in alL This year 192 blooms were staged 
for the silver tea and coffee service given by these gentlemen, and £3 
by the society. This is now given, and has been for some years, without 
the slightest restriction, in fact no more so than the money prizes 
given by the society. 
At Hull only three collections were staged in the principal class for 
the challenge cup, which alone shows that these trophies are by no 
means looked upon with favour by exhibitors. In addition to the cup 
valuable money prizes were given as well—namely, £15, £10, and £5- 
respectively for the winner of the vase and the second and third prize. 
These alone, independent of the vase, should have drawn a better com¬ 
petition. The Committee of the Hull Society have certainly set a noble 
and generous example in giving such good prizes as well as the cup. If 
competitors can be induced to compete for challenge vases to be won 
two years in succession, it is only by such action that th°y can be ren¬ 
dered a success. The money prizes must alone be worth going for. I 
was pleased to see that the Hull Society had taken this line of action. 
They are certainly doing what they can to bring their Society into pro¬ 
minence and render their exhibition one of the best in the country 
