466 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
r November 22, 1888. 
and gross green leaves. These are, perhaps, pleasant to loot upon during 
the summer, by the uninitiated, but when the test of good culture comes 
to be looked for, blooms possessing the desirable characteristics are 
generally missing. Very exuberant plants produce blooms devoid of 
solidity and other essentials as a rule. 
It is possible to have the plants in some seasons ripened too much in 
dry localities. The summer of 1887 was a most trying one to contend 
with in high and dry districts, where not a drop of rain fell for eleven 
weeks, and scarcely any dew during a greater part of that time. The 
remedy in this case is that of shading the pots from the sun during the 
hottest parts of the day, by boards set on edge in front of them, fern, 
cocoa-nut fibre, or mats. Such means keep the roots in a cooler state 
than they otherwise would be with the sun shining directly on the pots 
most of the day. In the absence of shade to the pots the roots on the 
sunny side are almost sure to be killed, and we all know what that 
means. Plants in low lying districts invariably produce the broadest 
florets and the largest but not the best wearing blooms. The advantage 
of those which are more solid in character is often ixemplified when 
the two kinds have stood two days at a show and borne the heat of 
crowded rooms. Those which are firm remain so longer than those which 
are more or less loose. These latter quickly show an “ eye,” which 
proves their weakness and non-sustaining form. 
Flower buds are generally produced upon plants at a more regular 
time in the various stages of growth when the plants are steadily, hence 
properly, ripened than when they are not, except in very high and dry 
localities, where they ripen their growth too early, causing premature 
bud formation ; this must be counteracted as much as possible, though 
it cannot always be prevented. Growers in the extreme southern counties 
often experience too early bud formation, caused by a too early ripening 
of the wood which their northern brethren are strangers to. This 
generally occurs with the whole of the Queen family, the plants forming 
flower buds at times between the end of March and the same time in 
April, causing a serious interruption in [their future growth, and pre¬ 
venting the formation of buds at the time most desirable for the district 
in which the grower resides. 
Mr. Bardney opened the proceedings by frankly stating the paper 
they had just listened to had taken him quite by surprise, for he thought 
its tone would be in opposition to the Liverpool practice, and that stress 
would be laid on the necessity of extra ripening or hardening the wood. 
He had come prepared to oppose any such idea ; but he found he had 
nothing to combat, so he would ask the wood-ripening advocates to be 
good enough to state the meaning of the term, as he thought there was 
a little confusion on the subject. 
Mr. Udale said a clear conception of the process of wood-ripening 
was desirable. Some thought it meant mere hardening ; but he thought 
it meant well fed and not pithy wood. For instance, if Vine wood is 
pithy the best Grapes do not follow, but for the production of these it 
must be firm and fortified, and should not the same rule hold good in 
the Chrysanthemum ? The best of growth should be induced. Sheer 
hardness caused by checks was not ripening; but it must be of good 
quality, stored with nutriment, and given this it would be found that 
cuttings struck as late as July would often produce very fine blooms. 
Mr. Bardney failed to see the analogy between Vines and Chrysan¬ 
themums, for these are herbaceous plants, while Vines are not. He 
believed the growths of Chrysanthemums might be over-ripened or 
rather over-hardened as in the case of last year, and he did not think 
some of the very hard wood contained much “ quality.” 
Mr. G. Gordon said he was glad Mr. Molyneux had put in a claim 
for depth of bloom and solidity, and these essential qualities could not 
be had from immature growths. Something more than mere size was 
wanted. He feared the attempts to produce huge Japanese blooms had 
a tendency to demoralise growers of the incurved, hence much of the 
coarseness of the present day. Mr. Bardney said that wood should not 
beripened (No, no, over-ripened). Very well, that meant starvation— 
starved wood. He thought the reason why blooms in the south were 
more solid and refined was the consequence of the sun there render¬ 
ing the plants more highly matured, at the same time the southern 
blooms were at one time too small, and he credited Mr. Tunnington 
with having done good by taking his fine examples to Kingston, 
as since their southern blooms had been larger, while at the same time 
many of them retained the old quality and finish, and he believed the 
better the wood was matured—not starved—the deeper, more solid, and 
more refined the blooms. 
Mr. Garnett, speaking on wood-ripeninv, treated the subject philo¬ 
sophically. He referred to the importance of perfect leaves for per¬ 
forming their functions of elaboration of sap and secreting nutrient 
matter in the stems; therefore, without general vigour of plants 
good leaves cannot be produced, and, failing these, satisfactory results 
cannot be expected. With strong, actively working leaves under the 
influence of sun, the wood was well stored with matter for the support 
of the blooms, and that was what he thought a chief element in 
maturation. 
Hearty votes of thanks were then proposed to the readers of the 
papers, who briefly expressed their thanks, and after the Chairman had 
reviewed the chief points raised in the course of the discussion, a unani¬ 
mous vote of thanks was accorded to him for the admirable and impartial 
manner in which he had performed his duties. 
THE EXHIBITION. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society’s first provincial Show wa3 
held in conjunction with the Sheffield and West Riding Chrysanthemum 
Society and the Sheffield and Hallamshire Gardeners’ Mutual Improve- 
meat Society, in the Com Exchange of the town named, on Friday and 
Saturday last. A liberal schedule had been provided with some twenty- 
three open classes, and it was therefore surprising and disappointing to 
find that the entries were not so numerous as had been anticipated both 
, by the local and metropolitan societies. Several causes had no doubt 
operated to check exhibitors, one of considerable importance being the 
unfavourable season, not only for producing fine blooms but also for 
keeping them. The consequence was that the southern growers had lost 
most of their best specimens, while the northern growers, whose plants 
had felt the effects of the frosts more severely, probably did not feel 
strong enough to enter the lists with a prospect of satisfactory results. 
There might also have been an element of fear acting as a deterrent. 
All were expecting a very severe competition, and each thought he 
would be courting an ignob’e defeat by bringing his bldoms to the con¬ 
test. In any case the Liverpool growers altogether failed to appear, 
though from the south one exhibitor, Mr. Packman, had sufficient pluck 
to compete, and staged blooms of a very creditable character. It wasa 
source of regret to many that neither Mr. C. Gibson not Mr. E. Moly¬ 
neux exhibited, though both were present ; and as regards the first- 
named, if he had only brought the blooms which he exhibited at 
Wimbledon on the previous day (Thursday) he would have had a clear 
course in several classes and added materially to the interest of the 
Exhibition. It appears that the officials of the National Society had no 
knowledge of the number of entries until the evening before the Show, 
•when it was too late to communicate with exhibitors, and it is evident 
that at any future exhibition of this character material alterations must 
be made in the method of receiving entries. 
As a gathering of gardeners and Chrysanthemum growers, however, 
the meeting proved a remarkable success, for all the principal districts 
in the North of England were represented, and there was also a large 
party from the South. The Conference held in the “ Maunche Hotel)’ 
on the Friday evening, was a marked success, and, as will be seen from 
the papers read and the discussion elicited, recorded on preceding pages, 
was of an extremely interesting and instructive character. A general 
w ; sh was expressed that at all future provincial shows of the National 
Soc : ety arrangements will if possible be made for similar conferences. 
The Exhibition was formally opened on Friday at 2 P.M., by Lady 
Stephenson, who was accompanied by Sir Henry Stephenson and Arch¬ 
deacon Blakeney, all of whom made brief and appropriate speeches, as 
also did Mr. William Holmes (Hon. Sec. of the National Society), Mr. R. 
Ballantine (Vice-Fresident), Messrs. W. K. Woodcock, J. W. Jarvis, and 
J. W. Newsham, representing the local societies. 
The Judges were, for plants, &c., Messrs. T. Garnett and George 
Gordon; for incurved blooms, Mes rs. J. Wright and R. Dean; for 
Japanese blooms, Messrs. Lewis Castle and J. Udale. 
The principal class was that for “ the best representative collection of 
large flowering Chrysanthemums, not more than twelve blooms of any 
section. The following sections, or any part of them, to be represented— 
incurved, Japanese, reflexed, Japanese reflexed, large Anemone, and 
Japanese Anemone, the first two sections to be distinct varieties, the 
remaining four not less than six varieties in each section, and not more 
than two flowers of any variety.” The prizes were a silver cup, value 
15 guineas, and £10 in cash as the first, £0 for the second, and £4 for 
the third. There were three competitors, and a very unusual circumstance 
occurred—namely, they were all disqualified for non-compliance with 
the conditions stated in the schedule, and were then judged the stands on 
their merits. Mr.Parker had only three varieties of Japanese Anemones ; 
Mr. Packman had two blooms of Madame John Laing in his stand of 
Japanese reflexed, thus making thirteen varieties or fourteen blooms of 
Japanese ; and Mr. Morton had a bloom in his stand of large Anemones, 
which was considered to show too much in the style of the Japanese 
Anemone to be admissible. Having come to this decision the Judges 
found it a simple matter to determine the relative positions of the 
exhibitors, the leading honours being accorded to Mr. R. Parker, 
gardener to J. R. Corbet, Esq., Impney Hall, Droitwich, for fine, fresh, 
handsome blooms, and including the premier incurve l Lord Alcesterand 
the premier Japanese Avalanche, both magnificent blooms of their 
respective varieties. 
Mr. Parker’s stand comprised the following blooms. Twelve in¬ 
curved—Lord Alcester, Queen of Eng'and, Empress of India, Lord 
Wolseley, Alfred Salter, Prince Alfred, Golden Empress, Golden Queeu 
of England, John Salter, Jeanne d’Arc, Princess of Wales, and Mrs. 
Heale. Twelve Japanese — Baronne de Prailly, Edwin Molyneux, 
Madame C. Audiguier, Avalanche, Boule d’Or, Meg Merrilies, Ralph 
Brocklebank, grand; Val d’Andorre, J. Delaux, Golden Dragon, fine; 
Madame J. Laing, and Thunberg. Twelve Japanese reflexed — Val 
d’Andorre, Amy Furze (2), Maiden’s Blush (2), Jeanne Delaux (2), 
Criterion (2), M. J. Laing (2), and L’Adorable. Twelve reflexed—King 
of Crimsons (2), Irene, Chevalier Domage (2), Cullingfordi (2), Golden 
Christine (2), Peach Christine, Pink Christine, and Mrs. Forsyth. 
Twelve large Anemones—Mrs. Tethers (2), Acquisition (2), Fleur de 
Marie (2), Gluck (2), Empress (2), Lady Margaret (2). Six Japanese 
