December 6, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
513 
Taking all together ere do not consider the Lily of the 
Valley a difficult flower to force in midwinter if we have ripe 
crowns and a warm place in one of the houses. Great care must 
be taken that the heat and moisture are proportionate.— Milde, 
Oeveljonne, near Hamburgh. 
WINTER CUCUMBERS. 
Although autumn-raised plants show a disposition to bear 
freely, they should not, nevertheless, be allowed to swell more 
fruit than is necessary to meet the demand. All superfluous fruits 
nnd flowers should, therefore, be picked off as soon as they appear. 
Keep the shoots sufficiently thinned and pinched to prevent crowd¬ 
ing. Allow a little front and top ventilation on bright mornings 
as soon as the thermometer registers a temperature of 75', allowing 
it to run to 80’ before increasing the ventilation, the object being 
to secure a sturdy growth in the plants. From Christmas to the 
end of March is the most critical period in the year to maintain a 
•good supply of Cucumbers. Hence the necessity of getting the 
plants in the best possible condition for the work which they have to 
do during the time indicated. If bottom heat is supplied by means 
•of hot-water pipes, and the plants are growing in narrow, shallow, and 
efficiently drained borders, copious supplies of clear tepid water 
■should be given at the roots three or four times a week, more or 
less frequently, according as the weather is bright or sunless. If a 
surface-dressing of Beeson’s manure be given once or twice a week 
before water is supplied at the roots it will prove beneficial. 
The amount of atmospheric moisture to be distributed in the 
Cucumber house depends entirely upon the condition of the plants 
and the weather. Severe weather means severe firing, with a 
•corresponding increase in the distribution of tepid water through 
the syringe over the plants and in the house generally, morning and 
••afternoon, as much with a view to promoting a genial temperature 
as keeping the plants free from the attacks of red spider. In short, 
a humid rather than an arid atmosphere should be aimed at. In 
dull mild weather, when but little firing is required to maintain a 
minimum temperature of 65° to 70°, no moisture should be dis¬ 
tributed in the house other than that arising from the application 
of water at the roots, otherwise mildew would be likely to attack 
the plants. In this case the affected leaves should be dusted with 
^sulphur while damp, and a rather dry and airy atmosphere be 
maintained for a few days. Fumigation with to'bacco paper a couple 
•of evenings in succession will make short work of aphides.— 
-H. W. Ward. 
THE NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
A meeting of the General Committee of the above Society was held 
un “ Anderton’s Hotel,” Fleet Street, on Monday last, December 3rd, at 
77 p.m. The President, Mr. E. Sanderson, occupied the chair, and there 
was a full attendance of members, including Messrs. E. Ballantine, 
Wm. Holmes, J. R. Starling, E. C. Jukes, G. Stevens, L. Castle, G. Gordon, 
C. Harman Payne, R. Dean, C. Gibson, Newton, Bevan, Rundell, &c. 
'The meeting was a somewhat busy one, not the least important of the 
proceedings being the election of thirty new members, bringing up the 
total to 630. It was stated by the Hon. Secretary that satisfactory 
.-arrangements had been made for the annual dinner of the Society to be 
held in “Anderton’s Hotel” on December 13th next, when a large 
attendance of members and friends is expected ; among them Sir Lewis 
Pelly has promised to be present. A selection of music will be given 
under the direction of Dr. J. F. Haskins by Miss Mary Belval, Miss 
Ethel Winn and Messrs. J. Bartlett and Franklin Clive. 
Mr. C. Harman Payne stated that he had received letters from 
numerous correspondents abroad in reference to the catalogue and the 
Society, including communications from Bordeaux, Toulouse, New lork, 
and Constantinople. Some discussion followed respecting the terms 
upon which foreign members should be elected, and it was resolved 
provisionally that the subscriptions for America should be one dollar 
per annum, for France five francs, and Germany four marks. Mr. Payne 
was, however, requested to draw up a definite scheme to be submitted to 
another meeting. The challenge trophy offered to societies at the 
Society’s Royal Aquarium Show was also considered, and it w r as finally 
decided that it should take the form of a salver or shield, upon which 
the name of the wdnning Society could be engraved each year. Messrs. 
Sanderson, Jukes, and Ballantine were commissioned to procure an 
.article of a suitable character. 
Mr. Holmes observed, that deputations from Hull, dork, and 
Leeds had waited on him at Sheffield in reference to the provincial 
•.•show of next year, and that an informal discussion was held with the | 
two former by himself with Messrs. Ballantine and Castle. Intimation 
had also been received from Derby and Brighton to the effect that those 
societies would be glad to enter into communication with the National 
on the same subject. A question was asked respecting the Sheffield 
Show, and Mr. Holmes in replying said that it appeared likely that the 
financial results would be very satisfactory, as it had been largely 
attended, and in regard to the Show itself he remarked that the only 
deficiency was in the open classes, which he attributed mainly to a 
lamentable want of pluck on the part of both the northern and 
southern exhibitors, who seemed to be equally afraid of each other. He 
thought Mr. Packman, as an admirable exception and a representative 
of thfe south, deserved much credit for entering the competition. 
Another matter brought before the Committee was the proposition 
as to holding a centenary celebration of the introduction of the Chrys¬ 
anthemum into Europe. It had originated in a letter addressed by Mr. 
Holmes to one of the daily papers, and on the occasion of the Chrys¬ 
anthemum Show at the Crystal Palace a meeting was held at which a 
resolution was passed approving of the idea, and requesting the National 
Society to undertake the scheme. It was thought undesirable to attempt 
it next year, as the time would be insufficient for carrying out all the 
details on an extensive scale. The following year (1890) would, more¬ 
over, be the centenary of the introduction of the plant into England. 
After some discussion Mr. Gordon proposed that it be referred to the new 
Committee, to be elected in January of next year, as he thought 1890 
would be the best time for the celebration, especially as something on a 
large scale was announced to be held in Edinburgh next year, and a 
somewhat similar ffite was being arranged for Ghent. 
A letter was read from Mr. Doughty, Angley Park Gardens (which 
was also sent to this Journal last week) proposing that a conference 
should be held on the afternoon of the annual dinner. The general 
opinion was, however, that there would not be time to make the 
necessary arrangements, and on the motion of Mr. Dean, seconded by 
Mr. Rundell, it was resolved that a conference should be held in con¬ 
junction with the Society’s January Show in the Royal Aquarium, a 
sub-committee, comprising Messrs. Lewis Castle, George Gordon, and 
C. Harman Payne, being entrusted with arranging a programme. 
IMPROVED PRIZE CARDS. 
In your report of the Birmingham Show the description given of the 
improved prize cards used applies in every particular to the class cards 
used at the Hull shows, where for the last four years the names of the exhi¬ 
bitors, the entry and class numbers, as well as the description of the 
exhibits have been printed instead of written, as is usual at most shows, 
so that after the awards are made and the cards turned, all particulars 
appear “ in print ” on the front, no writing whatever being necessary, 
all that is required being to affix the adhesive labels indicating the prize 
in the spaces prepared for them. The plan is more costly but a decided 
improvement on the old method of writing, but is a great saving of 
time at a busy period, and reduces the risk of mistake to a minimum.—• 
Edw. Harland, Hull . 
CHRYSANTHEMUM FABIAN DE MEDIANA. 
In Scotland this Chrysanthemum has been grown and shown in 
splendid condition, and though I have seldom seen it fit to be shown as 
a Japanese Anemone, it proves to be a real typical Japanese bloom, in 
form and size resembling Duchess of Albany. The vexed question is, 
Why this variety cannot be staged as a Japanese, or Japanese Anemone, 
like Triomphe du Nord, which can be shown as a reflexed or 
Japanese variety. I would like to hear what some of your able corre¬ 
spondents have to say on this matter, as T am anxious that exhibitors 
and judges should know how this variety is to be treated when shown 
as a Japanese bloom, and not in the Anemone class.— J. W. Machattie, 
Neiobattle Abbey, Dalkeith. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM BLOOM3 DAMPING. 
Although I have been a grower of Chrysanthemums for a number 
f years, the present season is the only one that I have experienced any 
ifiiculty with them as regards damping of the blooms But it must 
ot be supposed that this is my first experience with the subject as I 
ave several times previously seen collections badly affected, and had 
onversations with the growers as to the probable cause of it. 
Most cultivators are of opinion that damping in the flowers is 
aused by overfeeding the plants in the autumn when the buds are 
ct and up till the time the flowers commenced showing colour. After 
ery careful observations, I am convinced that this is the principal if 
ot the sole cause of the trouble, and if I am not mistaken those 
ersons who use sulphate of ammonia freely have the greatest propor- 
ion of damped flowers. I am not alone in saying this, as several good 
rowers in this neighbourhood are of the same opinion. It is no doubt 
n excellent manure, but used in a season like the present I think it 
auses too great a flow of sap in the already overcharged stems, 
fence the mischief which follows. Of course I am alluding to Chrys- 
nthemums grown for exhibition, and the fewer the blooms a plant is 
llowed to carry the more danger there is of damping. 
My plants only suffered from this in a slight degree, and I will now 
ive the names of those that were affected. Fair Maid of Guernsey, 
Idle Paule, Edouard Audiguier, Duke of Berwick, and Empress of 
ndia None of these became affected to any great extent, but 1 think 
was because I took prompt measures to stop it, and I will now endea- 
our to explain how I treated the plants. On looking over them one 
norning the last week in October, I was dismayed to find a beautiful 
