514 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 6, 1888. 
bloom of Empress of India, about three parts expanded, with a quan¬ 
tity of brown spots on most of the lower petals, just as described by 
Mr. Molyneux in his book, page 77. In twenty-four hours these had 
increased in size considerably, and it was quite evident the affected 
petals had begun to decay. This was very disappointing, and I felt 
quite at a loss to know what to do. The house was dry, hot-water pipes 
fairly warm, thermometer standing at 50°. There could be nothing 
wrong in the atmosphere. Suddenly it occurred to me that there might 
be too great a flow of sap to the flower, as the plant had been liberally 
fed and the leaves were large and of good substance. Acting on this, 
with knife in hand, I took an upward cut nearly half through the stem 
of the plant, just above the first break. About a foot higher up I made 
another cut on the opposite side; in addition to this I allowed the soil 
in the pot to become rather dry, and when it was necessary to apply 
water I put a piece of lime about the size of a walnut in two gallons 
of water, and when dissolved I gave the plant a good soaking. This 
was repeated every time water was required, and the result was most 
satisfactory. The development of the flower was not hindered in the 
slightest, but damping was entirely stopped, as I did not observe a 
single floret go wrong afterwards. This has been my treatment with 
each variety affected, and in every case I have been quite satisfied with 
the result. —F. Hopkins. 
Now the shows are over, and anxiety on the part of exhibitors 
greatly lessened, I hope we shall have some discussion on the most 
important points in the cultivation of this beautiful autumn flower. 
Damping has been very prevalent this autumn, and already useful notes 
have been contributed to this Journal on the subject. After nearly a 
year’s labour and care it seems hard to lose fine exhibition blooms a few 
days before the date of the show. To steer entirely clear of this evil 
every season, will, I am afiail, be almost impossible ; nevertheless, 
experience and watchfulness may do much to diminish it. That it is 
worse some seasons than others is undoubted, notably the present one. 
Unripe wood with overfeeding is, no doubt, one cause, but I think 
atmospheric conditions have also something to do with it. I had one 
fine bloom of Belle Paule among others nearly open when we had some 
heavy rain and local fogs in this district, which in two or three days 
caused nearly half the florets to damp. I removed them, and then we 
had a week of fine weather, but no more florets damped, although the 
plants remained in the same position, subject to the same treatment, 
except having a little more air. Some varieties damp more quickly 
than others, Yal d’Andorre being the w'orst in that respect with me. 
Taking the buds at the proper time prevents damping somewhat. Of 
three plants of Golden Dragon I only secured one crown bud at the 
right time. This bloom remained quite fresh, while others on the same 
plant, and the other two which were not taken at the proper time, 
damped as they opened. 
KEEPING THE BLOOMS. 
It is necessary sometimes to keep the blooms fresh for a time, as 
some of our exhibitors can testify. Different methods are resorted to, 
but having dry lime in the shed where the plants are placed certainly 
struck me as a capital idea when I read Mr. Tunnington’s paper on 
“ Chat About Chrysantemums” in the Journal. It is well worth trying, 
and no doubt will be by some next autumn. I quite agree with Mr. 
Doughty, page 489, that some further discussion on the respective 
papers read by Mr. Tunnington and Mr. Molyneux at Sheffield would 
be highly beneficial, the two most important matters being the proper 
time and manner of striking cuttings of the incurved section and wood 
ripening. These two points are, I believe, not thoroughly understood 
by some cultivators.— G. Garner, Amherwood Gardens, Hants. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS FROM AMERICA. 
At the present time there appears to be more good Japanese varieties 
of Chrysanthemums sent to this country from America than from any 
other source, and all these are more or less characterised by a stiff sturdy 
habit of growth. At the Floral Nursery, Maidenhead, I saw some new 
varieties in flower a few days since, some of which promise to make 
good distinct exhibition sorts. The plants only having been imported 
late this season were small, but the flowers were comparatively good. 
Leopard, mauve spotted with pure white ; Thomas Cartledge, orange, 
incurved florets ; Minnie Palmer, creamy white ; John Thome, rich deep 
lake ; J. Collins, coppery bronze ; Elizabeth Bliss, amaranth shaded 
violet; George Maclure, purple shaded amaranth. These appeared 
distinct both in colour of flower and foliage.— H. D. 
CHRYSANIHEMUMS SUITABLE FOR ARRANGING IN VASES. 
At this time of the year we are generally treated to abundance of 
Chrysanthemum literature, which is read with a keen relish by all true 
lovers of the autumn queen. The names of the flowers in winning 
stands, which are published, are closely watched. New varieties noticed 
at shows or recommended by well-known experts are carefully noted 
down. Lists are made out of those varieties intended to be grown for 
next season’s campaign, and hopes run high concerning the victories to 
be achieved during the coming year. All these things are necessary and 
desirable for growers of Chrysanthemums for exhibition purposes ; but 
as there are many others who grow their plants principally for supplying 
cut flowers for floral arrangements, for which purpose small sprays of 
light and elegant flowers are the most effective, I have therefore 
arranged a list of those varieties found most useful for such purposes. 
Very few incurved varieties are suitable, because when grown to a 
sufficient size to bring out their true form they are too large except for 
specimen glasses or filling in the bases of larger ones, and even in such 
positions two-thirds of Chrysanthemum lovers would prefer the wavy 
flowing outlines of the Japanese varieties. Indeed so extremely varied 
is this section both in form and colour, that it embraces nearly all the 
best varieties suitable for the above named purpose. The plants should 
be grown as bushes, some of the shoots being partially disbudded, just 
enough to prevent the flowers having a crowded appearance, while 
others should be left without any thinning out, so as to supply useful 
sprays with half opened buds clustering around the central ones. Such 
shoots as these are always effectual when well arranged, but some 
varieties of Japanese are more better adapted for the purpose than 
others, on account of their thread-like petals, and also in consequence of 
the length of the footstalks of the flowers formed around the central one. 
Where the footstalks are short, when fully expanded, the central and 
lateral flowers form a solid mass, which, it is needless to say, is not the 
kind of material for forming elegant arrangements. 
Japanese. —Baronne de Frailly, Belle Paule, Madame B. Rendatler, 
Bouquet Fait, Chang, Coeur Fidele. Cossack, Duchess of Albany, Ethel, 
Fair Maid of Guernsey, Fernand Feral, Fimbriatum, Garnet, Gold 
Thread, Jeanne Delaux, Lady Selborne, Le Spectre Toulousain, Meg 
Merrilies, Madame de Sevin, Mdlie. Lacroix, M. Moussillac, Roseuin 
superbum, Soleil Levant, Thunberg, Triomphe de la rue des Chalets, 
and Madame Desgranges. 
Reflexed. —Golden Christine Peach Christine, Chevalier Dornage, 
Cullingfordi, Julia Lagraviere, and Progne. 
Anemone. —Acquisition, Fleur de Marie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 
Mdlie. Cabrol, Marguerite Villageoise, Soeur Dorothde Souille, and 
Souvenir de Lardenne. 
Incurved. —Aimd Ferriere. Angelina, Antonelli, George Glenny, Mrs. 
Dixon, Lady Talfourd, Lady Hardinge, Le Grande, Miss Hope, Mr. Glad¬ 
stone, Mrs. G. Rundle, and Refulgens. 
Pompoms. —Bob, Cedo Nulli (white), Cedo Nulli (gold), Cedo NulM 
(brown), Duir-Duir, Gold Button, Helene, Maiden’s Blush, Marabout,. 
Miss Wheeler, Mrs. Bateman. Prince Victor, Sophy, St. Michael, Sunset, 
Rose Trevenna, and Trophbe.—H. Dunkin. 
NEW AMERICAN CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
A BLOOM has been sent to us of a variety named Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy, for which an American firm of florists is said to have given 
1500 dollars, or about £300. The specimen we have seen must be an 
exceedingly poor example of the variety, for it resembled a small reflexed 
white Japanese with flat florets, and such as would be scarcely admissible 
in a third-rate stand at an English show. The papers on the other side 
of the Atlantic, however, sing its praises in unstinted terms. Miss 
Emily Louise Taplin in the American Florist thus refers to the variety 
as shown at the Orange Chrysanthemum Exhibition in New York on 
November 8th :—“ The star of the Show was the much-heralded 1 Mrs. 
Alpheus Hardy,’ unquestionably the most unique introduction of recent 
years. One might say the most unique introduction in the entire list of 
Chrysanthemums without being far out. It is a large globular flower, 
long-petalled like the Japanese, yet in regularity of form resembling the 
Chinese type. In colour purest white, free from faintest tinge of 
colour, and, most remarkable feature of all, the backs of the petals are 
covered with long silky hair. The effect is indescribably strange and 
beautiful, it can be likened to a white ostrich tip, and nothing else. One 
can see at once what an acquisition this must be to the trade. Its 
keeping quality is as yet unknown, but the texture is thick and firm. 
It was a lovely sight to see these flowers resting on a bed of Adiantum ; 
perhaps the only Chrysanthemum which does not become coarse by 
comparison with delicate Ferns. This flower recived special honours. 
The Committee reported on it thus: —‘New Chrysanthemum Mrs. 
Alpheus Hardy your Committee consider is the most remarkable 
acquisition ia the way of new and beautiful plants that has been 
introduced in recent times.’ ” 
One of the reporters in a New York daily paper, however, appears to 
have acquired a confused idea respecting the plant, for it is thus noted : 
—“ A novelty will be the exhibition of the Mrs. Alpheus C. Hardy 
Orchid, an entirely new variety imported from Japan. It is believed 
that the owner has the only specimens of this wonderful Orchid in the 
world. He has carefully bred and propagated them until he now has in 
his conservatories over 5000 specimens. The flower is an exceedingly 
quaint and peculiar one, exactly resembling a white ostrich tip. Next 
May these wonderful flowers will be on the market.” 
Other varieties are mentioned as of superlative merit, the following 
remarks occurring in one of the reports : —Too much cannot be said in 
favour of the new Chrysanthemums exhibited by Mr. William Barr. 
Mr. Wm. Barr is a wonderful crimson, incurving petals lighter beneath. 
Peter B. Mead is perhaps the most remarkable golden yellow, with long 
tubular petals. Sunset is what its name implies, glorious yellow 
shading into orange and red. Mrs. Carnegie and Miss Alice Brown are 
more fine ones. Mr. Barr’s exhibit was of remarkable beauty all 
through ; there could be no question of its superiority.” 
A TALK ABOUT CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
The correspondent of a local paper has, it appears, been “ inter¬ 
viewing ” C. E. Shea, Esq., of Foot’s Cray, whose gardener, Mr. Pack¬ 
man, has exhibited Chrysanthemums with a considerable share of success 
this season. The substance of Mr. Shea’s replies to his interlocutor's 
numerous questions was as follows : — 
“ We exhibit principally in the Japanese classes, for the reason in 
