400 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER.. 
[ Noven.ber 7 , 1889. 
for this purpose. Chionodoxa Luciliae much resembles Scillas, and 
requires similar treatment. 
Plant Belladonna Lilies as soon as received nearly close.to a very 
sunny wall, a narrow border near the front wall of a forcing house 
being a capital position. Dispose the bulbs 12 inches apart and 
4 inches deep. Alstrcemerias ought to have a sunny and rather 
dry position where they will seldom be disturbed, fine beds being 
sometimes seen at the foot of dwelling house walls. Plant in 
patches 8 inches below the surface. If Tulips and Hyacinths are 
planted in mixed borders they are most effective in clumps, being 
disposed from 6 inches to 8 inches apart and 4 inches below the 
surface. Now is also a good time to plant Fritillarias and Crown 
Imperials, these being suitable for the back rows in mixed borders. 
They are most effective in clumps. It is not yet too late to trans¬ 
plant or purchase the beautiful Lilium candidum, which also should 
be arranged in groups along the back rows in mixed borders. 
This moves best with a tuft of leaves and roots intact. Arrange 
the bulbs 9 inches apart and bury them well below the surface 
without actually smothering the foliage.—W. I. M. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
We shall be obliged to the secretaries of societies and others in¬ 
terested in the matter if they will send us brief original notes on the 
shows where this Journal is not specially represented. Local news¬ 
paper reports are frequently sent during the season, of which we can 
make but little use. All that we require are the names of the winners 
in the chief classes, the names of the varieties in the leading stands, 
and the general character of the show. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN THE WEST. 
L have just had a run westwards, and found Chrysanthemums well 
grown in four gardens, but the blooms from the early crown buds were 
fading. At Talygarn, South Wales, the pleasant seat of G. T. Clark, 
Esq., Mr. W. Wright, the gardener, has an admirably grown collection, 
not surpassed probably in the principality. At Cardiff Castle Mr! 
Pettigrew grows them in the free conservatory bush form, and splendid 
bushes they are, with rich foliage down to the pots, and scores of blooms 
on a plant for cutting by the armful. At Marston House, Frome, Mr. 
W. Iggulden has an excellent collection bearing exhibition blooms, but 
most from the crown bud are too early for the shows, though some 
grand examples of Jardin des P antes may perhaps “keep.” Thunberg 
is also exceptionally fine. The blooms from terminal buds are smaller, 
but firm, fresh, clear and beautiful. In the well-managed town 
garden of Mr. Bailey, Willow Yale, Frome, is a small collection, bearing 
blooms of the first quality, Avalanche perhaps the best of many others 
that are very good, but most of them fading now. They are a credit to 
the grower, Mr. W. Strugnell, who is an old pupil of Mr. Iggulden, and 
undoubtedly an excellent gardener.—A Londoner. 
AROUND LONDON. 
The majority of the Chrysanthemums around the metropolis are 
unusually early this year, and the first shows seem at present likely to 
have the best of the exhibits. There are, however, a few exceptions in 
which the blooms are later, and about right for the midseason exhibi¬ 
tions. We can only refer briefly to a few of the chief collections. Of 
the public displays one of the first to be opened was that in the Inner 
Temple Gardens, under the charge of Mr. Newton. A house near the 
embankment is devoted to the plants, which are arranged on a sloping 
bank with a path in front ; and in quality of blooms and brightness of 
effect it is one of the best shows seen at the Temple for a long time. 
Japanese varieties predominate, and amongst the earlier blooms were 
uncommonly good examples of Mrs. J. Wright and Edouard Audiguier. 
At Finsbury Park a wonderfully good show is provided by Mr. 
Cochrane, the plants and blooms quite uo to the high standard distin¬ 
guishing those at this Park. The house is 100 feet long and 18 feet wide, 
with a central group sloping to the path on each side. This is a con¬ 
venient arrangement, but the house is scarcely large enough to do justice 
to the plants, and the larger structure which is likely to be provided 
next year will be a welcome improvement. All the best varieties in the 
principal sections are admirably represented. At Victoria Park Mr. 
Gibson has a spacious and substantial span-roof house filled with Chrys¬ 
anthemums in two groups, the path being in the centre ; and there, 
curiously, though only a short distance from Finsbury Park, the plants 
are much later—nearly a fortnight—and will last until nearly the end 
of the month. They are all healthy, sturdy specimens, bearing good 
buds, and the blooms they have expanded are capital examples of their 
respective varieties. Southwark Park also has a Chrysanthemum Show, 
and Mr. Bush well maintains his reputation by a capital display. In 
Battersea Park, too, Mr. Copping has a houseful of excellent plants, 
bearing substantial blooms thoroughly creditable to his cultural skill. 
Another year we may expect still more of these public displays, and 
we might suggest Myatt’s Fields, Camberwell, now under the charge of 
Mr. Moorman, and the Fawcett Park at Vauxhall, being laid out by 
Mr. Holmes, as very suitable places for such shows. 
At the Crystal Palace, Mr. W. G. Head, the garden superintendent, 
annually grows from 6000 to 7000 Chrysanthemums for decorative pur¬ 
poses, and he has the latter number this year. The early and October 
varieties are chiefly depended upon, but over 100 varieties are grown, 
the best in large quantities. Many more varieties were grown at one 
time, but they are being steadily reduced as their qualities have been 
tested, and a still more critical selection will be made for another 
year. 
Mr. A. H. Smee, of The Grange, Carshalton, is a well-known admirer 
of the Chrysanthemum, annually providing a large display which is 
thrown open to the public for some days. The gardener, Mr. Cummins, 
grows about 600 plants, which are arranged in one of the houses and 
produce a capital effect, forming a bank of bright flowers. The collec¬ 
tion of varieties is a large one, most of the best old and new forms being 
included. 
Amongst the trade displays of Chrysanthemums the principal are 
those of Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Messrs. Laing & Son, 
Forest Hill, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, Messrs. Davis & Jones, 
Camberwell, and Mr. G. Stevens lat Putney, all of whom devote several 
houses to the plants, and include amongst the ordinary stock some 
novelties of considerable merit. 
TWICKENHAM. 
The garden at Poulett Lodge, Twickenham, abounds in specialties, 
for Mr. W. Bates is an earnest believer in the old maxim that “ what 
is worth doing is worth doing well,” and he carries out the idea ad¬ 
mirably in all he undertakes. A large collection of outdoor fruits 
gives good evidence of the best treatment by the healthy and fine 
fruit-bearing condition of the trees. Under glass we find Peaches and 
Nectarines, Grapes and Vines, all equally well grown, and miscellaneous 
plants of decorative value receive a good share of attention with satis¬ 
factory results. Amongst the latter must be included the Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, of which moderate numbers are grown, but they are most pro¬ 
mising, and excellent blooms are expanding both of Japanese and in¬ 
curved. Deep, substantial, clean, handsome, incurved blooms are 
noticeable that would grace any show board, and the Japanese are repre¬ 
sented by large richly coloured blooms. If Mr. Bates were to turn his 
attention to growing flowers for exhibition purposes he would prove a 
formidable antagonist to some of the “ old stagers,” and we may yet 
hope to see him in the front ranks at the leading shows, though not this 
season. 
TEDDINGTON. 
A delightful walk from Twickenham on a brilliant moonlight night, 
and The Roselands, Teddington, is reached, where Mr. W. Furze devotes 
a large portion of his garden and houses to his great favourites the 
Chrysanthemums. Unfortunately their enthusiastic owner was absent, 
but by the kindness of Mrs. Furze we were permitted to see as much of 
the plants and blooms as candlelight would admit. The inspection was 
a very gratifying one, for it is always a pleasure to see well grown 
plants, and the gardener, Mr. Coombs, has given close study to the 
Chrysanthemum for some years with the best results. “ Ah I ” said my 
companion, “ they have a secret here which I have not yet mastered. 
They grow the plants up to a certain stage, and then they grow the 
blooms.” The fact is the plants are in smaller pots than are usually 
seen, the wood has not the slightest tendency to grossness—quite the 
reverse. In some cases it even looks thin, but it is firm, well matured, 
and evidently contains all that is requisite. The blooms come clean and 
free from deformity, building up steadily and regularly until the time 
arrives for the preparation for the show. Certainly some of the in¬ 
curved blooms will require very little artistic aid to render them fit for 
the boards. The Japanese also are fine, and we regret that the demands 
upon our space this week will not permit an enumeration of the varieties, 
and where all are so good it is difficult to give a restricted list. 
Weir Bank, the residence of Mr. J. P. Chappell, is nearly opposite The 
Roselands, and the love of Chrysanthemums would seem to have ex¬ 
tended there, together with the skill necessary for growing them well. 
At any rate, Mr. Davies has an excellent display, and it is evident ho is 
making rapid progress in the art which puzzles my friend—namely, 
“ growing the blooms.” He has a good selection of varieties, which aie 
represented in nearly every case by handsome blooms, both of Japanese 
and incurved. ' The plants are arranged in a conservatory to form a 
sloping bank, the colours are effectively disposed, and the group 
altogether is a charming one. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM MRS. ALPHEUS HARDY. 
Few novelties amongst Chrysanthemums have attracted so large a 
share of public attention as that named above, which was announced 
last year in the American papers, and made its appearance in this 
country during the present year. Elaborate descriptions were published, 
and the variety was proclaimed as the most remarkable ever obtained. 
It is almost needless to say that the accounts were received here with a 
certain amount of incredulousness ; we always credit our American 
cousins with a tendency to exaggeration of the charms of their own 
possessions, and perhaps for that reason we are sometimes a little unjust 
in discounting their descriptions so severely. Some blooms were sent 
over here frem the States, but they were not in good condition, and did 
