6 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 3,1889. 
will probably account in a great measure for the wonderful crops of 
fruit in the garden. 
‘‘ The view from the windows of the mansion across the terrace to the 
pleasure grounds and scenery beyond is extremely beautiful (see fig. 1). 
From the flat roof of the house, where a tent is erected and tea had 
almost daily in the summer, it is grandly picturesque, the whole district 
as far as the eye can reach resemb ing a magnificent park. In the fore¬ 
ground are boldly swelling hills smooth as velvet, some twenty or thirty 
acres being regularly machined, and not a “ bent” to be seen to mar the 
effect of these splendid lawns. The valley conducts the eye to the dis¬ 
tant lakes, with the island of Rhododendrons in one, and a handsome 
bright green cone-like specimen of the Deciduous Cypress (Taxodium 
distichum) at the head of the other, and all around grand specimens of 
Oak and Beech, which cast their shadows, clear and strongly defined, on 
the closely shaven grass. 
“ Of its kind this is a model garden both in design and execution. 
Surpassed by none and equalled by few, both the noble owner and his 
gardener have great reason to be proud of it, while the public during 
one week in the year have a great treat generously provided ; and 
although distant from any large town, 2000 persons availed themselves 
of the privilege of inspecting it during the open week of the present 
season. This plan of giving a whole week to the public is found more 
convenient to all than having visitors during one or two days of each 
week over a period of two or three months. 
“ And now we leave Heckfield. I have seen many beautiful scenes on 
the fair face of Nature, but this is certainly one of the fairest and the 
brightest. It is cherished, too, by its noble owner, who has spent nearly 
ninety summers in its shady woods and verdant slopes. His kindness to 
his gardener during the long illness following his sad accident it is 
pleasant to record, and pleasant also to note the devoted attachment of 
the gardener towards his excellent master.” 
NATIONAL SOCIETY’S JANUARY CONFERENCE AND SHOW. 
The sub-committee —Messrs. Castle, Gordon, and Payne—appointed 
by the National Society to make arrangements for a Conference to be held 
in conjunction with the winter show of Chrysanthemums at the Royal 
Aquarium on January 9th and 10th next, announce the following 
programme. The Conference will be opened in the Westminster 
Aquarium at 5 p.m. on January 9th, when it is expected that the 
President, E. Sanderson, Esq., will take the chair. The subjects of the 
papers (each limited to a quarter of an hour) will be as follows :— 
“ Manures for Chrysanthemums,” by Mr. E. Molyneux ; I: Damping in 
Blooms,” by Mr. C. Gibson and Mr. J. Doughty ; “ Mid-Winter Chrys¬ 
anthemums,” by Mr. Kipling; and “ Sports,” by Mr. N. Davis. Each 
paper will be followed by discussion as far as time permits. All 
members and visitors to the Show will be admitted to the Conference, 
and the room or hall in which it will be held will be announced on the 
morning of the Show. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS FOR CUTTING. 
I noticed that certain Chrysanthemums were condemned lately as 
unsuitable for furnishing vases with cut flowers. My experience is that 
all are suitable if properly used. The larger the blooms the better they 
are, only they must be arranged in a bold manner with plenty of stalk 
and foliage-that is to say, if large vessels are to be filled. If smaller, 
then one good bloom will be better than any number of smaller speci¬ 
mens. There is nothing finer for table decoration than single blooms 
laid on the cloth of such distinct varieties as Phcebus, Janira, 
W. Holmes, Jeanne DHaux, Gloriosum, Empress of India, Mdlle. 
Lacroix, &c. The most seemingly unsuitable, when properly used, give 
grand results for decoration ; thus one of the most effective decorations 
I have seen was composed of spikes and foliage of Schizostylis coccinea 
and scarlet heps laid on the cloth.—B. 
NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Intending growers of these plants, especially for exhibition during 
1889, will be on the look out for new varieties to add to their list, 
as those having had experience know well the advantage gained by 
cultivating the new varieties which possess merit over the older sorts of 
a similar character. Many of the novelties have been described in the 
Journal during the period of the exhibition season, but as everybody 
who are interested in these perhaps did not see those varieties, i have 
made a point in collecting the names and descriptions of each. From 
the numerous letters I have received on this subject I am certain there 
are many persons who are anxious to know what are the good novelties 
in the various Chrysanthemum sections. 
The incurved section is considered to be the most important of all, 
by reason of the sparseness of the new varieties introduced, and because 
this section occupies the front rank in point of quality. A writer on 
new varieties in a recent paper takes exception to the many so-called 
new incurved varieties which are sent to this country from France and 
America. No doubt many are sent over annually as incurved varieties 
which turn out anything but good. He thinks that cultivators should 
enter a protest against them. I think so too, but where is it to be 
entered? The only remedy that I know of is for growers to refuse to 
cultivate them until they have been proved to be worthy of their descrip¬ 
tions by the authors or those responsible. 1 do not think that exhibitors 
would lose much either through the absence of so-called incurved 
varieties, for I do not remember any good enough to grow a second year 
that have been introduced during the last ten years with the solitary 
exception of Jeanne d’Arc. This excellent variety was introduced from 
France I believe. In a catalogue of new varieties of foreign introduc¬ 
tion I notice no less than eighteen varieties are described as incurved, 
but there is nothing to show whether they mean the ordinary type of 
incurved or Japanese incurved. The descriptions given of the varieties 
is also somewhat alarming to read. I for one never could find the ma-ny 
points in colour and form given. Worthy new varieties in this section 
are confined exclusively to English raisers, and are procured from 
sports. 
The present year’s novelties are remarkable for their high quality 
coming as they do from such excellent stock, notably Princess of Wales. 
Individually this variety stands second to none in the incurved division 
for the perfect form of its flowers. Miss Violet Tomlin is the new sport 
from the Princess, retaining all the good points of its parent in form of 
petal, build of flower, and constitution. The colour is violet purple, a 
colour sure to be welcomed by all, as many exhibition stands show a 
want of colour, especially when flowers of Refulgens are not available. 
On account also of its fine form this variety will be welcomed. It will 
also relieve those persons who object so strongly to dressing the blooms, 
as this type produces perfectly formed flowers naturally. 
Miss M. A. Haggas, a golden sport from the well known Mrs. Heale, 
itself a sport from Princess of Wales, the parent of the preceding 
variety. This will prove an acquisition to the incurved section, as a 
yellow of this class was sadly needed for the middle line. In form it is 
the exact counterpart of its parent, with the exception perhaps that it is 
1 irger. 
H. Shoesmith is said to be a sport from Mr. Bunn, but in my opinion 
it more resembles the Beverley type, which family is much sought after, 
and no doubt very useful to amateurs. But I fear this new bronze sport 
will never take a very high position owing to the want of form displayed 
by its parent, be it either Beverley or Mrs. Bunn. Again, the colour is 
not so desirable as many we have already. A new variety must have 
nowadays something beyond mere distinctness in colour to become 
popular. It should be such that another decided colour is added to the 
list by its introduction. 
Alfred Lynes is another sport of which I do not entertain a very 
high opinion. Its colour is not what i3 wanted, running as it does too 
near Lady Hardinge. It possesses the form of both petal and flower of 
its parent—Novelty. 
Japanese varieties are more largely added to than any other section, 
as is usually the case. Mrs. Falconer Jameson in my opinion is the best 
of all. It possesses characters not to be found in any other new 
variety that I have seen this season ; the chief of these is the dwarf 
nature of its growth. Handsome blooms are produced on plants only 
3 feet high—a decided gain. The flower is solid, large, the colour a pecu¬ 
liar mixture of orange bronze, the under side of the florets pale yellow. 
When more known it is sure to be largely grown ; its substantial build 
of florets stamps it as a desirable variety. 
Sunflower comes next in point of quality. It and the preceding 
variety is from Mr. Cannell’s novelties of this year. It has long drooping 
narrow florets, which are an intensely rich orange yellow, a colour not 
to be had in any other variety in the Japanese section. The flower is 
full centred. Altogether a decided acquisition. 
George Daniels is a very large variety, having extra broad florets, 
which are strap-shaped, of a delicate pink, which deepens towards the 
centre. Etoile de Lyon differs so little in colour and form that the one 
description is almost applicable to both varieties as I saw them. The 
latter variety is of dwarf sturdy habit, the foliage good. Exhibitors 
should not fail to procure one of these. Condor is another broad-petalled 
variety, partaking something of the style of Fair Maid of Guernsey in 
form of the flower and petals ; the colour is white, with the faintest 
shade of blush. 
M. Bernard, as shown by Messrs. Laing & Sons and others, is what I 
call an improved Mdme. de Sevin. The florets droop more, while their 
colour is of a deeper purple. An effective variety for either cut bloom 
stands or grouping. Thomas Stephenson is a sport from the well-known 
Criterion, possessing all the characteristics of its parent except in colour, 
which is a deep orange red ; quite distinct from anything I know, and 
likely to be largely grown. 
Fr6d6rick Marroucb, although not exactly new, not being much grown 
or seen last year, its qualities did not develope themselves widely. It 
has rich deep yellow florets, which are fluted ; the flower is full centred, 
large, and an excellent “ keeper.” 
Madame Baco was sent out last year, and has been many times shown 
in good form during the present season, and is well deserving of extended 
cultivation. The colour is bright rose with a bluish tinge, the florets ser¬ 
rated. It is a deeply-built flower. Florence Percy has come to the front 
also during the present season, and is likely to become a general 
favourite. Each floret is deeply cut at the edge, wax white, and of a 
drooping character. 
The Japanese Anemone section is increased in numbers by the addi- 
