126 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Ft braary 14. 188#. 
Japanese Reflexed, Reflexed, Large Anemones, Pompons, and 
Pompon Anemone Varieties. 
The short lists given below show the relative positions occupied by 
the flowers named in them, taking into consideration their 1888 form 
alone. Unfortunately the competition in several sections was too 
limited for any very satisfactory results to be obtained. 
Japanese Eeflexed. —Maiden’s Blush, La Triomphante, Elaine, Amy 
Furze, Val d’Andorre, Jeanne Dtilaux, Monsieur Astorg, W. Holmes, 
Triomphe du Nord. 
Reflexed. —Cullingfordi, Chevalier Domage, Cloth of Gold, King of 
Crimsons, Dr. Sharpe, Felicity, Golden Christine, Pink Christine. 
Large Anemones. —Lady Margaret, Gluck, Acquisition, Emperor, 
Empress, Fleur de Marie, J. Thorpe, jun., Louis Bonamy, Mrs. Pethers. 
Pompons. —Black Douglas, Golden Mdlle. Marthe, Mdlle. Elise 
Dordan, Mdlle. Marthe, Marabout. 
My thanks are again due to Mr. Harman Payne for supplying the 
dates and raisers’ names of some of the newer Chrysanthemums. The 
other dates and raisers’ names, as well as the colours of the different 
varieties in the tables, have been throughout revised and made to agree 
with those given in the last edition of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society’s Catalogue.—E. M., Berhhamsted. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SPORTS. 
I thank Mr. Davis for his explanation on page 87. I am con¬ 
strained, however, to ask him to mention one incurved Chrysanthemum 
that can be called a true purple in colour ; for, although be has thrown 
his “ black ” Chrysanthemum and his “ black ” Pansy overboard, he yet 
retains his “ purple ” ones. I shall also be glad if he will mention a 
violet-coloured Chrysanthemum. Mr. Davis’s remarks about the 
“ changes,” and “ reflections,” and “ non-changes,” and whites changing 
to yellow and then being red instead of purple, &c., are not clear to me. 
Chrysanthemum flowers were originally green. During what to us would 
be their early existence, the blue and yellow pigments with which 
Nature mixes her greens became separated ; the blue or greater portion 
of it was either lost or became absorbed by the foliage and stems, 
leaving the flowers yellow. Ages go by, the plants are cultivated and 
grown carefully, Nature becomes self-assertive and makes an attempt to 
repossess the colour she has lost, throws off the yellow and becomes a 
white in some instances, the others taking a deeper shade of yellow. 
As time progresses cultivation becomes of a higher character, and 
the vigour of the plant increases; fresh efforts are made after that 
higher colour, blue, and the flowers are granted a certain degree 
of success, and, up to the present, have obtained as much blue as 
enables them to present us with lilac and mauve in clear colour ; after 
this, red obtains the mastery, and has kept it up to the present in all 
the sections. I believe there is not at present a true violet or purple 
coloured Chrysanthemum in general cultivation, but there are many 
deep crimson ones that, at first glance, are frequently taken for purple, 
and the mistake is pardonable in those who have not been trained to 
distinguish colours and shades of colours correctly. The only colours 
we have at present in Chrysanthemums are white, yellow, pink, red, 
and crimson, and their varying shades. I would not venture to say 
that blue is unattainable, but it is not likely to be obtained at present, 
but I believe it possible in the Chrysanthemum, the Dahlia, and the 
Rose, also in the Primula. 
The reflective colour of the Chrysanthemum varies very much with 
the substance of the floret and the character of its surface, and it will 
also be governed by the chemical nature of the pigments of the ground 
colour. A soft hirsute surface will give a deeper reflective colour than 
a hard and glazed surface, and a smooth and dull one will reflect 
accordingly, the smoothest among the crimsons giving us the nearest 
approach to scarlet we have. Mr. Davis undervalues the teachings of 
art. Purple in art is the sapae colour as in nature, or as near as man 
can make or distinguish it, and the names of colours in nature are 
those given by art. Nature does not label a flower blue, red, or 
yellow. Purple is a mixture of two colouring pigments in nature and 
in art, though the pigments may be chemically different,—J. 
CUTTING DOWN CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
I AM glad to see this subject started in the Journal. I trust we 
may have it fully discussed by growers in various parts of the country. 
As I have practised cutting down for the last five years, I can confi¬ 
dently recommend it where flowers are wanted either for cutting or 
conservatory decoration, but where blooms for exhibition are wanted 
I must admit I have found very few varieties that are improved by it; 
the few that I have are Madame C. Audiguier, Belle Paule, and 
Criterion. With the incurved I have had the least success, all losing 
much of the solid globular build so much sought after in this section, 
and especially does this refer to all the Empress family. 
The points that may be advanced in favour of the practice are, it 
reduces the plants to a reasonable height, while losing little if anything 
in the size of flowers. Should dwarf plants in G-inch pots be wanted 
strike the tops of plants cut down in a hot dung frame well shaded 
They will grow from 12 to 18 inches, with splendid flowers fit for table' 
decoration, and invaluable for the front of stages in the conservatory. 
Plants to be so treated are better propagated in February. They can 
be cut much lower down than those propagated in December ; the stems 
being harder require to be cut higher. When good cuttings are difficult 
to obtain early of incurves, causing the buds to be too late for Novem¬ 
ber, topping the plants in June according to the variety will bring them 
in in time for the end of November. 
The next question to consider is when to commence cutting down, 
I commence about 20th May with varieties requiring a long season to 
grow. Madame C. Audiguier and Boule d’Or may be taken as examples. 
Continue cutting on to the middle of June for the early varieties. 
Plants that have had their final shift a fortnight before cutting down 
will be as early as if they had been cut down in the 6-inch pots three 
weeks before. I have found plants so treated have finer foliage down 
to the pot. 
A practice I have tried and hope to extend is to “ knee’’ the plants; 
this gives them a check sufficient to cause them to break, still 1 
retaining the foliage to keep the roots healthy and active. This to mv 
mind gets over the worst feature of the cutting-down system, the check 
occasioned by cutting so much foliage away at one time. Having 
cut down nearly every variety I have grown, the leading features I 
have observed, and which may be trusted to guide one in the prac¬ 
tice, are that those resembling in growth and flowers Madame C'l 
Audiguier, Belle Paule, and Criterion are almost certain to succeed, 
while those likely to disappoint are varieties resembling Comte de 
Germiny, Grandiflorum, and Golden Dragon.—W. D., Dundee. 
The closing paragraph on the above-named subject by “ J. U.,’ 
page 115 of the Journal, is very sweeping. Will he say in what manner 
the specimens stand self-condemned? If he means that as ordinary 
“ decorative ” plants I will admit he is correct, but for the production, 
of the finest specimens of the various types of blooms, surely “ J. U.” 
will not say that there they stand “ self-condemned.” If he does, tllen> 
we must come to the conclusion that serious errors are made yearly 
(and more promise to do the same thing) by those growers who are* 
annually credited with producing the finest specimens in their respec¬ 
tive classes. It is indeed a pity that they should be allowed to grope* 
in the dark so long. Perhaps “ J. U.” will enlighten us by stating 
how to avoid thi3 unnecessary 7 feet of growth which he appears to 
think is made. I am sure all lovers of the Chrysanthemum would 
join heaitily in thanking “ J. U.” for information which would guarantee 
as good blooms from plants under 7 feet high as from those ranging 
to 7 feet higher than the height named.—G. 
SMALL INCURVED CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Mr. Molyneux, on page 62, names a most interesting matter—namely,, 
exhibiting the Rundle family of Chrysanthemums. I do not quite agree* 
with him in exhibiting them with stems and foliage, as it looks so 
unshapely, and from my own experience does not take the eye of the 
public. I have looked each week in the Journal in the hope that some 
practical suggestion would be made. I feel sure the Committee of the 
National could do something to save some of our most beautiful flowers 
being driven out of cultivation, which will be the case if the rage for 
size continues. I have thought if a class was made to exclude the 
Empress family, aho Prince Alfred, Lord Alcester, Lord Wolseley, Mrss 
Heale, and such as the Committee think grow to a large size, a clasdl 
might also be made for medium-sized flowers, which I feel sure wools, 
bring some of our most beautiful varieties to the front—namely, Mtr 
Rundle, Mrs. Dixon, G. Glenny, E. Sanderson—a lovely little flowe- 
which I in vain tried for three years to grow to a good size ; the conse,. 
quence was he had to be placed on one side. Then we come to Eve, 
Mabel Ward, Little Harry Improved, Isabella Bott, William Edward, 
and a host of beautiful sorts that we scarcely ever see. What is more 
they do not grow so tall, neither do they need so much dressing a» 
larger flowers, therefore would be easier managed by amateuTS. 
Mr. M .lyneux speaks of showing more board than flower. I would suggest 
that a board of less size than the one now in use be named by the 
Committee. I venture to say that in a year or two old varieties would 
re-appear, and even more interest taken in them than flowers of a larger 
size. I merely throw out this as a hint, but think it well worth trying, 
and hope the National Society’s Committee may see the way to do some¬ 
thing of the nature indicated. What do others say ?—W. Tunnington 
MR. MOLYNEUX’S NEW EDITION. 
Though the fourth edition of Mr. Molyneux’s popular work,. 
“ Chrysanthemums and their Culture,” has been in circulation for some 
weeks, an opportunity has not been found for an earlier reference to it in 
these columns. The chapters forming the previous editions remain as 
before, an addendum being provided in the latest issue, in which the 
advance made in Chrysanthemums is pointed out. The culture of single 
varieties is advocated for home decoration and exhibition, with an illus¬ 
tration showing a trio of blooms arranged for staging. Fragrant 
varieties are also introduced, and select lists in all the sections given, 
with the colours of the several varieties. These lists represent the latest 
choice of the author, and include the best of the new varieties that, he* 
tested during the past season. The rapid sale of the work is the best 
evidence of its acceptability, and at the same time of the unabateiB 
interest that exists in the flower to which it is devoted. It is a work 
which Chrysanthemum growers cannot afford to do without, and they 
are increasing in numbers yearly. 
LEICESTER AND MIDLAND CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
The annual meeting of this young and flourishing Society took place* 
at the Welford Road Coffee House on Thursday, January 31st. There was* 
a good attendance, and a very satisfactory report and balance-sheet for 
the past year was read by the Hon. Secretary, Mr. John Read. The 
latter showed a balance in favour of the Society upon the year’s work¬ 
ing of £4 6s. 2d. A long list of vice-presidents and patrons, including 
