504 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 20 , 1869. 
gardens, if possible, is the unpleasant effect produced by the bairs 
of this caterpillar upon the skin of some persons. These hairs 
float off in the air at times, and when they attach themselves to the 
skin they raise swellings, accompanied by much irritation. When 
the moth emerges in July patches of eggs are deposited upon the 
stems and branches of the food plants ; these patches are coated 
with fine down, seemingly to protect the eggs from the occasional 
heavy rains of summer. Every gardener must have seen in winter 
the cluster of eggs laid upon the cocoon of the vapourer moth 
(Orgyia antiqua), an insect flying everywhere in summer, even 
about the smokiest squares of London. The greyish caterpillar 
feeds on almost any plant that may be handy, and is often to be 
picked off the herbaceous species in beds from May to August. 
—Entomologist. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS ABOUT PORTSMOUTH. 
It may be considered by some rather early to talk about the pro¬ 
spects of Chrysanthemums, but I have always noted that those persons 
whose plants look wed at this time of the year are generally somewhere 
in the front rank in the November fob owing. Many persons may take 
exception to the word “well,” as indicated in the present appearance of 
the plants. What I mean is that they should have stout stems, not too 
long between the nodes, which is often caused by their having been 
drawn up weakly when in the cutting frame, or afterwards when in a 
young state, by being overcrowded wherever they may have been. The 
leaves should be broad for the variety, short as possib'e in the leafstalk, 
and they should stand firm, whether the habit be drooping, horizontal, 
or the ends of the leaves point in an upward direction. The base of the 
stem should already show signs of being inclined to change to a brown 
colour, showing a disposition to maturation ; and above a i the foliage 
should be green, but not of the deepest hue, which often shows signs of 
too much grossness, about which there may be some troub'e later on 
when the ripening of the wood should be in process. Persons who have 
had experience of Chrysanthemum culture can tell at a glance if 
average expectations may be indulged in by inspecting plants even at 
the present time, provided, of course, all goes well from now onwards. 
Having heard that Chrysanthemums are in much favour about Ports¬ 
mouth, there being numbers of growers at the present time, owing 
mainly to the institution of a flourishing Chrysanthemum Society in the 
town, I called at the Victoria Park the other day, and there found the 
industrious superintendent amongst his Chrysanthemums. A repre¬ 
sentative collection is grown there, which, when in bloom, attracts large 
crowds. The building of a large show-house by the Corporation has 
more than once been spoken of, whether it will ever become a fact or 
not remains to be seen. But if many corporations in the large towns 
throughout England would expend a sum on the same object, they would 
do much towards increasing the interest in Chrysanthemum cultivation 
around the busy towns, as in such houses large collections of p’ants 
could be seen to advantage, and would create a spirit of emulation 
amongst a class which, if not in such a large way, the feeling would be 
the same, to strive to excel in point of quality. Mr. Hatch has good 
plants of the right stamp for producing blooms at the proper time ; they 
are short in their growth, being sturdy, with deep green leaves, and a 
perfectly healthy tone characterises their appearance. I noticed also 
that Mr. Hatch does notattempt to grow more plants than his conveni¬ 
ence justifies him in doing ; the consequence is, all have sufficient space 
allotted to them, which is a point worthy of much consideration in the 
future welfare of the plants, but not regarded by many people in the 
same light as it ought to be. 
My next call was at the nursery of Messrs. W. & G. Drover, Fare- 
ham, which may be classed in the Portsmouth district, not being far 
away. The appearance of the plants, which number over 600, at the 
present time presents all the features of perfect health, being strong 
with no tendency to grossness of the stems or leaves, yet having a tone 
which augurs well for their future part to be played in the autumn 
campaign. At this establishment all the novelties are tried as they 
appear, which make a visit to this firm all the more interesting when the 
blooming season arrives. —H. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW FIXTURE3. 
I QUITE agree with Mr. Harland and Mr. Molyneux that it is most 
unfortunate that the last day of the Birmingham Show and the first 
day of the Hull and East Riding should fall on the same date. I further 
agree with them when they say that it might have been avoided, and i 
would not have written upon the subject only that the remarks of Mr. 
Harland in your issue of June 6th may lead your readers to believe that 
the Birmingham Committee are the only contributors to this clashing of 
dates. I therefore must beg permission to put the matter clear ; your 
readers, more especially exhibitors, will then be able to place the blame 
upon the right shoulders. 
The date of the Birmingham 1889 Show was fixed and prominently 
announced in your Journal on December 20th, 1888, and in three other 
horticultural papers the Saturday previous, December 15th ; and in the 
same Journal (see page 564) it was announced that the Committee of the 
Hull and East Riding Chrysanthemum Society had decided to hold their 
Show in 1889 on November 14th and 15th, and it was most gratifying 
to the Birmingham Committee to find that these two important Shows 
would steer clear of each other, this being the object of this early 
announcing of dates ; but you may guess their surprise wheD, on 
January 24th, appeared in your Journal an announcement that the 
Hull and East Riding Show would be held on November 21st and 22nd.. 
Why this changing of dates I know not, but perhaps Mr. Harland and 
Mr. Molyneux will explain. However, having stated these few simple 
facts, I think it will be perfectly clear to your readers that the Hull and 
East Riding Committee had every opportunity of avoiding this clashing 
had they been so inclined. To alter the Birmingham dates now is 
impossible, the schedules being printed and the Town Hall engaged ; 
but let us hope that both Societies may have good Shows, and neither 
be any the worse when all is over. 
Mr. Molyneux particularly complains of the unsuitableness of the 
date of the Birmingham Show for southern growers, at the same time 
acknowledges its suitableness for growers in the midlands. This latter 
no one of experience will doubt, and it is ]ust this fact that makes the 
date so suitable for the purpose for which these large prizes are offered 
—namely, to bring about a contest between the great growers of the 
north and south. If it cannot be brought about in Birmingham I know 
of no other place more suitable, for here you find an intermediate place- 
as to travelling, an intermediate date, and a good prize, and I am sure- 
Mr. Molyneux will forgive us if we consider the winner the champion, 
the honour of which we hope he will have a struggle for ; and in order 
to inspire confidence in the minds of growers generally I may say that 
we have secured the services of two of the best Chrysanthemum Judges, 
in the country—namely, Mr. J. Wright of the Journal, and Mr. W. Kipps 
of Liverpool, and we sincerely hope their abilities will be taxed to the 
utmost.—J. Hughes, Secretary, Birmingham. 
LOBELIA CARDINALIS v. LOBELIA IGNEA. 
I read with great interest Mr. Molyneux's note on Lobelia 
cardinalis, and I can quite endorse all the praise he bestows upon this 
useful herbaceous plant, especially when grown (as he rightly says itr 
ought to be) in a mass, and not as one or two isolated plants among 
others, according to the general custom. 
My object in troubling you with this communication is to bring 
before the public the far greater claims of Lobelia ignea, if for no- 
other reason than if left undisturbed it will stand unscathed by the 
severest winter, and come up every spring with renewed vigour. The 
foliage too is far more uniformly bronze coloured than L. cardinalis r 
which is largely mixed with green. Lobelia ignea certainly deserves its; 
name from its “ fiery ” spikes of bloom transcending every similar effect 
in the garden, where it may be seen, even at a long distance off, riveting 
the eye to the exclusion of every other object in the neighbourhood. 
On this point I think I may be allowed to appeal to our worthy 
Editor, who, whilst on a visit to Herefordshire some years ago, was much 
struck with a bed of this valuable variety in the full zenith of its 
beauty. 
The chief difficulty most cultivators find here with Lobelia ignea 
is its capriciousness in not always making a good start, and indignation., 
even to altogether dying off if its roots are disturbed ; but when once- 
established and left untouched, it requires no other attention than 
keeping the bed free from weeds, and giving a good coating of well! 
decayed manure in the late autumn.— Herefordshire Incumbent. 
[The brilliant mass referred to is well remembered, indeed could not 
be easily forgotten by those who had the pleasure of seeing it.] 
THE NORTON PANSY SOCIETY. 
I am an ol 1 Pansy grower, and very pleased to see this favourite 
flower of mine becoming more popular year by year ; but I have one- 
great drawback to my pleasure, and that is, that until I have seen- 
flowers of the new varieties I am afraid to buy. I cannot say exactly 
how many new varieties are “sent out” each year from Scotland, but 
a great many more than ought to be, and many are not sufficiently distinct- 
from older sorts to justify their being sent out at high prices. I met 
several Pansy growers at King’s Heath, which is one of the suburbs of 
Birmingham, and where the Norton Society’s head quarters are, and the 
complaint, if not loud, was certainly deep, that we get far too many 
rev varieties which are not improvements. I give a word of warning, 
to our recognised florists who send out new sorts to be more careful, as 
many amateurs now are raising their own seedlings, finding it expensive 
and disappointing work in buying many of the so-called *• new 
varieties. Has the time also not come when the absurd old price of 5s: 
for a new Pansy should be done away with ? Who pays 5j. for a new 
Pansy ? and does not the price frighten some amateurs from purchasing?" 
Well, to go back to the Norton Pansy Show, I was pleased to see a 
goodly number of flowers there, but all Fancies. There were classes in 
the schedule for Show Pansies, but none there, and I sighed for the days- 
gone by when tbe beauty and refinement of good “ Show” varieties, 
were always a gladsome sight to old Pansy growers. We shall tire of 
Fancy Pansies presently, for the senders-out are going the right way to 
do it, for we are being satiated with a host of varieties in which there is- 
