110 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
1[ Fcbrrary 6, 1890, 
taken ill on Friday, the 19th January, which turned to congestion of 
the lungs and gastric fever, and to which he succumbed on Wednesday, 
January 29th, at the age of fifty-two. It may not be generally known 
that Mr. Wildsmith had been gardener at Heckfield Place for twenty- 
four years, and he has survived by only thirteen months his noble 
employer (Lord Eversley), whom he loved so well and served so faith¬ 
fully. For a number of years Mr. Wildsmith was well known as a most 
successful exhibitor, but owing to an unfortunate accident of a few 
years ago, which impaired his health, he has latterly discontinued 
exhibiting. 
As a horticulturist and gardener Mr. Wildsmith is too well known 
to need comment. As a gardener he had few equals and no superiors, 
for whatever he took in hand, whether flower gardeninsr, fruit growing, 
vegetable culture, or Chrysanthemum growing, he was sure to do well. 
For years he was the winner of many very valuable prizes at the lead¬ 
ing shows in the country, including the only gold cup ever offered for 
Chrysanthemums. Some of our most successful gardeners were foremen 
under Mr. Wildsmith, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Goodacre of 
Elvaston Castle, Mr. Crump of Madresfield Court, Mr. Turtonof Maiden 
Erleigh, and Mr. Heath of Hampton Manor. Mr. Wildsmith’s kindness 
and liberality were proverbial among his friends, who will long mourn 
his loss.— G. Trindee, BogmersJiM, Winch field. 
Through the death of Mr. Wildsmith the horticultural world has 
lost one of its best supporters. Some years since, when returning home 
from an autumn exhibition at the Crystal Palace, he had the misfortune 
to meet with an accident by the overturning of his cart; since then he 
has experienced indifferent health. Mr. Wildsmith was one of our best 
Press contributors, having a high practical knowledge of the subjects he 
wrote about, he was able to convey his ideas to others in a clear 
manner, llesides this he was a capital judge of horticultural produce, 
especially in fruit and vegetables, taking as much interest in a small 
cottage show as in an exhibition of greater note, and was at all times 
willing to help struggling societies, often refusing to take a fee. Mr. 
Wildsmith was a man who was always ready to give advice truthfully, 
and on many occasions I have benefited by his kindness in this respect. 
As an exhibitor of Chrysanthemums he had secured the honour of 
winning the only gold cup ever offered for these flowers—that at 
Devizes some three or four years since. It was only during the last six 
years that he commenced growing these plants for exhibition purposes, 
but he was enabled to command success almost at first. I am afraid 
these few lines are but a poor attempt at expressing my feelings for the 
loss of one who was of such a kindly disposition, always ready to help others 
when the necessity arose, either in advice or otherwise. His welcome to 
visitors to Heckfield was always of the heartiest.— Edwhn Molyneux. 
In the course of a letter from Mr. E. P>utts, who knew Mr. AVild- 
smith well, he says, “ Flower gardening w'as considered Mr. Wildsmith’s 
strong point, but I consider all his points were strong as a gardener, 
and I know that during his long period of service at Heckfield he con¬ 
verted a good number of raw articles into first-rate gardeners.” 
DISCUSSION AT SHEFFIELD. 
Blooms Damping. 
(^Continued from page 73.') 
The next subject, the Chairman said, was the “ Damping of Blooms,” 
by Mr. Udale, who as an experienced grower, was quite competent to 
give information on the subject. Mr. Tunnington was to have opened 
the discussion, but he was rather unwell, and could not attend. Mr. 
Udale said it was a very debateable subject, and he was sorry Mr. Tun¬ 
nington was not there. The question of the damping of Chrysanthe¬ 
mum blooms was certainly a very important one. Most exhibitors have 
been surprised and considerably annoyed at times to see their blooms 
damping. It may be that some florets here and there are the first to be 
noticed, and there are certain varieties which appear to be more liable to 
it than others, such as those wuth soft florets. One of the worst is Jeanne 
d’Arc. Another variety much subject to damping is Lady Hardinge, 
and the sport from it IMrs. Shipman. “What is the cause of damping? 
Possibly a combination of circumstances. Some say that it is through 
grossness, that plants have been over-fed. It is just wdthin the range 
of probability that over-feeding may indirectly be the cause of damping. 
I am inclined to think that the fundamental cause of damping is the 
fear of using a little artificial heat. I should say the least of evils, 
rather than have good blooms spoiled by damp, is to turn on the heat. 
Damp frequently arises from a fall in the night temperature. Moisture 
is immediately precipitated on the florets, as the surface is colder 
than the surrounding atmosphere, and that I think is the chief reason. 
I must tell you frankly that in every case of neg’ect or fear of turning 
on the heat, or both combined, I have had damping, but I find that 
when I have had a warm and buoyant atmosphere I have had no damp¬ 
ing at all. There is still an advantage in having a little artificial heat 
because I think the flowers are bolder and of much better quality. 
My best flowers have always been cut from the plants that I have 
applied heat to night and day. It may be asked. How is it they “ go ” 
from the centre ? I do not think that of itself would affect the argu¬ 
ment I have just adduced. I believe the damp has entered into the 
hearts of the flowers before we knew it was there, and being there it is 
more difficult to dry even if we turn on artificial heat. Damping is 
more frequently produced by want of a buoyant atmosphere rather than 
by too gross feeding.” 
Referring to Mr. Udale’s statement about Mrs. Shipman, Mr. Har¬ 
rison said he was thinking what a good keeper Mrs. Shipman was. 
Three weeks ago he had a flower fully grown, and put it in an old hen 
house where water ran down the walls. He had been able to keep that 
bloom until three days ago. He would not have had an Avalanche if he 
had not have put a flower of that variety in the same place. A flower 
of Golden Beverley was fully grown a month since ; it was cut and 
kept during that time, then exhibited. He partly attributed his success 
to putting buckets of fresh lime frequently into the place and thus 
absorbing the moisture. The place was constantly shut up close and 
dark. He found that damp appeared chiefly when the sun came out. 
He had always kept fire heat on the houses, but found most harm done 
by an hour or two of sun. 
Mr. Udale thought that Mr. Harrison’s remarks seemed rather to 
strengthen his argument that where there is an equable temperature 
there can be no deposition of moisture. Mr. Woodcock said his 
own opinions entirely coincided with Mr. Udale’s that atmospheric 
influences cause the damping of blooms. At the Leicester Show, 
where they held a conference, one of the subjects touched upon was 
the damping of blooms. Mr. Fetch interpolated some words to the 
effect that he did not believe that atmospheric influences caused damp¬ 
ing, but that it was something amiss with the roots. Mr. John Wright, 
who was the Chairman, referred to an instance where some plants of the 
same variety stood together near hot-water pipes. One plant had been 
allowed to get very dry, all the flowers on that plant damped. He 
suggested from this fact that the finer roots having perished the weakest 
part of the plant—the flowers—had suffered first. The fine soft petals 
collapsed and fungus or mould took possession of the decaying parts ; 
hence the so-called damping in that case. 
Mr. Bacchus said that there were some varieties more susceptible to 
damp than others. In these he included Golden Dragon and Madame 
John Laing. He believed the cause of damping was taking the buds 
too late, which were never matured, and when they did open the sun had 
more effect upon them. He also mentioned plants standing directly 
near hot-water pipes being affected with damp. 
Mr Udale said he did not think he could have stronger support of 
his argument. It is a well known fact, and has been advanced strongly, 
that to avoid the scalding of Grapes the best way is to keep an equable 
temperature night and day. He said at first that the chief cause of 
damping in Chrysanthemums was the deposition of moisture on the 
petals through the falling of the temperature. 
Mr. Wright’s theory was interesting, but there appeared to be a con¬ 
founding of cause and effect. He says that the mould is the result of 
defective root action ; I believe that the mould is the outcome of the 
decayed petals. With regard to what Mr. Bacchus said about plants 
standing over pipes, the heat passed freely over the tops of the 
flowers, but we all know that the radiation of cold from glass during 
the night is greater than many of us suppose. He, therefore, contended 
that the heads of the plants should not be too near the glass, because 
moisture will be deposited where the temperature is lowest during the 
night. If the flowers are about 2 feet from the glass they will be safe. 
AVhen a sunny day comes the more need there is for fire heat at night. 
Mr. Udale did not think anything had been adduced to shake his 
argument, though it is quite possible that damp may also arise from 
defective root action, and possibly Mr. Wright may not be wrong in his 
views. 
Mr. Ledger said he would like to impart some information gathered 
from Mr. Tunnington on the question of damping. In answer to a 
question he had said, “My lad, damping comes in a night, and my 
opinion is that we lie in bed too long, and we want to be up before 
t'ne sun and dry off the superfluous moisture. After housing place your 
plants well up to the glass until you get the bottom petals of the 
flower developed, then take them away to about 2 feet from the glass 
and keep up an equable temperature.” He also said in answer to the 
question “ Do you think feeding has anything to do with the damping 
of blooms ? ” that “ Nothing ever passes through the roots that causes 
damping. We require a thorough circulation of air, the blooms not 
too near the glass, with a little fire heat constantly on, and it will be 
found that these are the best methods of avoiding damping.” A question 
was asked of Mr. Udale if he had any ventilation on the houSe at 
night, to which he replied that he regulated that according to the 
temperature and the weather. Mr. Bacchus recommended cultivators 
not to trust to the thermometers, hut to place their hands on the pipes 
and regulate the temperature by that. 
Chrysanthemum Mr. W. W. Coles. 
The bloom represented on fig. 19 is engraved from a beautiful 
photograph by Mr. J. Duncan Pearson of the specimen as it was grown at 
