112 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 6. ISM- 
will probably be seen in many stands in England during the next 
autumn campaign. 
The Financial Successes of Chrysanthemum Exhibitions. 
For some years past I have been annually told that Chrysanthemums 
have had their day ; each year was said to be the last in which it would 
maintain its hold on the great flower loving public. My answer to this 
has always been the same. When the Chrysanthemum can be replaced 
by another plant as useful, as showy, as varied, as easily cultivated, and 
adapted for as many purposes, theiv I shall believe in its decline in 
popular favour. Within the space of four weeks over fifty exhibitions 
were held, and few can say that the receipts have been less than in 
the past. Many have increased their income far exceeding any previous 
year in the amount taken at the doors, which is very gratifying to those 
concerned, and promising well for future ventures. Local circum¬ 
stances, no doubt, have a great influence on the success or otherwise of 
all societies—Chrysanthemum or otherwise—such as a suitable position 
in which to hold the show, a good subscription list whereon the Com¬ 
mittee can rely if public support is not granted. There is not the 
slightest doubt that a spirited policy does more to command success than 
anything else. Sums previously unheard of as prizes appear to justify 
the wisdom of the outlay, proving a financial and horticultural success. 
I am aware that there are societies who could not reap the same reward, 
even if their schedule contained more tempting prizes than hitherco 
ofiered. I allude to towns where the population is small. Again, there 
are some which do not seem to possess a flower loving public. 
High charges of admission are not favourable to success. Most of 
the leading societies are now aware of this and act accordingly. Some 
societies pride themselves on the select company present at their exhibi¬ 
tions, but the exchequer is unsatisfactory. Again there are some towns 
where Chrysanthemum exhibitions are financial failures ; the Commit¬ 
tee reckon upon losing £70 or £80 at each autumn show, although they 
have always been noted for the quality of the exhibits. This annual loss 
is maintained by the excellent summer exhibitions, which appear to be 
more popular with the townspeople. In the same county exactly the 
reverse has been the case—the autumn shows are the only ones which 
have paid their way, those held in the summer being a failure. 
Some societies favour a three-days show, although I cannot call to 
mind at present more than three that do. This is an arrangement more 
of a local character than otherwise, with the exception that exhibitors 
require a little consideration, who do not as a rule regard an exhibition 
of three days’ duration with favour. If societies who have three-day 
shows offer extra prizes as an equivalent, no harm is done to exhibitors. 
For the low scale of its charges of admission the Portsmouth Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society has done wonders ; as far as I know they hold a 
position unique in this matter. One of their features is the admission 
of the working classes during three hours—six to nine—on the evening 
of the last day at the low charge of Id. As showing how much this is ap¬ 
preciated, as many as 9509 passed into the Drill Hall during the time 
named, and which realised no less a sum than £89 12s. 5d. During the 
short time that this large number of people passed through the Show 
not a single case of misbehaviour occurred. During the years 1888 and 
1887 no less sums than £26 7s. Cd., £33 153. 9d. was received during the 
same time and at the same charge. This year there is a substantial in¬ 
crease of £13. During the three-days Show 21,490 paid for admission, 
realising a sum of £240 5s. 5d. as against £154 Os. 7d. in 1888. The 
Exhibition opened at a charge of Is., which realised £35 11s., while 
£38 9s. 6d. was taken at a Cd. charge on same day. The second day’s 
takings show a marked change, as much as £97 10s. resulting from a 
3d. charge as against £9 9s. 6d. of 6d. Add to this the fact that nearly 
5000 school children were admitted free. 
The Birmingham and Midland Counties Chrysanthemum Society has 
long enjoyed the distinction of being the leading Society in the Mid¬ 
lands, both in the quality of its exhibits and for the position which this 
Society has maintained. As many as twenty-nine exhibitions have been 
held. Last season this Society enjoyed the distinction of having offered 
the largest prizes of any society, which shows the spirit that prevails. 
The results of this prove the wisdom of the venture. Great numbers of 
people flocked to the Show, and on the second evening the doors 
had to be closed on account of the crush of visitors. It is not often 
that money has to be refused at the doors, but in this case it was so. 
The receipts at the doors were £277, which is £74 in excess of any 
previous year, and £108 more than 1888. As many as 15,500 people 
visited the Show in the two days. There is no doubt that offering such 
large prizes added much to the success achieved, which plainly shows 
that the end attained justified the means. 
I have added York in my list simply to note how the financial 
success of this ancient Society compares with other large towns. It must 
be taken into consideration that York is the centre of an agricultural 
district, therefore it cannot be compared in the matter of finances with 
such large manufacturing towns as Birmingham. The cash taken at the 
doors during the three days amounted to £171 10s. as compared with 
£130 5s. Gd. in 1888, which is a satisfactory increase. Add to this a 
subscription and donation list of about £136, and we find this Society 
on a good foundation. 
The Hull and East Biding Chrysanthemum Society is the worst 
favoured of any yet mentioned in regard to site for their Exhibition, the 
Artillery Barracks where the Show is held being too small. The N.C.S. 
Provincial Show held in conjunction with this Society no doubt added 
to the success of the undertaking. No society that I know of has ever 
offered so many valuable prizes at one show as at the last Show. The 
receipts for last two years do not differ much, the totals being £212 17s. 6d. 
for 1888, and £241 2s. 6d. for 1889. Here the wisdom of high-priced 
admission may be questioned, as at 2s. Gd. each during the hours from 
12.30 to 3 P.M. only thirty-nine people paid, while on the same day from 
five o’clock until ten the sum of £62 Is. was realised at Is. admission. 
Even in two hours on the same day—-from three to five—as much as £44 
in shillings was received at the doors ; while during the whole of the 
second day the charge was Gd., which realised a sum of £130 4s., making 
in all .a total number of visitors 5208 who paid at the duors. Add to 
this 1805 visitors, subscribers, and those who previously bought tickets, 
charity children, teachers, &c., and we have a total number of a little 
over 10,000 against a total of 8734 in 1888.—E. Molyneux. 
Kent County Chrysanthemum Society. 
The second annual general meeting of this Society was held at the 
Kink, Blackheath on Thursday evening, January 30th. In the unavoid¬ 
able absence of the Presidenr, the chair was occupied by S. S. Bryant, 
Esq. The report and financial statement tendered by the late Commit¬ 
tee were unanimously adopted. The statement shows the Society to be 
working on a sound basis and carrying forward a balance of £20. The 
election of Committee and officers for the ensuing year having taken 
p'ace, some considerable correspondence was read from members at a. 
distance and duly discussed. The dates for the next Show were finally 
fixed for the 4th and 5th November, to be held at the Rink as before, 
and it was resolved that in addition to the liberal schedule of prizes of 
last year, that efforts be made to offer a special “ Centenary ” prize to 
mark this event in common with other Societies. The meeting 
terminated with cordial votes of thanks to the Chairman for presiding, 
and to the Hon. Secretary, Mr. H. A. Needs; for his valuable service to 
the Society. 
Hull and East Riding Chrysanthemum Society. 
The annual meeting of the above Society was held on Wednesday, 
the 29th ult., when the report and balance sheet for the past year was 
passed, and officers and Committee elected for the ensuing year. The 
balance sheet showed that there was a profit of £8 15s. 7d. on the year’s 
working of the Society, anl the total funds in the bank £238 10s. 4d. 
The report referred to the Show in November last (which was held in 
conjunction with the second provincial Show of the National Chrys¬ 
anthemum Society) as an advance on previous exhibitions held in Hull, 
which glances at the following comparative statement will show :—At 
the Exhibition held by the Society in 1888 the total number of exhibits 
of all classes was 220, while at the Show held in November last the 
number was 284, showing an increase of 64. The number of cut blooms 
at the last Show was 569 in excess of the number shown in 1888, while 
t’ne value of prizes actually awarded, exclusive of challenge cups, was 
correspondingly larger, the amount in November last being £235 Ss. 6d., 
as against £151 11s. 6d. in 1888, leaving a difference of £83 123., a very 
large item. Mr. R. F. Jameson was unanimously re-elected Chairman, 
and Messrs. E. Harland and James Dixon Hon. Secs. It was announced 
that the next Show had been fixed for Wednesday and Thursday, 
November 19th and 20th, and the Judges would be Mr. J. Wright and 
Mr. Geo. Gordon. Mr. Geo. Bohn, C.E., one of the Vice-Presidents, 
presented to the Society a handsome silver challenge cup, value £20, 
to be competed for at the next Show, and received the thanks of the 
members. 
COS LETTUCES. 
We have been trying for the past ten or eleven years to keep 
Lettuces through the winter, but they do not pay for the trouble. In 
the autumn of 1888 we placed out some 3000 plants of Bath Cos and 
Hicks’ Hardy, and not more than 500 lived through the winter. Of the 
two the first stood the best, and on the whole was superior in quality. 
But there was no comparison between these and plants raised under 
glass in January, and planted out when ready on a warm border. They 
were scarcely a week behind those sown in autumn, and in addition to- 
being of better quality there was fully double the amount of material 
in each Lettuce fit for use. We raised about 15,000 plants under glass 
last season of three varieties, and had good breadths of each. The 
varieties were Hicks’ Hardy, Paris White, and Veitch’s Superb. The 
last was decidedly the finest of the three, and is evidently a select strain 
of Paris White, or perhaps I may be more correct if I say has been care¬ 
fully selected from that variety. It is a trifle earlier, larger, 
and stands longer without running to seed. Hundreds of plants 
from amongst that sown as Paris White were so much like Veitch’s 
Superb that it was difficult to distinguish them, but it was clear that 
the selected form was the better of the two. Hicks’ Hardy as a summer 
variety will not be grown again. It is large and crisp, the heaviest of 
the three, but it has large outside leaves, and a good quantity of them. 
When strongly grown it is prolific in making suckers, and when 
thoroughly filled up in the centre has started to run and bursts quickly. 
These are not its worst faults, it burns badly in the sun. The edges of 
the leaves turn brown and blotch, which destroys its appearance for 
market purposes. 
To be successful with Lettuces when raised under glass every care 
is necessary to prevent the plants being crowded and drawing up 
weakly. If the se-ed is sown in gentle heat the boxes containing it 
should be removed to cool houses directly it has germinated. We place 
the boxes in a cool light airy Peach Louse, where the plants grow 
