156 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDEXER. 
[ February 20, 1800. 
needed. If there is any doubt in the mind of the operator that the 
aphides are not ki.led by the one application, it is better to fill the house 
with smoke in the morning succeeding the evening on which it was done 
first. Afterwards a vigorous syringing should be given, which would rid 
the plants of both fly and dust alike. Tobacco smoke is, perhaps, the 
best destroyer of black aphides upon the young shoots of Peach trees. 
Certainly it entails the least labour in applying it, rather than dipping 
the afiected parts in liquid of some sort; generally two doses of smoke 
will remove the fly altogether. It is better to prevent green or black 
aphides attacking the tender shoots of Peach trees by a timely fumigat¬ 
ing of the trees before the buds burst into bloom. If this be done such 
trees are seldom troubled with fly. In the case of Pelargoniums or Cal¬ 
ceolarias, plants most subject to attacks of aphides, never wait until you 
see two, but smoke the plants upon the appearance of the first.—H. 
BOUVARDIAS. 
Mr. Baedney has given us some excellent instructions on growing 
Bouvardias. He does not, however, say much in favour of the planting 
out system. Perhaps he is too far north. Here, in the south-west, they 
do well planted out during the summer months, but I have known 
failures to occur from various causes—viz., in the cold wet season of 
1888 my plants were very unsatisfactory. A few years ago I saw some 
at a neighbouring place which were planted in an unsuitable position. 
This year a friend of mine has failed with them, owing to their being 
planted too thickly together, so they could not be properly lifted. The 
first cause of failure none of us can avoid, but the two others we may. 
We have generally been successful with Bouvardias, and this year par¬ 
ticularly so. 
Our plan is to make a trench a foot in width, throwing out 4 or 5 
inches of soil, that remaining in the trench being well broken up a good 
spit in deptli. The soil which was taken out is replaced by a similar 
quantity of well decayed material from the refuse yard, passed through 
a half-inch screen, to which is added a good portion of road grit or other 
sand. This is well mixed with the upper 4 inches of the natural soil in 
the trench, and made fairly firm by treading. The Bouvardias are then 
planted in the centre of the prepared trench, the distance apart being 
regulated according to the size of the plants. Those which are now 
occupying 10-inch pots, 20 to 24 inches apart would not be too much. 
Watering and syringing in dry hot w'eather is attended to, which, with 
the necessary stopping, is about all they require. 
About a fortnight before potting time arrives the plants are lifted by 
means of two steel forks inserted opposite to each other at 8 or 9 inches 
from the stems ; the ball is then let carefully into its hole again, and 
well trodden down. A good soaking of water is given, and if the weather 
is not showery the plants are frequently syringed for a few days. If 
they flag a little no fear need be entertained ; still it is not desirable. 
When taken up for potting they are lifted in the same manner as before, 
care being taken each time not to break the balls. Some of the outside 
soil is gently rubbed off, in order to get them into pots of proportionate 
size. Eich soil is used for the bottom and for finishing off the surface, 
but no attempt is made to ram any down the side of the ball, as the 
smallest sized pot is used into which it is possible to get the ball of roots. 
A close pit is in readiness to receive the plants as soon as they are potted. 
Watering, syringing, shading, and gradually inuring them to the air, 
comprises the treatment required until they are established, when they 
may be arranged where they are to flower. Our best flowers are all cut, 
or I should have sent a few for your inspection. I cannot agree with 
Mr. Bardney that “ they are seriously checked however carefully lifted.” 
—T. S., Ilenhuri] THU. 
THE NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
THE CENTENARY FESTIVAL. 
A MEETING of the General Committee of the above Society was held 
in Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, on Monday, February 17th, at 7 P.M., 
when there was a large attendance of members, E. C. Jukes, Esq., pre¬ 
siding. After the minutes of the last meeting had been read and 
signed, and some miscellanous business had been transacted, including 
the admission of the Norfolk and Norwich Society into affiliation with 
the National, the election of five members of the Floral Committee to 
fill the vacancies caused by the retirement of that number (one-third of 
the total) in accordance with rule 9. The retiring members were 
Messrs. Addison, Cannell, Boyce, Gordon, and Gibson, who were re¬ 
elected with the exception of the first-named, Mr. Jones of Lewisham 
being added ; seven were proposed. The dates of the Floral Committee 
meetings were fixed for September 10th, October 15tb, October 29th, 
November 11th, November 25th, December 10th, and January 7th. The 
Floral Committee regulations were diseussed at some length, more par¬ 
ticularly with regard to rule 5, which is as follows :—• 
“ 5.—In the event of any variety being staged by more than one ex¬ 
hibitor at the same meeting the whole of the exhibits of that variety 
shall be submitted simultaneously, and the awards made (if any) shall 
be made to the exhibit or exhibits staged in the best condition.” 
This rule had some bearing upon a legal action last year with regard 
to the certificating of a certain variety, and some thought that a certifi¬ 
cate should be awarded to every exhibit which represented the variety 
in good condition. Sometimes the difference in quality between one 
whieh secures the certificate and others that do not is very slight. 
However, it was ultimately resolved that no alteration should be made, 
and the rules were adopted, as also were the Exhibition regulations. 
The principal business of the evening was the presentation of the 
report by the Centenary Festival Sub-Committee. It was read by Mr. 
W. Holmes, and the substance was as follows : It was recommended 
that the Festival should be held on November 11th, 12th, 13th, and 
14th in the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, that the first two days be 
devoted, as usual, to a Chrysanthemum competition, and the remaining 
days to a grand general display and fete. The preliminary programme 
is that Tuesday, November 11th, be devoted to the competition and exhi¬ 
bition with an opening ceremony, the arrangements being under the 
superintendence of Mr. R. Ballantine, Mr. W. Holmes, and Mr. G. Drain. 
Upon Wednesday, November 12th, conferences and other attractions will 
be provided under the management of Mr. Lewis Castle, Mr. G. Gordon, 
and Mr. C. H. Payne. On Thursday, November 13th, a banquet will 
take place under the management of Mr. T. Bevan, Mr. E. Dean, Mr. H. 
Briscoe Ironside, and Mr. John Laing. Friday, November 14th, will be 
devoted to Conferences, &c. It was further recommended that special 
centenary medals be presented to the affiliated societies to be included 
in their respective schedules, and that in some of the leading classes- 
in the National schedule similar medals should also be presented to all 
the competitors, whether prizewinners or not. 
The schedule, the production of which had been included in th& 
sub-committee’s work, next came under consideration. The completed 
list of Judges comprise the following :— 
Plants. —Messrs. D. Donald and G. Prickett. 
Ctit Blooms. —Messrs. E. Dean, George Gordon, J. Kendall, H. Turner, 
Lewis Castle, and W. G. Head. 
Fruit and Vegetables.— G. T. Miles and G. Wythes. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits. —Messrs. H. Herbst and E. C. Jukes. 
The leading addition to the schedule was a eentenary class for 
forty-eight cut blooms, twenty-four incurved and twenty-four Japanese, 
distinct varieties. The prizes were £25, £20, £15, £10, and £5, with a. 
bronze centenary medal for each exhibitor. Special classes were pro¬ 
vided for the four Veitch medals and prizes of £5, to which the Society 
added second and third prizes. A class was inserted for eighteen in¬ 
curved blooms, excluding the Queen family, in which the proprietor of 
Journal of Horticultxire the first prize of £5. Special prizes- 
are offered by Messrs. John Laing & Sons and a number of other firms. 
The value of the prizes have been increased in some cases, and altogether 
the Society is offering a much larger amount than at any previous 
show. 
Proof copies of the schedule were distributed amongst the members, 
discussion was invited, and a few' suggestions were made. It was 
decided to extend the space for floral decorations, a silver-gilt and a 
silver medal being offered in addition to money prizes. The report and 
schedule were then unanimously adopted, and the meeting concluded 
with the usual vote of thanks to the Chairman. 
Large Chrysanthemum Blooms. 
It has become a debatable question whether in encouraging the 
production of such abnormally large Chrysanthemum blooms as are now 
considered, by those who are termed experts, worthy of prizes, this useful 
and now very fashionable flower is not being spoiled. There are various- 
sides to this, as there are to every other question. Whether Chrysan¬ 
themums are being spoilt by being grown on what I shall term the- 
tall, and two-or-three-blooms-to-a-plant system, for the sake of pro¬ 
ducing flowers of the greatest possible size and perfect symmetry, it is 
quite certain that if competitors are to find their names among prize¬ 
winners, according to the present standard or ideal, they must adopt 
it. This fact does not, of course, prove that societies are encouraging- 
good taste, or a profitable way of spending labour and means in offering 
prizes for blooms of such extreme size produced in twos and threes 
from one pot, and from unsightly plants ranging from 6 to 10 feet 
high. 
A celebrated nurseryman, who has the most ample means of knowing 
what is going on in the gardening world, said at the Edinburgh Show 
that it was his opinion that the rage for monster blooms was doing 
much harm in directing the labour power of many gardens into a wrong 
channel, and one that served no good end, classing it in this respect 
with the carpet bedding system, where thousands of plants had to be 
reared for the sake of having a toy bed or two that produced no general 
effect worthy of any garden, and led to an immense waste of labour. 
In looking at the subject from the standpoint of a large family supply of 
cut blooms and decorative plants I endorse this opinion, and this fishing- 
rod system of cultivating this lovely flower is one I would not adopt. It 
may be questioned very much if it is doing any good for the Chrys¬ 
anthemum as a flower, or for gardeners and gardening. I was induced 
to try it for once, but was, shall I say, so disgusted with amount of 
labour entailed in the production of a few blooms, and with the 
unsightliness and inconvenience of such tall and gawky looking plants 
that, unless by a direct order, 1 would never do it again. 
Let it be for a moment considered what labour and expenditure of 
