68 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER 
[ January 27, 1887. 
It may be of some use if I name a few very fine varieties that 
are weaker in growth and seem to require extra care in their suc¬ 
cessful cultivation. These are as follows :—Incurved—Barbara, 
Cherub, Lady Hardinge, Mrs. W. Shipman, Mr. Bunn, and Princess 
Beatrice. Among the Japanese—Criterion, Golden Dragon, J. 
Delaux, Marguerite Marrouch, Japonaise, M. Ardene, and Triomphe 
du Nord. I intend to try next year some of the most robust 
incurved varieties in pots of the smaller size, believing one can, 
with proper feeding, get the blooms large enough with the necessary 
broad petal and a more compact smoother flower. 
We must now stand our plants in their summer quarters, which 
should be open on all sides, where the sun can have full play 
from its rising to its setting. Do not plunge the pots, which should 
be placed a good distance apart on a sound bottom of ashes or 
boards, so that the growth may be firm and short-jointed, with leaves 
like leather. It will be necessary to firmly stake each plant, and 
with a dew-like syringing morning and night all ought to go on well 
to the first bud, which will show from the end of May to July 
according to the variety. Allow each to break naturally, and select 
three shoots, cutting all others away from the main stem. Tie the 
shoots securely to the stakes as they grow, and from this time give 
the plants something stronger than pure water. There is much 
difference of opinion as to what should be given, but I think the 
simplest manures are by far the best. Soot water is the best of all; 
that made from cow or sheep manure good. Either of these, with 
a watering of clear limewater once a fortnight will give better 
results than all the chemicals in the world. 
There should be nothing to impede the growth of the selected 
shoots till they show the next, which is termed the crown bud, and 
this must be eagerly watched for. This is the bud which, from 
most varieties, produces the finest flowers ; but if any show before 
August—with one exception, and that is the universal favourite 
Elaine, which with me cannot be had full and deep from any but 
the crown bud, and if it shows its crown at the end of July I would 
secure it—I would not retain them, but select the best shoots from 
this break ; still clinging to the faithful three. There are several 
varieties buds of which should be taken early in August. These 
are J. Delaux, Boule d’Or, Grandiflorum, Golden Dragon, and Meg 
Merrilies, also the incurved Lady Carey. I would not take buds of 
Fair Maid of Guernsey, Hiver Fleuri, M. Ardene, M. Tarin, or 
Peter the Great even in August, or you may be rewarded with 
those ugly hen-and-chicken-like flowers, or mop-headed monsters 
which refuse to open kindly. 
A few words on watering. This being, perhaps, the most im¬ 
portant of all operations, requires at all times thoughtfulness and 
constant attention. Many think because the Chrysanthemum is a 
gross, free-growing plant too much water cannot be given, but I 
would advise great care even in the hottest weather. Given the 
best of soils, the position good, the potting performed in a proper 
manner, and everything favourable to good growth ; sour the soil 
or kill the roots with too much water and progress is stopped. On 
the other hand, the plants must not be allowed on any account to 
become dry at the root, or progress again will be arrested. The 
happy medium is wanted, and to acquire it the plants must in 
summer time be looked over three or four times a day. Tap each 
pot, give water if wanted, and, if not, pass by till the next visit ; 
this takes more trouble than time, but the former is not thought of 
by an enthusiastic cultivator. 
(To be continued.) 
CUTTING EXHIBITION FRUIT. 
In spite of many rather forcible protests the custom of cutting fruit 
at flower shows still finds favour among a few judges in this part of the 
country. There is something to be said for and against the practice, 
but when such men as Messrs. Coleman and Challis unhesitatingly 
denounce the partial disfigurement of a dish of fruit as being altogether 
uncalled for, the advocates of this method of arriving at a just decision 
had perhaps better modify their opposition. Although I must side with 
the well-known gardeners just named, I cannot refrain from pointing 
out that our Bath friends have one good argument in favour of their 
theory—viz., it is time-honoured. Early in the present century a German 
prince made a tour through England, Ireland, and France, and his 
letters published in 1832 have greatly interested me. With very few 
exceptions he has given a most impartial, and not always flattering, 
description of the manners and customs of the inhabitants of this country, 
and much that he wrote about Ireland and England, and Wales too, 
might well be republished at the present time. His description of 
different parts of this country I can safely assert is remarkably truthful, 
and altogether I am constrained to believe there must be some truth in 
his remark anent judging at a great flower show held in Dublin. He 
writes—“ In the midst of the flowers, which formed a sort of temple, 
there was an enclosed space railed round for the fruits, which twelve 
judges ate with great gravity and apparent satisfaction. They must have 
been a long time in coming to a decision, for rinds of Melons, Pears,land 
Apples, fragments of Pines, stones of Plums, Apricots, and Peaches, lay 
in mountains on the table underneath, and although the flowers were 
all gradually removed by the proprietors, I did not see that any fruits 
found their way out of this temple of Pomona.” 
I laughed heartily when I read this, and was obliged to conclude 
how very moderate, after all, were the four judges who awarded the 
fruit prizes at the summer show of a local society. These also, like their 
prototypes, appeared to thoroughly enjoy their employment, but if I 
remember rightly were not so grave as they might have been. It must 
not be thought I am writing this from any wish to disparage their 
ability to form a just opinion of the merits of the fruit in competition, 
as I have much respect for all them ; neither am I a discontented ex¬ 
hibitor, as on two occasions where fruit was cut I unexpectedly won a 
first prize ; nor do I wish to stir up a controversy on the subject, but 
take the present opportunity of hinting that our friend Mr. Challis 
might be expected to have more regard for time-honoured customs. 
Next, to show how very impartial as well as inconsistent I can be 
occasionally, I may mention what happened at two autumn shows. At 
Bath prizes were offered for a single dish of Pears, any variety fit for 
the table, the judges being empowered to cut them. This the two good 
judges did not care to do, and out of a very great variety, or probably 
fifty exhibits, selected two dishes of Marie Louise. Some of the advo¬ 
cates of cutting the fruit when j udging thought this a wrong decision on the 
grounds that the second prize Pears were over-ripe and gone at the core, 
one fruit also being thought to be of another variety. I was obliged to 
point out this was staged by me, and naturally had no fault to find 
with the decision. Two days later the same dish of fruit was shown 
at Exeter in a similar class, and in this instance the fruits were cut,_ with 
the result of proving my Marie Louise were quite sound and superior to 
all the rest. Query, ought I to grumble or not 1 Perhaps if the Pears 
had been cut at Bath I should have taken the first prize there also' in¬ 
stead of the second, for they were good, as my Exeter friends could 
corroborate if need be. Exhibitors are hard to please.—W. Iggulden. 
THE GARDENERS’ ROYAL BENEVOLENT 
INSTITUTION. 
The following statement of the receipts and payments of this Institu¬ 
tion (of which Mr. H. J. Veitch is now Treasurer) for the year ending 
December 31st, 1886, has been sent to us for publication :— 
Debtor. £ s. d. 
To Balance, 1885 . 387 5 9 
Annual Subscriptions ... 
... 
1311 
2 
0 
Donations at and in consequence 
of Annual 
Dinner. 
... 
... 
I486 
16 
10 
2797 
18 
10 
Advertisements. 
49 
13 
0 
Collecting Cards. 
185 
15 
9 
235 
8 
9 
3033 
7 
7 
Dividends on Stock . 
633 
0 
0 
Interests on Deposits . 
22 
17 
3 
655 
17 
3 
Stock in 3 per Cent. Consols, £21,000. 
Creditor. 
By Pensions .. 
, Secretary’s Salary . 
, Rent of Office . 
, Furniture, Fittings, &c. 
, Printing . 
, Advertising . . 
, Stationery. 
, Book of Cheques. 
, Expense of Annual Dinner 
, Postages, Travelling Expenses, and Sundry Petty Ex 
penses . 
, Amount placed on Deposit . 
Balances :— 
At Bankers ... 
With S.cretary 
Audited 10th January, 1887. 
368 12 
11 11 
3689 4 10 
£4076 10 7 
£ s 
1950 0 0 
160 0 0 
43 15 0 
26 14 6 
130 0 0 
3 19 0 
21 12 7 
3 9 2 
60 14 8 
96 1 10 
2496 6 9 
1200 0 0 
3696 6 9 
380 3 10 
£4076 10 7 
John Lee, 
J. F. Meston, 
Jesse Willard. 
“VEITCHS PARAGON” BRUSSELS SPROUTS. 
I should like to say a few words in favour of the above variety of 
Brussels Sprouts. We have grown it for several years in preference to 
any other variety. It is of sturdy even growth ; the sprouts, which are 
