532 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
April 23, 1887. 
everywhere—and first-class shows, too—that it 
would seem hard to poke in another without 
damaging or displacing one or other of the 
longer-established fixtures. 
Under these circumstances, it does seem that 
in proposing to hold yet another Chrysan¬ 
themum exhibition the Council is about to 
perform that which is supererogatory. But 
more than that, there would seem to be an 
element of intentional and injurious combative¬ 
ness introduced into the proposal in fixing the 
dates of the show to conflict with that 
admirable, old-established and first-class exhi¬ 
bition held at Kingston, while the second day 
will he identical with the first day of the excep¬ 
tionally grand display which the National Chry¬ 
santhemum Society yearly holds at the West¬ 
minster Aquarium. Can it be that the Council 
are jealous of the great and growing reputation 
of the National Chrysanthemum Society, and 
hope to cripple it by thus establishing a two- 
days show of the popular flower on the day 
preceding the Aquarium exhibition 1 It looks 
like it ; but, still, failure is foredoomed, for 
Chrysanthemum growers are peculiarly loyal, 
and will hold on at all hazards to “the National ” 
ship. 
Of all things another Chrysanthemum show 
in London is least wanted, and of all places 
where one is least likely to be successful South 
Kensington is that place. When we remember 
what fine, interesting and truly valuable ex¬ 
hibitions of fruit and vegetables have been held 
at South Kensington, it is not possible other¬ 
wise than to deplore the disappearance of these 
from the Koyal Horticultural Society’s pro¬ 
gramme. Hr. Little’s concern seems to be 
with plants specially, of which he is an en¬ 
thusiastic grower ; but it must not be forgotten 
that plant exhibitions swallow up much money ; 
and still further, it seems evident that, as far as 
the metropolis is concerned, these special plant 
exhibitions are in process of decadence, for the 
simple reason that the public do not care for 
them. We may deplore with our correspondent 
the decadence of the Koyal Horticultural 
Society, and also, specially, its dependence 
upon advertising prizes to fill its schedule ; 
but the latest proposal of the Council to hold 
yet another Chrysanthemum show seems 
fraught with stupidity — a distressing pre¬ 
monition, we fear, of the end which cannot be 
far off. 
-- 
Me. Thomas Bailey, the veteran gardener at 
Shardeloes, died on Sunday morning last, aged 81 years. 
Mr. Richard Caee, gardener to the Duke of 
Portland, afWelbeck, was accidentally killed at Retford 
station on the night of the 13th inst. 
The third exhibition of the Poetsmottth Chrysan¬ 
themum Society will be held in the new Drill Hall, 
Landport, on November 10th and 11th. 
A Flowee Show and Fancy Faie, in aid of local 
hospitals, is announced to be held in the Victoria Park, 
Portsmouth, on July 5th, 6th, and 7th. 
The fourth annual exhibition of the Surrey Chry¬ 
santhemum Society will be held on November 7th 
and 8th in the Public Hall, Rye Lane, Peckham. 
The Reading Chrysanthemum Show is fixed for 
November 15th. 
A telegram from Jersey states that owing to the 
cold weather, the crops of New Potatos are in a back¬ 
ward condition, and it is not expected that many will 
be shipped until June. 
Arrangements will shortly be made by which 
residents in the neighbourhood of the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Society’s Gardens at Chiswick, who 
are not Fellows of the society, will be admitted to the 
gardens on easy terms. 
Mr. Dawson Paul and Mr. James Sendell, 
Rose Lane Works, Norwich, have dissolved partnership 
by mutual consent, and the business will be conducted 
in the future by Mr. Paul alone, but under the same 
style and title as before, viz., Boulton & Paul. 
The thirtieth annual exhibition of the Clay Cross 
Floral and Horticultural Society is announced 
to be held on Tuesday, August 16th. 
The annual exhibition of the Leeds Horticultural 
Society falling this year in the “Queen’s Jubilee 
Week,” which, no doubt, will be observed more or less 
as a general holiday, the committee of management 
have decided to continue it for four days instead of 
three, as heretofore. 
“Beautiful Lawns, How to Make and Keep 
Them,” is the title of a brochure just issued by Messrs. 
Oakshott & Millard, of Reading, and which, in a small 
compass, contains much useful practical information on 
the subject on which it treats. 
-->sg<—- 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 
ANNUAL.* 
Mr. Lewis Castle has done for the Chrysanthe¬ 
mum what others have done for the Rose—collected 
the experience of some of the most noted growers of th.6 
day on various subjects of interest in connection with 
their favourite flower, and issued the same in the form 
of an annual (at the modest price of 6 \d. ), which we 
hope will have many successors, and in future be 
published earlier in the season. Besides cultural 
articles of practical interest, the annual contains a 
most useful list of the varieties which have been 
certificated from 1859 to the end of 1886 ; a list of 
Chrysanthemum societies and shows ; and a very read¬ 
able review of the Chrysanthemum season of 1886. 
It would not be fair to Mr. Castle to quote at any 
length from his pages, but we feel sure he will forgive 
us for transferring to our columns the following bit of 
Chrysanthemum lore, which will be read with interest 
by many of our readers, and, we hope, will whet their 
appetite for the remainder of the good fare provided:— 
“ What a host of pleasant reminiscences is started 
by a glance at the names of some of our Chrysanthemum 
fathers ! Perhaps the very first that are entitled to 
recognition are the founders of the original Stoke 
Newington Chrysanthemum Society—Messrs. Holmes, 
Tant and James. How little they ever dreamt that 
their mutual resolve, while returning from the 
Vauxhall Dahlia Show of 1845 on the top of a ’bus, 
to hold a friendly competition at the old Rochester 
Castle in the following November (the loser to pay 
for a steak supper), would have resulted in such an 
organisation as the National Society of to-day ! Truly, 
it was the ‘ day of small things,’ but was none the less 
the foundation of one of the most successful and useful 
of the florists’ societies that we have yet seen. It was 
not long ere the ‘ Mum ’ fever spread like wildfire 
throughout the North of London ; and amongst those 
who had the opportunity of visiting those early shows, 
who will forget the truly gigantic plants staged by Mr. 
Holmes, the smaller but none the less creditable 
1 Poms ’ of James, or the blooms of Tant. They were, 
indeed, the marvels of the hour. Very soon other 
competitors appeared on the scene, and made their 
mark. Among them were ‘ Old George Taylor,’ who 
wrote, it is said, the first treatise on the culture of the 
Chrysanthemum ; Tom Merry, too, with his box of cut 
blooms, was for many years a prominent competitor ; 
E. Hutton, of the Bank of England, represented the 
amateurs of the day ; Arthur Wortley, later on 
secretary of the society, was often well to the fore with 
his flowers, mostly cut from plants grown in the open 
border, and trained against the wall with no other 
protection than a weather board above them ; Scruby 
and Dan Monk each scored their victories—aye, and 
well earned they were ; while our old and esteemed, 
and I may, I am sure, say, well-beloved friend Edward 
Sanderson, now the honoured president of the National, 
was then, as now, often the recipient of the highest 
honours, as witness the store of cups and trophies 
he cherishes at Willesden. Proud he may well be of 
his share in developing the love of the ‘Autumn Queen.’ 
Mr. Charles “Wilkinson and Mr. Williams (the then 
beadle of West Hackney Church), each had their day 
of fame, and were recognised amongst the growers of 
the day. A few years later, and who will not remember 
the specimen Pompons of David Hutt’s culture ; have 
they ever been equalled ? Certainly never surpassed. 
He, like Edward Sanderson, has followed the fortunes 
of the old society almost from its commencement, and 
is a member, and takes a lively interest in the welfare 
of the ‘National’ of to-day. Do they ever, I wonder, 
compare the display of to-day with those of early shows? 
What a contrast they must afford ! ” 
* The Chrysanthemum Annual. By Chrysanthemum Growers. 
L. Castle, Hotham House, Merton, Surrey. 
NOTES FROM LANCASHIRE 
GARDENS. 
Woodyille, Lytham. —Calling here a few days ago, 
I was much pleased with the capital display of flowers 
in the greenhouses and conservatory. Mr. Cross, the 
gardener, has grown Dendrobium nobile in quantity, 
until at the present time he has nearly eighty plants, 
the greater number being grown in baskets, and brought 
into flower in successional batches. Some very nicely- 
bloomed specimens were gay at the time of my visit. 
On some of the flowering bulbs thirty-six and forty 
blooms had appeared. D. thyrsiflorum and D. Pierardi 
latifolium were also gay ; so, too, was a Saccolabium 
giganteum, which had been open twelve weeks, and 
was still fresh and presentable. A fine specimen D. 
densiflorum, 3 ft. 6 ins. across, was just at its best; it 
had over fifty spikes of its rich orange-coloured blossoms. 
Here also were several plants of Anthurium Scher- 
zerianum, grown in about 6-in. pots, just now with 
three or four of its bright scarlet spathes. These were 
just stood in baskets and suspended from the roof, the 
deep colour of the bracts being very conspicuous. 
Lycaste aromatica was flowering well in a basket 
This is a very old form, but still a favourite with many ; 
and if only on account of its strong odour, is well 
deserving of a place in every collection. 
In the conservatory I noticed a fine display of 
Vesuvius Pelargoniums, both the scarlet and the white 
forms. As soon as the Chrysanthemums are over— 
say, about the new year—Mr. Cross fills up the space 
with these useful plants ; and as they are always 
grown specially for this purpose, they are in flower 
when brought in, and keep so for several months. 
They were full of bloom, the white form retaining its 
petals in a very satisfactory manner. 
Fair Lawn, Lytham, the residence of J. Fildes, Esq., 
boasts of a capital collection of Orchids. Calling here 
recently, I was much struck with a mass of the dark 
form of Cattleya Lawrenceana with five spikes of flowers, 
which were of fair size and capital colour. C. Trian® 
and C. Mendelii were also good, and hanging in the 
same house, with nice drooping spikes of bloom, were 
some good pieces of Odontoglossum citrosmum. In the 
Odontoglossum house among some good Alexandras, 
triumphans, &c., was a strong 0. Pescatorei with a spike 
bearing no less than sixteen laterals. This is at present 
in bud ; when the flowers open it will be very gay, as 
the laterals and buds are pretty close together. 
Mr. Thornber, the gardener here, is an excellent 
grower, and the Gardenias, stove plants, Ferns, Azaleas, 
and other hard-wooded plants, of which there are many 
good specimens, afford good evidence of his ability, and 
prove that the skill he manifested when he lived in the 
neighbourhood of Preston has not left him. With fair 
opportunities, he is still prepared to present at our 
exhibitions cr private establishments, many of the 
grand objects of flower and foliage, with which he sur¬ 
passed and charmed many of us in years gone by.— 
Visitor. _- 
POINSETTIAS. 
The usual method adopted in the cultivation of these 
showy plants has been so often dilated upon in the 
horticultural press that it is, perhaps, impossible to 
say anything new respecting them as far as pot-work 
for general decorative purposes is concerned. In a cut 
state, however, their beautiful bracts are much ap¬ 
preciated, especially when obtained somewhat out of 
season and the glut is over. It is quite possible, we 
know, to have them from November to March inclusive, 
when sufficient space is at command to grow them in 
hatches for succession, propagating early or late as the 
case may be. But in how many gardening establish¬ 
ments can this method be adopted ? How a supply 
for cutting can be obtained, where room is limited, 
during the entire period mentioned, is the object we 
have in view, and which we will endeavour to explain. 
At the present season very many old plants which 
have bloomed in pots during the closing months of 
the year will necessarily be thrown away, previously 
selecting a few from which cuttings are to be obtained 
later on. If a few of these old plants are spared, and 
planted out near the back wall of any structure where 
an intermediate temperature can be maintained during 
the winter months, and grown well during the ensuing 
summer, no difficulty will be experienced in obtaining 
from them a goodly quantity of useful bracts during 
five months of the year. It is true successive cuttings 
