December 8, 1888. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
233 
The Gardeners’ Calendar. 
THE STOVE. 
Propagation. —If cuttings of Gardenia florida and 
G. radicans are made now they will be strongly rooted 
before spring, and ready to start away into good 
growth as the days lengthen. Select strong healthy 
cuttings, consisting of short side shoots, and if they 
can be taken off with a heel so much the better. 
January is usually considered a good time to accomplish 
this work, but a month longer will act favourably, 
inasmuch as the cuttings would have a longer growing 
season, and thus be able to make more headway, and 
flower all the better next year. Insert them singly in 
small pots plunged in bottom heat of about 75° in a 
close frame in the propagating pit. Crotons may also 
be propagated now by striking the tops of plants that 
have become too tall and leggy for table use. Retain 
the leaves at their full length, removing those only 
which would interfere with the insertion of the cutting. 
It will, of course, be necessary to secure strong cuttings 
to a stake, in order to prevent their displacement till 
rooted. 
THE GREENHOUSE. 
Chrysanthemums. — Secure a stock of cuttings of all 
the varieties intended to be grown on another year, 
before they become weak and spindly. Of course, 
there are some kinds that do not readily throw up 
suckers from the underground portion of the plant, 
and in such cases the old stems should be cut down as 
soon as the flowers are past their best, in order to 
encourage suckers. Nor should such specimens be 
stowed away in some dark corner till the suckers are 
long enough to be removed, as they become thereby 
considerably weakened and cannot form vigorous useful 
specimens. The stoutest are always the best, provided 
they are firm enough to withstand excessive flagging, 
after being inserted as cuttings. 
Mignonette. — Forward batches should be well 
attended to in the matter of feeding as soon as the pots 
become filled with roots, otherwise the foliage will 
soon assume a sickly and starved appearance, thus 
spoiling them entirely. Manure water in which cow, 
horse, or sheep-manure has been steeped will answer 
admirably. Weak guano water may also be given at 
alternate waterings. Keep the plants as near the glass 
as possible to prevent drawing. Later sown batches 
may be kept coming on slowly by placing them near 
the glass, and well ventilating the house. 
THE FORCING HOUSES. 
Vines. —The earliest house, if closed in the first 
week of last month, should by this time have made a 
material advance, and the buds will be swelling rapidly. 
When such is the case, the temperature may be 
gradually raised from 50° at night till it reaches 60°. 
During very dull, foggy, or frosty weather a low 
temperature is, however, much better than a high one. 
The past month has been unusually mild for November, 
and when fermenting material has been used little fire- 
heat would be necessary to keep the temperature at the 
required heat; in fact, on some mornings the ther¬ 
mometer out of doors stood at 50°, or very little under 
it. Admit air by the top ventilators when the sun 
raises the temperature above 70° or 75°, closing again 
early in the afternoon. If fermenting material is used 
for pot vines, care must be taken to renew it as soon 
as the heat declines, otherwise growth will be materially 
checked. 
Strawberries for Forcing. —For early use, Keen’s 
Seedling, Vicomtesse Herieart de Thury, President, and 
Sir Joseph Paxton are the best. In order to force them, 
make up a bed of Beech or Oak leaves, as they are 
more lasting and gentler in their action than softer 
kinds. Tread the bed down firmly and stand the 
plants thickly over its surface, without plunging them. 
They will then come on gradually. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Pruning.— Work in this department should now be 
pushed on rapidly while the weather is so favourable. 
The trees that naturally flower the earliest should he 
first attended to, including Peaches, Apricots, and 
Plums. It is a very common practice to defer pruning 
Peaches and Nectarines till spring, hut it is better to 
he done now than later on, for several reasons. When 
left till spring, other necessary work crowds in apace, 
and less time can be spared to have the work done 
properly ; besides which the buds are in a more 
advanced state, and liable to be rubbed off in the 
operation. Remove the trees from the wall, with the 
exception of the main fastenings, and proceed to prune 
away those shoots which have borne fruit, together with 
weak and useless growths, provided always that a 
sufficient number are left to properly occupy the wall 
space. If Plums and Apricots have been well attended 
to in summer, little will be left to be done now but to 
prune away dead spurs, to thin out where crowded, and 
to shorten some of them that are reaching too far away 
from the wall and becoming unsightly. 
-- >X< -—-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
Manchester.— November 17th and 28 th. 
The special features of this annual exhibition, held in 
the Town Hall under the auspices of the Manchester 
Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society, consisted 
of a fine display of cut Chrysanthemums made by 
Mr. Lambert, gardener to Col. Wingfield, Onslow Hall, 
Shrewsbury, who secured four out of the five first prizes 
awarded ; a most remarkable group of a dozen smooth 
Cayenne Pines, ranging in weight between 9 lbs. and 
over 11 lbs. each, shown by Mr. Gleeson, gardener to 
the Duke of Newcastle, at Clumber, and which, being 
the finest lot ever seen in Manchester, were most 
deservedly awarded the society’s Gold Medal ; and a 
stand of cut blooms of stove and greenhouse plants 
from A. Heine, Esq., Fallowfield, containing quite 
thirty species and varieties of Orchids, besides Lapa- 
gerias, &c.—the finest collection we have seen at any 
season. The first prize bouquet from the same exhibitor 
was also a very beautiful combination. 
The best nine specimen plants of large-flowered 
Chrysanthemums, and also the finest six Japanese, 
were shown by Mr. N. A. Earle, of Kersall ; and Mr. 
R. Hardwick, Ashton-on-Mersev, had the best Pompons. 
In the cut-bloom classes the winners, besides Air. 
Lambert, were Airs. Cope, Dove Park, Woolton, 
Liverpool ; Air. Goodacre, Elvaston ; and Mr. J. 
Walker, Vernon Park, Stockport. The miscellaneous 
class included a pleasing collection of cut blooms of 
hardy flowers from Air. S. Barlow’s garden at Llan¬ 
dudno, and which comprised Violets, Roses, Primroses, 
Chrysanthemums, Gladioli, and Pansies; groups of 
flowering greenhouse plants from Messrs. Dickson & 
Robinson and Alessrs. Dickson, Brown & Tait ; and of 
hardy and other decorative plants from Mr. J. A. 
Bruce, Chorlton-cum-Hardy ; cut blooms of Chrysan¬ 
themums and zonal Pelargoniums from Alessrs. 
Clibran & Son, an admirable collection of Apples and 
Pears from Alessrs. R. Smith & Co., Worcester, and 
also a good collection from Alessrs. Dicksons, Limited, 
Chester. 
Stockport. —November 13rd and lith. 
The first Chrysanthemum, fruit, and vegetable show in 
Stockport was held in the Alechanics Institute of that 
ancient and romantic town. It was quite a success 
liorticulturally as a first effort. In this respect the 
beauty of the show was much enhanced by the variety 
of the collective exhibits as well as the arrangement. 
Chrysanthemums, though the main feature, did not 
predominate too much, as the Primulas, table plants, 
bouquets, and fruit, together with other cut flowers, 
were very interesting. 
J. C. Chorlton, Esq., Withington, took the first 
prize for the best three large-flowering plants, having 
Empress of India with thirty, Queen of England with 
twenty, and Elaine with thirteen fine blooms. The 
second prize went to J. F. Dorrington, Esq., Prestbury, 
and for the best specimen Japanese, the same exhibitors 
occupied the same relative positions. For a miscel¬ 
laneous group of plants, arranged for effect, T. H. 
Sykes, Esq., was first with a very good showy group, 
consisting of Poinsettias, nicely-coloured Crotons, 
Dracaenas, &c., on a base of green Fern. Mr. AVm. 
CordiDgly, florist, Stockport, was second, he having a 
plant of Erica melantliera, about 2 ft. across, in full 
flower, in the centre of his group, with Callas, 
Bouvardias, and Dracaenas standing out from a base of 
small miscellaneous plants. Alessrs. Turner & Kirk 
were third with a good mixed group. 
T. H. Sykes, Esq., was first for four dinner-table 
plants, choice and of the_right size. Air. L. Pointon, 
florist, Biddulph, was second, and S. Lord, Esq., 
Ashton-on-Mersey, third. The latter exhibitor was 
also first with six pots of Roman Hyacinths, and for 
three fine pots of double white Primulas, the best we 
have seen for some time, the plants being about 2 ft. 
across and full of flowers. The second prize went to 
the Parks Committee of Stockport (gardener, Mr. 
Walker), and the third to Jas. Leigh, Esq., for three 
nice plants of Cannell’s AVhite Perfection, which is 
really a variety of the finest quality. The Parks Com¬ 
mittee secured the first place for three red Primulas. 
The best specimen Fern was shown by T. If. Sykes, 
Esq., a good plant of Davallia Mooreana ; and the 
second best by Air. G. Kemp, Edgeley, a promising 
specimen of Goniophlebium subauriculatum. 
For Chrysanthemum cut blooms, nine incurved and 
nine Japanese, the Parks Committee were first, as 
also for twelve incurved. For twelve Japanese, A. H. 
Sykes, Esq., was first; J. C. Chorlton, Esq., second ; 
and the Parks Committee third. Air. Chorlton was 
first for six Japanese and six incurved ; D. AlcLure, 
Esq., coming in second ; and J. Shawcross, Esq., 
third. 
With black Grapes Air. Pointon was first, with two 
nice bunches of Alicante ; Miss Hudson, second ; and 
Col. Dixon, Chelford, third with Gros Maroc. Air. 
Kemp, Edgeley, was the only exhibitor of white Grapes, 
and obtained the first prize with two well-ripened 
bunches of Muscats. The Apples and Pears do not 
call for much comment. The best dish of culinary 
Apples consisted of a good sized lot of Ecklinville, 
though rather green in colour ; the best dish of Pears 
was a fine sample of Alarie Louise, shown by Air. 
Kemp. Lieut.-Col. Turner had the best collection of 
six kinds of vegetables, the samples being all good, and 
the Celery particularly so. The same exhibitor secured 
the first prize for Celery in the single dishes. It only 
remains to be added that meritorious exhibits were put 
up by neighbouring florists and nurserymen. Fine 
specimen Palms were lent by the Alayor, plants that 
have done successful duty elsewhere in competition. It 
may also be mentioned that the Alayoress opened the 
show in a few' appropriate remarks (in the unavoidable 
absence by indisposition of the Mayor), which were 
liig hly appreciated. — X. 
Margate .—November 21 st and 12nd,. 
On the above dates, the Isle of Thanet Chrysanthemum 
Society held its second annual exhibition in the 
Hall-by-tlie-Sea, a spacious building well adapted for 
the purpose. The entries were numerous, and the 
flowers staged of excellent quality, not only in the open 
and professional gardeners’ classes, but both amateurs 
and cottagers deserve great praise for the quality of 
both blooms and vegetables. The groups of miscel¬ 
laneous plants were arranged along one side of the 
room, and the first prize in this class was awarded to 
Air. Gosden, gardener to T. Atkinson, Esq., for a very 
choice, lightly-arranged group ; Air. Roberts, gardener 
to T. S. Alontefiore, Esq., being second. 
Trained plants were a prominent feature of the show, 
and the leading prize-winners in these classes were 
Air. Fairweather, gardener to W. Jarrett, Esq., West- 
gate-on-Sea, who exhibited fine plants of Airs. G. 
Rundle, Pink Christine, Peter the Great, and others. 
He w T as closely followed by Air. J. Cornford and Air. 
lies. The groups of Chrysanthemum plants arranged 
for effect were numerous, and the prizes were keenly 
contested, Mr. Cornford, gardener to H. P. P. Cotton, 
Esq., of Quex Park, being credited with the first prize, 
Air. Bishop the second, and Mr. Roberts the third. 
Air. W. Jarman, gardener to J. Farmer, Esq., put up, 
not for competition, a very pretty group of “cut-down” 
plants. 
In the class for twenty-four incurved flowers some 
very fine boards were staged, Air. Cornford being first 
with Emily Dale, Jeanne d’Arc, Golden Empress of 
India, &c.; followed by Air. Fairweather and Air. J. 
Gaines in the order named. For twelve incurved, 
Air. Fairweather was first with Empress of India, 
Empress Eugenie, Cherub, &c. ; the same exhibitor 
was also first for six incurved and for three incurved 
alike, with well finished blooms of Empress of India. 
Air. Cornford also secured other prizes for incurved 
blooms. In the Japanese classes there was some 
exceedingly close competition. Air. Cornford, Air. 
Fairweather, and Air. J. Hunt were the leading prize 
winners, the most prominent blooms being Aloonlight, 
Gloriosum, Grandiflorum, Comte de Germiny, and 
Baronne de Prailly. 
In the open class for thirty-six blooms, Air. Skinner, 
of East Sutton Park, Staplehurst, was first with grand 
flowers of Ralph Brocklebank, Airs. C. H. Wheeler, 
Lady Lawrence, Edwin Molyneux, &c. ; closely fol¬ 
lowed by Messrs. Ray & Co., of Teynham. A fine 
stand of blooms, not for competition, was exhibited 
by Air. Fred. T. Hart, of Ospringe Nursery, Faversham, 
containing Amy Furze, Aldlle. Paule Dutour, Lady 
Lawrence, Florence Percy, Edwin Alolyneux, &c. 
