4 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
September 7, 1889. 
gradually coming back to the form and 
character of the old show doubles. The 
Pompon section, so wonderfully floriferous, 
produces in myriads flowers which are 
really show doubles in miniature, and these 
again seem to be admired the more closely 
they imitate the best forms of the show flowers 
in their miniature way. 
The taste for the singles still remains, and 
will, we believe, long exist. Those who 
prognosticated for them a short life, did not 
sufficiently estimate their value for domestic 
decoration, an art so worthily designated, and 
which has grown up during the past twenty- 
five years to so great a degree that it is 
absolutely needful to produce for its supply 
flowers of a light and elegant character, which 
are at once specially suited for vases, bouquets, 
&c., and single Dahlias come in for these 
purposes admirably. They are very lovely, 
and those who will visit the National Dahlia 
Show will be enabled to see all sections 
represented by many grand and beautiful 
flowers. 
ITsTater Bouquets. —Those who have seen 
well-made water bouquets of flowers 
have never failed to find in them great 
cause for admiration. Ladies who exhibit 
their decorative skill in arranging flowers at 
exhibitions, and committees of flower shows 
anxious to encourage ladies in their well- 
meant efforts to cultivate floral taste, will do 
well to promote the exhibition of water 
bouquets at shows, and if successful they will 
furnish to somewhat jaded subscribers and 
visitors a new and interesting sensation. 
Water bouquets are seen totally immersed 
in jmre water beneath transparent glass globes, 
the water magnifying the flowers and foliage, 
and giving to the latter a beautiful silvery 
aspect. The best we have seen was at 
Basingstoke the other day; the exhibitors 
were old hands at the work, and in one case 
especially, the lady had provided herself with 
a glass stand about 6 ins. in height. This 
consisted of a short leg or pedestal carrying 
a round flat salver, the floor of which was 
silvered beneath so as to form a reflector, 
the margin being raised about half-an-inch; 
the cover was a flat-topped globe, having a 
handle on the apex. 
The bouquet, a small one made up of some 
two or three coloured flowers with leaves and 
Fern, is put into a small glass firmly, and 
stood on the salver; the whole is then stood 
in a tub which is gradually filled with water. 
The globe cover is placed with one edge 
resting on the side of the salver, and when 
the water is of the proper height the cover 
is very gently turned over the flowers so that 
no air is left in, and then the water bouquet 
is intact. This beautiful ornament will keep 
fresh for ten or more days. 
ruits for Cottagers. —To advise those 
having small gardens to plant kinds of 
fruit which have coarse elements of growth 
or are other than ordinarily free croppers, 
is unfortunate. A close study of the habits 
of tree fruits is needful, and no mere off-hand 
advice suffices. Now, of Apples, just a few 
good hardy sorts such as Manx Codlin, 
Stirling Castle, Waltham Abbey Seedling, 
King of the Pippins, Cellini Pippin and 
Cox’s Orange Pippin make an excellent 
selection. Of Pears, Williams’ Bon Chretien, 
Souvenir du Congres, and Alexandre Lambre. 
Of Plums, Early Rivers, Early Orleans and 
Yictoria. Of Damsons, the Farleigh Prolific; 
and of Cherries, the Morello. All grown as 
standards or half-standards, will do admirably 
to furnish a poor man’s garden, and give him 
crops of fruit more assuredly oftener than 
will be furnished by any other varieties. 
Small gardens are not the places for large 
trees, nor for the sorts which produce crops 
only once in three or four years. Really, 
it is better to have trees which do not fruit 
heavily anywhere, but rather produce crops 
more or less every year. The Farleigh Prolific 
Damson and the Morello Cherry as standards 
are peculiarly fruits of this character; so 
also are the Yictoria and Early Rivers Plums, 
and the Apples and Pears named will almost 
invariably be found to afford crops yearly 
in greater or lesser degree. Amidst the 
flood of talk recently heard with respect to 
market or farm fruit culture, little was said 
about the culture of fruit in the cottager’s 
garden. If, added to the above, red and black 
Currants and Warrington and Lancashire Lad 
Gooseberries, with some Raspberries and 
Strawberries be named, the garden will rarely 
lack a good supply of fruit. 
J Political Chrysanthemums. —Glancing over 
1 a Lancashire seed list the other day we 
were amused and surprised on finding the 
above heading. What on earth Chrysanthe¬ 
mums had to do with politics passed com¬ 
prehension, and, therefore, we hastened to seek 
a solution of the mystery. Turning to the 
proper page the problem was soon and very 
practically solved ; there was no mystery, no 
political affinity, and so far as variety was 
concerned, no party association or antagonism. 
Really what we found was that certain annual 
Chrysanthemums, varieties of C. tricolor, had 
been given names of a somewhat political 
type. The seedsmen had selected these few 
and applied to them the term “ political”, so as 
to secure attention. The names were:—Lord 
Beaconsfield, W. E. Gladstone, Sir S. North- 
cote, John Bright, and the Sultan. Well, 
the term “ political ” may be desirable or other¬ 
wise, but in any case a very charming section of 
flowers are included. Those who have not 
grown these beautiful annuals should not be 
discouraged because of so-called political 
appellations, for they will delight and gratify 
none the less when in bloom. 
he New Forest. —- Nine-tenths of the 
English people probably have never 
visited the New Eorest. Sea-side towns, 
with all their meritricious attractions, their 
noise, rattle, and glare are the favourite haunts 
of people when holiday seeking or on pleasure 
bent. To seek that magnificent people’s 
domain, the New Forest, and explore its 
recesses, and admire and appreciate its 
wondrous beauties, is left to the few real 
lovers of nature, and the beautiful as found 
in nature, whilst the many seek for change 
and recreation in noise and frivolity. We 
observed that on Monday last a special ex¬ 
cursion ran from the metropolis to the New 
Forest—though but for the day. It is to be 
hoped that many denizens of our close streets 
and courts joined that outing, and for once 
became familiar with the grand trees, the 
beautiful glades, and the vast breezy expanses 
of South Hampshire. Few English people 
familiar with foreign scenery know how much 
of beauty lies unknown at their very doors. 
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Mignonette and its Culture is the subject of the 
paper by Mr. Roberts, of Cuerdon Hall Gardens, to be 
read at the first monthly meeting of the present season 
in connection with the Preston and Fulwood Horticul¬ 
tural Society, to be held this Saturday evening. 
English Gladioli at the Paris Exhibition. — We 
understand that at the Flower Show held in connec¬ 
tion with the Paris Exhibition from August 16th to 
the 21st, Messrs. Ivelway & Son were awarded the 
premier prize for a collection of about 150 spikes of 
Gladioli grown at Laugport. 
Gardeners’ Orphan Fund.—We are pleased to 
learn, through Mr. Wildsmith, that on the occasion of 
the public opening of the famed gardens and grounds 
of Hecktield Place on August 24th and 26th, by the 
kindness of Lady Emma Shaw-Lefevre, the sum of 
£6 10s. was realised for this excellent charity. Great 
numbers of visitors would doubtless have been present, 
but the weather was very unfavourable on the first day. 
The York Gala.—From the treasurer’s cash account, 
presented at a meeting of the life members and 
guarantors, held under the presidency of Sir Joseph 
Terry, on the 30th ult., we learn that the receipts for 
1889 amounted to £1,888 3s. 5 d., and that the profit 
for the year was £164 10s. id., as against an adverse 
balance last year. It was agreed to give £40 to the 
York County Hospital, and £10 each to the Dispensary 
and Asylum. Votes of thanks to the officers and 
donors of special prizes having been accorded, the duty 
of fixing the date of next year’s gala was delegated to 
the Floral Committee. 
Ruby Victoria Asters.—Nice plants of this fine 
dwarf Aster were exhibited at the Drill Hall last week, 
by Mr. R. Dean, but escaped attention, being probably 
included in Messrs. Carter & Co.’s collection. We have 
seen this Aster growing at Bedfont, where for the second 
year and from home-saved seed it exhibits marked im¬ 
provement upon its earlier form, showing that Asters 
in this country may be by careful selection admirably 
developed. The variety is of the Victoria type, is about 
12 ins. high, and bearing heads of from seven to nine very 
fine densely double flowers of a deep rosy red. It is 
one of the best dwarf Asters we have seen. 
Quilled Asters.—At the same place Mr. Dean gTows 
every year a quantity of quilled Asters in twelve colours, 
and in adjoining rows ; and it is worthy of remark that 
not a plant comes otherwise than true, so that these 
Asters are purely self-fertilising. The quality is of the 
finest, and even superior to what can be got out of 
Continental seed. The colours are white, flesh, lilac, 
lavender, blue, carmine, dark red, red with white 
centre, red and white mottled, red with white-edged 
guard petals, blue with same and white centre, and 
deep purple. Asters are generally very clean this year, 
especially where protected from or not affected by the 
heavy rains. 
The Fruiterers’ Company Prize Essay.—We are 
pleased to learn that the prize of 25 guineas offered by 
the Fruiterers’ Company for an essay on profitable fruit 
growing for cottagers and others with small holdings, 
and the Gold Medal offered by Dr. Hogg to the winner 
in the competition, have been awarded to Mr. J. 
Wright, of the Journal of Horticulture. The judges 
report that Mr. Wright’s essay combines practical 
knowledge with literary ability, and complies with the 
conditions of the competition. 
Premiums at Flower Shows.—The method adopted 
by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, at the spring and autumn 
shows of the Reading Horticultural Society, is worthy 
of emulation. Instead of offering special prizes in 
several classes, and hedging round the competitions with 
conditions of a somewhat restricted character, this 
firm offered at the spring show r the sum of £10 10s., 
and at the recent autumn show the sum of £12, as 
premiums to gentlemen’s gardeners and amateurs in a 
dozen important classes, in addition to the money 
prizes awarded by the society. These premiums went 
to the properly qualified persons standing highest in 
the classes, no trade exhibitor being allowed to take 
them. The result was to give an increased impetus to 
the exertions of exhibitors, and the results were seen 
not only in increased competition, but in exhibits of a 
higher order of merit being staged. The method is a 
great assistance to the society also, for there is a con¬ 
siderable addition made to the leading prizes in certain 
classes, without an additional call upon the funds of 
the society. 
Presentation to Mr. T. Rabone, Alton Towers.— 
On the occasion of the Alton Towers Horticultural 
Fete, held on the 29th ult., and which was visited by 
some 10,000 persons, the Earl of Shrewsbury’s gardener, 
Mr. Rabone, was presented with a handsome silver cup 
and an illuminated address, in recognition of his twenty- 
one years connection with the society as its honorary 
secretary. The presentation was made in Mr. Rabone’s 
house in the gardens by Mr. Brown, who bore testimony 
to Mr. Rabone’s unvarying courtesy and kindness to all 
with whom he was brought iu contact, and to the tact 
which he had always shown in a position of responsi¬ 
bility and difficulty. Mr. Rabone, iu accepting the 
presentation, said it had been his study to make the 
society’s exhibitions a success, and to do all he could 
for the comfort and benefit of the exhibitors. He 
should always regard their handsome presents as a 
memento of their great kindness, and mentioned with 
pride that during the twenty-one years that he had 
been at Alton there had been upwards of 600,000 
visitors to the Towers, and yet during that time no 
single complaint had been made against himself. He 
also acknowledged the unvarying kindness which he 
