130 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
November 2, 1889. 
FpofjicTRTiff^. 
Southern Florists in Council. 
A NUMEROUS gathering of florists took place in the 
rooms of the Horticultural Club at the Hotel Windsor 
on the 21st ult., it being the annual general meeting of 
the members of the National Auricula and Carnation and 
Picotee Societies—a kind of floral Siamese twins, joined 
in some parts of their being and divided in others. It 
is usual to term them the Southern Sections of these 
societies, but they are related to the northern in¬ 
stitutions only in name. National is a high-sounding 
term, but they are local rather than national, and it 
■would be more appropriate, or at least more correct to 
term them the London Societies, as they hold their ex¬ 
hibitions in London every year. But after all these are 
side issues of no great importance. 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd, as the president of the National 
Auricula Society, occupied the chair. Some pre¬ 
liminary of business having been got through, the 
first point of importance was to consider where the 
exhibitions in 1890 should take place. It was stated 
the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society was 
prepared to offer the same terms as last year, but with 
this modification—that while the Auricula Society 
would hold its show at the Drill Hall, Westminster, 
on April 22nd, it was desired the Carnation Show 
should take place in connection with a meeting of the 
society to be held at Chiswick on July 22nd and 2-3rd, 
at which Ferns and Carnations will be the leading 
feature, and it was desired to hold at the same time 
Fern and Carnation Conferences—conference being now 
the order of the day—though awfully in danger of being 
overdone. An offer came from that indefatigable 
“Mumist,” Mr. William Holmes, of Hackney, offering 
liberal terms to take the two exhibitions to the Royal 
Aquarium, it being the intention of the directors to 
hold a series of exhibitions there during 1890. Eventu¬ 
ally it was decided to cleave to the R. H. S., though 
s >me of the members thought the special societies 
might avail themselves of a wider orbit of operation, 
and seek to interest more largely the general public in 
what they do, and this would come about at the Royal 
Aquarium. Mr. Holmes was thanked for his letter. 
In reference to the conference on July 22nd, Mr. Martin 
Rowan, of Clapham, was requested to read a paper on 
“Carnation Culture in Towns,” and Mr. Richard Dean, 
one on “ Border Carnations.” The meeting having 
transacted some of the business of the coming year, 
then went back to that of the past year ; and Mr. T. E. 
Henwood, who makes an excellent and painstaking 
treasurer, and who can no more get into a muddle with 
his accounts than he can make Auriculas grow Carnation 
blossoms, made his financial statement, showing growth 
in both societies. The Auricula Society leaves off with 
a balance in hand of £7 18s. 9 d., and the Carnation 
and Picotee Society of £i 17s. lid, £25 having been in¬ 
vested at the commencement of the year. Mr. Douglas 
also made his report as to the exhibitions of the past 
year and the prosperous condition of the societies ; but 
the committee saw nothing of this document previous 
to its being read. 
The governing bodies of both societies were re-elected 
and added to, Baron Schroder having become a patron, 
and votes of thanks were passed to the officers. It was 
resolved that the committee should meet on March 11th, 
for the appointment of judges, &c. The meeting closed 
with the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. 
Auriculas. 
These are now falling away gently to their winter’s 
rest. They have made a good autumn growth, and 
now as the shadows of the coming winter are being 
projected forward on to the closing days of autumn, 
the plants, feeling its influence, are settling down to 
pass through the—to the grower —most interesting 
season of the year, and yet the plants are not idle, 
though activity appears to be in suspense. They are 
preparing for the spring bloom, and it is the duty of 
the grower to assist the plants in every way in his 
power. The removal of decaying foliage, surface 
stirrings of the soil, clean pots and shelves, plenty of 
air—all these are useful attentions that have influence 
in promoting the well-being of the plants. They are 
mere trifles, some may say ; but trifles so called are not 
to be despised in plant culture. This remark reminds 
me of an anecdote of the great sculptor, Michael Angelo. 
He was finishing a bust, and a friend called in to 
inspect the work. He came again a week after, and 
said the sculptor had not touched the bust since his 
last visit. Angelo pointed out a few finishing touches 
here and there, and his friend exclaimed, “These are 
trifles.” “They may be trifles to you,” said Angelo, 
“but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.” 
It is so with the cultivation of plants. It is the round 
of small attentions that go so far to make up the sum of 
success. Care must be taken not to over-water the 
plants. Drainage should be perfect. A sodden sour 
soil is fatal to the well-being of the Auricula, and if 
any plant shows signs of uneasiness, it should be at 
once turned out of the pot, its roots examined, and it 
will be pretty certain to show some signs of decay. 
The affected part should be at once cut away, and the 
plant re-potted in as small a pot as possible, well 
drained, and in fresh sweet soil.— R. D. 
Close-habited Tree Carnations. 
We noted the other day in the nurseries of Messrs. J. 
Laing & Sons, at Forest Hill, a large quantity of very 
bushy tree Carnations, flowering freely in one of the 
houses. The plants were exceedingly branched, forming 
close tufts covering the surface of the pots, and together 
with the flower stems did not exceed 12 ins. and 15 ins. 
in height. Madame Carle is pure white, very double 
and fragrant. The petals are toothed at the margin, 
but the variety, which is very floriferous, is not the less 
valuable on that account for cut-flower purposes. The 
flowers of Irma are of a beautiful shade of soft rose, but 
seem liable to vary somewhat with much darker- 
coloured blooms, especially when they first expand. On 
the petals, which are shallowly toothed at the apex, 
are a few flakes of a slightly darker tint ; but at a 
little distance off the pure rose is the prevailing hue, and 
very pretty it is. A strong contrast to this is offered 
by Alegatiere, which has bold flowers of a brilliant 
scarlet-red. The petals are broad, rounded, flat, and 
entire. The growth is compact and bushy, and the 
flower stems rise to a height of 12 ins. or 14 ins. Very 
distinct in hue is Florian, and would prove acceptable 
to those who like striped flowers. The latter are closely 
striped with purple on a white ground, and the petals 
are toothed. The whole plant only stands 1 ft. high. 
The finest of the rose kinds in our opinion is Souvenir 
de F. Labruyere, the flowers of which are notable for 
their great size and charming rose colour. The petals 
are shallowly or faintly toothed at the apex, and more 
or less undulated. The blooms are somewhat fragrant. 
Pansies. 
Those of the named varieties, both show and fancy, 
which braved the summer in the open ground, will 
during August and September, helped by the mild 
weather, have put forth good growths that, having 
rooted, will make a number of plants. If the plants 
be lifted, the soil shaken from the roots, and then 
pulled to pieces, it will be found that a lot of the young 
growths are rooted. These should be planted out in a 
nursery bed with some fine soil about their roots, and 
pressed down firmly about them, when they will grow 
into most useful plants by spring. They can then be 
formed into beds for the summer display, and will 
follow the early summer-struck cuttings for blooming 
and making the garden gay.— R. D. 
-->X<—- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM NOTES. 
Chrysanthemum Siiow3. 
The following fixtures have been made known to us, 
since the publication of the list in our last issue :— 
Nov. 5, 6.—South London, Camberwell. 
,, 13, 14.—Guildford. 
,, 23.—Ramsbottom. 
Chrysanthemums at Forest Hill. 
The Chrysanthemum season is again in full swing, 
and there seems as much enthusiasm as ever. In the 
midst of such perfection as this flower has now 
attained, it would seem as if improvement could 
scarcely be carried farther ; yet new varieties continue 
to crop up every year, and some of them also take a 
hold upon the public fancy, either as exhibition 
subjects or sorts suitable for ordinary decorative 
purposes. Mr. J. Laing, of the firm of Messrs. 
J. Laing & Sons, has been an exhibitor of Chry¬ 
santhemums for about forty years, yet the old love is 
unabated. In the Stanstead Park and Vineyard 
Nurseries several houses are monopolised with the 
different classes of Chrysanthemums, treated in various 
ways with regard to pruning, according to the purpose 
for which the plants or the flowers are required. 
Japanese. 
The number of white varieties is now considerable, and 
the range in form is equally so. Avalanche has 
already taken a firm hold upon the public, and here we 
noted a large number of moderately dwarf plants, 
bearing huge pure white heads. Stanstead White is a 
new variety of great size, with quilled white florets, 
and promises to be a good exhibition sort. Another 
kind raised here is Album fimbriatum, with flat, 
fringed white florets and sub-globular heads. Condor 
and Madame Parrie are similar in form and structure ; 
but the former is pure white, and the latter tinged 
with pale purple. A very pretty creamy white variety, 
with narrow florets, is Florence Piercy, although some 
growers object to it. Like Avalanche, it may be 
treated on the cut-back system, and produce stems 
from 2 ft. to 24 ft. in height, bearing heads of 
respectable size. Bertha Flight is also very choice, 
with its twisted and much interlacing white florets. 
As Meg Merrilies expands it is of a pale yellow, but 
gradually becomes white. It is popular for exhibition 
purposes. Mademoiselle Lacroix is an early-flowering, 
drooping, and chaste white flower. Etoile de Lyon 
cannot be described as a white, yet it comes near that 
group, and has the florets suffused with pale or deep 
lilac, and of great length. 
A good selection can be obtained amongst yellow 
varieties, which continue to increase. A recent addi¬ 
tion is Mr. Garnar, with brilliant yellow heads, and 
the florets more or less twisted or revolute at the 
mirgin. Robert Crawford is pale creamy yellow, but 
the now well-known Ralph Brocklebank is of a clear, 
though pale yellow. When well grown, Sunflower, 
with its long, drooping, bright yellow florets, is a beau¬ 
tiful variety. It naturally grows about 6 ft. high, but 
when cut down does not exceed 3£ ft. Peter the Great 
is equally dwarf. Gloriosum cut down stands about 
2i ft. high, and its numerous, slender, yellow florets 
are certainly pretty. Magicienne is a bronzy orange 
variety, but does not seem very distinct from one or 
two others, including William Robinson. Carew Under¬ 
wood, with its orange centre and orange-crimson outer 
florets, sometimes attains a wonderful size. 
Amongst the dark kinds is the comparatively new 
Elwin Molyneux, with crimson florets and a yellow 
reverse, and which has already made its mark as an 
exhibition sort. It is readily amenable to cutting 
down. The rosy crimson Stanstead Surprise has also 
turned out well this year. Mons. Freeman, with its 
rosy flowers and silvery reverse, stands at ft. high, 
when subjected to the cut-back system. Similar in 
form is Marsa, but the heads are several shades darker. 
Madame J. Laing is a beautiful rose variety. 0. J. 
Quintus is notable for the freedom with which it 
branches, and the quantity of heads it produces. 
Reflexed Japanese. 
A class has recently been created to include all those 
Japanese varieties whose florets, in the earlier stages at 
least, are closely and regularly reflexed. Most or all of 
them are rather below the average size for the true 
Japanese types, and hardly receive justice at exhi¬ 
bitions. Here is placed the crimson Jeanne Delaux, 
also known under the names of F. A. Davis and Japon 
Fleuri, and Maiden’s Blush is another of this class. 
The Messrs. Laing have obtained a pale purple sport 
from the latter. A golden yellow and handsome new 
type is President Hyde, with stems about 3 ft. high. 
Thomas Stephenson is a bronzy orange sport from 
Criterion. A fine dwarf early kind is William Holmes, 
with brilliant crimson florets tipped with gold. La 
Triomphante, pale rose, and Val d’Andorre, crimson, 
are good old kinds. The latter on the cut-down system 
does not exceed 20 ins. high. 
Incurved Varieties. 
Of Lord Alcester, Queen of England, Golden and Bronze 
Queen of England, Alfred Salter, Venus, Princess of 
Wales, Refulgence, Lord Derby, and Empress Eugenie 
it is hardly necessary to make any comment, as they 
are now so well known and valued. Emily Dale has 
somewhat broader florets than Golden Queen of 
England, but otherwise does not seem to differ much, 
as seen here. A beautiful violet-purple and well- 
formed sort is Violet Tomlin, a recent sport from the 
Princess of Wales. The bronzy H. Shoesmith is also 
about the same age, and a sport from the Golden 
Beverley. Mrs. Heale is a pretty white sport from the 
Princess of Wales, while Miss M. A. Haggas is a 
beautiful soft yellow sport from Mrs. Heale. Perle 
Precieuse when cut down has small but pretty purple 
heads with a rose reverse. George Addison is a 
delicate rosy lilac with large heads. L’Automne has 
nankeen-yellow heads, while those of Comte de Moustu 
are orange-crimson. Many of the incurved varieties 
have been treated on the cut-down system, to which 
they prove very amenable. Many are trained under 
the roof of the house. 
