202 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 30, 1889. 
J. H. Laing, Anatole Cordonnier, of Roubaix ; George 
Man tin, of Paris ; Chas. Van Geert, Antwerp ; J. 
Closin, of Liege ; Broquet, of Ath. Second section : 
President, Baron Chandon de Briailies. Secretary, M. 
de Bosscliere, of Lierre. Members, Messrs. Ghys, of 
Auzin ; Forgeot, of Paris ; Tasson and Stepmau, of 
Brussels ; Thoore, of Bruges ; Halkin, and Van der 
Linden, of Brussels. 
In the large concert hall a fine display of groups of 
Chrysanthemums was made, there being twenty-nine 
in all, some of which were conspicuous by the extent of 
ground they covered, and the beauty of the flowers. 
There were also numerous collections of Palms, Ferns, 
Conifers, Camellias, and other things of a similar 
nature. The show was tastefully arranged, and the 
ground plan consisted of winding paths bordered with 
green turf. There were no long straight lines or 
square corners to be seen, but graceful curves and 
sinuous alleys lent an unexpected charm to the large 
hall. It is impossible to note in detail the numerous 
exhibits in full, but those staged by M. Meulenaeres, 
in the amateurs’ section, were of very high standard. 
His magnificent central group of Chrysanthemums 
contained some very creditable specimens. 
The establishment of Louis Van Houtte also con¬ 
tributed four large groups of nicely flowered plants in 
pots, and also some striking foliage groups that were 
greatly admired. New seedlings were plentifully shown 
both by Belgian and French raisers, but they were 
presented in such form as to be of little interest. 
Indeed, all the French exhibits, and they were not few, 
were far below the Belgian standard. Cut blooms were 
not numerous, nor were they on a par with the flowers 
on the plants in the groups. Works of art, pottery, 
and bronzes with designs of Chrysanthemums were 
freely shown. 
Messrs. John Laing & Sons, of Forest Hill, staged a 
fine collection of Apples, Cyclamens, and Chrysanthe¬ 
mums of all sections. A Gold Medal was awarded for 
their exhibits, and a Silver - gilt Medal for the 
Chrysanthemums, which were well developed, and 
caused great admiration. Mr. Edwin Molyneux 
received a Silver Medal for blooms of Etoile de Lyon. 
Messrs. Pitcher & Manda showed six flowers of Mrs. 
Alpheus Hardy, for which they were awarded a Silver- 
gilt Medal, and Mr. Harman Payne was awarded a 
Silver Medal for a collection of coloured engravings. 
As the representative of the N.C.S., Mr. Payne was 
presented with a Gold Medal for his society in recog¬ 
nition of the official co-operation of the N.C.S. in the 
Ghent Centenary Festivities. A like award was made 
to a French society, represented by the Baron Chandon 
de Briailies. 
-- 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS IN THE 
NORTH. 
At the request of the committee of the Ancient Society of 
York Florists, those of us who went to Hull as represen¬ 
tatives of the National Chrysanthemum Society visited 
York on the way down, took luncheon with the 
committee, and inspected the show. It was held, as 
usual, in the exhibition building, and, as one enters, 
the visitor passes along a broad corridor in which some 
of the groups of plants arranged for effect were 
displayed, and on the left-hand side of this corri¬ 
dor was a narrow room in which the dining tables, 
arranged with flowers, were laid out. Beyond came a 
spacious hall with galleries running round it. In this 
the vegetables and some of the fruit were staged, while 
in the body of the hall were circular groups of plants, 
side tables containing cut blooms, bouquets, &c., while 
under the galleries were the specimen plants. Of 
these there were very few indeed shown as trained 
plants ; the usual specimen is a bush, the shoots being 
tied erect to stakes, and forming good heads of flower. 
As is usual with plants of this character, they are apt 
to show the stakes which support the shoots, and this 
is a decided drawback to their effectiveness. There 
were a good many specimen plants of this character, 
and a few admirably grown and bloomed. In this 
respect York beat the National Society’s show at Hull 
the next day, where plants are a weak point, although 
it was said they were much better this season than 
at any previous show. But then York is a compara¬ 
tively old exhibition, while Hull is a new one, and the 
quality of the plants is a slowly improving feature. 
The groups of miscellaneous plants at York were a 
delightful feature ; but the groups of Chrysanthemums 
were inferior to those at Hull. The latter were in the 
form of semi-circles, with their backs against the wall 
on both sides of the spacious Drill Hall; at York they 
were in circles down the centre of the Hall. The best 
group of miscellaneous plants came from Mr. J. T. 
Hingston, of Clifton ; Mr. T. M. Weddall, Selby, 
being second ; and Mr. J. Key, Clifton, third. The 
best group of Chrysanthemums came from Mrs. Gutch, 
Holgate Lodge ; Mr. W. Boston, nurseryman, Carthorpe, 
Bedale, was second ; and Dr. Biker, the Retreat, third. 
The leading exhibitors of specimen plants were Mrs. 
Gutch, the Messrs. J. Smith, Norwood, Beverley ; Miss 
Steward, Bishopthorpe ; J. T. Hingston, and T. Smith, 
Murton. Table plants were also shown, and Palms. 
In the cut-flower classes some good blooms were 
shown ; but I did not think them so fine generally as 
they were at Hull. The best forty-eight blooms, 
twenty-four incurved and twenty-four Japanese, came 
from Mr. A. Milnthorpe, Cattal; Mrs. Cope, Woolton, 
Liverpool, was second ; and Mr. W. Harminge, Holly- 
hurst, Darlington, third. In the class for twenty-four 
blooms, twelve incurved and twelve Japanese, Mr. T. 
Smith, Beverley, was first; and Mr. ML B. Richardson, 
Elm Bank, York, second. Mr. R. \V. C. Ward, 
Neasham Hall, Darlington, had the best twelve 
incurved ; Mr. W. Dickinson, Acomb, was second. 
Mr. Boston had the best twelve Japanese; Mr. W. B. 
Richardson was second. There were classes for reflexed 
and Anemone-flowered Chrysanthemums. 
Boxes of twelve bunches of cut flowers made a good 
feature. In one I saw Gloxinia maculata and 
Sparmannia afrieana. Bouquets were poor, and with 
one or two exceptions, the table decorations were of a 
moderate character. Fruit and vegetables were some¬ 
what largely shown, but I must content myself with 
the bare announcement, as time did not admit of my 
gathering up any details, and, indeed, the sojourn at 
York was of so brief a character, that I had not time 
to do so. 
National Society’s Provincial Show at Hull. 
This took place on the 21st and 22ud inst, in con¬ 
junction with the sixth exhibition of the Hull and 
East Riding Chrysanthemum Society. It is not too 
much to say that it well beat Sheffield last year at every 
point. This was the decided conviction of those among 
the deputation from the National Chrysanthemum 
Society who visited Sheffield last year, and they were 
very gratified to mark such an improvement. In the 
matter of specimen plants Hull fell behind York, but 
with cut flowers it was decidedly in advance of the 
latter. Besides prizes for small groups of miscellaneous 
plants, bouquets, table plants, &c., it was also a show 
for Chrysanthemums. York had many things besides 
Chrysanthemums, and a big show could scarcely help 
resulting. Specimen plants, with the exception of a 
few trained ones of the Mrs. G. Rundle type, were poor 
at Hull, but the judges who make a practice of going to 
the latter show said this is its weak point, though they 
are surely improving. That is satisfactory even if it is 
slow, so long as it is sure and always in a forward 
direction. They can grow grand blooms about Hull 
on plants with three, four and more flowers ; then 
why not better specimens ? 
Groups of Chrysanthemums arranged for effect, and 
intermingled with other plants, were a fine feature, the 
seven lots which competed for the Silver Challenge Cup 
and £5 forming an imposing display arranged along the 
sides of the spacious hall. Mr. Leadbetter, gardener 
to A. Wilson, Esq., Tranby Croft, near Hull, was first, 
and having now won the cup three times, it has become 
his property. His plants carried grand flowers, and 
they were set up with excellent taste. Mr. G. 
Cottram, Jun., Cottingham, was second, and Mr. W. 
Wheatley, Hull, third. Down the centre of the hall 
were the diamond-shaped groups of miscellaneous 
plants, covering a space of 50 ft. Mr. D. Wilson, 
Cottingham, was first, and Mr. G. Cottram, Jun , second. 
Table plants were good, and came in useful for placing 
between the lines of boxes of cut flowers. 
It was in the spacious armoury these were arranged, 
the walls of which bristled with rifles, big cannon being 
placed along the centre of the room, but enclosed by 
lines of tables on either side. A Silver Challenge Cup 
and a first prize of £15 was offered for forty-eight 
blooms (twenty - four incurved and twenty - four 
Japanese). Mr. P. Blair came down very strong and 
fresh from Trentham Gardens, saw, and conquered with 
grand flowers. Mr. D. Heaney, gardener to H. G. 
Schirtz, Esq., Mossley Hill, Liverpool, was second, and 
Mr. Leadbetter third. Mr. Blair had, in very fine 
form, the following incurved blooms Lord Alcester, 
Empress of India, Bronze Queen, Princess of Wales, 
Mrs. Ileale, Lady Dorothy, Queen of England, Golden 
Empress, Mr. Bunn, John Salter, Queen of England, 
Hero of Stoke Newington, Miss M. A. Haggas, Barbara, 
and Emily Dale. His leading Japs were Etoile de 
Lyon, Edward Molyneux, Stanstead White, Boule 
d’Or, George Daniels, Ralph Brocklebank, Belle Paule, 
Avalanche, Meg Merrilies, Moonlight, Madame E. 
Audiguier, Stanstead Surprise, Gloriosum, Sunflower, 
and Madame J. Laing. In the class for twelve incurved 
and twelve Japanese, Mr. Blair was again first, and 
Mr. Leadbetter was second. In the class for twenty- 
four incurved Mr. Heaney was the only exhibitor, and 
took first prize. In that for twelve incurved Mr. 
Leadbetter was first, and Mr. Heaney second. Mr. 
Heaney had the best twenty-four Jap3 ; Mr. F. 
H. Anthony, Church Road, Leicester, was second. 
Mr. J. A. Hudson, Beverley, had the best twelve Japs; 
Mr. G. A. Carr, of Grimsby, being second. Reflexed 
blooms were well shown by Col. Stracey Clitherow, of 
Brough ; and Mr. C. H. Johnson had the best twelve 
reflexed Japanese. Mr. W. F. Jameson, of Hull, had 
the best twelve large Anemone-flowered varieties, and 
won Mr. E. C. Juke’s Silver Cup also. Mr. G. Bohee, 
of Hull, had the best twelve Japanese Anemones ; Mr. 
W. F. Jameson being second. The leading exhibitor 
of six bunches of single varieties was Mr. G. E. Smith, 
of Hull, who had a very pretty lot, including some of 
his own seedlings ; one of them, named Ethel Smith, a 
pretty rose-coloured variety, was awarded the Certi¬ 
ficate of the National Chrysanthemum Society. There 
were several other classes for cut blooms, not a few 
being confined to amateurs, but I have been only able to 
deal with a few of the leading ones open to all. 
Tables arranged with floral decorations were numer¬ 
ous, but only ordinary in point of merit ; many of 
them used white Chrysanthemums only, and they had 
a ghastly effect under the gaslight. The Hull ladies 
who exhibited appeared to be sadly deficient in 
originality of design. Hand bouquets, dress sprays, 
&c., were also shown, generally numerously, and some 
decidedly attractive. All had to be shown under gas- 
light. 
The judges and deputation from London, who repre¬ 
sented the National Chrysanthemum Society on the 
occasion, have much reason to be gratified with the 
reception afforded them by the Hull authorities. The 
exhibition was opened by the Mayor of Hull, and in 
seconding the vote of thanks to his worship, Mr. W. 
Holmes, the honorary secretary of the National Chry¬ 
santhemum Society, bore testimony to the admirable 
way in which the exhibition had been managed by the 
committee of the Hull Society. During the two days 
the exhibition was open it was visited by over 10,000 
visitors, including 600 charity children and their 
teachers, who were admitted free on the morning of the 
second day.— R. D. 
-- 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
- -*• - 
India-rubber Plants in 'Windows. 
When properly cared for, there need be no complaint 
of the plants dying in winter or losing their leaders. 
There is this danger, however, that plants obtained 
now, or a little later on, from houses or stoves kept at 
a high temperature, and placed in the windows of 
dwelling rooms, will either lose their top bud or die 
altogether, especially if they have been subjected to 
cold for any length of time on the journey. The 
reason is that they are generally more or less in a 
growing state, at which time they are much more 
sensitive to cold than when entirely at rest. Taken 
from a greenhouse, however, the conditions are different. 
Whether grown there or in windows during the summer, 
the drier conditions of the atmosphere give the foliage 
a harder and more leathery character, and more calcu¬ 
lated to withstand the dry and cool atmosphere of a 
room. Of course, if fires are kept burning all day 
there, matters are made more comfortable for the plants; 
but a fire during the evening is quite sufficient to keep 
out frost and maintain the foliage in a healthy and 
fresh condition. Less water is required now than in 
summer, and the foliage must be sponged occasionally 
to keep it clean. 
Herbaceous Plants. 
There is no better season than the present for making 
what fresh arrangements may be desired amongst col¬ 
lections of herbaceous plants. Those who have taken 
an interest in them during the summer will now be 
able to make a selection of the really useful kinds, and, 
mayhap, have noticed other things elsewhere which 
might be added to their collection, and which may be 
obtained by exchange or otherwise. Now is the time 
to transplant them, discarding the useless kinds to 
make room for the new ones should the space be 
