116 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 21, 1893. 
FIiORlCt)LiTUt?E. 
New Dahlias. 
Old Gold. —The blooms of this Cactus variety 
are of medium to large size with florets of moderate 
length and suddenly pointed. They may be 
described as golden buff, tinted with red in the 
centre when young, or the colour of old gold, as 
indicated by the name, and distinct. Award of 
Merit. The variety was exhibited by Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons, Swanley, Kent, at the meeting of 
the Royal Horticultural Society on the loth inst. 
Purple Prince. —This also is a Cactus variety 
with deep purple flowers, tinted with maroon, 
especially in their earlier stages, and the florets are 
long and pointed. Award of Merit. It w'as 
exhibited at the same time and place as the above, 
by Messrs. Perkins & Sons, Coventry. 
The undermentioned varieties were exhibited at 
the Royal Aquarium on the nth inst., and were 
accorded First-class Certificates :— 
Ernest Glasse. —In this we have a true Cactus 
Dahlia of medium size and warm rose with a paler 
centre, and the long florets are revolute at the sides 
and pointed. 
Emily Hopper, —This is a pompon of small size, 
very neat, bright yellow, and attractive. It, as well 
as Ernest Glasse, was exhibited by Mr. T. S. Ware, 
Hale Farm Nurseries, Tottenham. 
Miss Arnold.— The colour of this decorative 
variety is warm rosy pink and slightly darker tinted 
in the centre. The florets are broad, rounded at the 
end, and almost flattened. Decorative varieties are 
already plentiful, but the particular shade of that 
under notice is very clear, distinct and attractive. 
It was exhibited by Mr. John Arnold, nurseryman, 
Devonport. 
Cannell's Gem.—As a Cactus Dahlia this is 
very small, and at the same time very attractive, as 
the name is meant to imply. The blooms are of a 
fiery orange scarlet, and show well up under artificial 
light. 
Old Gold.— For description of this see above. 
It, as well as Cannell’s Gem, was exhibited by 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons. 
-- 
NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Mrs. P. Blair.— This is a Japanese variety of large 
size, measuring 7 in. in diameter without spreading 
out the flowers. The florets are spreading, incurved 
at the tips, of moderate width, and white, edged 
with purple. The variety was raised by Mr. Robert 
Owen, Castle Hill, Maidenhead, by whom it was 
exhibited at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on the loth inst. An Award of Merit was 
accorded it. 
Edith Rowbottom. —The flowers of this reflexed 
Japanese variety are fully 6 in. in diameter, and has 
rosy purple florets of moderate width, and silvery 
white on the reverse. The bloom is of great depth, 
and full in the centre where it shows the silvery 
reverse. First-class Certificate. It was exhibited 
at the Floral Committee of the National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society on the nth inst. by Mr. E. Row- 
bottom, The Gardens, The Priory, Hornsey, N , 
and, as well as all those mentioned hereunder, 
received a First-class Certificate. 
Madame Edouard Rey.— In this case the variety 
may be described as an incurved Japanese type. 
The blooms measure 6J in. across. The florets are 
rose coloured with a silvery reverse, and are notable 
for their great width. They are concave at the tips, 
and this causes them to be strongly incurved, so that 
the silvery reverse is very pronounced and one of 
the features of the bloom. On the whole it is bold 
and handsome. It was exhibited at the same time 
and place as Edith Rowbottom, and received a First- 
class Certificate when exhibited by Mr. E. Beckett, 
The Gardens, Aldenham House, Elstree. 
Charles Davis.— Being a sport from Viviand 
Morel this handsome variety agrees with it in all 
respects except colour. Some doubts were enter¬ 
tained as to whether the sport would remain constant 
or not, but all doubts upon that point have dis¬ 
appeared by its flowering at different periods of the 
year and under different conditions. The early or 
crown buds as they are called produce bright yellow 
flowers, but the terminal ones are bronzy yellow of 
varying intensity, and we expect the late-developed 
blooms to be even finer in this respect. The blooms 
exhibited by Mr. H. J. Jones, Hither Green, Lewis¬ 
ham, at the Royal Aquarium on the iith inst., 
measured 6 in. to 7 in. across, and received a First- 
class Certificate. 
Eda Prass.— In this we have an American variety 
of great beauty, belonging to the incurved Japanese 
type, very full,.of a uniform soft blush pink except 
in the centre, which is slightly deeper tinted, and 
measuring about 6 in. across. The florets are 
incurved at the sides so as to be deeply grooved or 
half fluted. In appearance it is very handsome and 
delicate in colour. First-class Certificate. It was 
exhibited by Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, Devon, 
at the same place as the last-named. 
Louise.— The blooms of this variety measure 
about 5^ in. to 6 in. across, and being strongly 
incurved belong to the incurved Japanese type. 
They are very compact, full, and of a uniformly 
pearly blush, and very choice. The florets are 
broad. The plant is dwarf with good foliage, as 
might have been seen by the specimens which Mr. 
Norman Davis, Lilford Road Nursery, Camberwell, 
exhibited in his group at the Royal Aquarium on 
the nth inst. Eirst-class Certificate. 
Madamoiselle Therese Ray.— This is a Con¬ 
tinental variety raised by M. Calvat, and belongs to 
the incurved Japanese type. It is of large size, 
pure ivory white, and shining, especially when seen 
under artificial light. The florets are strongly 
incurved, 'somewhat twisted, and grooved on the 
inner face. First-class Certificate. It was exhibited 
at the Royal Aquarium on the nth inst. by klr. H. 
Shoesmith, gardener to M. Hodgson, Esq., Shirley 
Cottage, Croydon. 
-- 
NOTES OF THE YE.AR. 
Early this spring it struck me that a great deal of 
beneficial interest might be reaped if one carried a 
small note-book with them, especially when travel¬ 
ling. To drive or walk along a road looking straight 
ahead has no pleasure for me, and a little constant 
observation opens up many new ideas, besides 
giving us valuable hints upon seasonable work, and 
bringing before us some very pretty and unique 
combinations in bedding and other decorative 
departments. 
I have endeavoured to carry out this idea as far 
as possible, and from the pleasing results shall cer¬ 
tainly continue. One often gathers most valuable 
hints from a casual glance at cottage gardens, and I 
strongly recommend my readers to this. Many 
cottagers obtain far greater results from their ground 
than the professional gardener secures from the 
same space ; indeed, I have more than one in my 
mind’s eye where a few flowers are to be seen almost 
all the year round. Nor are such essentials as good 
vegetables and salads forgotten. 
One of the chief notes made during the past sea¬ 
son is the numerous and varied forms in which a 
porch or rough summer-house can be embellished 
with charming combinations. It would occupy too 
much space to dip into my book freely, but I may 
name the following three as among the best covered 
porches I have met with :—No. i consisted of the 
scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle, Clematis Flamula, 
and Rose W. A. Richardson. These were in bloom 
together and grew among one another almost at will. 
No. 2 was Passiflora Constance Elliott and Tropaeo- 
lum speciosum. The bold white blossoms of 
Passion Elowers had a remarkably showy appearance 
among the deep scarlet of the Scotch Flame Flower. 
No. 3. This was the common Irish Ivy, among 
which had grown a stray shoot or two from a 
neighbouring Wisteria sinensis. A very pretty effect 
was formed early in the spring, while later on there 
was a complete contrast from a strong plant of 
Clematis Jackmanii which bloomed soon after the 
Wisteria was over and lasted for many weeks. It is 
such simple combinations as these which are far 
more attractive and pleasing to the eye than formal 
arrangements. I might name sev'eral simple and 
very elegant flower beds noticed, but I should not 
know where to stop if once well into this subject. 
Another use for my note-book was putting down 
the most suitable times and means of raising several 
subjects which are especial favourites with me ; also 
any fresh plan that might come under my notice. 
It only needs an occasional glance at these notes, 
and the circumstances and times under which they 
were made are again present. We so often see in 
other gardens the exact plant we would like in our 
own, and a short note made at the time in the way I 
here suggest will frequently prevent the disappointing 
loss of a second season.— Experience. 
UNITED HORTICUETURAL BENEFIT 
AND PROVIDENT SOCIETY. 
As a member of the Committee of this Society I 
should like to be allowed to express my gratitude to 
those gentlemen who spoke in such an admirable 
manner at the annual dinner last week, a report of 
which appeared in your last issue, and with your 
permission to make a few remarks. 
The Chairman, Mr. P. C. M. Veitch, in proposing 
the toast of the evening, made an excellent speech, 
clearly demonstrating the advantages to be derived 
by gardeners from joining our Society. In speaking 
of the rules, he said he would like to see a graduated 
scale of payment, so that a member joining at an 
early age would not have to pay so large a con¬ 
tribution as an older one. But there is no necessity 
for such an alteration, because under the existing 
rules a young man may join at eighteen years of age, 
and should he live to reach the age of seventy he 
can then draw his money with the accumulated 
interest, which will amount to considerably more 
than double the amount due to a member who does 
not join before reaching the age of thirty-six or forty 
years. One thing should not be lost sight of, and 
that is that after a member has been subscribing for 
some years the interest added to his deposit amounts 
to more than his annual contribution. 
Mr. Sherwood, who has done such noble work in 
starting and adding capital to our Convalescent Fund, 
made a capital suggestion when he said that gar¬ 
deners should endeavour to get their employers to 
subscribe to this particular fund. One reason why 
they should support it is that should a gardener 
unfortunately have a serious illness, when recovering 
a change of air might benefit him to such an extent 
that he would be able to resume his duties weeks 
sooner than he could without that change. 
The work of the officers and the soundness of the 
Society was highly spoken of by gentlemen com¬ 
petent to speak on these matters. Mr. Marshall, 
being one of the founders, knows something of the 
management, and he pleaded earnestly for donations 
to the Management Fund. The committee do not 
feel justified in recommending a further tax upon 
members beyond the payment of their annual sub¬ 
scription of 2S. 6d. to the fund ; but if. instead of 500 
members, we numbered 5,000, the annual income to 
the management fund derived from this source would 
amount to ;^625, then we should be in a position to 
provide our excellent secretary with paid assistance, 
and adopt other methods of making the Society 
known throughout the country. The work at 
present is done in too much of an economical 
manner, but the committee have no power to spend 
a single penny more than is received for the manage¬ 
ment. 
As the Society is established for mutual benefit I 
think it deserves the consideration of every Gar¬ 
deners’ Mutual Improvement Society in the country. 
Will not the secretaries of such societies apply to 
Mr. Collins for the rules, and the last report and 
balance-sheet ? The subject would be a most appro¬ 
priate one for discussion amongst the members. 
When gardeners join in large numbers and volun¬ 
tarily contribute is. per annum to the Convalescent 
' Fund, there will be no cause to plead for outside 
help either for that or the Management Fund, and 
honorary members’ subscriptions could all go into 
the Benevolent Fund. We have at the present time 
in round figures 500 members and a capital of /8,ooo 
invested, or an average of £16 each member.— 
G. IF. Cummins, The Grange Gardens, Wallington. 
MICHAELMAS DAISIES. 
There are few lovers of herbaceous plants so har¬ 
dened in heart as .to gainsay the beauty of the 
Michaelmas Daisies in October, when flowers of 
most kinds present a more or less time and weather 
worn and battered appearance. The profusion of 
bloom and the delicate tints of white, lilac, blue, 
purple and other shades are marvellous in their fresh¬ 
ness at this period of the year, and though the 
flowers have not the portly size of Chrysanthemum 
blooms, nor the unwieldy clumsiness of a show 
Dahlia, yet they have a beauty of their own which 
cannot be matched by any other class of flowers, 
either in autumn or at any other period of the year. 
In the cut state they are graceful, elegant, and even 
refined in appearance when cut with long stems, 
which alone are capable of showing their true 
character. Some cultivators are now using them as 
pot plants for the decoration of the conservatory]or 
