October 20, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
117 
THE PROPOSED NATIONAL 
VEGETABLE EXHIBITION. 
As the Provisional Committee appointed at the 
meeting held at the Crystal Palace .on September 
29th, for the purpose of discussing the above sub¬ 
ject, meets on Tuesday next, I ask permission to 
thank, through The Gardening World, all those 
numerous readers of that paper who have so kindly 
replied to the circular issued by Mr. H. Balderson 
and myself. The responses have been very great 
and singularly unanimous. Probably no similar 
proposition was ever submitted to horticulturists 
that met with so cordial a response. Everyone 
realises the great need there is of such an exhibition 
as is proposed. Many promise pecuniary help, and 
so far only two suggest a diverse course of action 
than what it is proposed to take. 
Naturally when a great national exhibition of the 
kind proposed is held, those who generously 
proffered support and gave their names as members 
of the general committee will receive the first con¬ 
sideration. Where a proposal is made, as in this 
case, purely in the interests of vegetable culture 
nationally, and from no other motive, it is worthy 
of support from every quarter. It is well to say 
that whilst the Provisional Committee will prepare 
some rough sketch or outline of the proposed exhibi¬ 
tion, it will be for the General Committee, when 
summoned to meet, which will be the case at an 
early date, to determine what shall be done and then 
appoint an Executive Committee to carry it out. 
Of course there are many things to be settled. 
Place is practically agreed upon, but date has to be 
determined; then there is the form of exhibition, 
schedule, publication, obtaining high patronage, 
special prizes, and lots of things to be done that, to 
create a great success, will have to be done well.— 
Alex. Dean, Kingston-on-Thames. 
- 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
At a full meeting of the General Committee held at 
Anderton’s Hotel, on the 8th inst., Mr. B. Wynne 
presiding, it was announced that all the Society's 
prizes awarded at the September Show at the Royal 
Aquarium, had been paid with the exception of one 
against which a protest had been entered, but which 
was unanimously overruled by the Committee. 
The finances were also stated to be in a more 
satisfactory state than usual at this period of the 
year. The Committee again considered certain 
alterations in the rules, which will be submitted for 
adoption at the annual meeting. Amongst other 
amendments it was decided to recommend that in 
future the General as well as the Floral Committee 
shall be elected by ballot, and that all nominations 
for the General Committee shall be made in writing 
at least twenty-one days before the election takes 
place. The question of fittingly celebrating the 
Jubilee of the Society in 1896, was also considered, 
and a small Sub-Committee was appointed to draw 
up a programme. Twenty-three new members were 
elected, and the following Societies admitted into 
affiliation:—The Launceston (Tasmania) Horti¬ 
cultural Society, the Pershore Horticultural 
Society, the Newbury Horticultural Society, and the 
Melton Mowbray Horticultural and Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Society. 
-»*»-• 
FLOWERS FOR WINTER. 
For the next two or three months Chrysanthemums 
will furnish all that is needed in the way of cut 
bloom. After this time, however, there generally 
follows a great scarcity of flowers suitable for 
cutting. Preparations should be made at once to 
supply this want. There is a wealth of lovely 
plaDts suitable for the purpose that will hold their 
own against the brightest display of summer time. 
Many of them can be grown to perfection, either 
with or without fire-heat. The only difference in 
such cases being one of time—where no fire-heat is 
available we have to wait longer for results. The 
main object in the successful cultivation of bulbs is 
to make sure that they are well established before 
they are introduced into the slightest heat. No 
time should, therefore, be lost in potting the bulbs. 
Hyacinths grown three in a 5 in. pot form beauti¬ 
ful objects when in bloom, and they are within the 
reach of every cottager, providing he starts early 
enough. Tulips of the following sorts, five or seven 
in a pot according to the size of the bulbs, are also 
very suitable for growing in pots :—La Candeur 
(double white), Due Van Thol (single scarlet), La 
Reine (single white), and Rex Rubrorum. 
Freesia refracta alba.— These lovely plants 
are held in high esteem by those growers who have 
to supply cut blooms for market. To prevent dis¬ 
appointment in their culture, care should be taken 
that only flowering bulbs are obtained, small bulbs 
being practically worthless; for even if kept for 
another year they never attain sufficient strength in 
this country to enable them to bloom satisfactorily. 
One can never be wrong in choosing bulbs, although 
in many other cases size is not a good test of quality. 
It is advisable to send in the order for bulbs as early 
as possible, for the first comers are generally the 
best served. Narcissi, of kinds, Snowdrops, 
Cyclamens, Deutzia gracilis, D. crenata, Spirea 
japonica, S. palmata, Primulas, and both the French 
and common Lilacs, all accommodate themselves 
readily to cultivation during the winter months. 
All our bulbs are plunged outside in a dry place, 
and afterwards covered with six or seven inches of 
sifted ashes. In a month or six weeks from the 
date of plunging, a few are taken in for early work, 
the others following as they are ready. In any case, 
as soon as the bulbs have made an inch or so of 
growth, they should be taken out of the ashes and 
removed to a cold frame, or the young tender leaves 
will get injured.— J. G. Pettinger, Strawberry Dale 
Nursery, Harrogate. 
a ♦ , 
PLANTS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED. 
Chrysanthemum Commandant Blusset.— The 
blooms of this Japanese variety measure about 
7 in. across, and have broad, dark crimson-red 
florets with a silvery-white reverse, but very little 
of the under surface is exposed. F'.C.C., National 
Chrysanthemum Society, Oct. 10th. Exhibited by 
Mr. E. Beckett, The Gardens, Aldenham House, 
Elstree. 
Chrysanthemum Th. Dennis. —The florets of 
this variety are broad, recurved except in the case of 
the central ones, and deep crimson with a nankin- 
yellow reverse, well shown in the centre of the 
bloom. It is a Japanese variety and measures about 
6 in. or 7 in. in diameter. F.C.C., National Chrysan¬ 
themum Society, Oct. 10th. Exhibited by Mr. W. J. 
Godfrey, Exmouth. 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. W. H. Lees.— In this 
again we have a Japanese variety of enormous 
dimensions, measuring about 8 in. across without 
being spread out, and quite 6 in. in depth, owing to 
the great leDgth of the drooping outer florets. The 
florets are relatively broad and of a beautiful pearly- 
white tinted with pink, the latter colour being best 
developed on the terminal buds. F.C.C., National 
Chrysanthemum Society, Oct. 10th. Exhibited by 
Mr. W. H. Lees, gardener to F. A. Bevan, Esq , 
High Barnet. 
Chrysanthemum Duchess of York.— The florets 
of this beautiful Japanese variety are of a light clear 
yellow and rather narrow, but most intricately 
interlaced with one another. The bloom measures 
a good 8 ia. across, without being spread out in any 
way. A grand exhibition variety. F.C.C., National 
Chrysanthemum Society, Oct. 10th. Exhibited by 
Mr. James Carruthers, Midlothian, N.B. 
The varieties Souvenir de Petite Amie, Mrs. E. G. 
Hill, and Madame Chas. Molin, certificated by the 
R.H.S. on the 9th inst., also received First-class 
Certificates from the National Chrysanthemum 
Society on the 10th. 
, 
NOTES ON CANNAS. 
Gilt-edged Cannas are what we call those of the 
Madame Crozy type that have a deep gold band 
around their petals. A year ago Paul Sigrist was 
the par excellence of this type, but to-day it is com¬ 
pletely superseded by three others, namely Queen 
Charlotte, Souvenir d’Antoine Crozy, and James 
Farquhar, all having a close resemblance to each 
other. Most fanciers regard Souvenir d'Antoine 
Crozy as the best because of its intense, glowing 
colour, while others look upon Queen Charlotte as 
the better one. We must grow them a year longer 
before we can decide. 
Cannas Florence Vaughan, Antoine Barton, and 
Comte de Bouchard look very much alike. Florence 
Vaughan, however, having the right of priority is the 
proper name. 
Madame Montefiore Canna has large pale yellow 
flowers with faint markings like those of Capt. P. de 
Suzzoni, and is regarded as the yellowest among our 
showy, large-blossomed sorts. 
Eldorado Canna, a yellow-flowered variety still in 
the hands of F. R. Pierson & Co., however, is 
regarded as the greatest acquisition we have yet 
found in the way of a yellow Canna. 
Unique Rose Canna.—The colour of the blossoms 
strongly reminds us of those of C. Ehemannii, but 
they are not pleasant to look upon. 
" Madame Crozy Canna,” says one of our keenest 
fanciers, " is among Cannas what Verschaffeltii is 
among Coleuses, indispensable: come or go what 
what may, it will stay.” 
Columbia, the crimson-flowered Canna from Iowa, 
that was so highly honoured at the World’s Fair last 
year, is said to retain every feature of its promised 
excellence. 
Orange Perfection has disappointed a good many 
people; it doesn't seem to be a free-growing sort. 
But let us give it a further trial. 
Paul Marquant is a splendid variety, but there is 
a rumour that a coming new one named Sunshine 
is going to supersede it. If it does, it must be extra 
fine. 
Six good Cannas no one should be without are 
Mme. Crozy, Charles Henderson, Alphonse Bouvier, 
Paul Marquant, Florence Vaughan, and Queen 
Charlotte. Others may be better, but we will wait 
till we prove them before dropping any one of 
these. 
Water and Manure.—If you want good Cannas, 
plant them in rich deeply unfastened soil; a mulch¬ 
ing of manure, too, will help them, and after they 
start to grow keep them thoroughly watered—no 
stinted draught, but flooded soakings. But let the 
water be given at the roots and not over the heads. 
Hosing overhead is ruinous to the flowers.— Gar¬ 
dening [American.) 
-- 
THE DAHLIA IN 
EXCELSIS. 
When before were Dahlias shown so late in the season 
as October 10th, and in such good condition ? They 
were delightful at the Royal Aquarium, Westminster, 
on the date named, that excellent grower, Mr. S. 
Mortimer of the Swiss Nursery, Farnham, had a 
large number of well-finished blooms, quite up to 
exhibition form, and it must be remembered that no 
shading is done, or special culture followed after the 
Crystal Palace Dahlia Show is over, and so the 
quality of Mr. Mortimer’s blooms was surprising. 
Then Mr. T. S. Ware, of Tottenham, had Cactus 
Pompon and Single Dahlias in good numbers, and 
let us say in excellent character. The same can be 
said of the fine collection of the same types Messrs. J. 
Cheal & Sons sent up from their Lowfield Nurseries at 
Crawley : they had beautiful bunches, some of the 
true Cactus Dahlias being delightful ; and they were 
generous enough to send up fresh flowers on the 
morning of the second day to take the place of the 
single varieties, which so soon drop their petals. 
They will do so, and it is this fact which has so 
much discounted the value of the single Dahlias for 
decorative purposes. Then Mr. Henry Canned, 
from his almost inexhaustible store of floricultural 
surprises at Swanley, brought up very fine bunches 
indeed of Cactus and other Dahlias, and so the 
production of four counties were represented— 
Middlesex, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex. 
For once we saw the Show Dahlia in its best 
form, mingling with the Japanese Chrysanthemum 
in its best form. Time was—it was when the first 
of the Japs came to this country, about a quarter of 
a century ago—when the Japs were scarcely expected 
to bloom until December ; and at that time, when 
fine old John Salter used to have his Chrysanthe¬ 
mum Shows at Hammersmith, and which I always 
made a point of seeing, he never expected the 
earlier-introduced Japs to bloom until the last 
week in November and early in December. Now 
they are had with the Dahlia, and really making the 
latter look small by comparison. Who knows but 
that at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
Society on October 23rd, Dahlias may again put in 
appearance. If such be so, then indeed a record 
will be established. 
When at Fairlawn, Sir Edwin Saunders’ charming 
