August 17, 1895. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
803 
W E B B S’ 
EMPER 
CABBAGE. 
The Earliest and Best. 
6 d. and Is. per Packet. 
IS. 6d- per Ounce. 
From Mr. ROBT. WILSON, Gardener to the Rev. C. J. 
Steward, Snmmerleyton Rectory. 
“ Webbs' Emperor Cabbage is the earliest and best variety 
I ever grew ; it is most compact in growth, and of excellent 
flavour. I am strongly recommending it to my friends 
around." _ „ 
Ptr Ounce. 
EARLY NONPAREIL CABBAGE ... 8d- 
ENFIELD MARKET do. ... 6 d. 
EARLY RAINHAM do. ... 8 d 
RED DUTCH do. ... 9 d- 
ONION. 
Per Pkt. 
WEBBS’ RED GLOBE TRIPOLI 6d- 
LARGE FLAT RED TRIPOLI 6d- 
GIANT ROCCA. 6d- 
WHITE LISBON . 
All Garden Seeds Free by Post or Rail. 
Per Oz 
Is 6d 
.. lOd 
... lOd 
... 6d 
Seedsmen by Royal Warrants to H.M. the Queen 
and H.R.H. the Ptince of Wales. 
WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE. 
For Index to Contents see page 813. 
Cfa ijbrli 
Edited by J. FRASER F.L.S. 
SATURDAY , AUGUST ijth, 1895. 
NEXT WEEK’S ENGAGEMENTS. 
Monday, August 19th.—Special Trade Sale of Dutch Bulbs at 
Messrs. Brotheroe & Morris' Rooms. 
Wednesday, August 21st.—Kingswood, St. George and West 
Gloucestershire Flower Show. Shrewsbury Floral Fete 
(two days). 
Thursday, August 22nd.—Manchester Lily and Grape Show 
(three days). 
Special Trade Sale of Dutch Bulbs at Messrs. Protheroe & 
Morris’ Rooms. 
Friday, August 23rd.—Lady Well Flower Show (two days). 
Knaresborough Flower Show. National Co-operative 
Flower, Fruit and Vegetable Show at the Crystal Palace 
(two days). 
Sale of Orchids at Messrs. Protheroe & Morris' Rooms. 
f HRYSANTHEMUMS IN AMERICA. - The 
popularity of the Charysanthemum in 
America is of comparatively recent date, 
though the first regular Chrysanthemum 
exhibition was held as long ago as 1868. 
Since Mr. W. A. Manda paid 1,500 dollars 
for the variety Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, in 
1888, “ the queen of Autumn flowers ” has 
risen from a very inferior position to one of 
the greatest importance and prominence, 
even from a commercial point of view. 
The ^312 10s. paid for Mrs. Alpheus 
Hardy, and the subsequent advertising of 
it, did more than all previous efforts com¬ 
bined to make the Chrysanthemum an 
object of public fame in America. This 
will come as a surprise to hundreds in this 
country, who have signally failed in their 
efforts to grow the variety above named, 
with any degree of satisfaction. Though it 
behaves so badly is this country, it may be 
stated on the contrary that very few 
English or Continental raised varieties give 
satisfaction in America. We are all the 
more surprised at this, seeing that a large 
number of American varieties gives com¬ 
plete satisfaction in Britain and figure 
largely on the exhibition boards. Our 
cousins across the Atlantic find that the 
greater portion of the imported varieties 
produce imperfect flowers when subjected 
to the American climate and their methods 
of cultivation. 
The fashionable craze for big blooms is 
not so great in the United States as it is 
here. Independently of exhibitions, a large 
proportion of the Chrysanthemums is 
grown for decorative purposes, and the 
plants, in either case, cannot be grown too 
dwarf or stocky in growth, within reason¬ 
able limits. Other requisite qualifications 
are that the plants should be strong, erect, 
with luxuriant foliage, and bear double 
flowers of some distinct shade of colour, 
and 4 in. to 8 in. in diameter. A notable 
feature of American exhibitions is the 
showing of Chrysanthemums cut with long, 
leafy stems, and this method of showing 
them might well be more largely developed 
and encouraged in this country, much to 
the advantage of all concerned. The 
American methods of cultivation differ 
greatly from ours. The plants are pro¬ 
pagated during the spring months, and 
though grown in pots for a time, are finally 
planted on raised benches or in solid 
borders under glass. Some are also planted 
out of doors and transferred to pots in the 
autumn. The system of pot culture so 
prevalent in this country would not answer 
in America owing to the expense in the 
matter of labour necessitated by the ex¬ 
cessive heat and drought of summer. 
Where the necessary attention can be 
given, pot culture ensures the finest results, 
however, owing to the more complete con¬ 
trol which the cultivator has over his 
plants in the matter of watering, and the 
application of artificial and other stimulants. 
Fully developed specimens can only be 
obtained by exclusive pot culture. Bench 
culture gives the second best results, 
because here again the root room is re¬ 
stricted, and the fertility of the soil under 
fair control. A whole bench should be 
planted with one variety or with batches of 
a kind to give each fair play. Com¬ 
mercially, the method of culture in beds is 
the most economical. Plants grown in the 
open ground, then potted up in autumn, 
staked and trained with little or no dis¬ 
budding of the flowers, find many pur¬ 
chasers. 
Some months ago we gave a short notice 
of the American Chrysanthemum Annual, the 
first that has been issued. On this occasion 
our notes have been taken from Bulletin 
91 entitled “ Recent Chrysanthemums ” 
and issued from the Cornell University, 
Agricultural Experiment Station, Horti¬ 
cultural Division. Both the Bulletin and 
the Annual were written by Mr. Michael 
Barker, head gardener at the Cornell 
University, Ithaca, N. Y., U. S. A. A 
large collection of recently raised Chrysan¬ 
themums has been grown there upon trial 
to ascertain their value for commercial 
purposes, to unravel the mysteries of 
nomenclature, synonymy, misrepresenta¬ 
tion and kindred matters. The Bulletin is 
the report of this trial, and a most valuable 
one it is. Mr. Barker says that “ perhaps 
the one feature of Chrysanthemum develop¬ 
ment which affords little or no indication 
of progress is the colour of the flowers.” 
Each variety grown upon trial is separately 
described in the Bulletin, and where two 
plants were obtained, the crown bud of one 
and the terminal of the other was taken. 
The results are fully and faithfully recorded 
and cannot but prove a valuable guide for 
American growers at least. Mr. Barker is 
an old Ivewite. 
