210 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 3, 1892. 
another direction—namely that of the scientific men, 
who were allowed the privilege of frequenting the 
gardens in the morning, and Sir Joseph Hooker, the 
then director, report a few years ago very strongly 
against the privilege being withdrawn. A large 
number of persons now availed themselves of that 
regulation, and he had received letters from gentle¬ 
men interested in the gardens objecting to the with¬ 
drawal of the privilege by the general admission of 
the public. Amongst others he had received a letter 
from an eminent scientific man, Mr. Alfred Wallace, 
a distinguished land nationaliser, who no doubt 
would have special views of the subject upon 
public grounds. He mentioned those facts to show 
that there was something to be said on the other side, 
but whether it should prevail against the more public 
interest, if there should be a general public demand 
from London for the purpose of using the gardens, 
was a matter which he would have carefully to 
consider. 
GREEN FLOWERS. 
People who have the reputation of being rather 
"green" are not held in very high esteem, and 
usually are regarded as stupid. We are generally 
rather disposed to think very much the same of 
flowers when they come green, ana it is only the 
stupidly curious who are ever seeking for some form 
of sensation, who care for such floral eccentricities. 
The mention last week of the need for several police¬ 
men to protect from the vulgar throng a bloom of 
Florence Davis, at Birmingham, either showed that 
undue interest in the variety had been previously 
created by the announcement that it was a Green 
Chrysanthemum, or else its tendency to come 
greenish was thought was the case. 
This is just one of the flowers, however, the which 
is all the more beautiful the less green colour found 
in it, and the tint is often far from being detectable. 
We have not yet found an abnormal green form such 
as the Dahlia has, and in those sometimes produced 
we don’t want to see it either. When a bloom 
exhibits a green tint we may take it for granted that 
it is less flower than foliage. The absence of colour, 
and of course at the same time of fertile organs, 
show that the flower is only a make believe, and has 
no reality. It is happily the case that of Chrysan¬ 
themums Florence Davis is almost if not absolutely 
the only one that gives any evidence of foliage 
colour. 
It is not a tint which ever can be attractive in 
flowers ; we find in leafage such a body or w’ealth of 
green, that flowers of the same hue are almost 
abhorrent. Nature has kindly made green to 
harmonise with every colour found in flowers, but it 
is very discordant when found in the flowers. When 
we produce plants that have white, yellow, red, or 
crimson foliage, then we may be amused if not 
gratified to find that green flowers sometimes result. 
—A.D. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
Ayr. 
The fifth of these shows which have been held by 
the Ayrshire Horticultural Society, took place on 
Wednesday, November 23rd, in the Town Hall. 
Horticulturists and other interested visitors on enter¬ 
ing the exhibition and glancing around would soon 
perceive that the wonted enthusiasm characteristic 
of the cultivators of the now renowned Chrysanthe¬ 
mum was by no means on the decline in the 
district and county of Ayr. Most of the pot 
plants were as usual effectively arranged on 
either side of the central promenade. The remark¬ 
able feature of this season’s show was its uniform 
excellence. Reverting to pot plants larger specimens 
have been included in some of the exhibits on at 
least one former occasion, but taking the whole display 
it was generally admitted to be the best since the 
society started these shows in 1888. In the contest 
for the three best pot specimens, any variety, Mr. 
Halliday, Ayr, came to the front with exceptionally 
handsome and well-flowered examples of Ornementes, 
La Triomphante, and Bouquet Fait, all Japanese 
sorts. Good specimens were also shown in a separate 
class for Japanese sorts by Mr. Gautz, Glendorme. 
Mrs.Dixon and Mrs. Rundle were well represented in 
the incurved section by Mr. Halliday, while Mr. 
Thomson, Airlie House, a noted grower, won first 
honours in the Anemone flowered and Pompon 
classes, his plants of the latter, viz., Nelly Rainford 
and Souvenir d’Elise Dordan being admirable speci¬ 
mens. Mr. Thomson was also first for a trained 
Chrysanthemum, variety Satinella, also a Pompon. 
There has certainly never been a choicer collection 
of Japanese cut blooms staged at any of the society’s 
former shows. The leading prize in this section was 
awarded to Mr. Halliday, whose stand included 
massive examples of Louis Boehmer, Meg Merrilees, 
Ralph Brocklebank, Avalanche, and Elaine. Mr. 
Watt, Blackhouse, Skelmorlie, was first in the class 
for six blooms of Japanese' with a superb stand, 
comprising Condor, E. Molyneux, W._ H. Lincoln, 
W. W. Coles, Bouquet d’Dame, and Louis Boehmer. 
Mr. Watt was also second in the class for six blooms 
of any sort, with no less meritorious flowers. He 
also staged the best bloom in the hall with W. W. 
Coles. The same bloom also secured the special 
prize as the best Japanese example. 
On the first prize stand of incurved blooms, Mr. 
Halliday again presented’-well-finished specimens of 
Mrs. Heal, Lord Alcester, Golden Queen of England, 
Miss M. A. Haggas, and Alfred Salter. The best 
incurved bloom in the hall, Miss M. A. Haggas, was 
also selected from this stand. 
Amateurs’ pot plants and cut blooms were also a 
remarkably good display, especially noticeable being 
the exhibits of Japanese varieties of the latter staged 
by Mr. McQueen, Mauchline. His specimens of 
Sunflower, M. Bernard, and Avalanche could not 
have been easily surpassed. Other flowering plants 
that lent gaiety to the hall were Roman Hyacinths, 
Cinerarias,Primulas,including some choice specimens 
of P. obconica in good bloom. There was also a collec¬ 
tion of admirably arranged Chrysanthemum bouquets 
placed for competition, and a varied assortment of 
plants and flowers for exhibition from the local 
nursery firms. The fruit section comprised a num¬ 
ber of fine dishes of Apples and Pears, and also 
several stands of Grapes, among which there was 
noticeable some well coloured examples of Gros 
Colmar and Black Alicante, the first prize bunches of 
he latter being of handsome size and form.— 
Western. 
Faversham. 
The Faversham Chrysanthemum Society held their 
sixth annual exhibition on November 16th and 17th 
at the Institute. Year by year a steady improve¬ 
ment has been made by this society, both in the 
number and quality of exhibits, and this season 
every available space was occupied by exhibits of 
exceptional merit, the single-handed gardeners and 
cottagers coming well to the front, both in trained 
plants and cut flowers. Two very fine groups of 
Chrysanthemums were exhibited, and the first prize 
went to Mr. South. The groups of miscellaneous 
plants were very effective, and attracted much 
attention, and that of Mr. Bourne, who obtained 
first prize, was considered the finest group ever 
exhibited at Faversham. Groups of twelve un¬ 
trained plants were well represented, and the prizes 
awarded to Mr. G. Akhurst, Mr. T. Creed, and Mr. 
H. Bourne in the order named. The cut blooms 
were of good quality. The Bronze Medal of the 
N.C.S. in the gardeners’ class for the best incurved 
was won by Mr. South with a superb bloom of Lord 
Alcester. In the amateurs’ class for the best incurved 
Mr. G. Goldfinch secured the N.C.S. Bronze Medal 
with a very fine bloom of Violet Tomlin, and Mr. E. 
Bryant's incurved Japanese L’Automne was as 
perfect as it is possible to find a flower, and easily 
secured him the certificate for the best bloom in 
this class, notwithstanding the fine blooms of Boule 
d'Or and Etoile de Lyon in the stands of other ex¬ 
hibitors. Amongst the other prize-winners in this 
class were Mr. E. Hill, Mr. L. Jackson, Mr. F. W. 
Spendiff, and Mr. C. Stidolph. In the cottagers’ 
class Mr. E. Mannock was first with Mr. Bunn, and 
Mr. Anderson in the Japanese class with Mr. H. 
Cannell. Reflexed blooms are always well shown at 
this exhibition, and the Cullingfordi flowers of Mr. 
E. Hill were of excellent quality. 
The collections of vegetables of both gardeners 
and amateurs were said by the judges to be among 
the finest they had seen exhibited anywhere in the 
county this season. Among the miscellaneous ex¬ 
hibits not for competition was a very fine display of 
Potatos, Apples, and Pears, and some good blooms 
of new varieties of Chrysanthemums put up by Mr. 
F. T. Hart, of Ospringe Nursery, in his usual 
attractive style. 
Mr. T. F. Bing also showed a fine collection of 
fruit, and the exhibit of pot plants and floral decora¬ 
tions by Mr. W. Longley was of excellent quality. 
THE vegetable: garden. 
The Herb Border. 
This useful part of the kitchen garden is generally to 
be found in the most out-of-the-way corner, and left 
undisturbed for years. This may do very well where 
only a very few are required, but when a constant sup¬ 
ply of good herbs is wanted every day in the year 
some regular system of cultivation must be employed. 
The best plan is to have two pieces of ground allotted 
to their culture, one piece to be replanted every 
spring. If only one piece of ground is used the 
plants are allowed to get old, and when it is really 
compulsory to replant them a scarcity is likely to 
occur until the bed gets re-established. Now with 
two distinct sets of beds in use this cannot occur, 
even supposing the beds are only one-half the size 
of those generally made; and the roots in the old 
beds will be useful for forcing, especially such things 
as Mint, Tarragon, Chives, etc. 
Some of the roots will, of course, be required 
to make the new beds. Some again, such as Thyme, 
Sage, etc., are best raised from seeds. If the system 
above advised of planting a new set of beds be car¬ 
ried out every spring, say early in March before the 
very busy time comes on, so that we have always one 
bed undisturbed of each sort to cut from, there 
will be no fear of a scarcity of good herbs, which is 
one of the little things which causes great incon¬ 
venience if it does occur. 
In selecting a piece of ground for a herb border it 
is very much the best to have a narrow border close 
to a path. As it is a place we so often have to go to 
in all kinds of weather, it is liable to cause a lot of 
dirt on the walks unless the herbs can be reached 
without going far on to the ground.— G. H. S 
General Work. 
The weather being so mild and wet great care must 
be taken of all the Lettuces, Cauliflowers, Endive, 
etc., in the cold frames. Take the lights right off on 
every favourable opportunity, and when wet tilt 
every alternate light back and front to give a free 
circulation of air. Remove all decayed leaves to pre¬ 
vent further mischief. While it is too wet for kitchen 
garden work, quantities of leaves should be got to¬ 
gether for making hotbeds and leaf soil. I never re¬ 
member seeing the weeds grow so much during 
November as they have done this year, and there 
have been very few opportunities of clearing them 
off.— G. H. S. 
Jerusalem Artichoke—Sutton’s White. 
This is a decided improvement on the old red 
variety. From tubers planted last spring we are 
now lifting very fine Artichokes. Clean, well-formed 
tubers with shallow eyes, and a skin of the purest 
white. It is altogether a better shaped root and not 
so rough or irreular as the old form. Lovers of this 
useful winter vegetable should add this to their lists 
another season, as it is deserving of extensive cultiva¬ 
tion.—IF. N. 
-—j-- 
FRUIT CULTURE IN RELATION TO THE 
ALLOTMENT SYSTEM.* 
That hardy fruits of the very highest quality can be 
grown to perfection in this country was proved be¬ 
yond cavil at the Grand Exhibition held in the Town 
Hall in October of last year. It was a most regret¬ 
table fact that so few persons (comparatively) availed 
themselves of the opportunity of seeing things so 
good for food and so pleasant to the eye. The object 
lesson set forth at that exhibition was of very great 
importance indeed, and the promoters have reason to 
assume that the effects of that gathering had a bene¬ 
ficial influence. The proceedings were published, 
and, as you know, contained matter of great practical 
value to the cultivator, contributed by experts whose 
knowledge of the subject was the outcome of their 
own experience and observation. These proceedings 
were distributed free of cost to a large number ot 
fruit growers and others interested in the subject. 
It seems to me that in no way can the objects of a 
botanical and horticultural society be more efficiently 
accomplished than becoming as it were a centre to¬ 
wards which all the practical improvements made in 
its vicinity shall tend, and from which they may 
again be disseminated to fructify in a wider circle. 
In looking over the published proceedings in con- 
* A Paper read by Mr. Bruce Findlay at the fortnightly 
meeting of the Manchester Horticultural Improvement 
Society, held on November 24th, 1S92. 
