260 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 24, 1892. 
FLORICULTURE. 
Violas in Pots. 
I am pleased to see the remarks from “ A. J. R.” and 
Mr. George McLeod in your last issue, and to know 
that my views on the adaptability of the Viola in 
pots as an indoor decorative plant are corroborated. 
Mr. McLeod alludes to the Violetta section 
especially, and these are very sweet-scented, but 
at present do not possess a great variety of colour. 
Other kinds—such as Bullion, Ethel Baxter, Duchess 
of Fife, and many others of the shortergrowing type— 
are so very suitable and many of them fragrant, and 
I hope the members of the New London Pansy 
Society will take the pot culture of Violas in hand, 
and Pansies also. I have a vivid recollection of the 
lovely pots of show Pansies (we had no fancies then 
worth looking at) grown at Slough about 1856, when 
the late Charles Turner, Wm. Bragg, and others 
exhibited Pansies in pots so successfully. Their 
cultivation is so easy, and large pots not at all 
necessary, and when going out of bloom they should 
be turned out of pots and planted on a north border 
or some other shady place not under trees, and the 
plants be cut back and surfaced with good potting 
soil, first treading around the plants to make the soil 
as firm as possible. Young growth will then spring 
up and give an abundance of stock for later blooms 
in autumn. Rich soil is not at all a necessity, but 
rather a mistake, but good fresh turfy soil, loamy if 
possible, is a necessity, and just looking after and 
keeping them free from insects.— IV. Dean. 
Violas in Pots for Winter Decoration. 
I have read with interest the notes on this subject 
from "A. J. R.” and Mr. G. McLeod in your last 
issue, and am decidedly of opinion that a fine display 
of these plants may be had through the winter, but 
not quite on the same lines as suggested by “A. J. 
R.” I think to be successful the plants so employed 
should be seedlings. This I daresay will do away 
with their charm in many people’s eyes. Yet I do 
not see why it should be so, for there are numbers 
of seedlings raised every year that are really beauti¬ 
ful, and if we have to drop the strict lines of the 
florist for a few months, we can pick them up again 
in the spring with renewed vigour. 
At the present time I have a striking example of 
the superiority of seedlings over the cuttings and 
old stock of named varieties. Towards the end of 
July I sowed a quantity of seed in boxes, and as soon 
as the seedlings could be handled I had them trans¬ 
planted to the open ground. These seedlings com¬ 
menced flowering in September, and have flowered 
without intermission till the present time, December 
20th, and they have numbers of buds on them, so 
that, if potted up, they must continue flowering for 
a long while yet. A sharp frost spoils the upper 
petals of the flowers, but a fine mild day or two 
causes dozens to open again, while on Tny named 
Pansies and Violas, both cuttings and stock plants, I 
have to look in vain for a flower. The secret of 
success appears to lie in the fact of having seedlings. 
While I am quite. confident there is a great future 
for the Pansy and Viola in the south, I think my 
friend Mr. G. McLeod depicts a rather far-fetched 
picture in telling us the Viola will become as popular 
as our winter-flowering Violet for pot culture.— Jas. 
B. Riding. 
-- 
CARNATIONS AT 
CHRISTMAS. 
The winter hitherto has been characterised by a 
mildness which is remarkable for this period of the 
year. It has therefore been favourable for all kinds 
of plants under glass kept in a growing state. When 
much fire heat has to be given to the house in which 
Carnations are kept, the unnatural stimulus and the 
closer atmosphere necessary to conserve the heat 
has the effect of causing the flowers to be puny and 
short-lived. This year, however, the flowers have 
expanded under more natural conditions, and there¬ 
fore retain their natural size. There is a fine display 
in one of the houses at Gunnersbury Park, Acton, 
one of the seats of the Messrs, de Rothschild, whose 
garden there is under the charge of Mr. Reynolds. 
The front staging is occupied by a batch of 
Cyclamens in 32 and 48-size pots. They are some¬ 
what over a twelvemonth old, with well developed 
foliage and now laden with bloom. The other side 
of the house is three times as wide or more and is 
entirely occupied with Carnations in relatively a few 
varieties. They are arranged on staging gradually 
rising as it approaches the back of the house, till 
the top ones are pretty close to the glass. A striking 
variety on account of its size is Irma, having large 
and rich rose-coloured flowers with broad petals. In 
the same category we would place Mrs. Leopold de 
Rothschild which gained two certificates at least 
during the past summer. The flowers are of hand¬ 
some proportions, in fact much larger than those we 
saw in summer, and of a shade of rosy pink- closely 
similar to that of Raby Castle, but a larger and finer 
flower, while the broad petals are more nearly 
entire It is truly a winter flowering variety and 
should become popular with those who like winter¬ 
flowering Carnations. Both of them make the 
flowers of the popular Miss Jolliffe appear puny by 
comparison. The latter is, however, both dwarf and 
floriferous. 
The large white flowers of Empress of Germany 
are comparable to those of Mrs. Leopold de Roths¬ 
child for size and effect. The petals are, however, 
characterised by a few slender pink lines which are 
unnoticeable at a short distance. A very persistent 
flowering sort is Winter Cheer, now well known for 
its dwarf and dense, bushy habit, and which never 
seems to give over flowering. The flowers of 
Brunette are comparable to those of Miss Jolliffe 
for size, but they are of a deep crimson, very freely 
produced, and serve to form a contrast to the lighter 
kinds. Madame Arthur Warocque, or the scarlet 
Malmaison, does not come up to the expectations 
originally held respecting it. 
-- 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 
IN AMERICA. 
Another busy season among Chrysanthemums has 
gone by, and the popularity of the flower increases 
apace. Chrysanthemum societies are springing up 
everywhere. The exhibition blooms are swamping 
specimen plants, which, it is to be regretted, have a 
hard struggle ; but their turn will come I hope. It 
was noteworthy in Boston this year that the speci % 
men plants received their full share of attention from 
the public. Heretofore it has been the reverse. In 
New York specimen plants were scarcely noticed, 
the blaze of colour on the tables being the whole 
source of attraction. I think the exhibitors on your 
side of the Atlantic have something to learn from 
the Americans in regard to exhibiting large blooms. 
As far as I can learn, you have not gone beyond 
boards and dressed blooms. Here they are less and 
less seen ; in Boston they are altogether discarded. 
A few were seen in New York, but the society there 
is opposed to their use, though I think they will find 
it necessary to retain them, as to the general public 
they were a constant source of attraction. The 
bulk of the blooms were exhibited with long stems, 
loosely arranged in vases, thus placing many varieties 
which are otherwise good as show blooms at a dis¬ 
advantage. The effect, certainly, will be to discard 
all that have not stems strong enough to carry their 
blooms. One strong point in favour of this mode of 
exhibiting is to show the varieties best suited for 
decorative purposes. Many of the loose-flowered 
Japanese varieties, which would have no place on a 
show-board, appear to excellent advantage ; large, 
handsome foliage, clear up to the blooms, being 
especially telling. It is particularly noticeable that 
long, bare-stemmed crown buds are very much at a 
disadvantage in comparison with terminals in this 
contest. 
A critical survey of this autumn's exhibitions show 
that a large number of last year’s introductions have 
proved failures. Looking back through the lists of 
novelties of 1892, I cannot remember seeing more 
than one in a dozen at the exhibitions ; where we 
naturally expected to see them on their first year. 
The coming season will again find us facing a larger 
list seeking public favour. I am amazed when I 
come to reckon the number of firms in the novelty 
business. Several new names come to hand this 
year. I think some protest ought to be made 
against the practice of dealers taking a new variety 
on an exhibition bloom alone. A full investigation 
should be made during the blooming season, and 
every point of value reckoned. Chrysanthemums 
should be grown more as specimen plants, and it 
should be taken into consideration whether, or not, 
a variety has any value for this purpose. Some of 
the very best varieties for blooms, are utterly worth¬ 
less and beyond recognition as specimen plants. 
Waban, Yonitza, Wm. Singerly, W. W. Coles, and 
W. K. Harris are examples. During the past 
season, with the assistance of some friendly corres¬ 
pondents I have been able to make a selection of the 
very best of next year's introductions, which I hope 
will be of service to intending purchasers. 
Bv T. N. Spaulding. 
M. B. Spaulding. —Deep lemon-yellow, full double, 
high built, incurved Japanese, of large size, stiff 
stems ; habit good. 
Mrs. Dudley S. Hall.— Neat incurved (C) lemon 
sport from St, Patrick ; makes a neat specimen. 
Brydon, Jun .—Very fine, large, incurved Japanese. 
This is said to be a seedling from Mr. H. Cannell. 
Wyndmon .—Bright red, reflexed Japanese, of large 
size ; makes very fine specimen blooms. 
Ada Strickland. — Handsome bronzy Anemone, 
good centre. 
Martha Duryea. —Neat, snow-white, incurved Jap.; 
makes a lovely bloom. 
Walter Hunnewell. —Bright orange incurved Japa¬ 
nese. A good solid flower, of fine form ; one of the 
very best of its colour for specimens. 
M. Simpkins. — Good white incurved Jap., of 
globular form and fine lasting qualities ; splendid 
exhibition bloom. 
By E. G. Hill : 
Robert Mclnnes. —The very best of the “ Wheeler” 
type yet seen ; very bright, full, and double to the 
last degree. 
Maud Dean. —Very fine, broad-petalled, incurved 
Jap., of deep carmine-pink shade. 
Mrs. J. IV. Crouch. —A self-coloured purple, of 
globular form and large size. 
Joey Hill. —A very large, flat flower, coloured car¬ 
dinal-red. Centre petals incurve sufficiently to hide 
the centre. 
JudgeHoit. — An immense, flesh-coloured, Anemone- 
flowered Japanese, fully 8 in. in diameter. The 
guard florets incurve slightly, giving the flower a 
saucer shape; disc high and broad. A very good 
grower. 
G. R. Gause. —A splendid full double edition of 
W. W. Coles. 
Amber Queen. —The very best of this shade; colour 
bright and attractive ; fine grower. 
By J. N. May : 
Creole .—Large, bold, deep claret-coloured' Japa¬ 
nese. Good exhibition flower ; good habit. 
Falstaff .—Clear rose, medium-sized flower ; dwarf, 
sturdy grow'er. 
Fascination .—A very distinct and attractive flower. 
Colour lemon, with deeper centre ; round form, with 
long twisted petals ; splendid habit; medium size. 
Sure to be a favourite. 
Gloriana .—New and distinct type of flower. Broad, 
flat, folded florets ; good dwarf grower, and splendid 
for specimen plants. 
Jeannette. —Bright golden yellow, with an old gold 
shade. A deep, round-flowered Japanese, regularly 
incurved, with the outer florets standing out in 
effective relief. Makes a fine specimen plant. 
Miss Frances Thorley .—Full flower, of reflexed form. 
A snowy white bloom, of medium size. Fine for 
specimen plants. 
Miss Sue Price .—Fine rounded yellow Jap., of 
medium size, with straight, twisted petals. 
By Pitcher & Manda : 
Mrs. F. L. Ames .—Large, deep yellow, broadly 
incurved Japanese, of fine habit, and good lasting 
qualities; late. 
Mrs. Leslie Ward. —Incurved double Jap.; slightly 
hairy ; of a fine shade of buff. 
Mrs. Bayard Cutting. —Deep reflexed rose; a good 
grower. 
Mrs. H. Graves. —Incurved, peach-coloured Japa¬ 
nese; very distinct. 
Mr. W. C. Van Horne. —A very fine reflexed Jap., 
with tubular florets ; deep buff, shaded carmine. 
By Peter Henderson & Co.: 
Golden Wedding .—Stands far and away ahead of 
any yellow introduced this year. This came from 
Japan two years ago. It is broadly incurved, with 
slightly interwoven florets, a very large, but not 
coarse, flower. Everybody ought to grow this and 
Nivens, Nathan Smith & Son’s sensation of the 
11 West.” It is a grand, creamy white incurved; 
high-built, with reflexed lower florets.— T. D. H., 
Dec. yth. 
