December 11, 1897. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
237 
Chrysanthemums. The incurved Miss Phyllis 
Fowler was the most noticeable variety here. 
A neat collection of vegetables won a small Silver 
Medal for Mr. R. Bassil, gardener to D. H. Evans, 
Esq., Shooter’s Hill, Pangbourne. 
Mr. J. R. Tranter, Henley-on-Thames, was 
accorded a vote of thanks for twelve blooms of 
Chrysanthemum Mrs. J. R. Tranter, a new late 
variety. 
Mr. W. Taylor, gardener to C. Bayer, Esq., 
Tewkesbury Lodge, Forest Hill, staged a superb lot 
of Grapes, winning thereby a Silver Gilt Medal. 
Trebbiano, Muscat of Alexandria, Gros Colman, 
and Lady Downes Seedling were represented by huge 
bunches in excellent condition. 
Floral Committee. 
A meeting of the Floral Committee was held at one 
p.m., when a considerable quantity of material was 
brought before the committee for consideration. 
One First-class Certificate only was granted, and 
three other varieties were commended. For parti¬ 
culars of these see a subsequent issue. Mr. H. J. 
Jones, of Lewisham ; Mr. W. Wells, of Earlswood ; 
Mr. W. J. Godfrey, of Exmouth; all exhibited. It 
transpired at this meeting that the variety shown at 
the last meeting (November 29th) by Mr. G. Beckett, 
of Elstree, and which received a First-class Certifi¬ 
cate on that date is exactly the same thing as Denis 
Smith Rylands, sent out by Mr. H. J. Jones. Owing 
to the confusion arising from the number attached 
to the plant when sent to Mr. Beckett it was 
exhibited in perfect good faith as Violacea. A 
motion was passed whereby Mr. Beckett was per¬ 
mitted to change the name of the variety to Denis 
Smith Rylands. 
-»*.- 
HELENSLEA, BROUGHTY FERRY. 
Towards the close of a misty and wet November 
day we paid a visit of inspection to Helenslea, 
Broughty Ferry, the residence of Mrs. Stephens. It 
lies high, but is fairly sheltered by trees. At this 
season of the year Chrysanthemums are the leading 
feature of the glass houses. The gardener, Mr. A. 
McDonald, is a great enthusiast amongst this useful 
race of plants, and is, moreover, a successful grower 
and exhibitor. He is about to leave this establish¬ 
ment, as we mentioned last week, having obtained an 
appointment in England, from whence he threatens 
to return with his boxes of Chrysanthemum blooms 
to compete for the best prizes in the north, like many 
another Scot. 
While inspecting his collection at Helenslea, we 
noted fine blooms of Mrs. G. W. Palmer, a bronzy 
sport from Mrs. C. Harman Payne. Croda is a 
seedling from E. Molyneux crossed with G. C. 
Schwabe, of a bronzy-chestnut, with an old gold 
reverse. Mme. Ad. Chatin succeeds well whether 
the bud is on hard or soft wood. Louise is of a 
beautiful and clear pink in this northern latitude. 
Lord Brooke also assumes a rich bronzy-crimson on 
the back of the florets. The colour of President 
Borrel is also grand. Sir E. T. Smith is variable 
and may be an incurved or reflexed Japanese 
variety of a rich yellow. William Bolia develops 
handsome blooms of a a rich carmine-crimson. The 
pure white flowers of Mdlle. Therese Rey, attain a 
huge size here, as good as any produced in Scotland. 
M. Chenon de Leche also attains a fine size and 
colour from the terminal bud ; though when treated 
in this way it is also very late. Hammond Spenser 
is a compact, silvery-lilac, Japanese variety. 
Charles Davis, in bush form, produces flowers that 
are almost wholly yellow. By way of contrast to 
this we may mention E. Molyneux, the blooms of 
which are of a brilliant crimson and altogether fine. 
Mr. McDonald says that for this part of Scotland 
the plants should be pinched on the 7th March, and 
the second crown bud taken to develop into fine form 
in November. That is the secret of his success with 
this difficult variety, and the method has never failed 
him. Most of the plants grown at Helenslea for big 
blooms are in 8 in. pots. 
One of the Peach houses, like the vineries, is 
utilised for the housing of Chrysanthemums during 
the season. For some days previous to the Dundee 
Show this house was shaded to retard the blooms, 
for the greater portion of the best blooms were located 
in it. When the florets of Mutual Friend were spread 
out, the blooms measured 16 in. across ; and in the 
natural position about 3$ in. to 4 in. in depth. Mrs. 
C. H. Payne was rather light in colour ; but Louise, 
Mrs. E. S. Trafford, and Calvat’s Boule d’Or, were 
grand, the latter being fawn and old-gold. The 
ordinary Boule d’Or strongly resembled a wisp of 
shavings and was fine of its kind. Grand blooms 
were also carried by G. C. Schwabe, Souvenir d’Une 
Petite Amie, M. Georges Biron, Sunflower, Pride of 
Madford, Emily Silsbury, and Edith Tabor, all of 
which would have done the grower credit at any 
show. The pure white Mdlle. Marie Hoste was 6 in. 
deep. The bright glossy yellow of the broad florets 
of Maggie Blenkiron was also very handsome. 
In this house we came across M. Chenon de 
Leche with huge blooms taken on the second crown 
bud, after the plants had been pinched on the 7th 
March. The plants were dwarf, but the blooms 
were pale and quite yellow in the centre. The 
terminal blooms already mentioned had the advantage 
in colour, though not in size. The blooms of Niveus, 
Mrs. W. H. Lees, Thos. Wilkins, Richard DeaD, and 
Phoebus, were all in first-class condition notwith¬ 
standing the mild and moist weather which has 
prevailed during the past autumn along the valley of 
the Tay. 
By this time the light was rapidly failing us, 
and we had to pass through the other houses 
quickly, including the greenhouse and stove. The 
latter is largely occupied with plants for table decora¬ 
tion, including Palms, Crotons, Dracaenas, etc. At the 
back of the range is a glass partition, so that a cool 
compartment facing the north runs along the whole 
length of the back wall. Ferns and similar subjects 
are accommodated here, and make wonderful growth 
during the summer months. The grand specimens 
of Adiantum concinnum latum bear ample testimony 
to this. The deposit of moisture upon the plants 
during the winter months, however, discounts the 
value of this compartment at the dull season for 
plant growing. The shelter that it affords the glass 
facing south is in favour of the arrangement, so that 
advantage and disadvantage are fairly balanced. 
In a Peach house where the trees are relatively 
young, some vigorous plants of the Marechal Niel 
Rose may be seen. In their season they bloom as 
freely as they grow. On the staging near the front 
glass a fine batch of Cinerarias in an advanced con¬ 
dition will give a good account of themselves 
presently. Darkness put a stop to further inspection ; 
but we had seen enough to convince us that Mr. 
McDonald is an enthusiastic and successful gardener. 
Hard by the gate the engine was hard at work 
labouring to acquit itself of the task of lighting the 
establishment by means of the electric light. 
--- 
Hardening ||iscellany. 
SEEDLING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
A box of blooms of single seedling Chrysanthemums 
was forwarled to us at the beginning of the month 
by Mr. James Bryson, 173, Princes Street, East 
Helensburgh, N.B. Only one of the varieties was 
named, but this was distinctly the best of the batch. 
Golden Hair, as it is called, is an exceedingly bright 
form, with two rows of ray florets. The colour is 
rich golden-yellow, with a suffusion of chestnut-red 
upon the reverse. The florets are quilled for a great 
portion of their length, but the tips expand quite 
fully, and consequently are nearly flat. The foliage is 
distinct, and the constitution appears to be good, 
and if this is so, Golden Hair will be a most useful 
variety. The next in point of Merit was one labelled 
No. 8. This resembles Mary Anderson in colour, 
but there are two rows of florets, and the bloom has 
not so regular an outline. The variety appears to be 
very floriferous and showy. No. 10 is worth noticing 
by reason of its colours, which consist of a ground 
colour of white, striped, and suffused with bright 
rose. The form, however, is bad, since it is a sort of 
halfway between a single and a Japanese variety. 
No. 19 is too much like the well-known Scarlet Gem 
to be considered distinct. In Nos. 2 and 4 the form 
is bad, but the colours are good, viz., rich chestnut- 
orange and bright rose respectively. The air of 
Helensburgh is evidently well adapted for the high 
development of colour in Chrysanthemums. 
CACTUS DAHLIA CANNEL’S GEM. 
Names are not always happily choseD, but Mr. 
Canned must allow us to congratulate him in hitting 
upon a most appropriate name for this. It is a de¬ 
parture in some respects from the general run of the 
section of Dahlias to which it belongs, for it may 
almost be called a pompon Cactus Dahlia. The 
habit of the plant is dwarf and bushy. The plant is 
most floriferous, the flowers are well displayed on 
stiff footstalks, and it has all the essentials to make 
it a first-class bedding variety, for which purpose, I 
think, in the near future it will be extensively used, 
and make a pleasing change. The colour of the 
flowers is a shade of scarlet, possibly best described 
as terra cotta.— W. B. G. 
EXHIBITING MICHAELMAS DAISIES. 
Michaelmas Daisies look well no matter how they 
are placed, but there is no doubt that they do not 
appear to the best advantage when shown in bunches 
of cut sprays, since the distinctness of habit is merged 
in a communal appearance that detracts considerably 
from the interest that should attach to them. Messrs. 
Jas. Veitch & Sons,Limited, of Chelsea have evidently 
recognised this, for the Asters shown by them at the 
Westminster Drill Hall on the 12th ult., were repre¬ 
sented by plants lifted from the open ground, and 
placed in pots. The results were eminently satis¬ 
factory, sufficiently so, we should surmise, to repay 
the extra trouble and labour. The group too was 
splendidly set up and reflected great credit upon 
those in charge. 
ONIONS CRANSTON'S EXCELSIOR. 
The propriety of growing the best varieties of all 
things procurable is well exemplified by growing a 
breadth of this and some old established kind 
(Brown Globe for instance) side by side with it 
under the same cultural conditions. I have recently 
had more than double the weight of the Excelsior 
from the same space of ground as off the Brown 
Globe, the difference being attributable only to the 
variety.— W. B. G. 
APONOGETON DISTACHYON. 
Despite its awful name, the Cape Pond Weed is one 
of our finest although probably our least known 
hardy aquatics. For growing in tanks or pieces of 
ornamental water there is nothing to surpass it. 
Although it grows freely enough, it never becomes a 
real weed as do some other aquatics once they have 
established themselves. The lovely Hawthorn-like 
perfume of the curiously shaped flowers has earned 
for the plant the not inapt name of the Hawthorn 
Lily. When establishing it in ornamental water it 
should be placed first of all in a pot or basket of 
sufficient size to contain it comfortably. From 18 in. 
to 2 ft. of water will be found to suit it admirably. 
It will do in shallower waters, but then its existence 
will be endangered during severe winters. 
EARWIGS AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Last season I called attention to our almost entire 
immunity from the attacks of these pests on our 
Chrysanthemums, attributable, I think, to the 
spreading of lawn mowings among the plants. I 
have the same happy state of things to report again, 
and where the earwigs exist in plenty I would be 
glad to know if any of your readers took the hint 
and acted upon it, and with what result.—IF. B. G. 
OBITUARY. 
Mr. James Bateman. 
To the younger generation of gardeners Mr. James 
Bateman is but a name they occasionally meet with 
in Sophrocattleya batemaniana and less often in 
Batemannia Colleyi, which have been named in 
honour of the great Orcbidist, and have their respec¬ 
tive histories. To an older generation he was well 
known as an enthusiastic horticulturist and botanist, 
doing yeoman service to both branches of the subject 
which deals with plant life. He died at Spring 
Bank, his residence in Victoria Road, Worthing, on 
the 27th ult. 
He graduated at Magdalen College, Oxford, close 
by the Botanic Gardens there, and probably con¬ 
tracted a taste for plants or had it intensified from 
what he saw there. In any case the fascinating 
family of Orchids claimed his attention while yet an 
undergraduate, causing him on one occasion to be 
severely reprimanded and otherwise punished for 
allowing himself to be detained beyond the proper 
time for presenting himself at College, lingering as he 
did over his lovely Renanthera coccinea. 
Our recollections of him date back to the Orchid 
