148 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 7, 1896. 
specialists in this line of cultivation, to fill 
these two classes would be sufficient to 
appal the novice and prevent him from 
entering competitions of this nature. The 
British gardener, however, has sufficient 
grit in him to carry him through any 
amount of labour in the cause of his voca- 
-tion. As will be seen by our report, the 
tables have been somewhat overturned in 
the leading classes. Mr. W. Mease, 
gardener to Henry Tate, Esq., has been 
known to us for years past as a good 
grower of the incurved type; now he 
boldly takes the lead in the class for sixty 
Japanese varieties. He has been an 
exhibitor for the past thirty or forty years. 
Mr. W. H. Lees, gardener to F. A. Bevan, 
Esq., took the second place for sixty 
Japanese varieties. Horticulture, and the 
Chrysanthemum world in particular must 
be all the more delighted with two such 
champions, in place of one. While speak¬ 
ing of cut blooms we may note one 
observation as confirming the popularity of 
the Japanese section of Chrysanthemums 
over that of the Chinese section. We had 
extreme difficulty in getting round the 
tables to note the prize winners for the 
sixty Japanese varieties, whereas in the 
other case, the British public was com¬ 
paratively uninterested half the time, so 
that reporting in that case was an easy 
matter. 
The circular groups of Chrysanthemums 
in competition for the President’s prizes 
were a highly attractive feature of the 
exhibition. They were a real departure 
from the square and semi-circular groups of 
bygone years, and much admired by the 
general public. No better trained and 
flowered specimens have ever before been 
seen at the Royal Aquarium. They were 
marvels of floral beauty, particularly the 
leading prize lots in the two classes. The 
tables of floral decorations in the western 
end of the building on the ground floor, 
were equally meritorious, and thronged by 
the public all day, on Tuesday at least. 
They were non-competitive exhibits, and 
great improvements on anything in that 
line previously seen. 
Many of the visitors declared they had 
never seen such a display of Grapes at a 
London show. The quality was good and 
the competition heavy. Mr. William Taylor, 
gardener to C. Bayer, Esq., Forest Hill, 
and Mr. William Taylor, gardener to 
Alderman Chaffin, Bath, had a severe 
struggle with one another for all the leading 
prizes. The first prize lot of twelve 
bunches of Grapes was a revelation of 
cultural skill. The competition was equally 
severe amongst the vegetable classes and 
the quality was unusually fine. The Grapes 
and vegetables entirely filled St. Stephen’s 
Hall., Potatos were grand. The exhibit 
in the non-competitive class, by Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons, Reading, consisted of clean 
and beautiful tubers of Potatos of table 
quality that has never been surpassed in 
London. 
-- 
Lincoln’s Inn Grapes—At a recent council meeting 
of the Benchers, some Grapes grown this summer in 
Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, were partaken of by the 
learned gentlemen present, who 'expressed their 
appreciation at being supplied from vines grown and 
ripened in the very heart of London, 
Hypericum mosserianum.- This dwarf and free- 
flowering St. John’s-wort is a great acquisition to 
gardens, as it practically continues in bloom for the 
greater part of summer. It proves perfectly hardy 
at Kew where it is grown in a large bed near the 
ferneries and greenhouse. The flowers are of the 
first size for the genus and bright yellow, with a great 
brush of stamens, lipped with red anthers in the 
centre. The arching stems never exceed 12 in. in 
height. 
Mr. Horace Darwin, a son of the great naturalist, 
the late Charles Darwin, has consented to take the 
office of the Mayor of Cambridge. 
The Marriage, of Mr. David Gibson, gardener at 
Coombe Cottage, Kingston-on-Thames, and Miss 
Cecilina Ada Webb, daughter of Mr. Webb, builder, 
South Norwood, was celebrated at Woodside Church, 
Croydon, on the 24th ult. 
Royal Horticultural Society —The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held on Tuesday, November 10th. in the 
Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, 1 to 4 p.m. 
At three o’clock lectures will be given by Mr. R. 
Fife and Mr. J. Long, on " Seed Growing.” 
Errata.—On p. 140, in the 38th line from the top 
of the third column, read Mr. James O’Brien, hon. 
secretary 11 of the Orchid Committee ” of the Royal 
Horticultural Society. On p. 141, in the 10th line 
from the top of the middle column for Mr. W. Wells, 
read “ Mr. W. J. Godfrey, Exmouth, Devon, showed 
three dozen large cut blooms of Chrysanthemums. 
Delaney Park, Guernsey.—The Council of the 
Delaney Park Improvements, have invited Mr. A. E. 
Stubbs, of Ipswich, to join their committee of 
management of next year’s fete, and we understand 
that gentlemen has accepted the invitation. It is 
probable that the festivities next year will be 
arranged on a larger basis, and may form part of the 
celebrations in course of arrangement with regard to 
the anniversary of Her Majesty’s Reign. 
Death of Mrs. John Heal—We very much regret 
having to announce the death, on Saturday, October 
31st, of Mrs. John Heal, the wife of the eminent 
hybridist, in the new plant department of Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea. We sincerely sympathise 
with Mr. Heal, in the irreparable loss which he has 
sustained by the death of his wife, and feel sure that 
his numerous friends, personal and otherwise, 
through the length and breadth of the country, will 
join with us in offering him our profound sympathy 
and condolence. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms—The beautiful 
varieties or forms of the hybrid Cattleya Mantinii 
which we noted at the Drill Hall on the 27th ult., 
and which were very much admired on account of 
their bright colour, turned up at the Sale Rooms of 
Messrs. Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, on the 30th. 
Two of them were sold for 15 gs. each, and another 
for 10 gs., showing the appreciation in which they 
are held. A piece of C. dowiana aurea fetched 
51 gs. H. T. Pitt, Esq., Rosslyn, Stamford Hill, 
secured a large plant of C. labiata for 5 gs. The 
flowers were of enormous size, rich in colour, and 
leathery in character. Each petal measured a good 
3 in. in diameter. Vanda caerulea was knocked 
down at £2 15s. There was eager bidding for the 
200 tubers of the yellow Calla (Richardia Pentlandii) 
often fetching 12s. to 15s. a tuber. 
N. C. S. Smoking Concert —A most successful 
smoking concert was held at Anderton’s Hotel, 
London, on the 29th ult., in aid of the funds of the 
Jubilee Festival. The idea was conceived and 
arraoged amongst a few unofficial members of the 
society, but the first public announcement thereof 
brought many willing helpers, some even from the 
Jubilee Committee. The hon. secretaries, Messrs. 
A. E. Stubbs, and E. E. Abrahamson secured contri¬ 
butions from several gentlemen who were designated 
patrons and hon. stewards, besides A long list of 
stewards who acted as the committee, and amongst 
whom a guarantee fund was raised sufficient to cover 
expenses in the case of failure. A quintette from the 
band of the Hon. Artillery Company was permitted 
to attend by the Earl Denbigh and officers of the 
regiment and its able director. Mr. Edward Walker 
was mainly responsible for putting into shape a pro¬ 
gramme of some forty-five pieces. Mr. A. E. Stubbs 
acted as chairman, and was assisted by Mr. F. A. 
Cobbold as vice-chairman, with the result that a 
most enjoyable evening was spent. The large Pillar 
Dining Hall was kindly lent for the occasion, and 
was artistically decorated by Messrs. W. Cutbush & 
Son, and Messrs. B. S. Williams & Son, whilst 
bouquets of Chrysanthemums were supplied to each 
visitor through the courtesy of Messrs. D. Ingamells, 
H. J. Jones, W. H. Lees, and Ed. Molyneux. It is 
expected that a substantial sum will be handed over 
to the society. 
Our 'Mum number is by no means mum, seeing that 
it contains so many speaking illustrations. 
-- 
VICTORIA PARK. 
The Chrysanthemums are entirely confined to the 
span-roofed house, which was built specially for 
them about nine years ago in Victoria Park. There 
are about 2,000 plants arranged in a continuous, but 
undulating and sloping bank on either side of the 
pathway ; each bank rises into five mounds alter¬ 
nating with four depressions or bays. Such a mass 
of gorgeous colours in all shades, from the purest 
white to the darkest crimson could hardly fail to 
attract the people who come in their thousands, 
especially on Sundays. The plants are very dwarf, 
the front ones coming very low down ; they are also 
healthy and well furnished with dark green foliage, 
to the pots, without a trace of mildew as far as we 
could see. The house has been open to the public 
since October 13th or 14th. 
Amongst the great mass of flowers a large number 
of big, handsome blooms may be noted. Very fine 
are the yellow M. Panckoucke, the bronzy Miss E. 
S. Trafford, the Golden Sunflower, the picky-white 
Inter-ocean and International, and the bronzy Col. 
W. B. Smith. Viviand Morel and Charles Davis, 
variable as they are in colour, are still indispensable 
in collections. The marcon-crimson William Seward 
and the green Florence Davis find plenty of admirers. 
The orange-scarlet Gloire du Rocher is plentiful and 
every plant has done splendidly ; and the same may 
be said of Vice-President Calvat, Louise, G. W. 
Childs, Edwin Molyneux, and Pride of Madford. 
The latter is a massive purple variety with a silvery 
reverse. 
The crimson-red Alberic Lunden is being for¬ 
gotten in the race for big blooms, but it still finds a 
place here, as well as the orange-crimson John 
Laing. The creamy-white Mr. A. H. Neve is a fine 
thing, with its broad florets, but owing to the 
relatively small size of the blooms it is liable to be 
neg'ected for exhibition purposes. Mdlle. Marie 
Hoste is similar in form, but larger and purer white. 
Miss Maggie Blankiron is a globular golden-yellow 
variety. Madame E. Rey is a large pinky-white 
bloom ; Madame Ad. Moullin on the contrary is pure 
white and pretty even in its early stages. J. S. Dibbins 
is a beautiful globular, yellow bloom but it is falling 
behind in size. Late flowering varieties are 
Madame C. Harman Payne, the richer purple Duke- 
of York, and the promising new yellow M. Ph. 
Dewolfs. A beautifully built bloom is Bride of 
Maidenhead with narrower and more curly florets 
than Avalanche. Delicate and pretty is Mrs. E. G. 
Hill, which finds a suitable position in the back row, 
on account of its tall stems. Very promising and 
distinct is Miss Elsie Teichmann with bread creamy 
white florets more or less tinted with greenish 
yellow in the centre. None of the blooms were fully 
developed when we saw them; but evidently the 
flowers can be grown to great size. 
All of the above are Japanese varieties, and the 
bulk of them in mostly every modern collection 
belongs to that section. Incurved varieties are fairly 
numerous, and include fine blooms of such old 
favourites as Novelty, Mr. Bunn, Lord Wolseley, 
Prince Alfred, Prince and Princess of Wales. More 
recent acquisitions in fine condition are Robert 
Cannell, M. R. Bahuant, Robert Petfield, and Mr. 
C. H. Curtis. Mrs. R. C. Kingston is in magnificent 
form notwithstaeding the bad reports we have heard 
of it elsewhere. 
Many of the Anemones are in fine condition in¬ 
cluding the beautiful yellow M. Charles Lebocqz. 
the soft yellow Lady Margaret, the silvery-pink 
Jeanne Marty and the rich purple Nelson with a 
beautiful and high centre when fully developed. 
The king of all the Anemones here this season is 
Descartes, of which there are numerous specimens 
with dark reddish-purple rays and a prominent dark, 
bronzy centre. The true reflexed section is repre¬ 
sented by Dr. Sharp, and the beautiful bronzy Golden 
Christine. Pompons are fairly numerous, but they 
are late. The queen of this section is Mademoiselle 
Elise Dordan, with its globular blooms of 
fluted pink florets- The plants are tall, freely 
branched and floriferous. 
Mr. J. W. Moorman, the superintendent is to be 
congratulated upon his fine and very representative 
collection, admirably presented to an appreciative 
public. 
