162 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
November 21, 1896. 
subject to make a brief review of the data 
as to whether the popular autumn flower is 
earlier or later than it used to be. It might 
be easy to prove that Chrysanthemums 
flower much earlier than when first culti¬ 
vated in this country if we were to make a 
census of all the most popular of modern 
varieties; but the more we consider the 
subject, the more evident it becomes that 
the question is one of the selection of 
varietiesto suit any given purpose. Further¬ 
more, the leading Chrysanthemum shows 
have been fixed for certain dates, so that 
cultivators aim at retarding some varieties 
and urging others forward so as to be in 
prime condition at the date of any given 
show or shows. This is done by keeping 
the plants warm or cool in each respective 
case, and by timing the buds, which is per¬ 
haps the most important factor in the case. 
Another proof of our contention is that 
Chrysanthemums may be had in very re¬ 
spectable condition during any month of the 
year, by the volition and skill of the cul¬ 
tivator. 
The Purple Chrysanthemum or Old 
Purple was introduced from China to France 
by M. Blancard, a Merchant of Marseilles 
in 1789. This was introduced from France 
to the Royal Gardens at Kew, from M. 
Cels of Paris, in 1790, and was the first of 
the large-flowering types to reach our 
shores. It first flowered in November 1795, 
with Messrs. Colvill in the King’s Road, 
Chelsea, who were in those days the leading 
or only Chrysanthemum specialists in 
London or its suburbs. In 1818 we find 
that their collection of Chinese Chrysanthe¬ 
mums flowered during the months of October 
and November, and that the season had 
been peculiarly favourable to the develop¬ 
ment of this autumn race of flowers. The 
plants even in those days were grown in 
pots for the convenience this method afforded 
of shifting the plants about for indoor dis¬ 
play and shelter from the vicissitudes of 
climate. 
Asrecorded by a correspondent in another 
column, Norfolk was celebrated for the 
impetus which growers there gave to Chry¬ 
santhemum culture at least as early as 1826. 
—Mr. George Harrison of the Downham 
Nursery, Norfolk, recorded his experiences 
with the autumn flower in the Floricultural 
Cabinet for February 14th, 1834, p. 84. He 
grew as many as 900 plants in 38 varieties, 
and put them in a greenhouse in autumn, 
where they flowered during the month of 
December. Previous to that the Horticul¬ 
tural Society of London had been growing 
Chrysanthemums ; for Joseph Sabine, Esqr. 
read a paper on the varieties of Chinese 
Chrysanthemums in England, at a meeting 
of the society on the 20th February 1821, 
when he described the 12 known varieties, 
and said that the cuttings were taken in 
August, kept in cold frames during the 
winter, put out of doors next spring, and 
taken into the greenhouse when they had 
formed their buds, which usually occurred 
about the beginning of October. Fourteen 
unflowered and consequently unproved 
varieties were then grown in the neighbour¬ 
hood of London, and mostly in the society’s 
garden at Chiswick. Mr. Cannell in quot¬ 
ing from his Floral Guide for 1869, i n The 
Gardening World of last week, gives us 
another view of the subject in connection 
with the introduction of the so-called 
Japanese race of Chrysanthemums by 
Robert Fortune. He represents them as 
tall growing plants that did not properly 
develop their flowers till about Christmas. 
Joseph Sabine, writing in 1821, mentions 
the fact of there being early and late varie¬ 
ties, so that selection and the particular 
method of treatment must be held respons¬ 
ible for the apparent earlier flowering of 
modern Chrysanthemums. The earliest 
introductions were termed Chinese, but they 
had quilled, tasselled, tubular and ribbon, 
or shred-like florets, and therefore in all re¬ 
spects identical with Fortune's introduc¬ 
tions to which the term Japanese was 
applied. The term Chinese is now generally 
applied to the incurved Chrysanthemums 
which originated about 1836. We have 
early and late varieties in both sections, and 
both alike fluctuate in earliness or other¬ 
wise, from year to year in accordance with 
the character of the season. The progress 
of the shows from south to north is a distinct 
evidence of the effect of climate, as de¬ 
termined by latitude in this country ; but 
curiously enough the Chrysanthemum 
shows in France are relatively later, 
although so much further south than Eng¬ 
land. 
-- 
Mr. A. Urquhart, head gardener to Mrs. Croall, 
Southfield, Liberton, Midlothian, has been appointed 
head gardener and manager to —Allan, Esq., Stor¬ 
mont Castle, Belfast. 
A ramble round Ibrox in search of new varieties of 
plants is said to be the title of a new brochure 
on the subject by four worthy gentlemen well known 
in West Scotland. 
Messrs. H. Cannell & Sons, Swanley, were awarded 
a Silver Gilt Medal at the Ghent Exhibition last 
Saturday for thirty-six blooms of Chrysanthemums 
belonging to various sections. 
Late Grapes Still Hanging.—I omitted to mention 
in my article last week that as soon as the majority 
of the leaves had fallen from the vines the tempera¬ 
ture was lowered to about 45 0 Fahr.— J. Mayne. 
Royal Horticultural Society.—The next fruit and 
floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society 
will be held in the Drill Hall, James Street, S.W., 
on Tuesday, November 24th, from 1 to 4 p.m. At 
3 o’clock the Rev. Prof. Henslow, M.A., will give 
a floral demonstration. 
“ Mummers” will be glad to know that the best of 
all Chrysanthemums (Madame Carnot) has sported 
into a lovely canary-yellow variety and is fixed. The 
entire stock is in the hands of Mr. W. Wells, Earls- 
wood, and probably before this appears in print will 
be seen at the meetings of the N.C.S. 
The Threatened Scarcity in India.—We understand 
that the Secretary of State for India has shipped 
some thousands of sacks of vegetable seeds suitable 
for growing in the districts of- Northern India that 
are threatened with scarcity. The selection, pack¬ 
ing, and shipping was accomplished by Messrs. 
Carter, the Queen’s seedsmen, London, in the short 
space of nine days. 
Royal fruit exhibit at Dublin.—The main feature of 
the Chrysanthemum show at Ballsbridge, Dublin, 
on the 4th inst. was the flowers and fruit from the 
garden of Her Majesty the Queen. The Freeman's 
Journal says : “ There is so little seen of Her Most 
Gracious Majesty the Queen in this country, that 
her Chrysanthemums, her Grapes, and her head 
gardener were naturally the subject of much loyal 
curiosity.” 
Chrysanthemums at Budleigh Salterton.—The Bud- 
leigh Salterton Chrysanthemum Society was insti¬ 
tuted in 1890, and held its sixth annual show on the 
4th inst. The entries numbered over 100, which 
was a good muster for this village of East Devon. 
The competition in the classes for table decorations, 
and the best arranged basket of Chrysanthemums 
was keen and contested ; and so tastefully were the 
numerous exhibits set up that they entailed a con¬ 
siderable amount of time and trouble on the part of 
the judges, Mr. J. Mayne, Bicton, and Mr. W. 
Swan, Bystock, to determine their order of merit. 
Mr. Hillman had the best group of Chrysanthe¬ 
mums, the best twelve and six Japanese blooms, 
distinct, the best twelve and six incurved blooms, 
distinct, and the best six Japanese of one variety. 
Mr. Mann was second in nearly every case. There 
were also classes for fruit and for amateurs not em¬ 
ploying professional help. 
Canna Italia and C. Austria are the result of a 
hybrid between the well-known garden variety 
Madame Crozy and the wild species C. fiaccida. 
The flowers take after the character of the latter 
parent in being large, and rather limp or flaccid in 
texture. 
A big Potato.—Mr. Richard Bryers, of Rainford, 
is reputed to have raised what is probably the 
largest Potato tuber this season. When- in full 
growth the plant was fourteen yards in circum¬ 
ference. The tubers on the root numbered fifty-one, 
and the largest one weighed 3 lbs. This giant Potato 
was measured by independent and expert authority. 
At the Norwich Show.—The judges and members 
of the committee sat down to a luncheon at the 
" Crown and Anchor Hotel,” under the presidency 
of Mr. T, Edgar Mayhew. A few toasts were drunk, 
including "The Judges,” proposed by Mr. W. 
Messenger, and responded to by Mr. Molyneux; 
"The Exhibitors,” given by Mr. H. E. Archer, and 
acknowledged by Mr. George Gilbert; " The Press," 
given by Mr. A. E. Stubbs, and responded to by 
Mr. Wm. King, of the East Anglian Daily Times; and 
" The Chairman,” proposed by Mr R. Smith. 
Music and Flowers—The cultivation of music as 
well as that of flowers are kindred arts, and it is 
perhaps nowhere better exemplified than at those 
shows where good music is provided during the 
exhibition. At Glasgow, for instance, we have it on 
the authority of a correspondent that one gentleman 
noted in horticultural ranks has been invited to join 
the Glasgow Select Choir, a most august body of high 
position in musical circles. This is in itself no mean 
compliment to the sister art of horticulture and to the 
talented gentleman who has been the recipient of so 
distinguished an honour. 
Waterlow Park.—The conservatory has just been 
rebuilt in this London park, which was first opened 
to the public five years ago. It is greatly improved 
in appearance, and at present includes over 2,000 
Chrysanthemums, consisting of 250 varieties. The 
display is magnificent, and fully maintains its 
former high reputation. There is also a fine col¬ 
lection of dwarf Chrysanthemums in one of the 
adjoining vineries. During the season just closed 
200 lbs. of Grapes, 250 pecks of Pears, 45 pecks of 
Apples, 20 pecks of Plums, and 500 ducks' eggs have 
been sent to various hospitals and convalescent 
homes in the neighbourhood. 
Birmingham Gardeners’ Association.— At the 
meeting of the 2nd inst., there was an admirable 
exhibition of Celery. Mr. Snead, Edgbaston, was 
first; Mr. G. Stacey, Harborne, was second ; and 
Mr. Worrall, Edgbaston, was third. A meeting was 
then held under the presidency of Mr. W. B. Lathom, 
when Mr. W. Gardiner, Harborne, gave a botanical 
and physiographical description of the Celery plant, 
and alluded to the specific diseases to which the 
plant was subject. ■ The comparatively little-grown 
Celeriac was also dealt with. Apples were shown 
by Mr. Gardiner. Messrs. John Pope, Spinks, 
Walter Jones, Stacey, Snead, and others took part 
in the discussion. 
Orchids at the Sale Rooms.—There was some 
lively bidding at the Central Sale Rooms of Messrs, 
Protheroe & Morris, Cheapside, on Friday, the 6th 
inst., when several white varieties of Cattleya inter¬ 
media were put up for sale. Numerous pieces of a 
large white variety supposed to be C. i. Parthenia 
were first put up. Sir F. Wigan, Clare Lawn, East 
Sheen, bought the first plant, a fine one, for 27 gs. 
The largest and finest .vhite variety was secured by 
—Mundy, Esq., for 52 gs.; he also bought other 
plants for 26 gs. and 36 gs. respectively. E. Ash¬ 
worth, Esq., Wilmslow, Cheshire, bought two plants 
for 4 gs. each. R. H. Measures, Esq., The Wood¬ 
lands, Streatham, secured fine pieces for 32 g s., 
32 gs., 28 gs, and 18 gs. respectively. Major 
Mason secured a plant for 12 gs. R. I. Measures 
Esq,, Cambridge Lodge, Camberwell, secured 
another for n gs. Some plants of C. intermedia 
Snowflake were also put up; Sir F. Wigan 
bought one of these for 20 gs.; — Steel, Esq., 
secured another for 7 gs.; and a third fell to 
the bidding of E. Ashwcrtb, Esq., ior gs. R. H, 
Measures secured a specimen of C. i. Innocenta for 
12 gs. ; — Steel, Esq., another for 9 gs.; and E. 
Ashworth, Esq., a third sample for 5 gs. These 
figures speak for themselves. 
