November 11 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
169 
which formed a set. Most of them are still well 
grown in many collections. Lady Northcote was 
sent out with others the following season, and has 
since been certificated by the N.C.S., but being late 
is not often found on the exhibition board. 
Later on we have George Foster, and Mrs. Charles 
Birch, both of which have received First-class Cer¬ 
tificates from the N.C.S , and have frequently been 
seen in good condition. Charles Page is also a beau¬ 
tiful deep yellow seedliDg of this batch, but unfortu¬ 
nately it is liable to damp. 
The best of last year’s set are undoubtedly 
Reginald Godfrey, and Queen of the Exe. The lat¬ 
ter promises, in spite of the fact that good whites are 
numerous, to be a standard variety for some years. 
Queen of the Earlies, and Barbara Forbes can be 
grown fit for the boards for early October shows, 
but their value lies in their fine qualities as early 
October flowering decorative varieties. The first- 
named is considered one of the best whites for mar¬ 
ket purposes, although, strange to say, it has not 
been certificated until its companion, which is con¬ 
sidered by the raiser infeiior, has received this honour 
from the N.C.S. The yellow sport, Golden Queen 
of the Earlies, which appeared in the Exmouth Nur¬ 
series and in many other collections, will prove a 
very popular decorative variety. Of other decora¬ 
tive varieties we have Ettie Mitchell (golden-yellow, 
shaded bronze), Mrs. E. Vere Freeman (crimson), 
and Miss Mary Godfrey, each in their way first-class. 
They have recently been shown in excellent condi¬ 
tion at the R.H.S. and N.C.S , meetings. 
The foregoing are all Japanese varieties, but 
amongst the true incurved sorts Mr. Godfrey has 
raised King of Orange, a late variety, which is often¬ 
times shown in perfect condition. King of the Yel¬ 
lows, is, perhaps, the richest coloured yellow in this 
section. 
Of varieties for the introduction of which this 
raiser is responsible, mention must be made of 
Mutual Friend, Mrs. Maling Grant, Autumn Glory, 
Corsair, Elma, and Yellow Mogul, all Japs, of great 
merit. Every grower will recognise the value of 
Mutual Friend, for we find it in every collection we 
inspect. 
Decorative varieties of his introduction are W. H. 
Rieman, a decided advance on W. H. Lincoln for a 
late yellow; Clinton Chalfont, one of the best mar¬ 
ket varieties; Black Hawk, the darkest crimson in 
existence, and one of the most striking; Mrs. Joseph 
Thompson, a good late white, although quite sur¬ 
passed by other later introductions ; and Madame 
Philip Rivoire, perhaps the best white for several 
purposes we have, the introduction of which is 
claimed by Mr. Godfrey. In this section we are 
assured something unusually good is promised for the 
coming winter. 
MINTS FOR AMATEURS. 
Plants for Spring Bedding. —We seem to have be¬ 
come used to mild weather even in November, a 
month in which frosts at one time could always be 
reckoned upon. Whether the winters are becoming 
milder through the instrumentality of mankind, by 
cultivating the land by draining, by planting, or 
from increased building construction, I need not 
here stop to debate. It is, however, a generally 
recognised fact that our British winters are much 
less severe than they were wont to be of yore; so 
that though hints upon spring bedding are some¬ 
what late now, yet cne sees the planters busy ust 
at this time, and many from previous pressure have 
as yet to start the work. 
The ground having been cleared, and the bulbs 
most probably having been inserted, not a great 
silver shrubs which it is needless here to enumerate. 
Private gardeners, of course, will have to carry out 
a different plan of bedding according to the desires or 
arrangements of the families they serve. For if a 
household travels abroad during winter, or stays at 
home during this period, and goes off during "the 
season,” the " London season," it may be, it would 
be manifestly ridiculous to attempt any very elabor¬ 
ate plantings, either for winter effect in the former 
case or for spring display in the latter instance. In 
the arrangements of whatever combinations of plants 
are used, the rule of quiet effects should be followed. 
More especially should this be the case in small 
gardens where the same beds and borders are seen 
day after day for weeks on end. Bands and carpet¬ 
ings of dwarf plants such as have been named, 
should be placed over the surface, and the Hyacinths 
or Narcissus will be sufficient for top effect. A 
mixed grounding of variegated Arabis and Forget- 
me-nots, through which Tulips or Hyacinths pene¬ 
CHRYSANTHEMUM MRS. WINGFIELD. 
Notwithstanding the wide and keen popularity of 
the Japanese race of Chrysanthemums there is yet 
a large section of the British public who is inter¬ 
ested and delighted with the decorative varieties, 
whose utility for decorations of almost any kind is 
self evident. Amongst the new varieties of last year 
Mrs. Wingfield has been well received, and is likely 
to enjoy a run of popularity for some years to come, 
as it supplies a pleasiDg colour that is by no means 
too plentiful in this section of the autumn flower. 
Some have described the flower as blush, but in our 
opinion there is much more colour in it than that 
term would convey, and we should describe it as 
clear, soft pink, a delicate colour truly, but beauti¬ 
fully refined. The accompanying illustration gives 
a good idea of a single plant and its habit of growth, 
the blooms being of good average size for the 
section, and freely produced; while the foliage is 
dark greeD, finely cut, and covers the stems almost 
to the pot. The variety was raised from seeds, and 
blooms naturally during the month of October. A 
First-class Certificate was awarded it by the 
National Chrysanthemum Society last autumn, and 
the Royal Horticultural Society likewise accorded it 
the highest award for a florists’ flower, to wit, an 
Award of Merit. Its value for decorative purposes 
has been fully recognised. Messrs. R. & G. Cuth- 
bert, Southgate Nursery, Southgate, Middlesex, N., 
are now putting it into commerce. They had a fine 
group of it at the Drill Hall meeting of the 24th 
nit. 
Chrysanthemum 
deal lies to be done. Violas, Pansies, Wallflowers, 
Stocks, Candytufts, Aubretias, Collinsias, Arabis, 
Forget-me-nots, double Daisies, Polyanthuses, 
Cowslips, Primroses—"all the same only different” 
—Alyssums and Violets, together with several 
species or varieties of Saxifraga, Thymes, GeDtiana 
acaulis and G. verna, Erica carnea, and some early 
flowering hardy annuals, may all be made service 
of for the purpose under consideration. 
Besides planting up beds or borders in designs or 
patterns, there is also another style of spring 
" bedding " or planting for spring effect, which may 
be included under bedding, and that is the massing 
of bulbous plants upon the grass in the near-hand 
meadows under the deciduous trees, and in front of 
shrubberies. But remarks upon this method of 
spring bedding have previously been detailed. 
Then again we have what may be termed winter 
bedding. By this style we furnish the beds with 
dwarf shrubs such as Cupressus, Retinosporas, 
Euonymuses, and any amount of green, golden, or 
Mrs. Wingfield. 
trate and grow up with a blue edge of Violas and 
Sedum glaucum, compose a fine bed. Bold masses 
of Wallflowers, the bold red and yellow in lines, or 
properly mixed with a broad and thick edgiDg of 
Violas, Forget me-nots, and crimson double Daisies, 
make a very cheery and reliable display. The 
notes of numerous arrangements to be seen in the 
first-class London parks each spring and summer 
may be found in the pages of The Gardening 
World in the issues for May and thereabouts, and 
again during the autumn issues. By reference to 
these any one should find described designs suitable 
and to their taste. 
Auriculas —Among the gems of spring flowering 
dwarf plants we must class these, the popularly 
termed Dusty Millers. A bed of Auriculas is a 
sight to behold during the month of May, and their 
fragrance is not the least of their attractions. It 
would hardly be fair to recommend the choice 
named Alpine Auriculas to a novice in plant culture, 
for though they are exquisitely neat and sweet, their 
