December 9, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
236 
hopeful for the grower, and of great importance to 
the health of our people, for all medical authorities 
are agreed that fresh fruit is most beneficial to health, 
aDd is especially needed by the dwellers in towns 
and cities. 
But the question of improved fruit culture dees 
not end here, for if the industry of fruit growing can 
be made to pay in the future, as it most undoubtedly 
has done in the past, I know of nothing which will 
help to solve the difficulty of making the land repro¬ 
ductive to the capital and labour bestowed upon it, 
and of inducing men to live upon it and make their 
homes in the rural districts like this same fruit 
culture. I find nowhere such thriving villages in 
districts not dependent upon manufacturers as those 
in which fruit growing is extensively carried on, and 
if only for this reason this matter is of national 
importance. We see tracts of land in the Highlands 
of Scotland which once maintained a sturdy race of 
cottars, nearly all of whom sent a member to our 
Highland regiments, now, alas ! cleared of human 
habitations and sacred to the grouse or red deer ; we 
see thousands of acres of land which in our younger 
days was in cultivation and maintaining a contented 
and healthy population, now laid down to grass, and 
we ask ourselves the question, Whence are our 
great towns and cities to receive fresh blood and 
sinew, whence shall come our future stalwart 
soldiers ? I know not, unless it be by the help of 
fruit growing, market gardening, and all kinds of 
small culture, and this is why I say this is a question 
of national importance.— Mr. A. H. Pearson, Chilwell. 
A very valuable discussion followed the reading of 
the paper, in which Mr. George Bunyard, Mr. 
Monro, Mr. Alfred Rivers, and others took part. 
— -- 
NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM 
SOCIETY. 
Annual Dinner. 
The annual dinner of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society was held in the Venetian Room of the Hol- 
born Restaurant, London,on the 29th ult.,when about 
130 of the members and their friends sat down to 
dinner. The chair was taken by P. Waterer, Esq., 
F.R.H.S , F.N.C S , the chairman of the general 
committee. Amongst those present were the Rev. 
B. Staunton Batty, Mrs. Waterer, Miss Easterbrook, 
Miss Dean, Mrs. Witty, and many other ladies ; also 
Messrs. Thcs. Bevan, C. Harman Payne, Richard 
Dean, J. R. Cholmeley, H. J. Jones, j. H. Witty, 
James Wood, W. H. Berry, J. W. Moorman, J. F. 
McLeod, Dean, Junior, Robert Fife, J. T. Simpson, 
D. B. Crane, Robert Sydenham, M. Gleeson, John 
Russell, John McKerchar, J. George, R. Hooper 
Pearson, C. H. Curtis, Greenwood, J. Fraser, and 
others. 
After dinner the loyal toasts were proposed and 
received with great enthusiasm. Soon after this the 
Chairman rose to propose the toast of the evening, 
" The National Chrysanthemum Society,” and said 
they were still popular with various Continental 
societies, including those of France, Belgium, Ger¬ 
many, Portugal, and even Denmark, the latter 
recently wishing to become affiliated with the N.C.S. 
Delegates would be asked to go to Paris in 1900 on the 
occasion of the Chrysanthemum show and conference 
there. He referred, in feeling terms, to the death of 
M. Henry L. de Vilmorin, which was a great blow 
to France as well as to his friends here. The visitors 
to the French and Belgian shows from this country 
were always treated with great hospitality. Coming 
nearer home, he said that there had been some dis¬ 
pute over medals sent to the affiliated societies, but 
steps had been taken to remedy the matter ; and 
then none would be happy till they got a N.C.S. 
medal. 
He referred also, with much pleasure, to the great 
success of the vase competition at the November show, 
and which was a decided feature of the same. The 
society was much indebted to Mr. H. J. Jones and 
Messrs. Green and Nephews for the success of that 
competition. Last year he himself offered £5 for 
the best essay on the " Rust of Chrysanthemums ” ; 
and he promised to repeat his offer next year for a 
display of decorative Chrysanthemums, with blooms 
not over 3 in. in diameter. He also promised to 
give special prizes to the wives, sisters, and 
daughters of exhibitors for displays of decorative 
varieties. 
In the absence, through illness, of Mr. C. E. Wil¬ 
kins, the treasurer, “ The Donors of Special Prizes ” 
was proposed by Mr. R. Fife, of Messrs. Dobbie & 
Co., and this was replied to by Mr. H. J. Jones, of 
Lewisham; Mr. James Wood, of Messrs. Wood & 
Sons, Wood Green, N.; and Mr. J. T. Simpson. 
Mr. Jones said there was no more noble sight than 
the first three prize lots in the vase class, in which a 
total of 540 blooms competed for the four prizes. 
Mr. Simpson thought that every member of the 
society might give a special prize, however small. 
The Chairman here announced that Mr. Jones was 
to renew' his special prize of £20. 
Mr. W. H. Berry, proposed the " Affiliated Socie¬ 
ties,” and made reference to the winning of the 
Challenge Shield by the Portsmouth society. He 
suggested that all previous winners in the societies 1 
competition should compete in one year, and that 
the winning one should receive the Shield. The 
Portsmouth Society was almost second to none 
in the country. 
The Chairman at this point presented the leading 
prizes to the winners, Mr.W. H. Berry receiving the 
Challenge Trophy for the Portsmouth society ; Mr. 
F. Vallis, Chippenham, the Holmes Memorial Cup 
for forty-eight Japanese blooms. Other winners of 
Cups, Medals, &c., were Mr. Edwin Beckett, Mr. J. 
W. McHattie, Mr. W. H. Lees, Mr. W. Higgs, Mr. 
W. Aldridge, Miss Easterbrook, Mr. E. Jones, Mr. 
J. Agate, Mr. H. J. Jones, Mr. Norman Davis, 
Messrs. B. S. Williams, Messrs. Wm. Cutbush & 
Son, and others. Mr. Robert Sydenham promised 
to give another Cup for vegetables next year. 
Mr. V. B. M. Zanchi proposed the “President, 
Vice-Presidents, Officers, Auditors, and Committees 
of the Society.” He said that all put their heart 
in their work, and as a consequence the society was 
progressing from year to year. Mr. Thos. Bevan 
replied, saying that the work of the Floral Commit¬ 
tee was interesting and useful; that the finances 
were well to the good with something to spare, and 
hoped that England would be well represented at 
the grand exhibition in Paris, on October 23rd, 
igoo. Mr. J. R. Cholmeley also replied, saying that 
the finances of the society were good, and hoped 
they would improve from year to year and never go 
back. Mr. R. Dean replied very briefly. 
Mr. C. Harman Payne proposed “ The Chair¬ 
man,” giving some of his experiences on the Con¬ 
tinent, and stated that the chairman there was not 
exactly in the same position as a chairman here. 
The Chairman replied, and then proposed the 
" Visitors,” stating that he had invited some 
strangers in the hope of adding to the membership 
of the society. To this the Rev. B. S. Batty 
replied. 
Mr. J. W. Moorman proposed the “Press,” and 
Mr. R. H. Pearson replied. At the recent grand com¬ 
petition, the Chairman stated that 2,241 Japanese 
blooms had been shown; 618 incurved, 240 Ane¬ 
mones, 48 Anemone pompons, 84 pompons, 36 re¬ 
flexed, and 42 singles, making a total of 3,309 blooms 
in all. 
- -= 
Hardening ||iscellany. 
“ THE SISSEY ” APPLE. 
Mr. Basham, in his lecture before the Fellows of the 
R.H.S. on the 21st of the November, mentioned the 
above Apple as being a very great favourite with 
growers in his own county of Monmouthshire. The 
variety has been shown at some of the larger fruit 
exhibitions where it made a favourable impression on 
pomologists. " The Sissey ” as a name seemingly 
did not appeal to those who were strangers to it; so 
at an important show, and by an authoritative body it 
was named “ Monmouthshire Beauty.”’ But just 
as the Boers do not like to have their little ways 
altered—or Britains either for that matter—the 
the minority away in the South Welsh lands did not 
agree with the change, and have not taken kindly to 
it. So here you see how synemyms and confounded 
confusions arise ! But referring again to the Apple, 
Mr. John Basham told its hisiory. It was briefly 
this :—It was raised from seed by a labourer (we 
are indebted to labourers for not a few good Apples) 
a century ago, who resided near the town of Mon¬ 
mouth. The variety won great renown, and in good 
heartedness its raiser, whose name I have not, 
distributed grafts to his fellow-workers and neigh¬ 
bouring friends. Upon his death his sister con- 
tintinued to distribute the grafts as he had done, 
whereupon they became known as “ The Sister’s 
Apple,” and latterly as Sisseys. The samples shown 
by Mr. Basham at the Drill Hall, wery fine, of an 
even, moderate size, smooth skin and beautiful rosy 
colour.— H. 
CHRYSJJNTHEmuni SHOWS. 
DUNDEE.— Nov. 23 rd, 24th, and 2 5 th. 
(Concluded from p. 221.) 
In our last week’s issue we made no mention of 
the miscellaneous exhibits which are always a feature 
on the side tables at the Drill Hall, Dundee. 
A Gold Medal was awarded to Mr. Norman 
Davies, Framfield, Sussex, whose magnificent 
exhibit of Chrysanthemums was admitted on all 
hands to be the most effective and imposing display 
in the show. Bold and massive vases of blooms, 
in all the brightest, as well as the whitest, of the 
varieties of Chiysanthemum, were set up with 
boughs and sprays of autumn-tinted foliage of trees 
and shrubs. These were exhibition blooms, but 
there was a fringe of decorative varieties, which also 
added to the general display. 
Messrs. Laird and Sinclair, High Street, Dundee, 
are always present at these shows, and vary their 
exhibits considerably. On this occasion they had a 
beautiful display of wreaths, crosses, and various 
floral devices, backed up with foliage plants for 
effect. 
Messrs. W. Wells & Co., Earlswood Nurseries, 
Redhill, Surrey, had an interesting and most 
attractive collection of Chrysanthemum blooms, 
grown to the splendid proportions usually seen from 
Earlswood. Several of the blooms were unique. 
Messrs. Storrie and Storrie, Dundee, brought up 
from their nurseries, at Glencarse, a collection of 
fruit and fruit trees, which should encourage a 
revival of the culture of Apples in the Carse of 
Gowrie. Mr. Dingwall, gardener to Sir Henry 
Campbell Bannerman, Belmont, also staged a 
collection of Apples. 
Mr. Robert Grossart, Clarendon Park Nursery, 
Dundee, had, as usual, a table of decorative 
Chrysanthemums and floral devices. The gate- 
money taken on the opening day was well ahead of 
that for the corresponding date of last year, so that 
the Society is to be congratulated on its general 
prosperity. 
Mr. John Forbes, Hawick, Scotland, exhibited a 
little group of his now well-known Begonia Caledonia, 
a white sport from Gloire de Lorraine, differing only 
in the colour of the flowers. 
ABERDEEN. —November 24 th and 25 th. 
The show this year in the Art Gallery Buildings j 
Aberdeen, has proved more successful that* any show 
of previous years, there having been an increase of 
ninety entries over that of the year 1808, when the 
number stood at 550. The growers away here in the 
north are beginning to catch the Chrysanthemum 
fever rather strongly. Such a " fever ” is by no 
means to be regretted or suppressed. 
The groups of plants arranged for effect 
proved to be one of the strongest features of the 
show. Mr. John Proctor, gardener to Sir William 
Henderson, Devanha House, Aberdeen, had one of 
the handsomest groups which have been seen for a 
long while. Mr. Mason, of Albyn Place, was 
awarded first prize for his arrangement, which was 
the best of the smaller groups. 
The cut flowers were remarkably fine for the 
north, so good, indeed, that a connoisseur in all 
’Mum lore, declared that the first prize collections 
for twenty-four and one dozen blooms, were as fine 
as any he had seen during the season. Bravo ! 
then, Aberdonians. 
Orchids were splendidly shown by Mr. Grigor 
gardener to Alex. O. Gill, Esq., Fairfield House, 
Aberdeen, he having fine samples of Cattleyas. Mr. 
Cornwall stood high with his batch of Angraecum 
sesquipedale. One point on which the amateur 
gardeners may be justly proud, is that in which Mr. 
Tough, of Great Western Road, showed a pot 
Chrysanthemum which was admittedly superior to 
any shown by the professionals. Mr. Paterson’s 
collection of six varieties was of a high order of 
