December 19. 1903. 
The Gardening World 
GENERAL, NOTICES. 
We would earnestly urge secretaries of societies to notify us as far in advance as possible as to dates of meetings, shows, etc. We desire to do all In our power to have theat 
adequately represented in the columns of The Gardening World. 
We respectfully request <>ur readers, when they write to persons or fir .ns advertising in this paper, to mention that their advertisement was seen in The Gardening World 
T hey will thereby not only oblige this paper, but the advertisers. 
MOTTO FOR THE WEEK: 
“Every new compound is some product and repeater—product of the earlier found.”— Emerson■ 
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The following Coloured 
Plates have appeared in 
recent numbers:— 
May 23.— SAXIFRAGA GRISEBACHII, 
May 30. — DENDROBIUM NOBILE 
ROTUNDIFLORUM and D.n. NOBILIUS. 
July 4 — APHELANDRA AURANTIACA 
ROEZLII. 
August 1— BORONIA HETEROPHYLLA. 
September 12.— SIX NEW DAFFODILS. 
October 3— LILIUM AURATUM PLA- 
TYPHYLLUM SHIRLEY VAR. 
November 14.— ROSE MME. N. LEVA 
VASSEUR. 
Back numbers may be obtained from the 
publishers, price 2^d. post free. 
NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
The following supplements illustrating new 
Chrysanthemums appeared during November 
and December :— 
MRS. GEORGE D. JUDGE, 
MAUDE DU CROS, 
MERSTHAM YELLOW, 
AND 
WILFRED H. GODFREY. 
Views and Reviews. 
Audit of the Sweet Pea. 
I At a meeting in the early part of this year 
it was decided to take an audit of the 
Sweet Peas exhibited at Earl’s Court on 
July loth and 16th last when the show was 
held. The object of this list was, to, ascer¬ 
tain what, varieties in each respective colour 
took the leading places, and also, what 
number of times each was exhibited. This 
would in itself be an indication of the popu- 
^ larity of the varieties in all the larger classes, 
( at least where the number of varieties was 
) sufficiently great, to- admit, of selection by the 
s cultivators. It may he remembered that the 
) society arranged a classification, of the best 
i varieties of Sweet, Peas, by sending out cir- 
! eulars to various Sweet Pea specialists in 
order to give the best varieties of each colour. 
This classification was published in the book 
“All about the Sweet Pea-” by the society, 
as the result, of the bicentenary and the con¬ 
ference. 
The schedule of the society contained 
thirty-six classes, of which only twenty- 
eight were available for the, audit, the others 
being allocated to floral decorations. A 
summary of the first-prize collections was 
first, taken, and it was found that no less than 
seventy-one varieties were shown in a total 
of 216 bunches. This in itself is significant 
I as showing that all of the best varieties were 
pressed into, the best exhibits. Only ninety 
varieties were exhibited altogether in a, 
total of 991 bunches, so that it will thus be 
seen, that the number of varieties in. anything 
like general cultivation is under 100, and 
from the fact that seventy-one varieties were 
sufficient, to take all the leading prizes it is 
evident, that many of the varieties yet in, 
I cultivation, might very well be discarded, be¬ 
cause superseded by better varieties. 
There were slight discrepancies between 
the, classification list originally made by the 
society* and that of the two audits made at 
the exhibition at Earl's Court last year. 
This was only to be expected when one con¬ 
siders that several new varieties have since 
appeared, or, if already in existence, they 
were, insufficiently known at the time of the 
original classification. These new-comers 
have proved their superiority, both by their 
size and colour. 
The classification list of the society in¬ 
cluded nineteen distinct colours, and under 
this all the varieties known or recognised 
were placed, according to their particular 
hue. In this list the best crimson was 
reckoned to be Salopian. This still holds its 
position according to both audits of the last 
show. The same might be said of Prince of 
Wales as the best rose and carmine variety. 
Pr'inia, Donna, has been displaced by Lovely 
as the best pink in, both the audits. In like 
manner, Miss Willmott has displaced Gor¬ 
geous as the best of an orange shade. At 
the time of the classification, this fine variety 
was of too recent introduction to be very 
widely cultivated, but its size, beautiful 
colour, and easy cultivation now render it 
an easy first in, that colour. Duchess of 
Sutherland still heads the list as the best 
blush. Lottie Eckford was not entirely dis¬ 
placed, hut held divided sway with Maid of 
Honour in the audit of the first-prize exhibits, 
although in the general audit it held its own. 
America, is still reckoned - the best of the 
varieties striped with red. In the list for 
blue and purple stripes, Princess- of Wales 
still takes the- leading position. The Hon,. 
Mrs. Kenyon displaced Queen Victoria, as the 
best or most popular amongst the yellow and 
buff varieties'. Amongst bicolors, Triumph 
took the head of the list, except in the case 
of first-prize exhibits,, where its position was 
disputed by the new variety, Jeannie 
Gordon. Navy Blue still stands first on the 
list as the best blue variety; Dorothy Ten¬ 
nant is the best mauve; Duke of Westmin¬ 
ster the best violet and purple. For the 
best maroon and bronze, Othello, has been 
displaced by Black Knight. Lady Grisel 
Hamilton still tops the list as the best 
lavender variety. 
Dorothy Eckford in both audits .takes 
premier position for a white variety. This 
might have been said when the first classifica¬ 
tion was made out by the society, had it been 
better known, but it has since proved to be 
of superior merit in the matter of size, vigour, 
