8 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
January 2. 1904. 
not to mention, tlie inmates of our glasshouses, that something 
more lasting becomes imperative. To supply this want many 
inventions have from time to time been, patented. Of those I 
have tried few can compete with the Stratford and Acmei, but 
these are rather costly, and as most employers are anxious to 
keep expenses down, it frequently ends—if the gardener relies 
on these—in, the trees being left without labels. 
But this need not be the case if the gardener will provide 
himself with a set of letter punches, easily obtainable for a 
few shillings from any tool manufacturers, a quantity of sheet 
lead, a pot of white paint, and a piece of flat iron to work on. 
For some years we used the commoner zinc label and found 
it very useful too, being easily written on with acid or in¬ 
delible ink, but have now given it up for the lead label, which 
we find in every way preferable. It is always legible, 
moderately cheap 1 , lasts indefinitely, and can be cut to any size 
or shape required. Some difficulty may be experienced in 
cutting the lead. We got over this by knocking one handle 
off a pair of garden shears and fixing the shank in, the end of 
a block of wood 2 ft. by 9 in. by 9 in. close enough to one 
side to allow of the remaining handle being closed hard down. 
With this contrivance the lead coadd be clipped with perfect 
ease. 
The size of the label will, of course, depend on that of the 
letter’s: used ; J in. to f in. will be found most generally useful. 
Small pieces of oblong shape are the most suitable for trees 
and shrubs; they can be nailed to large trees or suspended 
by a wire passed through a couple of holes 1 in the top of the 
label. In passing, I may mention that at Kew they have a 
capital way of doing this by which the label is held firmly and 
not allowed to swing. The wire is passed from the front of 
the label through the next hole; this leaves one end in front 
and the other at the back ; these are brought together in the 
middle and twisted a few turns and then fastened to the tree 
or shrub with a, large loop sufficient to allow of the expansion 
of the branch. 
Oblongs of greater length divided by an oblique cut, make 
capital labels for perennials, smaller ones of the same shape 
being used for alpine®, pot work, etc. A good illustration, of 
this label may be found in The Gardening World, Vol. XX., 
page 445. We consider it advisable to place the label deeper 
in the soil than appears toi have been done in, this case. As 
will be seen,, the name is stamped horizontally across the top 1 ; 
a pencil line assists the operator to keep 1 straight. After 
punching the name, smear a, little white paint over to fill up 
the letters, wiping the rest off with a piece of rag. 
Where heavy, dressings are applied, and the shrub or plant 
is not, strong enough to carry the label, a, stem is required. 
Those at Kew are of wrought iron, and the label is fastened by 
a little, bolt and nut,; these last can. be purchased cheaply by 
the hundred. A good substitute for this is a, piece of stout 
wire bent into the shape of an inverted Y, the ends brought 
together and passed by each other, then, bent round until they 
form an inverted Y again, but with the addition of a ring at 
the top ; to this the label can be fastened. J. C. 
New French Seedling Chrysanthemums. 
For more than twenty years at least our trade- importers and 
exhibitors have been supplied with many of their best- varieties 
by the Continental raisers, of whom Simon Delaux, of Tou¬ 
louse, was the leading spirit. As, time went on several other 
competitors entered the field, and were in a measure moderately 
successful. Delaux’s greatest rival, however, was Ernest 
Calvat, who, eleven years ago,, was unknown in, this country, 
and sent over for the first time to a, floral meeting of the 
N.C.S. some of his new seedlings which lie, as an amateur, 
had just raised. 
We all know the result, and for the next, ten years Cal vat’s 
seedlings completely revolutionised our shows, and there was 
apparently no one capable of coping with him in the produc¬ 
tion of new Chrysanthemums. Brilliant as Mr. Calvat,’s 
achievements have been, a careful survey of the history of the 
Chrysanthemum assures us that no man, be he raiser, im¬ 
porter, or exhibitor, can remain at the top of the tree for 
more than about seven years, and so there have of late been 
signs", that other growers, home and colonial, are bent on dis¬ 
puting the supremacy of the great and hitherto invincible 
Calvat. 
Whether they will succeed time alone will show. But any¬ 
one interested in the matter of novelties cannot have failed 
to observe the keen rivalry with which he has now to contend. 
During the past two seasons Calvat’s novelties have been 
quite up- to his usual standard, and many of them, if shown 
ten or twelve years ago, would have been grand enough tol 
have made a lasting reputation for any man. To-day, how¬ 
ever, the standard of quality has 1 been raised to a very high 
Rodgersia pinnata. (See p. 5 .) 
position, and both raiser and exhibitor, to keep in the front 
rank, must produce flowers the like' of which have never been 
seen in the past. 
If the competition is keen in this country, there are abundant 
signs that it is growing in. intensity in France. This, perhaps, 
owing to, the abnormal progress and enthusiasm of the French 
N.C.S., whose executive seem determined to lose no oppor¬ 
tunity of spreading a love for the popular flower from one end 
of the country to the other. Its shows are held in a different- 
part of France- every year, creating a keener interest in the 
flower than coadd otherwise be obtained, and at these shows 
the raisers, from all parts of the country compete in classes 
specially provided for new seedlings. 
We have had some experience of these, Continental Chry¬ 
santhemum shows, and have often admired the methods 
adopted to ensure a- fine- artistic display. The- whole arrange¬ 
ments differ so much from the average English shows that we 
cannot in, the narrow compass of our present article deal 
with them. Only a, visit to such as the recent Paris Chrysan¬ 
themum Show would give the reader a proper idea, of what we 
should like to convey. 
Here, in the- early part, of November, was a display which, 
