March  16,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
231 
American  Chrysanthemums. 
In  the  past  many  sterling  varieties,  both  Japanese  and  incurved, 
have  been  sent  to  us  by  American  raisers.  For  the  last  season  or  two, 
however,  there  has  been  a  lull  in  that  quarter.  This  year  we  are 
promised  several  additions  to  both  sections  by  that  enterprising  raiser, 
Mr.  Nathan  Smith,  of  the  Adrian  Nurseries,  Mich.,  U.S.A.  No  less 
than  nine  novelties  are  enumerated;  they  are  described  as  pedigree 
varieties,  the  names  of  the  parents  being  given  in  each  instance.  From 
photographs  of  the  blooms  and  the  raiser’s  descriptions  I  have  an 
opportunity  of  forming  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  quality  of  each.  As  a 
rule  varieties  raised  outside  of  England  improve  when  subjected  to 
the  cultural  methods  practised  here.  For  the  benefit  of  English 
cultivators  I  will  describe  those  I  think  likely  to  be  of  service  to 
growers  during  the  coming  season. 
Foremost  amongst  them  is  White  Bonnaffon.  As  its  name 
implies  it  belongs  to  the  incurved  section,  and  should  prove  a 
welcome  addition  just  now  when  this  type  of  flower  is  at  rather  a 
low  ebb  in  England.  The  new  comer  is  a  cross  between  Mrs.  H. 
Robinson  and  Mrs.  H.  Mc.Y.  Twombley.  In  formation  the  florets 
are  identical  with  Major  Bonnaffon,  while  the  colour  is  pure  white. 
In  habit  of  growth  it  is  short-jointed,  with  large  dark-green  leaves;  it 
is  not  more  than  3  feet,  though  I  suspect  that  under  the  cultural 
conditions  practised  at  home  it  will  assume  a  greater  height.  Orizaba 
is  a  Japanese  incurved  of  a  pleasing  shade  of  light  pink.  When  we 
consider  that  its  parents  were  Mr.s.  E.  G.  Hill  and  Mrs.  W.  C.  Egan, 
it  will  be  granted  that  its  form  should  be  of  the  best.  This,  too,  is 
dwarf  in  growth. 
Amongst  Japanese  several  varieties  call  for  favourable  comment. 
Foremost  is  Lavender  Queen,  its  parents  being  Mrs.  James  Eadie  and 
Thanksgiving.  It  is  a  full-sized  Japanese  with  florets  rather  below 
medium  width,  filling  up  in  the  centre  well,  and  making  a  bloom  of 
great  depth.  The  colour  appears  to  be  unique — a  soft  shade  of  lavender 
pink  ;  under  artificial  light  it  shows  to  perfection.  Goldmine  is  from 
H.  L.  Sunderbruck  and  Modesto,  both  desirable  varieties  well  known 
to  English  cultivators.  In  colour  it  is  a  rich  golden  yellow.  The 
florets  are  broad,  slightly  recurving  at  the  edge ;  the  tip  curls  and 
whorls.  The  centre  is  quite  full,  building  up  a  large  solid  bloom  that 
should  prove  advantageous  to  cultivators. 
Monrovia  superba  and  Nerota,  from  their  appearance  as  photographs, 
do  not  appeal  to  my  taste.  The  blooms  appear  to  be  built  up  with 
rather  short,  stiff  florets,  lacking  grace,  as  we  judge  of  it  in  our 
standard  of  excellence.  Pluma  belongs  to  the  hairy  section,  and  is 
delicate  pink  in  colour.  Judging  from  its  appearance  it  should  prove 
a,  desirable  addition  to  the  section. — E.  Molyneux. 
- - 
Tlie  Royal  Rorticullural  Society. 
Scientific  Committee,  February  27th. 
Present :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the  chair)  ;  Mr.  Michael,  Mr. 
B.  Im  Thurn,  Eev.  W.  Wilks,  and  Rev.  G.  Henslow,  Hon.  Sec. 
The  Lvcomhe  Oak. — Specimens  of  foliage  and  acorns  were  received 
from  Rev.  J.  H.  Ward  of  Silverton  Rectory,  Exeter,  from  a  tree 
growing  in  the  churchyard,  requesting  for  information  as  to  their 
identity.  Dr.  Masters  has  supplied  the  following  details.  “  I  believe 
the  leaf  and  acorns  exhibited  to  be  those  of  the  Lucombe  Oak,  or  from 
one  of  its  descendants.  The  Lucombe  Oak  was  a  hybrid  between  the 
Turkey  Oak  (Q.  Cerris)  and  the  Cork  Oak  (Q.  Sober).  The  leaves  are 
all  but  evergreen  ;  indeed,  in  some  of  the  varieties,  quite  so.  As  is  the 
case  generally  with  hybrids,  the  descendants  from  the  first  cross  vary 
extremely,  consequently  there  are  many  forms  and  varieties  of  the 
Lucombe  Oak  in  existence.  As  the  specimens  came  from  Exeter  there 
is  additional  ground  for  presuming  it  to  be  descended  from  the  Lucombe, 
as  the  original  tree  was  raised  in  the  nursery  of  Lucombe,  Pince  and 
Co.,  of  Exeter.  The  Fulham  Oak,  raised  in  the  Fulham  Nurseries,  had 
a  similar  origin,  and  now  1  believe  it  to  be  ynpossible  to  distinguish  its 
descendants  from  those  of  the  Lucombe  Oak.  A  full  account  of  these 
Oaks  will  be  found  in  Loudon’s  “  Arboretmn,”  vol.  iii. 
Large  Yew  Tree.- — Mr.  Ward  also  mentions  the  fact  of  a  Tew  tree 
in  the  same  churchyard  being  25  feet  in  Circumference  at  a  height  of 
4  feet  from  the  ground,  and  asks  if  it  is  i  reasonable  conjecture  that 
the  tree  was  planted  before  the  Norman  Oonquest. 
Data  as  to  the  rate  of  growth  of  Y^w  trees  have  been  supplied 
from  trees  planted  in  Basildon  churchy^d  in  1726.  They  have  been 
measured  in  1780,  1796,  1834,  and  18&.  They  were  found,  after 
a  commencing  period  of  more  rapid  growth,  to  be  pretty  regularly 
increased  by  one  line  (one-twelfth  of  an  inch)  per  annum.  (See 
“  Nature,”  October  17th,  1889). 
Bulhiferous  Scilla. — A  plant  of  Scilla  nutans  was  received  from  Mr. 
Alex.  Mortimer,  1,  Paper  Buildings,  Temple,  in  which  the  outer  bulb 
scale  had  become  greatly  elongated  upwards,  forming  a  closed  tube. 
It  bore  two  small  bulbs  on  the  inner  surface,  and  was  greatly  thickened 
at  the  summit,  as  if  attempting  to  form  a  larger  bulb ;  but  no  other 
than  the  above  two  were  developed.  They  both  possessed  small  rolled- 
up  green  leaves. 
Orange  malformed. — Dr.  Masters  showed  an  Orange  having  a  band 
of  paler  and  smoother  rind  than  the  rest  of  the  skin.  It  was  referred 
to  Dr.  Bonavia  for  examination,  who  writes  as  follows : — “  It  somewhat 
resembles  the  Bigaradier  tricolor  Orange, which  has  a  yellow  skin,  with 
orange  stripes  when  ripe.  Again,  the  Bigaradier  bizarrerie  has  smooth 
parts  of  an  orange  colour,  and  warty  parts  yellow.  These  parti¬ 
coloured  Oranges  are  normal.”  Dr.  Bonavia  would  theoretically  explain 
this  peculiarity  by  referring  to  the  “  fingered”  Orange,  which  he  regards 
as  a  whorl  of  modified  leaves,  coalescing  to  form  a  covering  to  the  inner 
portion  of  the  fruit.  To  apply  this  theory  to  the  case  in  question,  he 
would  compare  the  paler  portion  to,  say,  a  Euonymus,  which  may  have 
green  leaves  with  an  occasional  yellow  one,  or  again  he  would  compare 
it  with  striped  petals,  as  of  the  York  and  Lancaster  Rose.  The  objection 
to  Dr.  Bonavia’s  ingenious  theory  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  paler 
coloured  stripe  did  not  correspond  with  a  single  carpel  but  covered 
the  half  of  one  and  the  half  of  the  adjacent  carpel,  so  it  would  represent 
two  halves  of  different  capellary  leaves.  Secondly,  striped  flowers  are 
probably  the  result  of  crossing  two  whole-coloured  flowers.  This  is 
obviously  the  case  with  Petunias,  a  purple  and  white  flowered  species 
having  been  the  parents  of  all  our  garden  forms.  So  that  it  would 
seem  more  probable  that  the  Orange  had  received  the  pollen  of  a 
smooth  skinned  variety,  and  the  tubes  penetrating  one  placenta,  common 
to  two  adjacent  carpels,  had  influenced  the  surface  on  both  sides  of 
the  division.  Similar  stripes  have  been  known  to  occur  on  the  fruit  of 
one  variety  of  Theobroma  (Cocoa)  when  pollinated  by  a  second  variety. 
Dr.  Bonavia’s  report  will  appear  in  full  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal 
Horticultural  Society. 
Drill  Hall,  March  13th. 
The  exhibition  in  the  Drill  Hall  on  Tuesday  was  a  most  attractive 
one,  both  in  the  quality  of  the  products  shown  and  their  diversity. 
Seldom  has  the  hall  been  better  occupied,  and  rarely  has  a  better  display 
of  early  flowers  been  seen. 
Fruit  Committee. — Present ;  Philip  Crowley,  Esq.  (in  the  chair) ; 
Rev.  W.  Wilks,  and  Messrs.  R.  Parker,  E.  Beckett,  E.  Shaw  Blaker, 
J.  Cheal,  M.  Gleeson,  J.  H.  Veitch,  A.  H.  Pearson,  W.  Pope,  A.  Dean, 
S.  Mortimer,  A.  F.  Barron,  J.  W.  Bates,  H.  Markham,  C.  Herrin, 
G.  Wythes,  G.  Keif,  F.  Q.  Lane,  G.  Reynolds,  W.  J.  Empson,  J.  Smith, 
G.  Norman,  J.  Willard,  G.  B unyard,  and  W.  Poupart. 
Mr.  R.  Parker,  gardener  to  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Gordon, 
sent  baskets  of  Goodwood  Pippin  Apple  in  fine  condition;  also 
Wellington,  and  two  other  varieties  with  local  names.  The  King’s 
Acre  Nurseries,  Ltd.,  Hereford,  also  sent  a  dish  of  King’s  Acre  Pippin, 
which  was  staged  in  sound  condition.  Mr.  C.  Ross,  gardener  to  Capt. 
Carstairs,  Welford  Park,  Newbury,  sent  a  good  dish  of  White  Nonpareil. 
A  few  other  dishes  were  also  staged  by  exhibitors,  but  failed  to 
secure  recognition  from  the  committee.  Radishes  were  staged  in  three 
varieties  by  Mr.  J.  Crook,  Forde  Abbey,  Chard.  They'  were  well 
grown  and  of  good  flavour. 
Floral  Committee. — Present ;  W.  Marshall,  Esq.  (in  the  chair)  ; 
with  Messrs.  C.  T.  Druery,  H.  B.  May,  R.  Dean,  G.  Reuthe,  J.  H. 
Fitt,  W.  Howe,  J.  Hudson,  J.  Jennings,  J.  F.  McLeod,  R.  Fife,  0.  J. 
Salter,  W.  H.  Lees,  J.  Fraser,  G.  Gordon,  C.  Jefferies,  J.  Walker, 
W.  Bain,  J.  D.  Pawle,  E.  H.  Jenkins,  H.  S.  Leonard,  C.  E.  Shea,  W.  J. 
James,  H.  J.  Jones,  H.  J.  Cutbush,  C.  Blick,  G.  Paul,  J.  W.  Barr,  T.  W. 
Sanders,  and  E.  Mawley. 
Messrs.  J.  Peed  &  Sons,  Roupell  Park  Nurseries,  Norwood,  arranged 
a  pleasing  display  of  flowering  and  foliage  plants;  the  former  were 
arranged  in  baskets,  while  the  latter  formed  a  good  background  and 
edging  to  the  exhibit.  The  flowers  were  Genista  fragrans.  Begonias, 
Ericas,  Cinerarias,  Mignonette,  Cyclamens,  and  Hyacinths.  These,  with 
the  Palms  and  Perns,  were  attractive.  Ferns  were  well  represented 
by  Messrs.  J.  Hill  &  Son,  Barrowfleld  Nurseries,  Lower  Edmonton,  who 
staged  a  great  variety  of  specimens,  also  baskets  containing  species 
and  varieties  with  tinted  and  variegated  foliage,  which  included  Doodia 
aspera  multifida,  beautifully  coloured  ;  Athyrium  Goringianum  pictum, 
and  Adiantums  scutum  roseum,  Parleyense,  and  Collisi,  also  Blechnum 
latifolium.  The  specimens  were  grown  in  Messrs.  Hill’s  well-known 
style  (silver  Banksian  medal). 
Messrs.  W.  Paul  &  Son,  Waltham  Cross,  arranged  a  large  exhibit  of 
hardy  flowering  shrubs,  which  was  much  admired,  and  attracted  great 
attention.  The  Camellia  and  Carnation  flowered  Peaches  were 
delightful  at  this  period,  as  were  plants  of  Primus  triloba  in  splendid 
condition.  The  double  white  Peach  and  P.  sanguinea  flore-pleno  were 
also  attractive,  while  plants  of  Staphylea  oolchica,  Porsythia  suspensa, 
and  Clematis  indivisa  lobata  all  contributed  to  make  a  welcome  addition 
to  the  display  (silver-gilt  Banksian  medal). 
A  fine  group  of  Clematises  was  arranged  by  Mr.  H.  B.  May,  Upper 
Edmonton,  all  tastefully  displayed  with  Perns,  Palms,  and  Bamboos, 
