23  6 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  18,  1897, 
Le  CHKYSANTHiiME  X  LA  GRANDE  FLEUR. 
We  noticed  this  excellent  French  work  when  the  first  edition  was 
published  twelve  months  ago.  A  second  issue  has  quite  recently  appeared, 
and  in  every  way  equals  the  previous  one,  for  the  printing  and  illustra- 
tions  are  in  the  same  style  and  the  contents  are  the  same,  although  to  an 
extent  augmented  hy  the  inclusion  o f  additional  matter. 
Sheffield  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
The  usual  monthly  meeting  of  this  Society  was  held  in  the  Society’s 
rooms  on  the  10th  inst.,  when  a  good  number  of  members  attended  to 
hear  a  paper  on  the  “  Pelargonium,”  by  Mr.  J.  Dixon.  Mr.  F.  W. 
*  Littlewood  presided.  The  exhibits  for  the  month  were  pot  plants  in 
bloom  for  professional  members,  and  cut  blooms  in  the  amateurs’ 
section.  A  few  days  prior  to  this  meeting  the  Society  held  its  annual 
concert,  which  was  followed  by  dancing.  The  fixture  was  arranged 
some  years  ago  to  enable  the  wives  and  families  of  the  members  to  have 
one  evening  in  the  year  in  which  they  could  show  their  appreciation  of 
the  Society,  and  enjoy  a  social  evening  together. — J.  H.  S. 
A  Tour  Abroad  by  a  Happy  Trio. 
1  {Concluded from  page  155.) 
At  Sheffield,  on  Saturday  at  Ghent,  on  Tuesday  at  Paris,  and  on 
Wednesday  travelling  north  as  fast  as  express  could  carry  him  to  Edin¬ 
burgh,  or,  in  other  words,  finding  himself  in  five  different  countries  for 
Chrysanthemum  purposes  in  the  short  space  of  about  a  week.  That  was 
the  experience  of  Mr.  H.  J.  Jones.  His  first  visit  to  the  Paris  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  show  impressed  him  to  such  an  extent  that  in  his  heart  he 
would  much  rather  have  remained  with  us  than  gone  en  his  way  alone 
to  the  land  of  cakes  and  ale. 
We  turned  our  footsteps  towards  the  show  the  second  day.  Long 
before  midday  the  President  of  the  Republic,  Mons  Felix  Faure,  came 
again  to  visit  the  display,  and  was  much  more  fortunate  than  on  the 
previous  afternoon,  when  the  crowd  was  so  dense.  Almost  everybody  of 
note  in  the  French  Chrysanthemum  world  was  present,  and  it  was  a  very 
pleasing  part  of  the  day’s  work  to  shake  hands  and  chat  pleasantly,  if 
only  for  a  few  moments,  with  many  men  who  were  hitherto  known  to  us 
only  by  name. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  about  twelve  months  previously  the  National 
Horticultural  Society  of  France  organised  a  special  Committee  to  watch 
over  the  interests  of  the  Chrysanthemum,  and  that  the  Committee  has 
accomplished  much  useful  work.  The  broadness  of  scope  will  be  under¬ 
stood  when  I  say  that  this  Committee  is  not  confined  to  members  of  the 
Society,  but  that  outsiders  who  are  distinguished  in  any  way  for  their 
knowledge  of  Chrysanthemum  matters  are  admitted  as  associated 
members  without  payment  of  any  subscription.  A  periodical  publication 
is  issued  at  intervals  containing  reports  of  the  work  of  the  Committee 
and  circulated  gratis  among  the  members,  so  that  those  living  at  a 
distance  may  know  what  is  being  done.  Of  this  Chrysanthemum  Com¬ 
mittee  Mons.  Aug.  Nonin  is  the  President,  and  an  enthusiastic  grower  of 
the  flower.  He  was  a  large  exhibitor,  and  was  the  winner  of  the  Grand 
Prix  d’Honneur,  a  work  of  art  offered  by  the  President  of  the  Republic 
for  a  most  interesting  group  arranged  with  three  semicircular  sides  in 
one  of  the  rooms. 
The  Paris  Show  may  be  considered  a  thoroughly  representative  one 
of  French  Chrysanthemum  growers,  for  exhibitors  were  not  confined  to 
Paris  and  the  environs,  but  came  from  all  parts  of  France.  A  very  full 
display  of  new  seedlings  as  yet  undistributed  was  made,  and  these  were 
dealt  with  by  one  section  of  the  jury  specially  charged  with  the  work  of 
examining  them  and  granting  certificates  to  those  of  exceptional  merit. 
The  following  day  we  also  spent  in  the  Show,  completing  our  notes  and 
making  more  new  acquaintances.  In  the  evening  we  were  due  to  dine 
with  Mons.  Martinet,  the  editor  of  the  “  Jardin,”  at  his  home  on  the 
Boulevard  St.  Germain,  where  in  company  of  himself,  Madame  Martinet, 
Mons.  Ernest  Bergman,  and  Mons.  Dubois,  we  passed  one  of  the  plea¬ 
santest  evenings  during  our  stay  abroad.  The  kind  hospitality  of  this 
genial  French  journalist  and  his  charming  wife,  combined  with  the 
bright  conversational  powers  of  Mons.  Ernest  Bergman,  will  long 
remain  in  our  memory  as  one  of  the  many  enjoyable  reminiscences 
of  our  journey. 
Our  stay  was  now  over  so  far  as  Paris  was  concerned,  and  we  decided 
to  push  on  the  following  morning  to  Amiens.  The  rain  when  we  left 
Paris  at  midday  was  descending  in  torrents,  but  within  a  short  time  of 
our  departure  it  ceased,  and  we  completed  the  journey  beneath  a 
beautiful  blue  sky  and  bright  sunshine  flooding  the  landscape  all  along 
the  line  of  route.  Doing  this  part  of  the  journey  by  daylight  was  almost 
the  first  since  we  left  England,  and  it  was  pleasant  in  the  late  autumn 
to  see  the  well  wooded  country  with  the  trees,  mostly  Silver  Birch,  Oaks, 
Beech  and  Poplars,  still  clad  with  foliage  of  golden  bronze  and’  russet 
hue.  Women  were  working  in  the  fields,  ploughing  in  several  cases 
being  accomplished  with  the  aid  of  oxen.  The  ground  was  beautifully 
undulating  and  interspersed  with  many  a  winding  stream,  and  here  and 
there  a  chateau  in  the  distance. 
On  arriving  at  Amiens  our  first  business  was  to  secure  our  rooms,  and 
then  make  inquiries  as  to  the  Chrysanthemum  show,  which  was  advertised 
to  open  on  the  following  day.  The  Bo  el  de  Yille,  we  learnt,  was  the 
place  in  which  it  was  to  be  held,  and  so  away  we  went  to  learn  what  we 
could  as  to  the  hour  of  opening.  We  found  the  Secretary  and  others  all 
busy  at  work,  and,  explaining  the  object  of  our  visit,  were  given  every 
facility  and  a  free  pass  for  the  following  morning.  There  was  but  little 
variation  between  that  and  the  one  at  Paris  so  far  as  the  leading  features 
were  concerned,  although,  of  course,  it  was  on  a  much  smaller  scale,  and 
the  average  of  cultivation  was  not  so  high.  The  show  was  held  in  three 
separate  rooms  on  an  upper  floor,  and  the  exhibits  consisted  largely  of 
groups  of  pot  plants,  although  cut  blooms  were  duly  provided  for. 
Mons.  Catelain,  the  Vice-President,  Mons.  Emil  Roussel  set  up  some 
good  groups,  and  the  varieties  shown  were  on  the  whole  fairly  well 
known  to  us,  although  there  certainly  appeared  to  be  a  large  number 
among  them  of  only  local  repute.  Cut  blooms  were  staged  in  good 
form  by  Mons.  Anatole  Cordonnier.  Most  of  the  othes  exhibits  were 
much  smaller  in  size,  and  rather  rough  in  finish. 
Our  mission  was  now  over,  and  our  way  lay  homeward.  Before 
leaving  Amiens  we  strolled  round  the  town,  and  of  course  paid  a  visit 
to  the  Cathedral,  one  of  the  most  imposing  in  Europe,  and  built  about 
600  years  ago.  We  obtained  a  glimpse  of  several  other  large  buildings, 
the  Museum,  Palais  de  Justice,  the  Library,  Hospital,  and  the  like,  and 
then  caught  the  Calais  express  at  half-past  one.  Another  beautiful  day, 
almost  summer-like  ;  but  as  we  got  further  north  the  sky  clouded  over, 
and  when  we  reached  Calais  it  was  leaden  in  colour,  and  a  fine  drizzle 
falling.  This  part  of  the  country  is  flatter  and  of  less  interest.  We 
passed  through  many  a  quaint  old  village,  and  noticed  that  large 
numbers  of  the  cottagers  were  bee-keepers.  Heaps  of  Beetroot  for  sugar 
lined  the  railroad  in  some  places  for  a  great  distance,  and  as  we  got 
further  cattle  and  sheep  were  grazing  in  large  numbers,  and  the  well- 
wooded,  hilly  country  looked  as  prosperous  and  as  well  looked  after  as 
could  be  wished. 
Once  again  we  were  on  board  the  steamer,  and  after  a  short  passage 
across  the  Channel  found  ourselves  in  old  England,  with  nothing  but 
pleasant  memories  of  the  many  kindnesses  that  we  had  received  from 
our  continental  friends  wherever  we  had  been. — C.  Harman  Payne. 
THE  YOUNG  GARDENERS’  DOMAIN. 
Notes  on  Vines  —  Thrips  and  Rheumatics. 
I  think  “  Student  ”  has  mistaken  my  meaning.  We  always  damp 
down  with  liquid  manure,  as  ammonia  from  it  helps  to  keep  Vines  free 
from  red  spider  and  thrips.  I  did  not  wish  in  my  former  article  on 
Vines  to  convey  the  meaning  that  the  small  amount  of  ammonia  from 
damping  down  with  liquid  manure  would  kill  red  spider,  is  used  as  a 
preventive,  and  it  is  also  good  for  Vine  foliage  I  believe. 
No,  '•  Student  ;  ”  I  know  too  much  about  red  spider  and  thrips  to 
think  you  could  clear  a  house  of  them  so  easily.  I  used  to  think 
constant  syringing  would  kill  thrips  on  Peach  trees,  or,  if  not,  according 
to  Miss  Ormerod,  they  would  take  rheumatics  from  the  damp  and  die. 
Last  year  I  saw  a  house  of  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees  in  a  bad  state 
with  thrips,  and  too  open  in  the  roof  for  fumigating.  Syringing  was 
resorted  to  three  and  often  four  times  a  day,  and  the  floor  kept  con¬ 
stantly  damp,  yet  the  thrips  increased,  and  few  died  from  rheumatism  I 
think.  * 
Bending  Vines  down  before  starting  to  check  the  flow  of  sap  to 
the  top  buds,  and  strengthen  the  bottom  ones,  is  another  old  belief 
exploded,  as  so  many  are  in  gardening,  as  in  everyday  life.  Exploded 
fallacies  is  a  subject  on  which  much  could  be  written  and  many 
anecdotes  related.  Well  do  I  remember  the  look  of  astonishment  on  the 
face  of  a  gardener  of  the  old  school  who  saw  me  watering  Ferns  with 
liquid  manure,  his  views  and  those  practised  in  his  young  days  beiDg 
“  give  no  manure  to  plants  potted  partly  or  wholly  in  peat.” 
Surely  there  must  be  a  mistake  in  the  editorial  footnote  to  the  article 
by  “  H.  H.”  on  “Vine  Pruning,”  in  the  issue  of  January  14th, 
where  it  is  written  Barbarossa  is  a  pale  red  or  grizzly  coloured  Grape. 
This  and  Gros  Guillaume  may,  like  Cooper’s  Black  and  Gros 
Maroc,  Bowood  Muscat  and  Muscat  of  Alexandria,  be  too  much  alike  in 
some  places  to  be  shown  as  distinct  Grapes.  Gros  Guillaume  is  a  black 
Grape,  and  carries  a  fine  bloom  when  well  finished.  The  late  Mr.  W. 
Thomson  of  Clovenfords  said  it  was  a  noble  looking  and  valuable  Grape, 
a  good  keeper  ;  when  finished  jet  black.  The  “  Fruit  Growers’  Guide  ” 
gives  the  colour  as  deep  purplish  black,  and  carries  a  fine  bloom. — 
W.  T.,  Ireland. 
[Both  the  late  Mr.  Thomson  and  the  “  Fruit  Growers’  Guide  ”  are 
correct  in  the  references  to  Gros  Guillaume,  but  the  remarks  would  be 
quite  wrong  if  anplied  to  Barbarossa.  Dr.  Hogg  has  recorded  in  his 
“  Fruit  Manual  ”  : — •*  The  Grape  which  has  been  grown  in  this  country 
for  some  years  under  the  name  of  Barbaroesa  is  a  totally  different 
variety.  Its  correct  name  is  Gros  Guillaume,  and  it  is  black  ;  the 
Barbarossa  is,  as  its  name  implies,  a  rose  coloured  or  grizzly  Grape.” 
“  W.  T.”  is  not  fortunate  in  his  first  tilt  with  the  Editor,  who  wishes 
him  better  luck  next  time.  Will  he  and  all  correspondents  who  refer 
to  published  articles  oblige  by  always  quoting  the  pages  on  which  they 
appear  ?] 
Polyanthuses  and  Primroses. 
These  spring  flowers  at  this  time  of  the  year  give  a  bright  appear¬ 
ance  to  beds  and  borders.  Plants  should  be  raised  from  seed  annually, 
but  not  treated  as  annuals  beyond  the  annual  sowing  of  seed. 
By  sowing  the  seed  as  soon  as  it  is  well  ripened,  and  pricking  off  the 
