394 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
October  24. 1895. 
simply  lovers  of  the  flower.  Exhibitors  especially  will  be  deeply 
interested  in  the  prospects  of  the  season.  To  them  it  means  success  or 
otherwise  after  eleven  months  of  toil  and  watchfulness. 
I  look  on  the  prospects  of  a  good  season  most  hopefully,  and  believe 
we  shall  see  blooms  fully  up  to  the  mark  of  any  previous  year.  True, 
we  have  experienced  periods  of  both  extreme  drought  and  damp,  cold 
weather,  happily  though  the  former  has  been  much  in  ascendancy. 
With  reasonable  attention  to  cultural  details  Chrysanthemums  enjoy 
heat  and  sunshine,  but  they  mustt  have  atmospheric  moisture.  The 
practical  cultivator  makes  sufficient  use  of  the  syringe,  and  water  to 
make  up  any  deficiency  of  nature.  We  should  not  have  complaints  this 
year  about  “soft”  wood  where  the  plants  have  had  ample  space  to 
enable  the  growth  to  be  made  in  such  a  manner  that  maturity  must 
follow  as  a  matter  of  course.  A  plentiful  supply  of  fully  developed 
foliage  prevents  what  some  call  over-ripening,  but  which  is  really  con¬ 
traction  of  the  tissues,  brought  about  by  irregular  and  improper  methods 
of  culture.  In  some  few  instances  I  have  noted  a  partial  loss  of  the 
lower  leaves  from  the  plants.  This  is  regretable,  and  cannot  fail  to  be 
injurious  to  some  extent. 
Mildew,  I  notice,  is  more  rampant  this  season  than  in  some  past  years. 
I  notice,  too,  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  cultivators  to  allow  this  parasite 
to  obtain  a  footing  on  the  leaves  before  remedies  are  applied.  What 
wonder,  then,  if  such  cultivators  occupy  a  position  not  to  their  liking 
on  the  exhibition  table?  The  plants  were  grown  by  the  system  or 
method  known  as  the  large  bloom  plan,  are  not  unusually  tall,  although 
some  new  varieties  appear  to  have  a  tendency  to  grow  higher  than  is 
desirable.  Taken  as  a  whole,  though,  the  bulk  of  new  kinds  exhibit  a 
sturdy  character,  much  inclined  to  dwarfness,  combined  with  fully 
•developed  stems,  leaves,  and  blooms. 
Amongst  American  raised  varieties  I  find  the  more  dwarf-growing 
kinds.  For  this  improvement  our  Yankee  cousins  deserve  congratula¬ 
tion.  A.  H.  Fewkes  is  an  instance  of  this.  I  never  saw  such  leaves 
on  a  Chrysanthemum  plant  as  this  Japanese  variety  is  furnished  with, 
and  growing  but  a  yard  high.  Abbd  Mendenhall  is  another  instance 
of  dwarfness.  Mr.  G.  Newitt,  one  of  the  most  charming  of  white- 
flowered  varieties,  too,  deserves  mention  in  reference  to  the  combina¬ 
tion  of  quality  of  bloom  with  dwarfness  of  habit.  Innumerable 
instances  of  progress  in  this  respect  might  be  adduced,  but  space  does 
not  allow.  In  the  newer  raised  kinds,  too,  there  is  a  distinct  advance 
in  the  quality  of  the  blooms  as  compared  to  the  introductions  of  but 
half  a  dozen  years  ago.  Take,  for  instance.  Avalanche  ;  this  was  regarded 
as  the  finest  white  Chrysanthemum  in  existence  at  the  time  of  its  intro¬ 
duction.  Such  varieties  as  Mrs.  C.  B.  Shea,  Mdlle.  Th^r^se  Key,  W,  G. 
Newitt,  and  Madame  Carnot  completely  oust  such  stiff-petalled  varieties 
at  this  period.  Amongst  yellows  there  is  almost  a  plethora  of  forms. 
A  time  there  was  when  anything  new  and  meritorious  in  this  colour  was 
a  decided  acquisition.  Phoebus,  Mons.  Ch.  Molin,  and  the  Duchess  of 
York,  a  trio  of  really  first-class  kinds.  Pallanza,  I  fear,  is  too  much 
like  our  old  friend  Sunflower  to  prove  so  useful  as  was  thought  to  be 
■the  case.  Of  Japanese  varieties  there  are  enough  and  to  spare  of  flowers 
that  but  little  fault  can  be  found  with,  certainly  enough  to  give  an 
exhibition  stand  that  tinge  of  colour  that  might  almost  be  described  as 
perfection. 
So  far  I  have  dealt  with  the  more  popular  Japanese  section,  not 
that  I  regard  the  incurved  with  less  pleasant  memories,  but  looking  at 
them  in  a  decorative  sense  they  bear  no  comparison  to  their  more  showy 
and  less  formal  Japanese  brethren.  The  latter,  too,  are  so  easily  raised 
from  seed  that  an  almost  continued  succession  of  forms  and  colours  are 
obtained,  bringing  its  reward  in  novelty,  that  with  the  ever-increasing 
demand  for  variation,  no  wonder  then  that  the  stiff  looking  Chinese  or 
incurved  kinds  are  being  gradually  elbowed  out  of  popularity.  If  four 
really  good  and  distinct  varieties  can  be  added  to  the  list  annually  we 
consider  much  has  been  done  in  one  season.  In  spite  of  the  uncertainty 
of  obtaining  new  ones  from  sports,  the  best  are  produced  in  this  way. 
At  the  present  moment  there  is  a  decided  tendency  to  encourage  those 
that  have  far  too  much  of  the  Japanese  blood  incorporated  in  them  to 
ever  be  typical  blooms  of  the  incurved  section,  of  which  there  is  no  truer 
example  than  Lord  Alcester,  itself  a  sport.  Mention  could  easily  be 
made  of  several  that  were  sent  out  with  a  great  flourish,  but  experience 
has  proved  their  florets  partake  too  much  of  the  hedgehog  tendency  ever 
to  make  strictly  the  true  globe-shaped  incurved  bloom  so  necessary  to 
maintain  that  standard  of  excellence  which  all  ought  to  strive  for. — 
E.  Molyneux. 
Cheysaxthemitm  Prospects  Eound  Bolton. 
Although  situated  in  by  no  means  the  most  salubrious  district,  or 
one  that  is  conducive  of  the  well-being  of  the  autumn  queen,  it  is 
gratifying  to  note  after  a  series  of  visits  to  see  the  many  excellent 
specimens  grown  in  this  neighbourhood,  and  that  the  season  promises  to 
be  the  finest  on  record.  Around  Bolton  I  believe  we  have  some  of  the 
most  enthusiastic  growers  to  be  found,  and  with  our  show  looming  in 
the  near  future  with  all  its  attendant  hopes  and  fears,  very  fine  displays 
are  anticipated.  It  is  not  my  intention  to  enumerate  what  I  found  at 
each  place  separately  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  where  they  are  grown  for 
home  decoration  as  well  as  for  exhibition  the  outlook  is  most  hopeful. 
The  most  noteworthy  amonjst  the  newer  Japanese  are  Wilfred 
Marshall,  Mons.  Chas.  Molin,  Mrs.  E.  S.  Trafford,  Madame  Carnot, 
Mons.  Gruyer,  Mons.  Georges  Baron,  Mons.  G.  Montigny,  Miss  Maggie 
Blenkiron,  Mrs.  E.  G.  Hill,  Thomas  Wilkins,  Col.  Chase,  Duchess  of 
York,  Commandant  Blusset,  Miss  Dorothy  Shea,  Mdlle.  M.  A.  deGalbert, 
Mons.  Panckoucke.  M.  Ph.  Dewolfs,  Lmise,  L’lsere,  Edith  Rowbottom, 
Rose  Wynne,  and  Princess  May. 
Foremost  amongst  the  older  varieties  are  Col.  Smith,  Lord  Brooke, 
Edwin  Molyneux,  Viviand  Morel,  Chas.  Davis,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Payne, 
Primrose  League,  G.  W.  Child,  Stanstead  White,  W.  Seward,  G.  C. 
Schwabe.  Ada  Prass,  C.  Shrimpton,  Boule  d’Or,  and  Florence  Davis. 
Amongst  the  incurved  the  Queen  family  is  remarkably  fine,  so  also  is 
the  Princess  family.  Other  noticeable  sorts  were  Baron  Hirsch,  Lord 
Rosebery,  Robert  Patfield,  Major  Bonnafron,  J.  Agate,  C.  B.  Whitnall, 
V.  P.  Jules  Barigny,  Globe  d’Or,  Lucy  Kendal,  and  Mons.  R.  Bahuant. 
The  great  event  to  Bolton  people  is  C.  H.  Shaw,  Esq.,  prize — a 
silver  cup,  for  twelve  incurved  and  twelve  Japanese  blooms.  This 
class  is  confined  to  growers  residing  within  eight  miles  round  Bolton. 
The  leading  class  in  the  open  section  is  for  twelve  incurved  and  twelve 
Japanese,  and  the  prizes  are  £5,  £3,  £2,  and  a  silver  challenge  cup, 
given  by  J.  W.  Makant,  Esq.,  J.P.  Bolton  show  promises  to  be  the  best 
we  have  had,  for,  in  addition  to  the  ordinary  prizes,  two  medals  of 
the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  are  given.  The  Secretary  and  Com¬ 
mittee  are  using  every  endeavour  to  make  it  a  success,  which  they  hope 
it  will  be. — R.  S. 
Chrysanthemums  in  Cheshire. 
Oaklands,  Spital. — Last  season,  owing  to  illness,  Mr.  T.  Ranson 
was  not  able  to  exhibit.  His  blooms  were  much  missed,  and  although 
he  is  well  again  and  will  be  seen  exhibiting,  he  informed  me  that  it 
would  be  his  last  season,  his  employer  preferring  smaller  blooms.  His 
plants  have  never  looked  better,  well  ripened  wood  with  large  well 
formed  buds  as  a  criterion.  They  are  unfolding  very  fast.  Pallanza, 
half  expanded,  looks  like  a  grand  yellow  ;  Thos.  Davison,  opening  large 
buds  of  rich  crimson  and  gold  ;  Duchess  of  York  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Lees 
look  promising  ;  Philadelphia,  although  pale  in  foliage,  is  opening  freely  ; 
Madame  Carnot  and  Souvenir  de  Petite  Amie  look  beauliful  ;  Viscountess 
Hambledon  and  Mons.  C.  Molin  are  very  good  ;  Madame  C.  Molin  large 
but  coarse ;  Mdlle.  M.  A.  de  Galbert,  although  not  quite  so  large  as 
Mdlle.  Th6r6se  Rey,  is  whiter,  and  it  will  be  a  question  if  it  will  not 
supersede  the  latter  popular  variety  ;  Thos.  Wilkins,  M.  Georges  Biron, 
Madame  Octavie  Mirbeau,  Jules  ChrStien,  Mrs.  H.  Robinson,  Rose 
Wynne,  Violetta,  and  Sarah  Hill  are  in  good  form,  as  are  all  other  of 
I  the  older  sorts. 
Incurved  never  looked  better,  Mr.  C.  H,  Curtis  looking  a  good 
I  yellow  and  Robert  Canned  being  superb.  Altogether  the  collection  is 
excellent,  and  it  is  regretable  that  where  cultivation  is  so  good  it 
must  be  withdrawn  from  the  public,  for  nowhere  can  such  lessons  be 
I  given  to  those  aspiring  to  public  fame  than  at  our  exhibitions. 
Lingdale  Lodge,  Oxton. — Mr.  G.  Burden  is  too  well  known  to 
need  introducing,  and  bis  Chrysanthemums  are,  on  the  average,  a  good 
strong  lot,  Japanese  in  all  varieties  being  fine.  Pallanza  here  is  very  like 
Sunflower  from  buds  developing.  Duchess  of  York  is  thought  very  little 
about.  Mods.  C.  Molin  so  far  is  a  good  colour,  but  thin  in  substance. 
Madame  Ad.  Moulin  is  a  grand  white.  Mrs.  E.  S.  Trafford  is  a  taking 
'  colour,  and  would  be  fine  if  the  flowers  were  larger.  Duchess  of  Wel- 
I  lington  and  Mons.  Panckoucke  are  two  very  good  yellows.  Others 
[  promising  well  are  Philadelphia,  M.  A.  de  Galbert,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Lees, 
President  Armand,  Mons.  Gruyer,  Inter-Ocean,  M.  J.  de  Beylie,  M.  Ph. 
I  Dewofs,  and  Mons.  G.  Biron.  All  other  kinds  are  good.  Incurved  in 
i  every  section  look  in  the  best  of  condition,  and  new  ones  which  ought 
to  make  a  name  are  Globe  d’Or,  J.  Agate,  and  Mrs.  J.  Gardiner.  Since 
Mr.  Cockburn’s  death  it  is  pleasing  to  state  that  the  Chrysanthemum, 
which  was  to  him  such  a  source  of  enjoyment,  is  equally  as  much 
cherished  by  members  of  his  family. — R.  P.  R. 
GIANT  ONIONS. 
It  seems  rather  contrary  to  recognised  ideas,  in  relation  to  constant 
cropping  of  soil,  to.  learn  that  the  splendid  Onion  bulbs  which  Mr. 
Bowerman  grew  this  year  at  Hackwood  Park,  and  with  which  he 
has  been  taking  prizes  in  all  directions,  were  grown  on  the  same 
ground  as  similar  Onions  have  been  grown  on  for  the  past  four  or  five 
years.  Still  further,  it  seems  that  in  each  successive  year  the  bulbs 
improve  in  size  and  quality.  It  is  a  fact  that  these  splendid  bulbs  are 
this  year  as  hard  and  perfectly  ripened  as  if  grown  under  ordinary 
conditions,  and  were  of  not  one-fourth  the  weight.  That  is  doubtless 
to  some  extent  due  to  early  sowing  and  planting  out,  so  as  to  give  a 
long  season  ;  and  also  to  the  exceeding  warmth  of  the  summer.  Still 
warmth  always  suits  Onions  under  any  conditions,  if  enough  moisture 
be  also  supplied. 
This  Hackwood  Onion  soil  is  deeply  trenched,  the  top  and  under 
soils  being  reversed  each  year.  It  is  also  highly  manured.  It  thus 
seems  as  if  so  far  from  the  successive  Onion  crops  taking  all  the  essential 
bulb  nutriment  out  of  the  soil,  that  nutriment  rather  increased.  It  is 
fair,  however,  to  assume  that  such  results  will  follow  only  where  very 
high  culture,  as  in  this  case,  is  given.  1  do  not  attempt  in  this  note  to 
discuss  the  not  uninteresting  question  as  to  whether  these  huge  Onions 
are  desirable  or  net.  The  common  assumption  that  Onions  are  grown  in 
gardens  only  for  ordinary  kitchen  use  has  led  to  the  farther  assumption 
that  smaller  or  ordinary  grown  bulbs  are  best.  On  the  other  hand  it  is 
pleaded  that  these  large  bulbs  furnish  splendid,  nutritious  food  when 
baked  or  stewed,  and  in  that  way  render  mankind  a  great  service. 
It  is  also  pleaded  that  under  what  is  termed  ordinary  culture  we 
have  never  seen  the  capacities  of  the  Onion  fully  displayed.  That  may 
be  true.  It  does  seem  as  if  in  a  collection  of  vegetable*  bulbs  of  such 
huge  dimensions,  even  when,  like  Mr.  Bowerman’s  bulbs,  they  are 
'  perfect  in  form,  solidity,  and  finish,  are  rather  out  of  place,  as  they 
