December  26,  1895. 
601 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
The  N.C.S.  Rules  and  Awaeds  of  the  Floral  Committee, 
I  FEAR  I  have  nnintentionally  misled  you  into  perhaps  assuming  that 
a  silver  medal  lent  me  the  other  day  by  the  Secretary  of  ths  N.C.S.  was 
the  silver  medal  in  question.  The  Editor’s  note  on  page  557  might  give 
that  interpretation.  The  medal  I  have  received  was  for  quite  another 
exhibit,  and  I  sent  you  the  secretary’s  note  to  show  the  unnecessarily 
“  polite”  communication  accompanying  it. 
On  the  occasion  in  question  I  staged  some  three  or  four  dozen  cut 
blooms  of  various  sections  (a  dozen  being  shown  in  my  patent  stand), 
besides  several  bunches  of  decoratives,  the  whole  being  my  own  seed¬ 
lings.  I  may  incidentally  observe  that  I  live  some  forty  miles  from 
London — two  hours  more  or  less  by  train.  In  point  of  numbers  and 
varieties  it  was  the  largest  exhibit  staged  that  day.  I  did  not  secure  a 
certificate,  although  the  Committee  asked  to  see  one  or  two  varieties 
again. 
i,  of  course,  accept  the  official  statement  that  no  award  was  made  ; 
but  considering  the  fact  that  a  vote  of  thanks  was  very  properly  accorded 
at  that  meeting  to  a  member  of  the  Floral  Committee  for  exhibiting  two 
flowers  of  a  variety  already  in  commerce,  surely  it  is  not  unreasonable 
to  have  expected  a  similar  compliment  paid  to  my  exhibit.  I  cannot,  of 
course,  help  observing  the  evident  feeling  displayed  in  the  secretary’s 
letter  when  he  says  that  he  sapposes  that  no  vote  of  thanks  was 
proposed  in  face  of  the  opposition  to  the  silver  medal  admittedly 
won,  and  then  lost  by  one  vote,  and  reported  as  won  in  t’ne  horticultural 
papers. 
As  to  the  Regulation,  you  will  see  by  referring  to  the  schedule  of 
the  N.C.S.  (page  14,  Reg.  4)  that  a  majority  of  those  "present”  is 
required  before  a  certificate  can  be  granted.  The  application  of  this 
Regulation  has  not,  1  learn,  been  enforced  until  the  present  season,  and 
has  now  been  made  to  apply  generally.  The  Regulation  has  been 
considerably  discussed  at  the  last  few  meetings,  and  there  can  be  no 
denying  the  fact  of  the  "  eccentricity  ”  to  which  I  have  referred,  and 
I  should  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the  meeting  to  consider  the 
rules  for  the  Floral  Committee,  mentioned  in  the  Secretary’s  letter 
to  me  and  published  in  your  Journal  on  page  557  was  convened  to 
alter  that  rule. 
Please  do  not  waste  the  space  of  your  Journal  if  you  think  the 
matter  can  terminate,  as  I  shall  be  quite  satisfied  by  you  alone  reading 
this  letter,  feeling  sure  that  in  the  end  I  shall  have  done  both  the  N.C.S. 
and  amateur  Chrysanthemum  growers  a  good  turn, — Henry  Briscoe- 
Ironside. 
[If  we  have  been  misled  into  publishing  what  is  wrong  it  is  necessary 
to  publish  this  letter  in  putting  the  matter  right.  We  had  absolutely  no 
material  for  any  other  interpretation  than  that  conveyed .  The  Secretary’s 
letter  in  conveying  the  medal  we  simply  regarded  as  a  model  in 
laconics,  and  hit  brass-farthing  reference  a  not  unnatural  rejoinder  to 
what  had  gone  before.  The  opportunity  was  too  tempting  to  be  resisted 
by  an  emotional  official  who  himself  sometimes  invites  retorts,  and 
presumably  enjoys  them,] 
Mr.  W.  H,  Lees. 
I  WAS  very  pleased  to  see  the  old  champion,  Mr.  Molyneux,  seconding 
as  it  were  your  just  notice  of  the  present  champion,  Mr.  Lees.  I  had 
not  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  Lees  until  last  war  time  (1894),  but 
this  year  staged  by  the  side  of  him  at  two  of  the  shows,  and  I  do  not 
think  I  ever  saw  anyone  so  quiet  and  cool  over  the  work  before. 
Certainly  he  had  blooms  to  be  proud  of,  but  his  manner  was  an  object 
lesson.  Good  men  are  generally  written  up  after  they  are  dead,  but 
I  am  sure  there  are  thousands  who  will  join  me  in  wishing  Mr.  Lees  a 
very  happy  Christmas,  and  many  of  them.  Also  to  the  one  who 
instructed  him  in  disbudding  the  few  Chrysanthemums. — W.  Wells. 
Chrysanthemum  "  Miss  Rita  Schroeter.” 
In  his  very  useful  notice  which  appeared  on  page  557  Mr.  E.  Moly¬ 
neux  speaks  of  this  variety  as  having  been  raised  “  some  two  years 
since,”  but  that  it  “  has  not  justified  itself  until  this  season.”  The 
variety  in  question  was  certificated  in  November,  1894,  and  brought  out 
last  winter  for  the  first  time. — C.  E.  Shea,  Foots  Cray, 
Yellow  Bouquet  des  Dames. 
I  shall  be  pleased  to  learn  if  there  is  a  yellow  form  of  Bouquet  des 
Dames  in  existence.  If  1  remember  rightly  Mr.  Molyneux  mentioned 
it  last  year  about  this  time,  but  all  the  same  I  do  not  see  it  advertised 
or  offered  in  any  catalogue.  We  value  the  white  form  for  early  work  ; 
cutting  it  down  about  the  first  week  in  June  it  comes  in  with  Madame 
Desgranges,  and  I  think  the  yellow  form  would  be  a  fine  companion. — 
Another  Mummer. 
Disqualification  at  Glasgow. 
I  BELIEVE  Messis,  Pearson  &  Sons  are  correct  in  saying  (page  510) 
their  show  board  had  boles  fij  inches  apart  instead  of  7  inches,  but  tl  ey 
forget  to  state  that  only  twenty-four  blooms  were  on  boards  of  that  size. 
The  third  board  was  only  24  inches  by  18  inches.  This  gave  the 
exhibit  the  appearance  of  a  stand  of  twenty-four  with  gome  other  small 
exhibit  beside  it.  “  Sadoc”  (page  534)  dreams  of  disappointed  exhibitors. 
These,  happily,  were  conspicuous  by  their  absence.  No  judge  would  be 
doing  his  duty  to  encourage  competing  on  such  lines. — Wm.  Elton. 
After  the  Wars, 
As  one  of  the  young  warriors  spoken  of  by  “  Staff  Officer  ” 
(page  544),  I  beg,  on  behalf  of  myself  and  those  under  me,  to  thank 
your  correspondent  for  his  kind,  cheering,  and  encouraging  remarks. 
I  feel  sure  that  no  one  who  has  been  engaged  in  the  late  war  of  the 
"  mums  ”  can  read  the  advice  of  "  Staff  Officer  ”  without  feeling  stimu¬ 
lated  and  encouraged,  whatever  defeats  they  may  have  had  in  the  past. 
If  our  worthy  friend  and  champion  of  1895,  Mr.  W.  H.  Lees,  were  to 
give  us  some  of  his  past  experience,  I  feel  sure  it  would  prove  that  he 
has  not  obtained  his  present  proud  position  without  having  sustained 
some  honourable  scars,  though  not  enough  to  cripple  him  and  his 
position  to  day. 
He  would  be  a  bold  man  who  would  venture  to  say  who  would 
conquer  and  win  in  1896.  Certainly  it  will  not  be  the  warrior  who  is 
downhearted  or  discouraged  because  of  past  defeats,  but  to  him  who 
profits  by  past  experience,  and  takes  the  advice  of  "  Staff  Officer  ”  in 
looking  after  the  thumbs. — Thos.  Robinson,  Elsfield  Gardens,  Holling- 
hourne,  Kent, 
RUSTIC  ADORNMENTS  FOR  HOMES  OF  TASTE. 
Messrs.  W.  H.  &  L.  Collingridge  have  sent  us  a  copy  of  a  new 
and  very  beautiful  edition  of  the  late  Mr.  Shirley  Hibberd’s  work 
bearing  the  above  title.  We  cannot  imagine  a  more  appropriate 
presentation  book  than  this  to  persons  who  delight  in  flower  and 
attractive  home  surroundings.  It  is  suitable  as  a  Christmas  gift,  a 
New  Year’s  gift,  as  a  gift  at  any  time,  and  is  worthy  of  a  place  in  any 
“  home  of  taste.”  Moreover,  it  abounds  in  useful,  practical  hints,  and 
is  eminently  readable  from  end  to  end.  We  take  a  sample  at  random 
on  a  subject  that  is  never  unseasonable,  and  least  of  all  at  the  present 
time  ; — 
Floral  Decorations. 
"  Bring  flowers,  young  flowers,  for  the  festal  board, 
To  wreathe  the  cup  ere  the  wine  be  poured. 
Bring  flowers!  They  are  springing  in  wood  and  vale. 
Their  breath  floats  out  on  the  southern  gale, 
And  the  touch  of  the  sunbeam  hath  waked  the  Rose, 
To  deck  the  hall  where  the  bright  wine  flows.” 
Mrs.  Hemans. 
So  many  are  the  social  qualities  of  flowers  that  it  would  be  a  difficult 
task  to  enumerate  them.  We  always  feel  welcome  when,  on  entering  a 
room,  we  find  a  display  of  flowers  on  the  table.  Where  there  are  flowers 
about,  the  hostess  appears  glad,  the  children  pleased,  the  very  dog  and 
cat  grateful  for  our  arrival,  the  whole  scene  and  all  the  personages  seem 
more  hearty,  homely,  and  beautiful,  because  of  those  bewitching  Roses, 
and  Orchids,  and  Lilies,  and  Mignonette  1  Assuredly,  of  all  simple 
domestic  ornaments  flowers  must  have  the  first  place. 
"  Better  hang  a  wild  Rose  over  the  toilette  than  nothing,”  says  Leigh 
Hunt ;  “  the  eye  that  looks  in  the  glass  will  see  there  something  besides 
itself,  and  acquire  something  of  a  religious  right  to  respect  itself,  in 
thinking  by  how  many  objects  in  the  creation  the  bloom  of  beauty  is 
shared.” 
Speaking  of  breakfast  in  summer,  the  same  prince  of  essayists  aaysj 
“  Set  flowers  on  your  table,  a  whole  nosegay,  if  you  can  get  it,  or  but 
two  or  three,  or  a  single  flower  ; — a  Rose,  a  Pink,  nay,  a  Daisy.  Bring 
a  few  Daises  and  Buttercups  from  your  last  field  walk,  and  keep  them 
alive  in  water ;  and  preserve  but  a  bunch  of  Clover,  or  a  handful  of 
flowering  grass — one  of  the  most  elegant  as  well  as  cheap  of  Nature’s 
productions — and  you  have  something  on  your  table  that  reminds  you 
of  the  beauty  of  God’s  creation,  and  gives  you  a  link  with  the  poets 
and  sages  that  have  done  it  most  honour.  Put  but  a  Rose,  or  a  Lily, 
or  a  Violet  on  your  table,  and  you  and  Lord  Bacon  have  a  custom  in 
common  ;  for  that  great  and  wise  man  was  in  the  habit  of  having  the 
flowers  in  season  set  upon  his  table — morning,  and,  we  believe,  noon, 
and  night ;  that  is  to  say,  at  all  his  meals  ;  for  dinner,  in  his  time,  was 
taken  at  noon  ;  and  why  should  he  not  have  flowers  at  all  his  meals, 
seeing  that  they  were  growing  all  day  ?  Now,  here  is  a  fashion  that 
shall  last,  you  for  ever,  if  you  please;  never  changing  with  silks  and 
velvets,  nor  dependent  upon  the  caprice  of  some  fine  gentleman  or  lady. 
The  fashion  of  the  garments  of  heaven  and  earth  endures  for  ever,  and 
ycu  may  adorn  your  table  with  specimens  of  their  drapery — with  flowers 
out  of  the  fields,  and  golden  beams  out  of  the  blue  ether.” 
"  You  who  have  gardens  may  multiply  your  enjoyments  of  them  a 
hundred-fold  by  keeping  in  mind  the  genial  suggestion  of  Leigh  Hunt, 
Make  the  most  of  every  ray  of  light  that  falls  out  of  heaven  to  bless 
you  at  the  window  ;  there  you  may  woo  beauty,  and  have  it  nod  to  you 
in  a  hundred  forms  :  with  a  pair  of  scissors  you  may,  every  morning,  cull 
a  posy  for  the  breakfast-table ;  you  may  make  the  tables,  and  the 
mantel-pieces,  and  the  quiet  recesses  of  your  rooms  gay  at  all  times 
and  the  whole  atmosphere  of  the  house  as  odorous  of  flowers,  as  we 
