338 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER , 
October  19,  H99. 
CHR 
CHRYSANTHEMUM  SHOWS. 
As  is  usual  at  this  time  of  the  year  we  have  received  .numerous 
intimations  of  Chrysanthemum  shows  which  are  to  be  held  during  the 
coming  season.  Space,  however,  can  only  be  found  for  mentioning 
those  that  have  been  advertised  in  our  columns.  We  append  the 
dates  of  such  fixtures,  with  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  various 
secretaries  :  — 
Oct.  31,  Nov.  1. — Taunton.— John  S.  Winsor,  16,  Hammet-st.,  Taunton. 
Oct.  31,  Nov.  1,  2. — Wolverhampton.- J.  H.  Wheeler,  Glen  Bank, 
Tettenhall,  Wolverhampton. 
Nov.  ]. — Exmouth.— R.  Pearce,  Chippenham-gardens,  Exmouth. 
„  3,  4. — Battersea.-  Hon.  Secretary,  167,  Elsley-rd.,  Lavender- 
hill,  Battersea,  S.W. 
„  7,  8,  9. — Birmingham. — J.  Hughes,  140,  High-st.,  Harborne,  Bir¬ 
mingham  ;  E.  W.  Simpson,  Victoria-rd.,  Birmingham. 
„  8,  9. — Bristol. — Geo.  Webley,  Westbury-on-Trym,  Bristol. 
„  8,  9.— Cardiff. — H.  Gilletr,  66,  Woodville-rd.,  Cardiff. 
„  10,  11. — Altrincham. — C.  C.  Marne,  22,  Railway-st.,  Altrincham. 
10,  11. — Eccles. —  II.  Huber,  Hazeldene,  Winton,  Patricroft. 
„  10,  11.— Huddersfield. — John  Bell,  Marsh,  Huddersfield. 
„  14,  15. — Leeds  Paxton.— .Tames  Campbell,  The  Gardens,  Methley 
Park,  Leeds 
„  15,  16. — Rugby. — Wm.  Bryant,  8,  Barby-rd.,  Rugby. 
,,  15,  16,  17. — York. — Geo.  P.  W.  Oman,  38,  Petergate,  York. 
„  17,  18.— Bolton.  — James  Hicks,  Markland-hill-lane,  Heaton,  Bolton. 
„  17,  18. — Bradford. — R.  Eichel,  Westcliffe-rd.,  Shipley. 
THE  NATIONAL  CHRYSANTHEMUM  SOCIETY. 
Floral  Committee’s  Rules. 
Tiie  new  rule  which  lecently  came  into  force  has,  to  put  it  mildly, 
caused  a  good  deal  of  “feeling.”  Rule  4  now  reads:  “And  no 
certificate  shall  be  awarded  to  any  new  variety  unless  it  receives  the 
support  ol  three-fourths  of  the  Committee  present  ;  but  if  not  more 
than  ten  members,  the  voting  must  be  unanimous.” 
On  the  28th  ult.  I  sent  a  basket  of  plants  of  a  yellow  sport  from 
Lady  Fitzwygram,  and  because  only  eight  out  of  a  possible  eighteen 
members  "Bad  sufficient  interest  in  their  work  to  attend  the  meeting, 
the  trouble  and  expense  of  packing,  and  sending  the  plants  200  miles 
and  back  again,  besides  getting  someone  to  attend  and  stage  them  for 
me,  is  in  vain ;  and  I  may  grow  apotber  stock  for  next  September 
with  a  like  result  for  all  the  Committee  seem  to  care.  But  the 
meeting  of  the  10th  inst.  gave  us  a  bright  example  of  the  working 
of  this  ridiculous  rule.  As  the  N.C.S.  has  most  peculiar  ways  of  doing 
business,  it  may  be  well  to  give  an  account  of  the  meeting  in  detail. 
At  one  o’clock,  the  time  appointed,  not  a  member  was  present ;  shortly 
afterwards  the  Secretary  was  in  his  place,  later  on  a  few  of  the  Com¬ 
mittee  joined  him;  but  all  must  wait  to  see  if  the  number  necessary 
to  do  business  will  attend.  The  Secretary  spots  a  few  stragglers,  and 
calls  them  to  the  table. 
Only  two  varieties  were  presented  for  certificates.  BeiDg  interested 
in  one  of  these,  I  will  pass  on  to  the  variety  staged  by  Mr.  H.  Weeks. 
Upon  its  being  proposed  that  a  certificate  be  awarded,  a  majority  sup¬ 
ported  the  proposition,  but  it  not  receiving  the  support  of  three-fourths 
of  the  Committee,  the  certificate  was  lost.  Then  a  farce  was  played. 
Yery  few  of  the  Committee  were  aware  of  the  new  rule,  and  wanted  to 
know  when  such  a  “ridiculous  regulation  was  made,”  &c.,  &c. 
Explanation  follows,  and  the  proposition  for  the  certificate  was  put 
again,  and  more  hands  were  hold  up  in  its  favour,  but  still  not  sufficient. 
Now  more  committeemen  appear,  and  how  matters  stand  is  explained 
to  them.  Again  the  proposition  is  put,  and  stdl  not  sufficient  votes  to 
carry  it.  More  discussion  follows  as  to  the  wisdom  or  stupidity  of  the 
rule,  the  Secretary  insisting  “  that  a  rule  was  a  rule,  and  must  be 
adhered  to.”  Finally,  and  some  thirty  minutes  late,  another  member 
of  the  Floral  Committee  was  seen  to  be  hurriedly  approaching  the 
table,  and  the  blooms  are  handed  to  him  for  his  opinion. 
Lookers-on  now  say  it  would  have  made  no  difference  had  this 
member  been  in  time,  for  he  never  votes  and  is  not  a  grower  of  exhi¬ 
bition  blooms.  Wonderful  to  relate  the  Chairman  again  puts  the 
proposition  for  a  certificate  to  the  meeting.  Result,  eleven  for,  four 
against,  and,  in  the  words  of  a  committeeman,  “  the  certificate  was 
lost  by  a  third  of  a  man.”  Now  members  express  themselves  freely 
and  loudly,  some  saying  that  they  were  not  going  to  wTaste  their  time 
in  attending  meetings  and  find  the  opinion  of  four  members  is  to 
outweigh  that  of  eleven. 
Ultimately,  amid  high  words,  the  Chairman  dissolved  the  meeting. 
No  one  can  object  to  the  action  of  the  minority  of  four,  who  con¬ 
scientiously  voted  against  the  certificate,  although  personally  I  should 
certainly  have  voted  with  the  eleven,  for  I  consider  the  variety  was 
ail  that  a  Japanese  Chrysanthemum  should  be,  but  if  all  the  meetings 
of  the  N.C.S.  are  conducted  in  such  an  unbusinesslike  way  as  this 
was  can  it  be  wondered  at  that  there  is  so  much  “  bad  blood  ”  caused  ? 
As  a  protest  against  such  grotesque  proceedings  it  is  my  present 
intention  not  to  place  any  blooms  before  the  Floral  Committee  for  the 
whole  of  the  coming  season.— W.  J.  Godfrey,  Exmoutli. 
SCHEDULES  OF  SHOWS. 
Bolton.— November  17th  and  18th. 
The  entries  for  this  year’s  exhibition  of  the  Bolton  Horticultural 
and  Chrysanthemum  Society  must  reach  the  Secretary,  Mr.  J.  Hicks,. 
Markland  Hill  Lane,  Heaton,  by  November  11th.  Curiously  enough 
we  find  here  the  sum  of  £16  10s.  and  a  silver  cup  offered  in  four  prizes 
for  a  group  of  miscellaneous  plants,  while  the  Chrysanthemum  group 
has  only  £6  allotted  for  its  three  awards.  It  is  usually  the  reverse  of 
this  at  autumn  shows.  However,  some  compensation  of  this  apparent 
neglect  is  found  m  the  class  for  thirty-six  blooms,  eighteen  each  of 
Japanese  and  incurved,  for  in  this  £9  in  cash  is  added  to  the  20-guinea 
challenge  cup  for  the  best  stand.  The  second  prize  is  £6,  and  the 
third  £3.  For  twenty-four  blooms,  twelve  each  of  Japanese  and 
incurved,  there  is  a  10-guinea  cup,  with  £5,  £3,  and  £2  lespectively. 
These  classes  are  open.  There  are  some  capital  prizes  offered  in 
several  of  the  classes  that  come  within  certain  stated  restrictions, 
and  in  which  provision  is  made  for  fruit  and  vegetables,  as  well  aa 
Chrysanthemums. 
Kingston. — November  8th  and  9th.  “ 
Somewhat  late  in  the  year,  the  complete  scleduleof  this  old  Society 
has  been  issued;  but  the  full  lists  of  cLsses  were  issued  sometime 
since,  so  that  no  one  is  the  worse  for  the  delay  in  the  issue.  The 
exicutive  have  dispensed  with  any  challenge  vase,  as  it  has  proved 
to  be  a  somewhat  costly  pr'ze  without  bringing  adequate  results.  No 
doubt  the  new  champion  class  for  thirty-six  Japs  will  be  much  more 
popular  with  growers,  as  these  are  more  easily  furnished  than  are 
twenty-four  Japs  and  twenty-four  incurved.  The  prizes  are  in  ready 
money  and  are  valuable  ones.  Some  classes  for  twelve  incurved  Japs 
and  lor  twelve  reflexed  or  tasselled  Japs  should  be  well  competed  in. 
The  group  class  is  this  year  honoured  by  having  the  High  Sheriff’s 
offer  of  5  guineas  assigned  to  it  as  a  first  prize,  and  ought  t)  bring 
good  competition.  The  lady  amateurs  have  a  special  dinner  table 
decoration  class  for  six  persons  that  will  no  doubt  cause  considerable 
interest.  The  dates  for  the  Show  are  the  8th  and  9th  November. 
Leamington. — November  2nd  and  3rd. 
The  schedule  of  the  Lramington,  Warwick  and  District  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  Society,  whose  Exhibition  will  be  held  in  the  Winter  Hall 
and  Pump  Room  on  the  above  dates,  is  one  of  the  smallest  we  have 
received.  It  embodies  twenty-one  classes  only,  of  which  one  is 
for  ladies,  others  for  cottagers,  and  the  remainder  for  professional 
gardeners  and  amateurs.  There  are  upwards  of  halt'  a  dozen 
classes  for  Iruit,  so  that  the  Chrysanthemum  section  is  perlorce 
limited.  Mr.  C.  A.  Smith-Ryland,  whose  gardener,  Mr.  Jones,  stands 
in  the  front  rank  of  cultivators,  offers  a  5-guiuea  cup  for  twenty-four 
Japanese,  distinct,  while  Mr.  Gordon  Bland  offers  a  3-guinea  cup  tor 
twenty-four  blooms,  distinct,  twelve  Japanese  and  twelve  incurved. 
Money  prizes  are,  of  course,  given  in  these  and  other  classes.  The 
S  ecretary  is  Mr.  F.  A.  IlintOD,  Warwick  Nurseries,  Birmingham  Road, 
Warwick,  who  will  receive  entries  up  to  October  31st. 
Rugby. — November  15th  and  16th. 
Rugby  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  chief  fixtures  of  the 
Midlands,  and  this  year’s  exhibition,  which  is  the  thirteenth  of 
Chrysanthemums,  Primulas,  winter-flowering  plants  and  fruits,  is 
fixed  for  the  dates  given  in  the  Town  Hall.  There  are  open, 
amateur,  and  cottagers’  classes  to  the  number  of  about  five  dozeD, 
and  as  all  sections  of  growers  are  catered  for,  the  result  should  be 
encouraging  to  Mr.  W.  Bryant,  8,  Barby  Road,  Rugby,  the  Secre¬ 
tary,  and  to  the  Committee.  For  a  9-feet  circle  of  Chrysanthemums 
and  foliage  plants,  prizes  of  £3,  £2,  and  £1,  are  offered,  and  similar 
amounts  are  allotted  to  the  class  for  twenty-four  Japanese,  distinct. 
In  each  of  these,  as  well  as  other  classes,  a  special  award  in  kind 
is  added  to  the  first  prize  by  local  tradesmen.  There  are  also  in 
other  sections  classes  for  groups  and  cut  blooms  carefully  arranged 
for  the  convenience  of  various  growers.  Fruit  and  vegetable  classes 
are  comparatively  numerous,  and  the  combined  display  ought  to 
prove  most  excellent.  Entries  for  the  various  classes  must  reach  the 
Secretary  on  or  before  November  8th. 
StockpoSt.— November  10th  and  11th. 
The  Stockport  and  District  Chrysanthemum  Society  has  chartered 
the  Volunteer  Armoury,  Greek  Street,  for  its  twelfth  Show,  and  those 
