December  14,  lb99. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
525 
mittee  were  determined  to  put  their  shoulders  to  the  wheel,  and  hoped 
for  more  propitious  weather  than  that  which  prevailed  on  the  recent 
event.  The  Grapes  for  the  hospitals,  to  which  reference  had  been 
made,  amounted  to  1^  :cwt.  Several  other  speeches  were  made.  A 
word  of  praise  is  due  to  Mr.  F.  W.  Simpson  (Hon.  Secretary)  and 
Mr.  J.  Hughes  (the  Secretary)  for  the  successful  manner  in  which  they 
carried  out  their  duties  at  the  recent  show,  as  also  in  the  arrangement 
of  the  convivial  entertainment. — W.  G. 
A  PRIZE  GROUP  OF  CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
At  the  recent  Fruit  and  Chrysanthemum  Exhibition  of  the  Chester 
Paxton  Society,  the  first  prize  group,  which  was  exhibited  by  Mr. 
Edwin  Stubbs,  gardener  to  Mrs.  Hudson,  Bache  Hall,  created  such 
an  interest  and  received  such  high  encomiums  from  the  Judges,  that 
more  than  ordinary  interest  was  taken  in  it ;  and  curiosity  led  me  to 
call  and  see  the  home  of  this  group  at  Bache  Hall.  It  should  be 
mentioned  that  Mr.  Stubbs  also  carried  off  this  much  coveted  prize 
last  year  against  competition  even  numerically  stronger  than  on  the 
present  occasion,  but  the  quality  of  blooms  and  the  general  arrange¬ 
ment  this  year  were  decidedly  better.  Not  only  were  the  blooms  of 
superb  quality,  but  the  general  arrangement  and  effect  left  little  to  be 
desired. 
No  one  visiting  the  gardens  at  Bache  Hall  can  but  be  struck  by 
Mr.  Stubbs’  enthusiasm,  not  only  for  Chrysanthemums,  but  also  for 
the  various  other  branches  of  the  art  committed  to  his  care.  At  the 
time  of  my  visit  a  series  of  frames  containing  well  grown  clumps  of 
Violets  attracted  attention,  the  variety  being  Maiie  Louise,  each  plant 
carrying  large  numbers  of  good  sized  blooms. 
The  group  of  Chrysanthemums  in  question  numbered  somewhere 
about  100  plants,  the  principal  varieties  being  Madame  Carnot, 
Viviand  Morel,  Charles  Davis,  Lady  Hauham,  Mrs.  C.  H.  Payne, 
Mrs.  G.  W.  Palmer,  James  Bidencope,  Louise,  Joseph  Chamberlain, 
Niveus,  Madame  Phdip  Rivoire,  Lady  Byron,  Miss  Elsie  Teichman, 
Modesto,  G.  C.  Schwabe,  Chenon  de  Leche,  Amiral  Avellan,  W.  H. 
Lincoln,  Ma  Perfection,  Desblanc,  Madame  Ferlat,  N.C.S.  Jubilee, 
S.  de  Petite  Amie,  Phoebus,  Simplicity,  Duke  of  Wellington,  Madame 
G.  Henry,  Yellow  Niveus,  Mutual  Friend,  Mrs.  Dr.  Ward. 
The  size  of  the  pots  varied  from  4  to  10  inches,  and  all  the  plants 
were  in  the  pink  of  health  and  cleanliness.  The  most  striking  of  all 
were,  perhaps,  Madame  Philip  Rivoire,  Joseph  Chamberlain,  Madame 
Carnot,  Charles  Davis,  and  Mrs.  H.  Weeks,  and  it  was  with  the 
blooms  of  the  latter  three  varieties  that  Mr.  S'.ubbs  carried  off  first 
prize  for  the  three  best  single  blooms. — George  Maxwell. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS  IN  THE  LIVERPOOL  PARKS. 
Thanks  to  a  generous  Parks  and  Gardens  Committee  who  are  fully 
alive  to  the  requirements  of  this  rapidly  growing  city,  the  catering  for 
the  public  in  the  matter  of  horticulture  is  now  conducted  in  no 
niggardly  manner,  but  with  a  thorough  earnestness  that  is  quite 
refreshing.  Throughout  the  summer  the  public  have  been  feasted 
with  all  the  choicest  of  flowers  in  season,  and  it  is  only  within  recent 
years  that  the  Chrysanthemum  has  been  cultivated  so  thoroughly  and 
to  the  evident  satisfaction  of  all  visitors. 
This  is  chiefly  due  to  the  energetic  a  d  courteous  Mr.  Herbert, 
who  presides  over  all  the  parks,  gardens,  and  open  spaces  with  which 
the  city  abounds,  and  who  is  so  ably  assisted  by  Mr.  Guttridge,  who 
has  charge  of  the  Botanical  Gardens  at  Wavertree.  To  go  into  detail 
with  all  the  well-grown  aod  capital  varieties  which  they  have  at  their 
command  would  only  weary  the  many  readers,  who  of  late  must  have 
had  quite  a  surfeit  of  name-*.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  at  the  excellent 
range  of  houses  adjoining  Mr.  Herbert’s  residence  in  Sefton  Park  the 
display,  although  rather  on  the  early  side,  was  in  the  front  rank,  the 
arrangement  and  healthy  condition  of  the  plants  calling  forth  the 
admiration  of  the  large  number  of  amateurs,  and  others  of  the  general 
public  who  are  not  slow  to  criticise  the  work  of  so  important  a  depart¬ 
ment  of  the  City  Council. 
The  fine  display  in  Wavertree  Park,  where  Mr.  Guttridge  so  well 
presides,  has  been  visited  by  multitudes  who  were  loud  in  praise  of 
the  beautiful  display,  and  it  is  a  pleasing  feature  in  the  city  life  to 
find  such  great  interest  tnken  in  the  work  by  all  classes,  a  tribute 
surely  to  the  energy  of  the  Committee  and  a  fitting  acknowledgement 
of  the  labours  of  Mr.  Herbert,  Mr.  Guttridge,  and  the  general  staff. 
EDWIN  MOLYNEUX. 
This  variety  is  incomparable  as  regards  colour,  and  try  how  we 
may  we  cannot  approach  the  beauty  of  a  well  grown  flower  of  this 
magnificent  variety.  If  the  culture  of  it  could  be  more  easily  over¬ 
come — and  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  that  many  valuable  hints 
will  be  readily  given  in  the  columns  of  the  Journal  by  those  who 
succeed  best  with  it— we  should  see  it  more  largely  exhibited,  and 
forming  that  balance  of  colour  which  it  alone  can  give  to  a  stand. 
When  adjudicating  at  a  fine  show  not  a  hundred  miles  from  Liver¬ 
pool,  I  was  more  than  pleased  to  find,  on  my  expressing  admiration  for  a 
splendid  bloom  of  this  variety  in  the  first  prize  stand,  to  learn  from 
the  Secretary  that  so  much  afraid  was  one  of  their  prominent  sub¬ 
scribers  of  this  variety  declining,  that  he  was  giving  a  special  prize 
for  six  blooms  of  it  at  the  next  Show  in  November,  1900. — R.  P.  R. 
BELLE  PAULE. 
In  its  own  charming  colour  and  contour  this  old  Japanese  variety 
has  perhaps  never  been  equalled,  certainly  it  has  never  been  excelled, 
yet  one  seldom  sees  it  now  in  good  condition.  The  flower  is  full 
and  deep,  the  petals  thread-like,  whitish,  with  a  purple-tinted  edging 
that  is  very  fine.  It  is  not  as  strong-growing  as  may  be  desired,  and 
somewhat  tall,  but  even  in  bush  form  it  produces  some  beautiful 
flowers,  and  is  certainly  well  worth  growing. — R. 
IRIS  SUSIANA. 
I  must  thank  Mr.  Arnott  and  Mr.  Whicker  (page  482),  for  their 
complimentary  remarks  respecting  my  notes  on  I.  Susiana  and 
I.  Kmmpferi.  My  reason  for  planting  the  former  in  the  same  border 
as  the  latter  was  for  the  sake  of  economy  and  convenience.  I  am 
aware  that  it  must  be  treated  very  differently,  but  being  on  the  same 
border  it  may  be  presumed  it  will  not  be  able  to  get  proper  treatment 
at  the  time  when  the  latter  must  be  supplied  with  abundance  of 
moisture — indeed  kept  almost  at  saturation  point. 
I.  Susiana  requires  to  be  dried  off  or  rested.  This  was  a  difficulty 
1  foresaw.  But  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  the  Iris  border  faces 
south,  with  a  fall  to  the  front.  The  small  bed  that  has  been  prepared 
and  recently  planted  is  at  the  top  of  the  border,  the  surface  of  which 
is  about  a  foot  above  that  of  the  bed  in  which  I.  Ivaempferi  is  growing. 
Nine  inches  of  drainage  was  put  in,  over  this  a  layer  of  turves  grass 
side  downwards,  and  then  about  15  inches  of  soil,  so  that  the  bottom 
of  this  bed  is  very  little  below  the  top  of  the  border.  This  I  thought 
would  meet  the  difficulty,  if  not  an  ideal  situation.  It  did  not  occur 
to  me  about  tne  moisture  ascending  from  the  soil,  and  had  I  read 
Mr.  Arnott's  notes  before  the  bed  was  prepared,  I  would  have  put  in 
the  flat  stone.  Perhaps  the  layer  of  loose  stonei  will  in  part  remedy 
this. 
I  think  Mr.  Whicker  made  a  mistake  in  exposing  his  plants  to  the 
autumn  rains,  for  the  soil  is  generally  very  warm  at  this  time  of  the 
year,  and  this  would  no  doubt  be  the  cause  of  failure,  as  he  intimates. 
One  of  the  most  important  points  in  the  successful  culture  of  this  Iris 
is  to  prevent  it  making  growth  in  autumn.  Where  this  cannot  be 
accomplished  then  perhaps  the  best  plan  would  be  to  lift  the  rhizomes, 
keep  them  in  a  cool  dry  place  during  the  winter,  and  replant  in 
spring,  although  by  this  method  I  am  afraid  the  best  results  would 
not  be  obtained.  Most  kinds  of  Iris  resent  disturbance,  and  do  much 
better  when  left  alone  for  some  time. 
In  answer  to  your  correspondent  allow  me  to  state  what  I  intended 
to  imply  by  saying  the  plant3  would  be  protected  during  the  winter 
was,  that  they  would  be  protected  not  only  from  severe  weather  but 
also  heavy  rains.  For  this  purpose  a  small  frame  will  be  put  over  the 
bed.  I  do  not  suggest  they  should  remain  dormant  altogether  until 
spring;  if  they  are  planted  in  November,  when  the  soil  is  much  colder, 
they  will  doubtless  commence  root  action,  but  not  make  sufficient 
top  growth  to  push  through  the  soil.  I  am  under  the  impression 
that  such  plants  would  do  better  than  those  planted  in  spring. 
With  regard  to  Mr.  Whicker’s  imported  rhizomes,  I  would  suggest 
that  he  plant  some  of  them  at  once,  and  the  remainder  in  the  spring. 
He  will  then  be  able  to  note  the  difference,  if  any.  As  there  is  now 
sufficient  moisture  in  the  soil,  I  would  advise  him  to  put  a  frame  or 
an  old  light  over  the  bed  as  soon  as  the  rhizomes  are  planted.  During 
severe  weather  a  little  dry  bracken  or  heather  should  be  laid  on. 
Messrs.  Barr  &  Sons,  in  their  catalogue  of  bulbs,  say : — Plant  the 
roots  in  November  (the  tops  not  more  than  2  inches  below  the  surface) 
in  a  light,  rich  well  drained  soil,  and  cover  with  3  or  4  inches  of 
wheat  straw;  or,  better  still,  marsh  reeds  or  cut  heather,  which  remove 
in  March.  Immediately  these  Irises  have  done  flowering  place  over 
the  plants  a  light,  or  panes  of  glass  elevated  18  inches  above  the 
ground,  so  as  to  admit  at  the  sides  a  free  entry  of  air,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  keep  off  rain  till  October.  The  object  desired  is  to 
thoroughly  ripen  the  roots,  and  prevent  their  starting  into  growth 
before  spring.  Or  the  roots  may  be  lifted  soon  after  they  have  done 
flowering,  and  stored  on  a  dry  sunny  shelf  or  in  perfectly  dry  sand 
till  end  of  October  or  early  Xovember,  when  replant.  — J.  S.  Upex. 
Juniperus  virginiana. — This  is  a  capital  Conifer  for  planting 
for  a  quick  display  on  soils  where  the  majority  of  the  kinds  do 
not  thrive.  In  a  cold  heavy  soil  and  exposed  position  I  planted  it  three 
years  ago,  small  stock  about  a  foot  high.  They  are  now  nice  trees,  four 
times  that  height,  and  very  thrifty.  It  has  a  very  feathery,  graceful 
habit,  and  takes  on  a  distinct  bronzy  look  in  autumn  that  makes  a  variety 
in  a  collection  of  Conifers.  It  is  also  known  as  the  Red  Cedar.  Another 
fine  kind  for  a  companion  is  Cupressus  macrocarpa. — C.  Hall. 
