m 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
April  30,  1898. 
The  French  N.C  S, 
We  understand  that  Mr.  Harman  Payne  has  made  a  proposition  that 
this  newly  formed  Society,  which  counts  among  its  members  every 
French  grower  of  repute,  should  adopt  a  system  of  registration  of  the 
names  of  new  seedlings  in  order  to  avoid  the  oft-recurring  annoyance  to 
English  purchasers  of  finding  some  of  the  season’s  novelties  bearing 
names  already  in  use.  The  proposition  was  laid  before  the  last  general 
meeting  of  the  Society,  and  was  recognised  as  a  very  useful  one,  and 
likely  to  render  great  service.  The  General  Committee  will  endeavour 
to  find  a  member  who  will  be  willing  to  undertake  the  work  of  keeping 
the  register.  We  trust  that  there  will  be  little  difficulty  in  this. 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
In  turning  over  some  old  papers  connected  with  this  Society  I  have 
found  a  few  old  schedules  and  balance-sheetB,  the  perusal  of  which 
affords  a  striking  contrast  to  those  issued  nowadays.  In  1874  the 
Society’s  name  appears  to  have  been  the  Stoke  Newington  and  Hackney 
Chrysanthemum  Society.  The  roll  of  membership  was  fifty-seven,  and 
the  total  income  for  the  year  £106  Is.  2d.  In  the  following  year  the 
title  is  Borough  of  Hackney  Chrysanthemum  Society  ;  the  membership 
had  increased  to  sixty-seven,  but  the  receipts  amounted  only  to 
£95  3s.  lOd.  In  1S7G  there  were  seventy  members,  but  this  increased 
number  does  not  appear  to  have  helped  the  funds,  for  the  revenue 
amounted  to  £90  Ss.  2d.,  and  left  a  deficit  of  £4  11s.  Id.  due  to  the 
Secretary  ;  1877  was  the  year  in  which  the  Society  removed  to  the 
Aquarium.  There  appears  to  have  been  but  fifty-five  members,  and 
the  income  seems  to  have  sunk  lower  than  before,  for  the  amount  as  set 
forth  in  the  balance-sheet  for  that  year  is  £84  14s.  6d.  Up  to  this  point 
the  schedules  were  four-paged  leaflets,  and  the  balance-sheets  were 
issued  separately.  In  1879,  however,  the  records  of  the  previous  year 
are  included  in  an  eight-paged  schedule.  There  were,  we  find,  seventy- 
two  members  in  1878,  and  an  income  amounting  to  £124  3s.  Id.  Further 
increase  is  observable  in  1879,  and  since  that  date  there  has  probably 
been  no  going  back.  It  was  not  until  1882  that  the  roll  of  membership 
touched  the  “  century,”  and  in  that  year  we  find  they  number  104.  It 
was,  as  all  the  world  knows,  in  1884  that  the  title  National  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  Society  was  adopted.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  its 
existence  on  the  broader  basis  there  were  239  members,  and  income 
received  amounting  to  upwards  of  £300.  Since  then,  what  changes  ! 
what  progress  1  The  advocates  of  the  “  National  ”  title  have  long  since 
had  their  aspirations  more  than  justified. 
A  New  Zealand  Memorial  Cup. 
The  Committee  of  the  Christchurch  (N.Z.)  Chrysanthemum  Society 
have,  like  our  own  N.C.S.,  instituted  a  memorial  challenge  cup  in 
memory  of  a  deceased  official.  J.  G.  Blyth,  Esq.,  M.A.,  LL.B.,  was 
formerly  a  Vice-President  of  the  Society,  but  died  in  1894.  He  was 
an  enthusiastic  Chrysanthemum  grower,  careful  about  the  finer  points 
of  culture,  and  was  very  successful  as  an  exhibitor.  Being  much  loved 
by  all  who  knew  him,  the  Society  had  the  memorial  cup  made  with  a 
suitable  inscription  to  perpetuate  his  memory.  The  cup  is  not  competed 
for  in  a  class  by  itself,  but  is  awarded  to  the  stand  of  cut  blooms  in 
competition  scoring  the  highest  number  of  points.  It  carries  with  it 
a  money  prize  of  £2  2s.,  in  addition  to  any  other  prize  the  stand  may 
win,  and  is  held  by  the  winner  for  twelve  months. 
Mr.  W.  H.  Lees. 
Honour  to  whom  honour  is  due.  The  fame  of  this  very  successful 
exhibitor  last  season  is  by  no  means  confined  to  his  own  country.  His 
achievements  have  evoked  feelings  of  surprise  both  far  and  near,  but 
more  particularly  perhaps  in  New  Zealand,  where  the  growers  follow 
very  keenly  all  that  is  being  done  in  Chrysanthemum  matters  here  in 
England.  By  the  last  New  Zealand  mail  I  received  two  letters  from 
different  parts  of  the  Colony,  and  in  one  of  them  the  writer  adds  a 
postscript,  saying,  “  What  success  W.  H.  Lees  has  met  with  this  year  I  ” 
The  other  writer  exclaims,  “  What  a  splendid  series  of  triumphs  Mr. 
W.  H.  Lees  met  with  I  He  seems  a  second  E.  Molyneux.” 
Mr.  Lees  and  his  friends  will,  I  am  sure,  be  pleased  at  these  two 
testimonies  to  his  ability  as  a  successful  competitor,  especially  coming 
from  Great  Britain  over  the  Sea. — P. 
Cambridge  Chrysanthemum  Society,  New  Zealand. 
Mr.  M.  McDermott,  Honorary  Secretary  of  this  enterprising  Society, 
writes  under  date  of  March  19th  : — “  In  one  of  your  issues  last  year  there 
was  a  notice  re  our  Society  which  was  highly  gratifying  to  our  Com¬ 
mittee,  and  to  let  you  see  we  are  as  energetic  as  ever  I  have  pleasure  in 
Bending  you  our  schedule,  children’s  section  schedule,  and  a  paper 
containing  a  marked  notice  of  one  of  our  annual  ‘  talks  ’  re  mums. 
For  a  society  of  not  more  than  100  members  we  issue  a  very  fair 
catalogue.  We  are  the  only  society  this  side  of  the  line  giving  an  N.C.S. 
silver-gilt  medal,  and  I  can  assure  you  it  is  much  valued. 
“  Re  the  children’s  section  schedule.  From  this  you  will  see  it  is  quite 
a  big  thing.  We  send  these  circulars  to  about  sixty  schools,  and  our 
endeavour  is  to  interest  the  young  people  in  the  culture  of  flowers 
generally  and  the  ‘mums’  specially.  It  will  be  easily  seen  this  section 
entails  a  great  deal  of  work,  but  it  gives  pleasure  to  those  looking  after 
it,  and  is  greatly  appreciated  by  the  public.  We  notice,  too,  that  there 
is  much  improvement  in  the  style  of  bouquets — a  better  artistic  arrange¬ 
ment  of  the  blooms  and  more  refinement  in  the  display. 
“  Re  the  paper  paragraph  concerning  the  1  talk  ’  (see  below).  These 
‘  mum  talks  ’  are  a  great  institution  with  our  Society,  and  over  and  above 
bringing  members  into  a  more  sociable  relation  with  one  another,  help 
to  afford  a  deal  of  information  to  young  growers  as  others.  The  one  just 
held  took  place  about  the  time  it  was  necessary  to  ‘  take’  the  buds,  and 
was  the  means  of  imparting  much  valuable  information  on  that  very 
important  subject.  These  have  been  held  annually  at  Mr.  Wells’,  our 
President,  home  and  grounds,  and  the  thanks  of  all  our  members  are  due 
to  him  for  his  kindness  and  hospitality.  Oar  show  takes  place  in  April, 
and  I  will  Bend  you  particulars.” 
Chrysanthemum  Talk. 
Referring  to  the  above  the  “  Waikato  Advocate  ”  says,  “  A  number 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  members  of  the  Chrysanthemum  Society, 
assembled,  by  the  kind  invitation  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wells,  at  Oakleigh, 
New  Zealand,  for  the  purpose  of  indulging  in  the  annual  informal  ‘  talk’ 
about  the  popular  autumn  flower,  its  selection  and  production.  The 
discussion,  which  was  opened  by  Mr.  Wells,  became  general,  and  much 
useful  information  was  mutually  elicited  in  a  very  pleasant  way.  The 
discursive  nature  of  the  discussion  precludes  the  possibility  of  repro¬ 
ducing  it  in  these  columns,  and  those  members  of  the  Society  who  were 
unavoidably  absent,  as  well  as  all  who  feel  an  interest  in  Chrys¬ 
anthemums,  should,  if  they  desire  the  latest  information,  consult  Mr. 
Wells  or  some  other  member  of  the  Committee.  While  the  ‘talk’  was 
in  progress  the  visitors  were  served  with  a  banquet,  which  took  the 
modest  name  of  ‘afternoon  tea,’  and  subsequently  all  present  adjourned 
to  the  grounds,  where  Mr.  Wells’  plants  were  inspected.  These  ‘talks’ 
are  certainly  not  the  least  agreeable  feature  of  the  Society,  and  Mr;  and 
Mrs.  Wells  deserve  the  warm  thanks  of  the  members  for  having  so 
thoughtfully  instituted  them.” 
[Such  letters  as  that  of  Mr.  McDermott  cannot  be  of  other  than 
great  interest  to  all  of  us  here,  as  proving  the  enthusiasm  displayed  by 
our  colonial  brethren  in  relation  to  the  Chrysanthemum.  The  annual 
“  talks  ”  must  be  productive  of  good,  and  might  advantageously  be  widely 
adopted,  though,  of  course,  every  mum  grower  is  not  a  Mr.  Wells.  The 
scheme  of  offering  prizes  to  the  rising  members  of  the  community  is  not, 
as  everyone  knows,  a  new  one,  but  it  is  none  the  less  worthy  of  the 
warmest  commendation.  It  must  tend  to  do  good,  and  thanks  are  due 
to  those  growers  who  find  such  pleasure  in  giving  pleasure,  while  at 
the  same  time  imparting  knowledge. 
Exclusive  of  the  children’s  section  forty-five  classes  are  scheduled, 
these  being  divided  between  open,  gardeners  and  nurserymen,  amateurs, 
ladies,  and  other  sections.  The  prizes  are  not  large,  but  sufficiently  good 
to  encourage  growers  who  love  the  flowers  to  strive  to  win  one  or  more 
of  them.  Tbe  annual  show  mentioned  above  was  held  on  April  24th 
and  25 hb,  and  we  trust  some  of  our  friends  will  ere  now  have  posted  to 
us  a  descriptive  report.  Progress  should  be  the  motto  of  the  New 
Zealand  Cambridge  Chrysanthemum  Society.] 
FRUIT  PROSPECTS. 
We  are  passing  through  the  Blackthorn  winter,  the  only  one  we  have 
bad  this  year,  safely  ;  and  unless  May  proves  harsher  and  harder  than 
April,  our  promising  fruit  crops  are  likely  to  carry  full  crops  safely 
through  until  harvest. 
Peaches,  Nectarines,  Apricots  have  set  extraordinarily  fine  crops,  and 
their  natural  protection  of  fast  growing  shootlets  hugging  the  fruitlets, 
with  the  extra  netting  or  canvas,  have  so  far  kept  them  safe  ;  if,  in 
fact,  they  have  ever  been  in  any  danger  through  this  winterless  winter. 
Pears,  Plums,  and  Cherries  are  having  a  neck  and  neck  race  for 
precedency  in  the  time  of  blooming.  In  some  places  Pears  have  the 
lead,  in  others  Cherries,  and  in  yet  others  Plums,  all  three  being  in 
special  danger  through  the  latter  half  of  April  and  the  first  two  weeks 
of  May.  The  trees  are  smothered  with  bloom,  and  are  exceptionally 
clean. 
The  cold  snap  of  April  weather,  which  I  have  called  the  Blackthorn 
winter,  has  rendered  these  and  our  other  fruit  trees  a  distinct  service, 
by  placing  the  hard  bit  of  forcible  restraint  on  their  impulsive  life. 
Apples  especially  are  less  out  of  season  than  the  other  fruits  named. 
This,  the  main  fruit  crop  of  the  year  for  the  toiling  millions,  has  seldom 
or  never  looked  more  promising.  The  work  of  planting  new  orchards,  and 
the  renovation  of  old  orchards,  also  proceeds,  though  less  rapidly  than 
could  be  desired.  But  in  many,  most  directions,  there  is  movement — 
progress.  The  Chairman  of  a  leading  County  Council  wrote  the  other 
day  to  say  that  on  all  sides  there  was  abundant  evidence  that  the 
lessons  on  improved  culture  had  not  bsen  forgotten,  and  were  constantly 
cropping  up  in  the  planting  of  new  orchards  and  the  improvement  of 
old  ones. 
Tbe  mild  winter  and  spring  so  far  have  proved  most  favourable  to 
the  old  trees  root-pruned  or  transplanted  bodily  last  November.  I 
visited  such  a  one  last  week,  and  the  trees  were  blooming  and  growing 
as  usual.  As  the  owner  expressed  it  with  pleased  surprise,  “  They  had 
never  looked  behind  them.”  The  Bpring  has  been  equally  favourable 
for  the  heading  back  of  old  and  worthless  trees,  and  the  utilisation  of 
