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JOURNAL  OF  tiORlLGULTVRE  AN!)  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
May  28,  1890, 
French  National  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
As  it  is  quite  within  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  some  of  our 
English  raisers  and  growers  of  Chrysanthemums  may  wish  in  the  coming 
autumn  to  exhibit  some  of  their  novelties  at  the  Floral  Committee 
meetings  of  the  French  N.C.S.,  it  occurs  to  me  that  a  few  notes  on  the 
Floral  Committee  regulations,  which  have  recently  been  settled,  may  be 
of  interest.  There  are  sixteen  regulations  in  all,  and  the  following  is  a 
brief  summary  of  them  : — 
1,  Anyone,  whether  a  member  or  not,  can  exhibit. 
2,  Meetings  will  be  held  as  follows — one  in  October,  two  in 
November,  and  one  in  December.  The  dates  will  be  fixed  later  on. 
Thev  will  be  held  in  Lyons. 
3,  Eight  days’  notice,  specifying  the  number  of  varieties  intended  to 
be  shown,  should  be  sent  to  the  Secretary. 
4,  Exhibitors  will  not  be  allowed  to  be  present  unless  specially 
required  by  the  Committee  to  answer  questions. 
5,  Cut  blooms  and  plants  will  be  grouped  in  two  sections  each — viz., 
new  seedlings  and  varieties  already  in  commerce.  They  may  be 
submitted  as  large  blooms  or  grown  without  disbudding.  Dressing  will 
disqualify. 
6,  Not  less  than  five  blooms  of  each  variety  must  be  shown,  and  in 
the  case  of  a  sport  two  blooms  of  the  parent  must  accompany  them. 
Stems  must  be  about  20  inches  (50  centimetres)  in  length,  and  bear  the 
foliage.  When  submitted  as  a  decorative  variety  a  plant  in  a  pot  must 
be  shown.  The  varieties  must  be  named.  Any  variety  bearing  an  old 
name  cannot  receive  a  certificate. 
7,  A  scale  of  points  is  given  in  this  regulation  by  which  the  varieties 
will  be  judged. 
8,  Certificates  will  be  granted  by  the  votes  of  the  majority  present. 
The  minimum  number  of  points  to  qualify  for  certificates  is  fixed  at 
eighty. 
9,  10,  and  11  are  similar  to  6,  5,  and  7  of  the  English  N.C.S.  Floral 
Committee  regulations. 
12  deals  with  the  election  of  a  chairman  and  a  secretary. 
13,  Three  members  form  a  quorum. 
14,  15,  and  16  are  almost  identical  with  10,  9,  and  12  of  the  English 
Society’s. 
The  requirement  of  five  blooms  seems  rather  severe  after  a  long 
experience  with  our  English  methods ;  but  if  these  regulations  are 
carried  out  strictly,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  to  doubt  that  such 
will  be  the  case,  it  is  evident  that  our  importers  will  be  immensely 
benefited.  A  variety  that  gains  not  less  than  eighty  points  OHt  of  a 
possible  100,  and  is  shown  with  five  blooms,  and  thus  receives  a 
certificate  from  the  French  Society,  ought  in  all  conscience  to  be  a  safe 
investment  for  any  member  of  the  trade  here.  The  only  weak  point  1 
see  is  that  the  French  Floral  Committee  consists  of  so  small  a  number  as 
nine  members,  and  that  three  form  a  quorum. — C.  H.  P, 
GARDENERS’  ROYAL  BENEVOLENT  INSTITUTION. 
Some  time  ago  Mr.  Ingram,  the  energetic  and  popular  Secretary  of 
the  Society,  wrote  to  me  asking  if  I  would  act  as  one  of  the  Stewards 
for  Nottinghamshire  in  regard  to  the  fifty-seventh  anniversary  festival, 
to  be  held  on  May  30th.  I  at  once  consented  to  do  so  and  started  with 
the  collecting  card,  but  quickly  found  two  others,  both  well-known  hard 
workers  for  the  cause  (Mr.  Slade,  Clumber,  and  Mr,  Mallender,  Hodsock), 
were  before  me.  Not  caring,  however,'  to  acknowledge  myself  beaten 
without  still  further  efforts  I  asked  Mr.  C.  W.  Lister-Kay,  agent  to  the 
Rt.  Hon.  F.  J.  Savile-Foljambe,  to  help  me,  and  suggested  that  the 
gardens  and  grounds  should  be  thrown  open  to  the  public  at  a  small 
charge  for  admission.  He  at  once  fell  in  with  my  views,  and  kindly 
offered  to  put  the  matter  before  Mr.  Foljambe,  and  in  less  than  an  hour 
told  me  that  the  above  gentleman  gave  his  cordial  approval  to  the  project. 
I  felt  perfectly  happy  then,  for  with  our  popular  squire  and  his  agent 
at  my  back  I  felt  that  1  could  make  a  bold  stand.  We  immediately  had 
posters  put  up  in  Worksop  and  Retford,  and  some  kind  friends, 
including  Mr.  C.  W.  Lister-Kay,  selling  la.  tickets.  Mr.  Foljambe  took 
a  thorough  interest  in  it,  and  wished  for  everything  to  be  in  perfect  order  so 
that  all  should  have  their  shdlingswortb.  I  spoke  to  my  men  and  asked 
them  to  put  in  a  few  hours’  overtime  for  love,  and  for  several  days  we 
worked  early  and  late  planting  some  thousands  of  bedding  plants,  and 
by  Monday  night,  the  18th  inst.,  things  began  to  look  “  spick  and  span.” 
I  thought  I  could  spare  time  to  run  up  to  the  Temple  show  (which  I 
have  not  missed  for  many  years),  so  I  caught  the  mail  at  Retford  on 
Tuesday  morning,  and  was  at  the  Temple  by  nine  o’clock.  A  few 
profitable  honrs  were  spent.  Rivers’  Nectarine  “Cardinal”  was  tasted, 
many  old  friends  met,  and  I  returned  home  that  day,  and  after  a  look 
round  the  grounds  went  to  bed  feeling  sure  of  success. 
But  on  Wednesday  morning  what  a  change  I  Branches  of  trees  were 
lying  about  in  all  directions,  plants  were  blown  out  of  the  beds,  a 
bitterly  cold  wind  continued  all  day,  and  at  11.30  P.M.  the  glass 
was  standing  at  freezing  point.  We  had  used  all  the  mats,  shading,  and 
everything  we  could  secure  for  covering  the  flower  beds,  and  I  retired 
feeling  considerably  depressed.  On  Thursday  morning  I  turned  out  at 
3  A.M.  and  found  all  my  men  waiting.  One  grand  old  man — 
Wm.  Hallam,  over  seventy,  who  has  worked  here  almost  all  his  life — 
greeted  me  with,  “  We  shall  be  all  right  yet.  measter  ;  this  will  be  a  gran’ 
day.”  And  so  it  turned  out.  They  all  worked  with  a  hearty  goodwill, 
not  even  stopping  for  breakfast,  and  by  eleven  o’clock,  the  time  advertised 
for  opening  the  doors,  we  were  ready. 
A  few  minutes  later  a  gentleman  and  lady  from  Carlton  drove  up  to 
have  a  peep  “  before  the  crush,”  and  they  complimented  us  on  the  tidy 
appearance  of  the  place.  The  leading  families  of  the  district  splendidly 
supported  the  cause,  also  the  principal  tradesmen  in  Worksop  and 
Retford.  I  enclose  a  letter  (see  below)  received  from  the  popular  squire 
of  Gateford,  who,  although  suffering  from  a  sore  throat,  felt  bound  to 
ride  over  to  "pay  his  respects”  and  leave  £1  at  the  gate.  Three  hundred 
and  fifty  paid  for  admission,  and  were  told  on  entering  to  go  where  they 
liked  and  do  as  they  liked.  They  wandered  through  the  vineries, 
pineries,  Peach  houses,  stoves,  Malmaison  house,  and  not  a  fruit  or  flower 
was  touched  or  the  slightest  damage  done,  which  will  give  some  idea  of 
what  our  Worksopian  friends  are  like.  There  may  be  as  good  elsewhere, 
but  there  are  no  better  in  the  world. 
I  have  £21  18s.  to  hand  over  to  Mr.  Ingram,  and  I  feel  confident 
that  had  it  been  fine  on  Wednesday,  and  the  Dooc  ster  races  some  other 
day,  we  should  have  doubled  it. — T.  H.  Crasp,  The  Gardens,  Osberton, 
Worksop.  _ 
Mr.  Machin  wrote  as  follows  to  Mr.  Crasp  : — “  I  was  so  pleased  with 
the  kindness  of  your  squire,  and  the  promotion  on  your  part  of  such  a 
noble  venture  yesterday,  that  I  felt  bound  to  pay  my  respects  to  you  both 
by  calling  at  the  gardens  yesterday  and  leaving  a  sovereign  at  the  door 
for  the  good  of  the  Society  for  which  you  so  kindly  threw  open  the 
gardens.  I  had  a  sore  throat  and  so  did  not  come  in.  I  should  have 
liked  to  have  stayed  to  show  the  interest  1  take  in  your  craft,  and  in  all 
respectable  ( most  of  ’em  are  respectable)  members  of  it.  I  hope  you 
had  a  good  gate.” 
MR.  HORNER’S  GARDEN. 
( Continued  from  page  478.) 
The  Orchids  and  the  Orchid  house  now  claim  our  attention,  both 
being  alike  characteristic  of  the  individuality  of  their  owner.  The 
house  is  a  lean-to,  60  feet  long  by  12  feet,  with  an  annexe  on  a  diffe¬ 
rent  level  for  securing  different  conditions  and  temperature  conform¬ 
able  to  the  experimental  cast  of  mind  which  induces  Mr.  Horner  to 
find  out  the  exact  spot  in  the  house  most  suitable  for  the  well-being 
of  individual  plants,  although  grown  with  a  mixed  collection.  In  this 
direction  he  has  achieved  successful  results  where  other  growers  with 
less  tenacity  of  purpbse  must  have  failed. 
In  the  construction  of  the  Orchid  house  the  healthy  requirements  of 
the  plants  has  in  no  way  been  sacrificed  to  architectural  effect.  The 
fittings  are  of  the  simplest  character.  A  substantial  flat  bench  on  each 
hand  comprises  the  staging  ;  without  flagging  the  original  Boil  beaten 
firm  forms  the  pathway.  The  hot-water  pipes  arranged  along  the  back 
wall  as  a  flow  and  return  4-inch  pipe  ;  the  same  quantity  of  piping 
along  the  front  of  the  house  ;  but  to  accommodate  what  are  usually 
considered  to  be  tropical  plants  about  20  feet  in  length  double  quantity 
cf  piping  has  been  provided.  Sufficient  space  along  the  back  wall  is 
left  unstaged  to  allow  attendance  on  the  crowd  of  plants  suspended 
from  the  roof.  Several  shallow  tubs  kept  partly  filled  with  rain  water 
are  placed  at  intervals  under  the  stage,  whereby  an  effective  and 
expeditious  means  of  watering  the  plants  is  provided. 
Constructed  on  these  simple  lines  every  square  inch  of  surface  is  an 
absorbent  of  moisture,  which  is  again  given  off  as  the  air  of  the  house 
becomes  dry  by  reason  of  artificial  and  sun  heat.  The  consequences  are 
at  all  times  a  buoyant  and  well-balanced  atmosphere,  pleasant  to  pro¬ 
menade  in  by  those  interested  in  viewing  the  plants,  and  equally  suitable 
to  the  well-being  of  the  stock,  as  their  healthy  condition  abundantly 
testifies. 
Amongst  other  factors  tending  to  success  may  be  added  the  enthusi¬ 
astic  cultivator’s  instinct  which  prompts  Mr.  Horner  to  be  ever 
working  out  unsolved  cultural  problems — never  resting  satisfied  until 
he  has  made  refractory  plant  amenable  to  his  will  and  pleasure.  As 
an  example  we  may  quote  his  (up  to  now)  unsuccessful  efforts  to  bloom 
the  shy  Cattleya  gigas  ;  so  long  as  hie  active  mind  can  suggest  likely 
measures  to  the  end  in  view  there  will  be  no  relaxation  in  his  attempts. 
After  various  other  experiments  a  starving  process  is  being  tried,  which 
has  induced  a  wonderful  development  of  roots  that  are  now  attempting 
to  derive  their  necessary  nourishment  by  clinging  to  the  back  wall  of 
the  house.  Again,  the  plant  of  Dendrobium  Harveyanum,  although  in 
no  Bense  difficult  to  bloom  when  suitable  environment  is  found  for  it, 
yet  its  requirements  have  been  closely  studied,  and  after  numerous 
experiments  it  is  found  to  grow  and  flower  the  best  at  only  a  certain 
distance  up  the  rafter  at  the  warm  end  of  the  house,  and  the  short 
distance  of  one  foot  alteration  in  height  from  that  point  in  either 
direction  makes  all  the  difference  in  its  well-doing. 
At  this  point  a  few  words  upon  this  novelty  will  be  appropriate. 
The  plant  has  a  somewhat  curious  and  adventurous  history.  At  an  early 
stage  of  its  existence  it  was  stolen  out  of  a  batch  of  newly  imported 
plants.  However,  that  conscience  which  made  a  coward  of  this  class 
of  Orchid  fancier  ending  in  confession,  and  offer  of  reparation  by  the 
