544 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
December  3,  1898. 
outline,  and  clear  or  rich  in  outline  ;  and  quilled  florets  bo  arranged  as 
to  form  a  hemispherical  cushion-like  centre.  Regularity  of  the  ray 
florets,  high  centre,  and  bright  colouring  are  merits  ;  and  unevenness  in 
the  outline,  hollowness  in  the  centre,  and  ineflective  colouring  are 
defects. 
6,  Japanese  Anemones.— These  as  in  the  ordinary  type  of  Japanese 
have  blooms  distinguished  by  their  large  size,  fantastic  form,  and 
effective  colourings.  In  the  Japanese  Anemone  Chrysanthemum  the 
centre  should  be  full,  but  not  necessarily  hemispherical,  as  in  the  large 
Anemone-flowered  ;  and  the  ray  florets  of  varying  breadth,  short  or  of 
considerable  length,  drooping  or  horizontal,  curled  or  straight,  but  more 
or  less  irregularly  arranged.  The  irregularity  of  the  ray  florets  is  one  of 
the  most  distinctive  characteristics  of  the  section  ;  and  it  should  be 
distinctly  understood  that  roughness  in  a  large  Anemone-flowered  does 
not  justify  it  having  a  place  in  this  section,  of  which  elegance  is  one  of 
its  most  distinctive  characteristics. 
7,  Hairy  or  Hirsute. — Though  the  varieties  with  blooms  having 
glandular  hairs  on  the  back  of  the  florets  belong  almost  exclusively 
to  the  Japanese  sections,  it  does  not  necessarily  follow  that  this  class 
should  be  limited  to  them.  On  the  contrary,  all  varieties,  of  which  the 
flowers  are  constantly  hirsute,  are  admissible.  The  blooms,  therefore, 
may  be  incurved,  or  reflexed,  or  fantastic  in  form,  have  Anemone  centres 
or  not ;  but  they  must  be  constantly,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  furnished 
with  glandular  hairs  on  the  back  or  reverse  of  the  florets,  and  the 
profusion  of  these  should  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  chief  points  of 
merit, 
8,  Pompon. — The  small-flowered  or  Pompon  Chrysanthemum  are  so 
valuable  for  various  purposes,  that  any  tendency  to  excessive  size, 
relatively  speaking,  or  coarseness,  should  be  effectually  checked.  The 
Pompon  Chrysanthemum  may  have  blooms  rather  flat  or  globular,  and 
the  florets  may  be  flat,  fluted,  or  quilled,  spreading  out  horizontally, 
erect,  or  incurving  ;  but  the  blooms  should  be  neat,  and  not  exceeding 
2  inches  in  diameter. 
9,  Fringed  Pompon.— In  this  section  the  distinguishing  charac¬ 
teristic  is  the  division  in  the  florets,  which,  instead  of  being  entire  as  in 
the  typical  Pompon,  may  be  fimbriated  at  the  margin  or  deeply  cut. 
In  all  other  particulars  the  varieties  belonging  to  the  section  agree  with 
the  typical  forms,  and  they  may  be  shown  with  them  unless  there  are 
stipulations  in  the  schedule  to  the  contrary. 
10,  Pompon  Anemones. — These,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Pompons,  have 
a  dwarf  habit,  small  foliage,  and  neat  blooms  ;  but  they  differ  from 
them  in  the  blooms,  consisting  of  two  distinct  types  of  flowers.  The 
Pompon  Anemone  is  a  miniature  counterpart  of  the  large  Anemone- 
flowered.  The  ray  florets  should  be  flat  and  regularly  arranged,  forming 
a  complete  circle,  the  disc  full  and  hemispherical,  and  the  colour  clear 
and  decisive.  Irregularity  in  the  ray  florets  and  a  low  cushion  are  serious 
defects. 
11,  Large-flowered  Singles. — The  single  varieties  are  rapidly 
acquiring  importance,  and  the  diversity  in  the  size  of  the  blooms  has 
rendered  it  necessary  to  form  them  into  two  groups,  the  first  group  to 
comprise  those  varieties  which  have  blooms  exceeding  3  inches  in 
diameter  and  large  foliage.  The  blooms  of  the  large-flowered  singles 
should  be  not  less  than  3  inches  in  diameter  under  ordinary  culture, 
and  contain  not  more  than  two  rows  of  ray  florets  ;  the  latter  may  be 
long  or  short,  drooping,  horizontal,  or  incurving,  and  regular  or 
irregular  in  arrangement,  while  the  disc  florets  must  not  be  sufficiently 
raised  to  form  a  cushion  in  the  centre. 
12,  Pompon  Singles — Varieties  to  be  admissible  in  this  class  should 
have  the  short  sturdy  habit  and  the  small  foliage  characteristic  of  the 
Pompons  and  the  Pompon  Anemones.  The  blooms  of  the  Pompon 
singles  should  not  exceed  3  inches  in  diameter  when  grown  under  high 
culture ;  they  should  not  have  more  than  two  rows  of  ray  florets,  and 
these  should  be  regularly  arranged  and  perfectly  flat ;  the  disc  must 
not  be  raised  or  unduly  prominent.  In  determining  whether  a  single 
variety  belongs  to  this  or  the  section  immediately  preceding  it,  the  size 
and  character  of  the  foliage,  as  well  as  of  the  blooms,  should  be  taken 
into  account. — {Read  hy  Mr.  G.  Gordon  at  the  Jubilee  Celebration  of 
the  National  Chrysantheumin  Society, ') 
APPLES  AT  THE  ROYAL  AQUARIUM. 
Before  “  Bedfordshire  Foundling  ”  made  the  complaint  published 
on  page  610  he  should  first  have  ascertained  whether  Mr.  King,  or 
any  other  exhibitor  in  the  two  Apple  classes,  was  barred  by  the 
terms  of  the  schedule  from  showing  similar  varieties  in  the  classes. 
No  such  restrictions  exist.  In  one  case  the  schedule  asks  for  cooking 
and  in  the  other  for  dessert  Apples.  Now  in  showing  varieties  that 
are  generally  classed  as  both  cooking  and  dessert  it  is  clear  that 
Mr.  King  was  within  his  right.  It  is  not  merely  generally  but 
universally  understood  that  whilst  Blenheim  Pippin  and  Cox’s  Pomona 
are  two  of  our  very  best  cooking  Apples,  both,  too,  are  of  excellent 
dessert  quality.  Only  the  other  day  I  ate  a  fine  Pomona  and  found 
it  to  be  soft,  very  pleasant,  and  to  my  now  aged  teeth  really 
delightful  eating.  Blenheim  Pippin  is  always  the  same. 
If  it  be  thought  undesirable  to  have  duplicate  varieties  in  these 
classes  henceforth,  then  it  will  be  needful  to  intimate  that  no  variety 
can  be  exhibited  in  both  classes.  Until  that  is  the  case  it  is  entirely 
open  to  any  exhibitor  to  set  up  the  varieties  named  or  some  others  in 
both.  If  your  critic  had  suggested  that  the  judges,  in  selecting  the  first 
prize  lot  of  cooking  Apples,  seemed  rather  to  favour  colour  over  weight, 
size,  and  good  appearance  I  could  have  agreed.  Still,  it  would  have 
been,  as  this  is,  a  very  small  matter.  In  awarding  points  to  the  respec¬ 
tive  dishes  of  dessert  Apples  flavour  with  appearance  should  be  the 
dominating  features.  Now  Mr.  King,  having  undoubtedly  admissible 
varieties,  had  American  Mother,  Ribston  Pippin,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin, 
King  of  the  Pippins,  Blenheim  and  Pomona,  all  superbly  beautiful 
samples. 
In  the  second  prize  lot  from  Mr.  Woodward  were  Cox’s  Orange  and 
Ribston  Pippins,  Calville  Rouge,  Barnack’s  Beauty,  Melon  Apple,  and 
Brabant  Bellefleur,  all  very  beautiful  samples  too.  But  how  many 
points  for  flavour  are  due  to  some  of  these  latter  ;  and  how  little,  if 
they  have  high  dessert  qualities,  are  known  of  them  ?  In  the  third  prize 
lot  were,  besides  Cox’s,  two  Ribstons,  Fearn’s  Pippin,  Barchard’s  Seedling, 
Gascoigne’s  Scarlet  (called  Glory  of  England),  and  Claygate  Pearmain. 
Who  therefore  can  doubt  but  that  Mr.  King  was  rightly  placed  first  ? 
I  have  thought  that  arising  from  out  of  the  Aquarium  and  York 
complaints,  with  respect  to  the  classification  of  Apples,  also  because 
of  others  that  crop  up  from  time  to  time,  that  it  would  be  an  excellent 
thing  were  the  Council  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society  to  invite  its 
Fruit  Committee  to  tackle  the  subject.  It  should  not  be  one  of  difficulty. 
We  might  in  that  way  in  the  course  of  the  ensuing  year,  and  long  before 
Apple  competitions  again  recurred,  have  set  into  authoritative  lists 
varieties  that  are  to  be  regarded  as  dessert  only,  of  cooking  only,  and 
what  are  fitly  entitled  to  be  classed  as  both. 
Such  a  list  issued  with  authority  would  then  settle  these  matters 
easily,  and  1  even  think  the  Committee  might  go  farther  and  make  two 
lists  of  the  table  varieties,  by  distinguishing  fruits  that  really  have 
flavour  from  the  large  rank  and  file  that  have  colour,  or  are  other¬ 
wise  of  pleasing  appearance,  and  being  good  croppers  are  profitable  to 
grow  for  private  use  or  for  sale.  The  Committee  might  also  help  to  put 
out  of  existence  many  varieties  that  whilst  still  in  lists  few  care  to 
grow.  There  is  great  room  for  a  reduction  of  our  redundant  lists  of 
Apples.  We  have  so  many  really  high  class  that  continuing  to  grow  or 
catalogue  worthless  varieties  is  an  error  that  cannot  be  too  strongly 
deprecated. — A.  D. 
I  am  pleased  to  give  my  opinion  on  the  matter  suggested  by 
“  Bedfordshire  Foundling,”  but  unfortunately  I  am  quite  unable  to 
support  him.  In  fact,  a  note  of  mine  not  long  since  in  the  Journal  was 
entirely  against  him,  and  in  favour  of  Mr.  King’s  exhibits  and  the 
Judges  who  did  not  disqualify  him. 
Blenheim  Pippin  is  a  dessert  and  cooking  Apple,  of  merit  in  both 
classes,  and  I  see  therefore  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  shown  in 
both,  just  as  we  show  Tea  Roses  in  their  own  class,  and  in  the  general 
class  as  well.  Cox’s  Pomona  is  also,  I  should  say,  eligible  for  both,  but 
would  not  probably  be  valued  very  highly,  except  for  appearance.  I 
am  personally  inclined  to  go  so  far  as  to  say  that  all  good  dessert  Apples 
which  are  large  enough  are  also  good  cooking  Apples.  (I  see  someone 
has  been  making  cider  of  Cox’s  Orange  1)  but  we  do  badly  want  an 
authority  to  settle  these  matters,  and  draw  these  lines  for  us. 
Does  ”  Bedfordshire  Foundling  ”  (which  I  fear  cannot  be  called  a 
first-class  Apple)  if  he  hails  from  that  county,  know  anything  of  a  large, 
soft,  cooking  Apple,  fair  keeper,  forming  a  very  large  tree,  which  1  knew 
there  forty  years  ago  as  “  Joe  Roger  ?  ” — W.  R.  Raillem. 
NATIONAL  CARNATION  AND  PICOTEE  AND  NATIONAL 
AURICULA  AND  PRIMULA  SOCIETIES  (Southern  Section). 
At  the  annual  general  meeting  of  the  above  Societies  held  on  the  18th 
ult.,  the  report  of  thfe  Hon.  Treasurer  was  presented,  and  showed  a  very 
satisfactory  state  of  affairs  in  the  Carnation  Society,  eighty  new  members 
having  joined  during  the  year,  making  a  total  of  305  members.  Up-' 
wards  of  £200  was  offered  in  prizes  at  the  exhibition  held  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  in  July  last,  but  owing  to  the  unfavourable  season  many  classes 
were  not  filled,  and  only  £171  was  paid  for  prizes,  leaving  a  balance  in 
hand  of  £236. 
The  Auricula  Society  numbers  seventy-one  members,  as  against 
sixty-eight  last  year  ;  £64  was  paid  in  prize  money,  a  balance  of  £10  12s. 
being  carried  forward.  The  Presidents,  Vice-Presidents,  Auditors,  and 
Committees  remain  the  same  as  last  year,  with  one  or  two  exceptions. 
The  Rev.  H.  Honywood  D’Ombrain,  owing  to  advanced  age,  has  resigned 
the  Chairmanship  of  the  Committee  of  the  National  Carnation  and 
Picotee  Society,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  members.  Mr.  E.  Colby 
Sharpin  was  unanimously  elected  to  fill  the  vacant  post. 
Owing  to  his  numerous  engagements  and  increase  of  business  Mr. 
Douglas  has  been  reluctantly  compelled  to  resign  the  office  of  Secretary 
to  both  Societies.  The  loss  of  his  services  is  much  to  be  regretted,  and 
in  gratitude  for  his  past  services  he  was  unanimously  elected  a  Vice- 
President  of  both  the  Societies,  and  the  following  resolution  was  adopted 
with  acclamation  : — 
“  In  accepting  with  much  regret  the  resignation  by  Mr.  James  Douglas  of 
his  post  as  lion.  Secretary  of  the  two  Societies  the  members  desire  to  place  on 
record  their  hearty  appreciation  of  the  devotion  with  which  he  has  always 
striven  to  promote  to  the  utmost  the  interests  and  prosperity  of  the  Societies, 
and  to  express  to  him  their  grateful  thanks  for  his  long,  faithful,  and  efficient 
services.” 
Mr.  T.  E.  Henwood  was  appointed  Hon.  Secretary  and  Treasurer  to 
both  Societies. 
