1-^2 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
Februarj'  23,  1898. 
CHR 
ST  'TT-t 
CI.ASSIFICATION  OF  INCURVED. 
exhibit  that  is  hampered  by  such  conditions.  Evenness  of  bloom 
is  especially  a  point  to  be  aimed  at  by  exhibitors  in  a  class  for 
vases  of  Chrysanthemums,  and  the  appearance  of  a  vase  containing 
four  good  blooms  and  one  rough  will  not  be  improved  by  the 
inclusion  of  the  latter.  Tliis  is  often  a  necessity  if  some  particular 
variety  is  to  be  staged.  Far  better  have  a  class  with  easier  con¬ 
ditions  and  praiseworthy  exhibits.  Keen  comiietition  and  bigh 
(]uality  are,  or  should  be,  the  aim  of  the  executive  committee  of  any 
society. — E.  Molyneux. 
I  woui.i)  like  to  again  call  attention  to  what  can  only  be  con¬ 
sidered  ail  unfair  proceeding  on  the  part  of  the  Classification  Committee 
of  the  N.C.S.  A  list  of  varieties  which  have  recently  been  classed  as 
iiicnrvid  has  been  issued  to  all  affiliated  societies  with  a  request 
that  these  societies  insert  this  list  in  their  schedule  of  prizes.  1 
have  since  received  several  schedules  in  which  it  is  stipulated  that 
only  the  varieties  classed  as  incurved  can  be  shown  in  that  section. 
This  new  list  issued  by  the  N.C.S.  contains  novelties  which  few 
have  seen  or  even  heard  about ;  one  is  not  to  be  sent  out  until  the 
season  19C0.  Two  varieties  which  should  have  been  included  are 
omitted,  thereby  debarring  them  from  being  exhibited  at  many  of 
the  nn  st  important  exhibitions.  I  am  referring  to  Lord  Coleridge  and 
Major  Matthew.  The  first  named  has  been  before  the  Floral  Com¬ 
mittee  several  times,  and  has  twice  been  returned  with  the  request  “to 
see  it  again.”  No  doubt  has  been  expressed  as  to  its  being  a  true 
inemved.  d'lie  other  variety  was  certificated  by  this  Committee  on 
till'  ‘J  lth  October,  and  has  also  received  an  award  of  merit  from  the 
R.ll.S.,  whili-t  the  whole  horticultural  press  has  commented  favourably 
111  it.  Is  it  not  remarkable  that  whilst  unknown  novelties  are  cited  a 
certificated  variety  is  omitted  ? — AV.  J.  Godfrey. 
SHEFFIELD  CIIRYSANTIIEMUAI  SOCIETY. 
d'liE  annual  dinner  of  this  Society  was  held  in  the  Masonic  Hall  on 
Saturday  evening,  the  1 8th  inst.,  when  about  a  hundred  members, 
patrons,  and  delegates  were  present.  W.  A.  Alilner,  Esq.,  J.P.,  the 
President  of  the  Society,  occupied  the  chair,  and  w'as  supported  by 
Mr.  II.  ri.  Jones,  Air.  R.  Stewait,  Air.  Sami.  G.  Harrison,  Mr.  F.  W. 
Litflewood,  Air.  S.  AV.  Seagrave,  Air.  AV.  Ilousley  (Secretary),  Air. 
John  Haigh,  Air,  T.  Nicholson,  and  Air.  N,  d'unnicliffe.  The  time 
was  unfdiiunate  in  respect  to  many  of  the  A^ice-Presidents  and  patrons, 
tVoni  whom  letters  of  regret  of  inability  to  be  present  were  read. 
Kindred  societies  sent  a  dozen  delegates.  The  usual  loyal  toast  was 
given  by  the  President  and  duly  honoured. 
The  toast  of  the  “  Kindred  Societies  and  A^isitors”  was  proposed  by 
Air.  John  Haigh,  who  gave  all  a  hearty  welcome  to  the  dinner,  and 
exiuessed  pleasure  on  behalf  of  the  Society  at  the  good  attendance  of 
ropre-imtatives.  It  was  ably  responded  to  by  Air.  AA’’.  Nicholson 
(AVakefield  Paxton  Society),  and  Air.  T.  J,  Nelson  (Chesterfield 
Chrysanthemum  Society).  “The  President  and  A'ice-Presidents ”  was 
proposed  by  Air.  F.  AV.  Litflewood,  and  responded  to  by  Air.  W.  A. 
Alilner  in  a  kind  and  genial  manner;  he  spoke  in  very  high  terms  of 
the  Society’s  work,  and  the  manner  in  which,  he  could  say  from 
experience,  it  had  been  conducted.  “The  Sheffield  Chrysanthemum 
Society  ”  fell  to  the  lot  of  Air.  H.  J.  Jones  (London),  who  said  the  first 
time  he  visited  Sheffield  on  its  account,  he  thought  what  a  dull, 
miserable  place  he  had  come  to ;  but  as  soon  as  he  became  acquainted 
with  a  few  officials  and  members,  all  the  dullness  vanished,  and  bright¬ 
ness  and  cheerfulness  appeared  in  its  place  ;  and  now  he  looked  forward 
w’itli  jdeasure  to  every  visit  he  paid  the  Society,  whose  progress  he 
had  watched  for  some  time  jiast.  He  wished  the  Society  continued 
success,  and  thanked  the  officials  for  their  kindness  to  him  on  the 
occasion  of  every  visit.  Air.  AV.  Housley  (the  Secretary)  responded 
to  the  toast,  and  briefly  reviewed  the  history  of  the  Society  and 
its  rapid  development.  In  1885  the  cash  taken  at  the  doors  of  the 
exhibition  was  £29,  In  1898  the  amount  had  reached  £174,  AVhen 
the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  held  a  show  in  connection 
with  the  Sheffield  Society  in  1887,  the  gate  money  was  £90.  In 
1885  tfie  number  of  members  was  comparatively  small,  now  there 
were  almost  JOO  members  on  the  books. 
The  toast  of  the  “Nurserymen  and  Non-competing  Exhibitors” 
was  ])roposed  by  Air.  P,  T.  Barton,  who  thanked  them  for  their  past 
assistance.  Air.  John  Artindale  suitably  acknowledged  the  toast. 
,  The  toasts  were  intersjierscd  with  songs,  which  made  a  most 
excellent  and  enjoyable  musical  entertainment. — J.  11.  S. 
CHRYSANTHEAIUAIS  IN  ALASES. 
From  the  report  of  the  meeting  of  the  Executive  Committee  of 
the  N.C.S.,  page  121,  I  note  a  class  for  Chrysanthemums  in  vases 
of  tw^elve  varieties  has  been  included  in  the  programme  for  next 
.season.  Each  vase  is  to  contain  Jive  bloomsi  of  each  variety. 
Surely  such  difficult  conditions  must  limit  competition  ;  this  is  not 
what  should  be  encouraged.  Five  blooms  of  any  one  variety, 
especially  if  it  is  new  or  scarce,  is  a  large  order  on  one  day.  I 
laii  to  see  how’  we  are  to  have  the  best  varieties  included  in  an 
AIR.  AVELLS’  CHRYSANTHEAITIM  BOOK. 
The  able  grower  and  energetic  chrysanthemumist  of  Earlswood 
sends  us  a  copy  of  his  revised  edition  of  “  The  Culttue  of  the  Chrys¬ 
anthemum.”  It  is  a  clear  and  practical  exposition  of  the  author’s 
methods  of  procedure  in  raising  and  growing  healthy  plants  for  the 
production  of  superior  blooms  and  fir  decorative  purposes.  The 
various  details  as  carried  out  by  Air.  AA'^ells  are  narrated  in  a  manner 
that  can  be  easily  comprehended,  while  some  errors  to  be  avoided  are 
also  pointed  out.  Several  photographic  illustrations  show  how  well 
the  plants  are  grown ;  insects — friends  and  foes  of  the  Chrysanthemum 
— are  also  depicted,  and  tho  “rust”  in  different  forms  illustrated. 
Mr.  AVells  in  comliating  this  enemy  relies  on  periodical  syringings 
with  a  mixture  of  an  ounce  of  soda  and  half  a  wdneglass  of  paraffin  in 
2  gallons  of  lukewarm  water,  starting  wuth  the  cuttings.  The  book 
comprises  upwards  ot  100  pages,  both  paper  and  printing  being  alike 
good.  There  appears  to  be  no  extraneous  matter  to  divert  'attention 
from  its  usefulness,  and  the  issue  is  altogether  a  creditable  production. 
THE  EGYPTIAN. 
AIr.  Wilkinson  (page  108)  takes  exception  to  this  Chrysanthemum 
being  classed  by  me  as  a  poor  type  of  an  incurved  bloom.  I  fear  he 
has  little  chance  of  convincing  the  general  body  of  cultivators  that 
it  is  a  typical  incurved  bloom  unless  he  brings  much  more  support 
into  his  argument  than  he  has  yet  done.  The  variety  w'as  introduced 
in  189G  as  a  Japanese  incurved.  I  am  not  certain  about  its  origin,  but 
Alessrs.  Nathan,  Smith,  &  Son,  the  American  Chrysanthemum  raisers, 
described  it  in  1896  as  a  Japanese,  as  did  Air.  AVells  in  the  same  year. 
Air.  Jones  and  Air.  Godfrey,  in  their  1897  and  1898  lisG,  class  it  as  an 
incurved,  but  both  are  careful  to  advise  growers  to  allow  the  plants  to 
carry  more  than  the  orthodox  number  (three)  of  blooms,  possibly 
because  they  fear  it  would  betray  its  true  character  under  the  ordinary 
method  of  cultivation. 
The  fact  of  The  Egyptian  being  so  conspicuously  absent  from 
competing  stands  during  the  last  two  seasons  is  a  sufficient  proof  to 
me  of  what  cultivators  generally  think  of  it.  Exhibitors  are  not 
slow  to  appreciate  a  desirable  variety.  Air.  AVilkinson  must  present 
higher  credentials  for  his  protegde  than  he  has  done  before  it  meets 
the  approval  of  growers  generally,  and  especially  of — Sadoc, 
LATE  CHRYSANTHEAIUMS. 
In  reference  to  the  note  on  page  112  I  see  no  fear  of  the  reign  of 
the  autumn  queen  waning.  The  production  of  huge  flowers  may 
decrease,  but  for  home  use  and  decoration  I  fail  to  see  what  can  to  any 
extent  replace  our  old  favourite.  The  demand,  to  my  own  knowledge, 
increases,  both  for  quantity  and  a  lengthened  period  of  flowering. 
Leaving  out  what  are  known  as  summer  flowering  Chrysanthemums, 
the  season  may  be  said  to  commence  in  October  and  continue  well  into 
the  new  year.  This  is  the  time  during  which  we,  with  not  the  best 
of  means,  manage  to  supply  plants  and  cut  flowers,  while  others 
prolong  the  season  still  further. 
I  can  remember  when  Ethel  and  Guernsey  Nugget  were  standard 
varieties  for  late  flowering,  and  I  oelieve  the  former  is  to  some  extent 
in  use  still  in  some  market  establishments  ;  they  were  good  and 
useful,  but  are  now'  in  a  great  measure  superseded.  Those  we  mainly 
rely  upon  for  late  use  are  AV.  II.  Lincoln,  Etoile  de  Lyon,  Princess 
Victoria,  and  L.  Canning.  Boule  d’Or  I  have  found  helpful  grown  on 
terminal  buds.  Challenge  is  not  free,  but  is  of  a  bright  colour. 
Princess  Victoria,  L.  Canning,  and  Boule  d’Or  are  propagated  when  the 
general  stock  is  inserted,  and  AA^.  11.  Lincoln  and  PItoilede  Lyon  about 
the  end  of  February  or  beginning  of  Alarch.  They  then,  as  a  rule, 
flower  together,  giving  us  good  results  in  midwinter,  when  the 
November  plants  are  things  of  the  past. 
The  cuttings  are  rooted  in  3-inch  pots,  and  receive  the  usual 
repotting  and  staking  as  needed,  until  the  final  move  into  8  or  9-incli 
pots  has  been  reached.  AA'e  pinch  out  the  points  of  the  shoots  of 
AAL  11.  Lincoln  and  Etoile  de  Lyon  once,  but  the  others  are  allowed  to 
grow  naturally.  It  is  customary  to  give  Chrysanthemums  as  much 
light  and  air  as  possible  after  housing,  but  late  plants  demand  still 
greater  care  and  provision  made  for  them  in  these  respects.  During 
October  they  are  placed  under  protection  at  night  when  there  is  danger 
of  frost,  and  in  November  are  taken  in  every  night  and  turned  out 
every  morning.  The  trouble  is  repaid  afterwards  with  clean  bright 
flowers. 
