March  16,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
I'll) 
N.C.S.  AND  Incurved  Varieties. 
I  FEAR,  from  “  Sadoc’s  ”  note  on  page  142,  he  thinks  I  am  unduly 
pushing  The  Egyptian  as  an  incurved  variety,  but  had  he  seen  the 
blooms  mentioned  by  me,  also  the  flower  of  this  variety  which  was 
awarded  the  prize  for  the  best  incurved  at  the  November  meeting  of 
the  Bristol  and  District  (iardeners’  Mutual  Improvement  Society,  he 
must  have  admitted  that  it  is  possible  to  stage  it  in  typical  form.  I 
am  afraid  I  cannot  offer  better  credentials  for  it  than  these.  Of  course 
locality  may  have  .something  to  do  with  it  being  seen  to  what  I 
should  say  was  perfection,  it  being  a  well  known  fact  that  some 
•districts  do  not  suit  some  varieties. 
As  to  it  being  classed  as  a  Japanese  variety  when  introduced,  I 
should  attach  slight  importance  to  this,  and,  if  I  might  be  so  bold, 
should  advise  “  Sadoc  ’’  not  to  place  too  much  confidence  in  growers’ 
descri]  tions  of  varieties  in  their  first  season.  Several  varieties  which 
were  introduced  as  Japanese  are  now  seen  in  a  good  peicentage  of 
winning  incurved  stands.  If  all  the  varieties  which  have  any 
■  Japanese  blood  in  them  were  excluded,  and  we  returned  to  the 
incurveds  of  a  few  seasons  back,  would  the  section  receive  the  support 
•of  the  leading  exhibitors  who  are  in  the  habit  of  staging  in  classes 
lor  thirty-six  incurved  ?  I  think  not. 
It  is  certainly  a  laudable  object  to  maintain  as  high  a  standard 
as  possible,  but  not  to  do  it  to  the  detriment  of  this  class  of  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  ;  and  whilst  societies  schedule  classes  for  large  numbers 
of  incurved,  and  the  public  are  craving  for  size,  I  see  no  way  out 
of  the  difficulty  but  to  admit  these  varieties.  Many  of  our  older 
varieties  of  incurved  are  admitted  by  growers  to  be  deteriorating  to 
such  a  degree  that,  if  the  class  is  not  added  to  by  such  varieties,  I 
am  afraid  we  should  be  sometimes  placed  in  a  difficult  position  to 
•compete  in  the  larger  classes. — J.  Wilkinson,  Sio/i’e  Bishop,  Bristol. 
The  Vase  Class  at  the  N.C.S.  Show. 
I  WAS  rather  surprised  to  read  Mr.  Molyneux’s  remarks  on  this 
•subject  in  your  issue  of  February  23rd.  I  think  he  has  overstated 
the  difficulty  of  the  task.  Surely  it  is  as  difficult  to  exhibit  sixty 
distinct  varieties  on  a  given  date !  Yet  I  think  sixteen  growers 
were  able  to  do  this  latter  at  the  Diamond  Jubilee  Exhibition. 
Most  of  the  leading  exhibitors  grow  from  eight  to  twelve  plants 
of  some  two  dozen  of  the  leading  varieties,  and  it  is  a  son}' 
(testimony  to  our  boasted  knowledge  of  the  Chrysanthemum  if  five 
blooms  of  twelve  distinct  varieties  cannot  be  chosen  from  these.  It 
is  not  necessary  that  the  varieties  should  be  new  ones,  and  I  think 
very  few  new  ones  will  be  good  enough  to  be  represented.  Most 
competitors  will  rely  on  well  known  varieties,  and  will  also  grow  a 
few  extra  plants  of  their  favourites.  Ho  far  from  making  the  conditions 
easier,  I  would  stipulate  that  not  more  than  three  white  or  three 
yellow  varieties  be  shown,  and  only  two  of  any  other  colour,  and  I 
should  like  to  see  the  Japanese  incurved  represented,  in  say  four 
varieties.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  prize  is  a  special  one,  and 
■worthy  of  special  effort. — Grower. 
Hull  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
The  schedule  of  the  exhibition  to  be  held  in  the  Artillery  Barracks, 
Hull,  on  November  15th  and  16th  of  this  year  is  just  to  hand,  and 
continues,  as  heretofore,  comprehensive  in  style  and  generous  in  its 
prize  money.  The  classes  number  close  upon  fifty,  and  are  so  arranged 
as  to  meet  the  requirements  of  all  growers,  whether  large  or  small. 
Numerous  excellent  ))rizes  are  offered,  and  we  shall,  no  doubt,  be  safe 
in  assuming  that  this  will  again  prove  one  of  the  best  exhibitions  in 
the  country.  It  is  regrettable  to  observe  that  the  financial  statement 
shows  a  deficit  of  £49  10s.  from  the  balance  in  hand  at  the  beginning 
of  last  year,  and  we  trust  that  the  Committee’s  appeal  for  more  support 
will  be  jiromptly  and  generously  met  by  increased  and  more  numerous 
subscriptions.  The  Society  is  one  of  the  best  managed  in  the  king¬ 
dom,  and  is  deserving  of  support  on  all  hands.  Messrs.  E.  Harland 
and  Dixon  continue  as  Honorary  Secretaries,  and  most  admirably  do 
•they  carry  out  their  duties. 
Sheffield  Chrysanthemum  Society. 
On  Wednesday  evening,  the  8th  inst..  Dr.  Banham  delivered  a 
lecture  in  the  Society’s  Room  entitled  “A  few  Chemical  Points  in 
Relation  to  Plant  Culture.”  Commencing  with  a  description  of  various 
noils,  their  advantages  and  disadvantages,  he  afterwards  referred  to  the 
•^.omposition  of  jJants  and  the  manner  in  which  plant  foods  should  be 
administered.  The  lecture  was  a  most  excellent  one,  and  full  of 
valuable  information,  much  more  in  fact  than  is  usually  carried  away 
from  a  meeting  in  the  cranium  of  an  ordinaiy  individual.  Unfor¬ 
tunately  it  was  not  taken  down  in  shorthand,  so  that  its  real  value  to 
outsiders  is  lost  for  lack  of  the  indispensable  reporter. 
The  members’  exhibits  were  Cinerarias  for  the  professionals  and 
bulbs  for  the  amateurs.  In  the  latter  section  the  lecturer  (Dr. 
Banham)  carried  ofi:  first  honours. 
The  meeting  closed  with  a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  lecturer. 
Mr.  T.  Gartery  occupied  the  chair. — J.  II.  H. 
THE  BEST  PEACHES. 
I  AM  pleased  to  note  that  two  such  sterling  cultivators  as  Mr.  D 
Thomson  and  Mr.  E.  Molyneux  have  contributed  exceedingly  interesting 
notes  on  this  subject,  which  is  one  worthy  of  being  thrashed  out,  as  we 
have  now  many  varieties  to  select  from,  and  all  cultivators  desire  to  grow 
only  the  best.  On  page  148  Mr.  Thomson  fully  corroborates  my  idea 
that  Noblesse  is  a  variety  which  requires  lime  in  considerable  quantities 
to  insure  real  sirccess,  and  a  useful  hint  has  been  elicited  as  to  the  con¬ 
ditions  under  which  so  noted  a  fruit  grower  produced  this  fine  Peach  in 
perfect  condition,  both  in  regard  to  free  cropping  qualities  as  well  as  size 
of  individual  fruits.  Any  Peach  tree  which  I  found  to  be  a  shy  cropper 
I  should  at  once  apply  lime  to.  In  the  summer  by  boring  holes  in  the 
border,  filling  them  with  air-slaked  lime,  scattering  some  over  the  whole 
surface  of  the  border  as  well,  and  then  watering  it  in  ;  in  the  autumn  or 
winter  by  mixing  lime  freely  with  the  top-dressing. 
Mr.  Thomson  has  hit  me  very  closely  by  suggesting  Dymond  as  a 
substitute  for  Royal  George  when  the  latter  is  subject  to  mildew.  When 
penning  my  notes  I  hesitated  some  moments  as  to  whether  I  could  not 
include  Dymond  in  my  six,  as  it  is  a  variety'  good  in  almost  every  way, 
and  if  I  had  named  seven  Dymond  would  have  made  up  the  number.  My 
reason  for  not  including  it  was,  that  although  it  is  one  of  the  surest  croppers 
and  colours  splendidly,  the  slight  depression  at  the  crown  of  the  fruit  is 
its  one  weak  point. 
On  page  174  Mr.  Molyneux  mentions  the  case  of  a  market  grower  who 
has  discarded  Royal  George  on  account  of  its  susceptibility  to  mildew.  I 
have  great  faith  in  the  market  men,  as  the  question  of  &  s.  d.  quickly 
causes  them  to  root  out  any  plant,  tree,  or  flower  which  shows  a  weak 
point.  If  I  found  mildew  troublesome  I  should  follow  the  same  course 
with  Royal  George  or  any  other  variety,  but  so  far  I  have  only  once 
experienced  any  difficulty  in  the  matter.  That  was  about  fifteen  years 
ago,  when  foreman  at  Preston  Hall,  in  Kent.  In  the  early  house  there 
was  a  splendid  tree  of  Royal  George,  and  on  one  side  of  it  mildew  often 
put  in  an  appearance,  but  this  was  invariably  checked  at  once,  and  seldom 
gave  further  trouble. 
I  cannot  see  my  way  to  cut  out  Alexander  from  the  best  three  early 
varieties  for  the  reason  which  Mr.  Molyneux  gives,  as  although  the 
flavour  is  not  quite  first-rate  it  is  the  earliest  variety  grown  ;  that  means 
much  in  private  and  market  gardens.  In  regard  to  Walburton's  Late 
/Admirable,  I  have  never  found  the  flavour  passable  when  grown  in  a 
late  house.  Mr.  Inglefield  of  Tedworth,  in  Wilts,  used  to  exhibit  it  in 
grand  condition  in  August,  and  if  I  grew  it  at  all  it  would  be  in  a  midseason 
house,  for  the  sake  of  the  splendid  fruit  it  produces. — H.  D. 
We  have  now  for  several  years  past  given  up  the  cultivation  of 
Peaches  on  the  open  walls.  They  were  at  one  period  grown  largely,  but, 
owing  to  a  succession  of  inclement  seasons,  little  benefit  was  obtained 
from  them.  The  one  variety,  however,  that  could  always  be  depended  on 
to  carry  a  heavy  crop  of  large  fruit  was  Walburton  Admirable,  and  if  the 
autumn  were  fine  it  was  of  fair  flavour.  Could  we  depend  on  similar 
weather  to  that  experienced  last  year  the  outdoor  cultivation  of  Peaches 
in  the  North  would  be  a  success  ;  but,  as  it  has  been  in  the  past,  so  may 
we  expect  it  to  be  in  the  future. 
We 'now  cultivate  Peaches  extensively  under  glass,  and  have  thus 
exceptional  opportunities  of  testing  the  different  varieties.  I  may  at  once 
state  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  them  are  grown  with  a  view  to  making 
as  high  a  price  as  possible.  But  this  is  not  the  sole  aim,  as  quality  and 
appearance  must  be  studied  for  home  consumption. 
Bearing  these  facts  in  mind  I  do  not  consider  “  H.  D.”  has  made  the 
best  selection  of  varieties  for  that  purpose.  Alexander  is  recommended 
as  a  good  commercial  investment  by  obtaining  ripe  fruit  in  May.  This  is 
not  our  experience,  as  it  is  only  of  medium  size,  very  thin  in  the  skin,  and 
a  bad  packer.  If  planted  in  a  mixed  house  there  is  a  difficulty  in  obtain¬ 
ing  a  full  crop  of  fruit  owing  to  the  habit  it  has  of  dropping  its  buds. 
We  find  that  a  good  midseason  variety  that  ripens  its  fruit  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  June  wilt  make  double  the  price  in  the  open 
market  to  those  bearing  smaller  fruit  a  month  earlier  in  the  season  ; 
consequently  we  are  gradually  working  out  this  variety,  and  also  Royal 
George,  the  varieties  of  Grosse  Mignonne  and  Alexander  Noblesse. 
The  two  former  varieties  will  be  displaced  by  Crimson  Gala,nde, 
Bellegarde  (probably  the  two  best  midseason  Peaches  in  cultivation), 
Stirling  Castle,  Violelte  Hative,  and  Belle  de  Doud  (a  variety  of 
Bellegardey.  These  are  all  small  flowering  and  very  free  setters.  They 
are  of  hardy  constitution,  carry  ing  a  heavy  crop  of  large,  well-coloured 
fruits,  which  are  s(Ooad  to  none  for  flavour,  and  may  always  be  depended 
