Jan\iary  1,  19C3. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAIE  GARRENER. 
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discarded  by  the  most  prominent  of  our  exhibitors  in  the  leading 
shows.  And,  furtlier,  that  for  several  years  past  little  or  nothing  of 
American  oidgin  has  been  sent  over  here  to  compete  with  the  French 
and  more  recently  the  Australian  seedling  growers.  The  consequence 
is  that  the  Englisli  thirst  foi-  novelties  has  to  he  assuaged  by  other 
means,  and  that  instead  of  there  being  a  steady  flow  of  novelties  from 
the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic  to  occupy  a  portion  of  the  space  vacated 
by  varieties  that  are  pushed  aside  for  various  reasons,  nothing  new  or 
attractive  has  come  before  our  notice  for  a  long  time  past. 
The  chief  places  where  public  opinion  on  such  matters  is  formed  is 
undoubtedly  at  the  trade  displays  and  at  the  floral  committee  meetings 
where  novelties  are  staged  by  growers  and  importers.  So  keen  is  the 
(iompetition  for  supremacy  that  unless  a  new  variety  obtains  a 
certificate  or  gives  great  promise  it  is  hardly  worth  anyone’s  while  to 
gi'ow  a  new  variety  a  second  year,  the  number  of  novelties  being  so 
large. 
There  is,  however,  some  consolation,  but  it  is  one  that  does  not 
appeal  to  a  raiser’s  pocket.  At  many  piavate  establishments  and  in 
the  interesting  collections  that  are  gratuitously  provided  by  the 
London  County  Council 
in  the  public  parks  many 
varieties,  American  as 
well  as  others,  are  in¬ 
cluded  and  are  grown 
year  after  year.  1  think 
in  an  article  on  this  sub¬ 
ject  which  I  Avrote  tor 
the  “  American  Florist  ” 
some  time  since  special 
reference  was  made  to 
this  fact.  But  the  average 
Chrysanthemum  groAver 
for  exhibition  in  England 
hardly  ever  pays  a  visit 
to  such  places,  Avhieh  are 
intended  for  the  pleasure 
-  of  the  inhabitants  in  the 
district  Avhere  these  parks 
are  situated.  Conse¬ 
quently  the  authorities, 
not  haA'ing  to  appeal  to 
critical  trade  in  such 
matters,  often  keep  in 
their  collections  many  old 
kinds  of  ordinary  merit 
that  are  only  fit  for 
general  decorative  dis¬ 
play.  To  the  exhibitor 
for  ir  zes,  hoAvever,  the 
early  possession  of  the 
finest  novelties  means 
success  or  failure,  and 
he  Avill  Avillingly  pay  the 
price  for  any  new  addition 
likely  to  secure  him  the 
fullest  number  of  points. 
For  that  means  a  con¬ 
siderable  amount  of  prize 
money  in  his  pocket  or 
an  arr.ay  of  silver  cups 
for  his  sideboard. 
Whatever  may  be 
said  to  the  eontrai’y, 
growing  prize  Chrysan¬ 
themums  in  England  is 
mainly  a  matter  of  profit 
and  not  honour.  And 
the  proof  of  this  is  easily 
found  in  the  fact  that 
Avhere  substantial  prizes 
are  not  offered  there  Avill 
only  be  found  groAvers  of  aA'erage  ability.  And  it  is  also  noteAvorthy 
that  Avhatever  varieties  are  included  in  the  Avinning  stands  of  our  ! 
clevei’est  exhibitors  are  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  numerous  small 
amateurs  Avho  hope  to  folloAV  in  the  greater  ones’  steps.  Hence  the 
sale  of  some  peculiarly  striking  noA'elty  Avill  often  run  into  thousands  j 
the  first  year  it  is  shoAvn. 
Going  back  to  the  subject  of  local  display  at  the  London  parks,  I 
it  is  curious  to  notice,  as  I  did  last  year,  blooms  of  many  American  | 
A’arieties  that  once  occupied  a  much  loftier  position.  Many  of  them  i 
Avere  in  their  tuni  exhibition  blooms;  to-day  they  are  rejected  as  ' 
such.  iTet  although  not.  groAvn  in  such  fine  form  as  they  Avere  Avhen 
in  the  hands  of  our  expei’t  cultivators,  they  may  live  on  for  years 
giving  pleasure  to  many,  Avhose  only  opportunity  of  seeing  such 
floAvers  at  all  is  a  quiet  stroll  through  the  greenhouse  of  a  London 
park  on  a  Saturday  or  Sunday  afternoon  in  mid-October  or  early 
November. 
Survivors  of  these  American  introductions  are  as  folloAvs ; — 
Mrs.  E.  G.  Jlill,  an  early  useful  variety  for  the  back  roAv  of  a  group 
of  pot  plants;  W.  fl.  Lincoln,  Delaware,  the  Anemone;  Wm. 
Tricker  a  capital  pink  vanety  Avhon  groAvn  for  decorative  purposes  ; 
Gloriosum,  Modesto,  Col.  W.  B.  Smith,  Niveus,  'Western  King. 
The  Egyptian,  Simplicity,  G.  W.  Childs,  ahvays  bright  and 
effective,  but  rather  small.  There  may  be  a  feAv  others,  but  these 
ai’e  all  that  appear  in  my  notes  of  last  Year's  visits  to  the  iiOndon 
parks. 
While  these  remain  the  originators  have  some  satisfaction  in 
knoAving  that  their  efforts  have  not  been  entirely  obliterated.  But 
mere  honours  will  scarcely  console  a  man  w'ho  undertakes  the  raising 
of  any  kind  of  plant  for  a  livelihood. 
Only  to-day  1  have  been  inspecting  the  collection  of  a  Avell  knoAvn 
inti'oducer  of  new  Chrysanthemums — a  man  Avith  little  or  no  senti¬ 
ment  in  relation  to  the  origin  of  the  neAV  Chrysanthemums  he  has 
to  sell.  ITpon  finishing  the  Avork  I  expressed  surprise  that  noAv 
American  seedlings  Avere  practically  non-existent  in  his  col¬ 
lection,  and  had  been  for  some  years.  His  remarks  may  be 
instructive  and  perhaps  of  service  to  American  gi’owers,  and  are 
briefly  as  folloAvs  : — 
“  Taken  as  a  Avhole  the  American  seedlings  are,  as  regards  the 
blooms,  quite  as  fine  in  colour  as  any  others.  The  foliage  is  good. 
but  very  subject  to  mil¬ 
dew,  at  least  five  out 
of  every  six  suffering 
from  this  disadvantage. 
For  quality  in  respect 
to  seed  -  bearing  they 
are  of  a  high  order  of 
merit.  tleorgeW.  Childs 
having  been  the  parent 
here  of  many  of  our 
best  dark-coloured  kinds. 
Most  of  the  plants  have 
the  disadvantage  of  being 
too  tall  Avhen  grown  in 
our  style  for  exhibition 
blooms,  and  generally 
speaking,  they  are  mueii 
later  in  blooming  than 
the  Continental  varieties, 
an  immense  disad\’antage 
Avhen  connoisseurs  are 
eagerly  on  the  look  out 
early  in  the  season  for 
novelties  for  the  folloAV- 
ing  season. 
“  Again,  many  are 
rather  coarse,  and  I  re¬ 
member  this  Avas  the 
fault  in  the  ease  of  some 
of  the  first  Ave  ever  had. 
They  do  not  lend  them¬ 
selves  to  stopping  for 
refinement,  and  the  differ¬ 
ence  in  bud  selection  is  a 
matter  of  paramount  im¬ 
portance.  If  attempts 
are  made  to  get  them 
early  by  taking  early 
buds  the  flowers  come 
rough,  and  that  is  one  of 
the  greatest  bars  to  suc¬ 
cessful  exhibiting  in  this 
country.” 
Another  factor  in  the 
case  is  the  question  of 
transport.  My  informant 
tells  me  that  in  getting 
young  plants  from  the 
States  in  past  years  it 
was  never  possible  to  get 
them  over  soon  enough 
in  the  year  to  flower 
them  Avell  the  first  season  after  arrival,  and  that  means  that 
they  Avere  often  knocked  out  of  the  running  for  up-to-date  exhi¬ 
bitors. 
Hoav  far  these  opinions  are  shared  by  the  general  body  of  our 
trade  importers  I  do  not  knoAV,  but  it  is  not  the  first  time  similar 
complaints  have  been  made  to  me  Avhen  going  the  rounds  of  our  trade 
displays.  If  anything  contained  in  this  paper  should  tend  to  a  revival 
of  commerce  in  Chrysanthemums  Avith  this  country,  and  to  American 
Chrysanthemums  once  again  occupying  something  like  their  old 
position,  both  I  and  many  other  lovers  of  the  Autumn  Queen  Avill  not 
fail  to  do  them  justice,  and  American  groAvers  Avill  once  again  share 
in  the  honour  of  producing  varieties  that  will  help  materially  to 
increase  their  fame  and  pecuniary  advantage.  To  this  end  Bie 
present  paper  has  been  compiled,  and  the  time  devoted  to  its  compila¬ 
tion  will  be  considered  Avell  spent  if  such  a  result  can  be  brought 
about. 
Quite  a  discussion  ensued  on  the  portion  referring  to  the  difficulty 
experienced  by  the  English  growers  in  the  cultivation  of  American 
varieties,  and  the  character  of  the  kinds  desired  by  Chrysanthemum 
enthusiasts  on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
Chrysanthemum,  Glory  of  Devon. 
