424 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  8,  1900. 
Downe’s,  and  Mrs.  Pince  were  the  varieties  grown,  and  all  very  good 
indeed. 
Breynton,  Penarth,  where  A.  T.  Stephens,  Esq.,  and  his 
gardener,  Mr.  J.  J.  Graham,  turned  out  some  grand  .blooms  last  year, 
looked  quite  festive  in  honour  of  the  ;iutumn  queen,  and  it  would  be 
hard  to  say  whether  master  or  man  had  the  woise  attack  of  the  fever. 
The  first  thing  that  catches  the  eye  on  entering  the  greenhouse  where 
the  Mums  are  housed  is  a  batch  of  Mrs.  White  Popham  carrying 
enormous  blooms,  some  of  the  largest  I  have  ever  seen.  Le  Grand 
Dragon,  Lady  Ridgway,  Australie,  Edith  Tabor,  Mrs.  Barks,  and 
Simplicity  all  stand  out  prominently;  Miss  Nellie  Pockett,  very  fine  ; 
Emily  Towers,  Lord  Ludlnw,  Lord  Salisbury,  very  good  colour  ; 
Madame  G.  Bruant,  Mrs.  Mease,  grand  ;  Silver  Queen,  a  new  pink 
variety  of  nice  habit  ;  Lady  Hanham,  V.  Morel,  and  C.  Davis,  all 
good  colour  and  deep  blooms ;  Mons.  Chenon  de  Lechd,  Mrs.  G.  W. 
Palmer,  Madame  G.  Henri,  and  Mutual  Friend  all  strike  one  as  back 
row  flowers.  A  charm  ng  idant  of  Miss  Rose,  smothered  in  pink 
blooms,  is  the  pick  of  a  good  lot  of  single  varieties  grown  in  small 
pots,  mostly  6  and  7  inch.  Mr.  Graham  also  showed  me  some  good 
dwarf  plants  in  6-inch  pots  for  grouping,  nor  must  I  omit  to  mention 
a  frame  full  of  splendid  plants  of  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  in  fine 
flower. 
Mr.  R.  Crossling,  Penarth  Nurseries,  has  a  fine  house  full  of  big 
blooms,  which  testify  to  Mr.  J.  Crossling’s  skill  as  a  grower,  and 
amongst  a  stock  of  beaw  blooms  the  best  were  Lady  Hanham, 
Simplicity,  Nellie  Pockett,  Edith  d’ab  r,  Viviand  Morel,  lovely  colour; 
Oceana,  grand;  N.C.S.  Jubilee,  E.  Molyneux,  Miss  E.  Teichmann, 
Mons.  Hoste,  Madame  G.  Henri,  T.  Carrington,  and  Phoebus,  which 
last  is  the  finest  of  the  kmd  I  have  seen  this  year.  The  campaign 
opened  on  the  Slst  with  Penarth  Show.  — A.  H. 
Battersea  Park. 
This  south-western  park  is  one  of  the  most  popular  in  the  entire 
metropolis,  and  it  is  the  one  coming  within  the  management  of  the 
London  County  Council  which  has,  perhaps,  the  best  reputation  te  r 
the  general  excellence  of  its  gardening.  Mr.  F.  J.  Coppin  has  been 
in  charge  so  long,  and  has  had  such  a  wide  experience  of  metropolitan 
gardening,  that  he  is  wholly  conversant  with  the  plants  that  will 
thrive  and  those  that  will  not ;  hence  the  excellent  results  that  are 
yearly  achieved.  For  some  years  a  collection  of  Chrysanthemums 
has  been  grown  for  the  delectation  of  the  public  in  the  crowded  district 
in  which  the  park  is  siiuited,  but  it  is  found  that  persons  travel 
consi  lerable  distances  by  rail,  ’bus,  tram,  and  even  cab,  to  see  the 
display  in  the  frame  ground  near  the  Albert  Suspension  Bridge. 
At  the  present  moment  the  Chrysanthemums  in  Battersea  Park 
are  probably  better  than  they  have  been  in  any  previous  season. 
Thanks  to  the  exertions  of  Mr.  J.  Wheeler,  the  grower,  the  vi-iior 
finds  robust  plants,  with  splendid  leaves  and  flowers  of  considerable 
size,  that  are  particularly  rich  in  colour  considering  the  conditions 
under  which  they  are  produced.  Thq  total  number  of  plants  is 
between  2000  and  3000,  and  the  best  of  these  may  now  be  seen  in  a 
comparatively  narrow  three-quarter  span-roofed  structure  that  is  not 
half  good  enough  for  the  splendid  plants  placed  therein.  But  the 
presiding  genius  at  Battersea  does  the  veiy  best  that  can  be  done 
under  the  circumstance^,  and  trains  beneath  the  roof  glass  at  the  back 
of  the  group  any  tall  plants  that  are  available,  and  places  along  the 
narrow  facing  stage  small  flowered  Japanese  and  Pompons,  which  in 
their  masses  of  flowers  are  superb.  'I  his  system  is  carried  out,  too, 
over  the  two  doorways,  and  so  skilfulL  is  it  done  that  it  adds  very 
materially  to  the  effect  of  the  entire  display. 
The  principal  plants  and  varieties  are  in  one  large,  undulating 
bank,  falling  in  altitude  from  the  back  to  the  path.  Along  the  front 
of  the  group  have  been  tied  out  some  of  the  small  free-flowering 
sorts,  so  as  to  ob.'Cure  to  a  great  extent  the  pots  in  which  the  plants 
are  growing  and  some  of  the  stems  that  have  lost  their  lower  leaves. 
As  has  been  said,  the  flowers  are  characterised  by  their  size, 
cleanliness,  and  richness  of  colour.  Varieties  are  numerous,  and 
while  it  is  obviously  impossible  to  include  all  the  most  recent 
novelties,  sufficient  of  the  newer  ones  are  repre-ented  to  keep  the 
stock  fairly  up  to  date  in  this  respect.  The  leading  flowers  are 
conspicuously  labelLd,  but  here  as  elsewhere  no  harm  would  be  done 
in  doubling  the  number  of  names.  It  is  probably  limited  to  avoid 
too  much  repetition,  but  it  frequently  hajipens  that  a  variety  named 
at  the  entrance  is  overlooked  and  .«een  further  on  without  a  label; 
the  visitor  then  has  considerable  difficulty  in  ascertaining  the  name, 
as  with  5000  or  6000  people  coming  in  a  day  the  officials  cannot 
permit  anyone  to  rush  to  and  fro  in  search  of  nomenclature. 
Amongst  the  best  Japanese  varieties  may  be  enumerated  Edwin 
Molyneux,  Mrs.  S.  C.  Probin,  N.C.S.  Jubilee,  Mons.  Panckoucke, 
Emil}'  Silsbury,  G.  H.  Runchman,  Lady  Byron,  one  of  the  very 
finest  ;  Mrs.  Alpl.eus  Hardy,  Florence  Davis,  Mdlle.  Edouard  Rey, 
Australie,  fine  ;  Phoebus,  President  Bevan,  Viviand  Morel,  Modesto, 
Master  H.  Tucker,  Esau,  very  fine,  hairy;  Mrs.  H.  Weeks,  excellent; 
Chas.  Davis,  Hairy  Wonder,  and  Col.  W.  B.  S  i  ith.  The  incurved 
section  includes  Lord  Rosebery,  Globe  d'Or,  C.  H.  Curtis,  Jeanne 
d’Arc,  Golden  Empress,  Baron  Hirsch,  Alfred  Salter,  Golden 
Beverley,  Lords  Alcester  and  Wolseley,  and  Prince  of  Wales.  The 
smaller  flowers  used  with  such  telling  effect  comprise  Source  d’Or, 
Margot,  Snowdrop,  Soeur  Melaine,  Sunset,  L’lle  des  Plaisirs,  and 
several  others. 
Southwark  Park. 
It  would  not^e  an  easy  matter  to  find  in  London  a  district  more 
unsuited  to  gardening  than  that  which  surrounds  this  south-eastern 
park,  which  is  now  in  charge  of  Mr.  Rogers,  fl'he  district  is  packed 
with  dwellings,  factories,  and  shipping  on  its  several  sides,  and 
is  so  much  encircled  that  one  wonders  how  those  in  charge  are  able  to 
keep  the  ground  in  such  excellent  condition.  Flower  beds  in  the 
summer  arid  early  autumn  months  are  remarkably  gay,  while  some 
shrubs  flourish  admirably.  These  things  simply  go  to  prove  what 
may  be  done  under  the  most  adverse  circumstances  where  skill  and 
intelligence  are  brought  to  bear  from  the  time  the  plants  are  raised 
until  they  have  finished  their  flowering. 
Just  now,  of  course,  the  piece  de  resistance  here,  as  elsewhere,  is 
found  in  the  Chrysanthemum  house,  which  is  one  of  the  very  best  in 
any  of  the  parks  for  the  purpose.  It  is  sufficiently  wide  to  permit  of 
a  central  bed  with  side  beds  throughout;  hence  a  capital  effect  may 
be  secured  by  a  judicious  blending  of  the  colours.  In  one  corner  of 
the  house  the  dimensions  favour  an  imposing  bank,  and  as  this  is  not 
seen  on  en'ering  the  structure  it  comes  as  a  pleasing  surprise  to  all 
visitors.  At  Southwark  we  have,  in  short,  what  is  required  in  all  the 
parks,  a  house  that  lends  itself  to  arrangements  of  an  artistic  nature, 
and  were  these  provided  it  may  be  asserted  that  the  number  of  visitors 
would  be  materially  increased.  This  might  not  be  apparent  at  this 
particular  ]ieriod,  but  at  other  seasons  and  with  other  flowers  the 
interest  would  be  constantly  maintained.  As  it  is,  the  entire  display 
reflects  the  utmost  credit  on  the  County  Council,  the  superintendent, 
and  the  grower,  who  is  immediately  responsible  for  the  well-being  of 
the  plants. 
The  bulk  of  the  collection  is  made  up  of  the  Japanese  flowers, 
which  it  is  clearly  apparent  are  by  far  the  most  popular  with  the  visiting 
public.  Ii  curved  are,  however,  fairly  well  represented;  while  small- 
flowered  Japanese,  Pompons,  and  one  or  two  Anemones,  especially 
Descartes,  may  be  seen  at  intervals.  The  four  best  incurved  at  the 
time  of  my  visit  were  Mons.  R.  Bahuant,  Golden  Beverley,  Emily 
Dale,  and  Baron  Hirsch.  Each  of  these  was  carrying  some  finely 
developed  flowers,  though  the  date  was  still  somewhat  too  early  for 
complete  development. 
The  Southwark  Park  collection  has  almost  every  season  made  a 
feature  of  the  hairy  varieties  of  the  Japanese  section.  These  have 
not,  and  probably  never  will  have,  the  popularity  of  the  ordinary 
Jipanese,  but  they  ought  not  to  be  excluded  from  a  collection  that 
aspires  to  be  truly  representative  of  the  Eastern  flower.  Probably 
the  finest  of  these  this  year  are  Louis  Boehmer,  Hairy  Wonder,  Mrs. 
Alpheus  Hardy,  Esau,  Enfant  des  Deux  Mondes,  and  King  of  the 
Hirsutes,  all  of  which  have  produced  flowers  of  characteristic  form  and 
colour.  They  have  attained  to  good  size,  and  the  plants  look 
particularly  healthy. 
A  few  of  the  choicest  of  the  general  collection  are  Wm.  Tricker, 
Emily  S  Isbury,  Gloire  iu  Rocher,  N.C.S.  Jub  lee,  Mutual  Friend,  Le 
Grand  Dragon,  fine;  R.  Hooper  Pearson,  richest  of  yellows;  Louise. 
Phoebus,  Madame  Gustave  Henry,  Prefet  Rolert,  and  Stanstead 
Surprise.  There  are,  of  course,  dozens  of  others,  and  those  readers  of 
the  Journal  of  Horticulture  who  are  in  the  ne.ghbourhood  of  the 
park  would  find  much  pleasure  and  benefit  in  an  hour  amongst  the 
Chrysanthemums. — Monocle. 
- - 
.A-utumn-sown  Annuals.  —  Many  of  the  hardy  annuals  for 
summer  flowering  do  better  if  sown  in  the  autumn,  producing  finer 
flowers,  and  being  less  affected  by  drought.  The  end  of  September  is 
the  best  time  to  sow  a  good  many,  though  some,  such  as  Sweet  Peas, 
are  best  sown  a  month  later.  Many  things  that  will  stand  the  winter 
on  dry  light  soil  will  often  fail  to  do  so  on  wet  heavy  soil,  and  in  the 
latter  case  they  must  be  sown  in  small  well-drained  pots,  with  plenty 
of  sand  mixed  with  the  soil,  and  kept  in  a  cold  frame  during  the  winter, 
where  they  will  not  be  affected  so  much  by  the  dampness  or  by  the 
slugs,  two  things  which  usually  go  together.  In  the  spring  the  pots  of 
plants  can  be  turned  out  whole  into  the  ground,  or  carefully  out  in 
halves,  when  they  will  not  feel  the  move  at  all.  Of  course  the  seedlings 
should  be  thinned  out  as  soon  as  they  are  up,  so  that  there  are  not 
more  than  half  a  dozen  in  a  GO-sized  pot.  Among  hardy  annuals  which 
are  best  sown  now  may  be  mentioned  Cornflowers,  Sweet  Sultan,  Love- 
in-a-lVlist,  Bartonia  aurea,  Collinsia,  Eschscholtzias,  Larkspurs,  Scabious, 
Linaria,  and  others. 
