November  22,  1900. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
461 
National  Chrysanthemum  Society— Floral  Committee,  November  19th. 
Thebe  was  again  a  large  attendance  of  the  committee,  who,  while 
giving  due  consideration  to  all  the  varieties  brought  before  them,  got 
through  their  work  in  a  thoroughly  workmanlike  manner.  The 
number  of  novelties  staged  was  considerable,  and,  as  might  be 
expected,  the  Japanese  varieties  predominated,  while  the  incurved 
and  single  varieties  were  well  represented.  On  the  whole,  however,  it 
most  be  stated  that  the  majority  of  the  Japanese,  though  of  large 
size,  were  very  rough  and  coarse ;  it  is  satisfactory  to  note  that  the 
committee,  without  exception,  rigidly  set  their  faces  against  such 
products,  and  if  they  only  follow  conscientiously  their  present  type, 
and  system  also,  we  shall  not  have  so  much  room  to  cavil  at  their 
awards.  The  exhibitors  on  this  occasion  were  Messrs.  E.  Owen, 
F.  Daniels,  H.  Perkins,  H.  Weeks,  G.  W.  Forbes,  and  N.  Molyneux. 
The  varieties  receiving  awards  were  : — 
Frank  Hammond  (N.  Molyneux). — A  grand  incurved  variety  of 
fine  size  with  good  shell-like  florets.  The  examples  staged  were  hardly 
finished,  but  it  was  evident  they  would  develop  into  fine  blooms.  The 
colour  may  be  described  as  a  bronzy  buff,  the  inside  of  the  petals 
being  reddish  (first-class  certificate). 
O olden  Gloaming  (F.  Daniels). — An  incurved  Japanese  with  full 
broad  florets,  fawn  with  a  buff  reverse  ;  a  difficult  colour  to  describe 
in  the  light  prevailing;  will  make  a  fine  exhibition  flower  (first-class 
certificate). 
Mrs.  Bagnall  Wylde  (H.  Weeks). — A  fine  Japanese  variety  with 
long  reflexed  petals,  similar  in  colour  and  form  to  G.  J.  Warren,  but 
with  broader  petals;  a  promising  variety  (award  of  merit). 
ilftss  Roberts  (R.  Owen). — About  the  most  distinct  yellow  Japanese 
seen  for  some  time,  the  colour  reminding  one  of  the  old  Sunflower  in 
its  best  form,  with  long  curling  florets,  a  very  large  and  at  the  same 
time  refined  flower,  one  of  the  best  novelties  seen  this  season,  and 
perhaps  a  little  hardly  treated  by  the  committee,  who  gave  it  an 
award  of  merit. 
Few  varieties  were  asked  for  again,  but  Nellie  Perkins  was  one  of 
the  number,  a  monstrous  flower,  not  unlike  Lady  Hanham  in  colour, 
but  larger.  A  white  sport  from  Mary  Molyneux  appeared  good,  but 
the  parentage  seemed  to  frighten  most  of  the  committee. 
Reflexed  Chryeanthemums. 
Reflexed  varieties  of  Chrysanthemums  cannot  boast  of  producing 
the  largest  blooms,  but  from  a  decorative  point  of  view  they  are 
specially  useful.  The  form  ot  the  blooms  is  usually  excellent,  and 
the  colour  exceptionally  rich.  Freedom  in  growth  is  combined  with 
freedom  in  flowering.  Several  flowers  may  b !  grown  on  one  main 
stem,  which  is  useful  to  cut  for  vase  decoration.  Several  such 
stems  with  b  igbt,  fresh  blooms  fully  expanded  produce  a  most 
tasteful  display,  being  light  and  graceful  instead  of  heavy  and  massive, 
which  is  inseparable  from  the  large  Japanese  varieties. 
Most  of  the  best  reflexel  varieties  are  adapted  for  formal  and 
informal  training.  The  latter  method  would  include  bush-shaped 
plants,  produced  by  stopping  the  young  plants  several  times  between 
March  and  June,  so  as  to  multiply  the  number  of  stems  from  which 
the  blooms  would  eventually  be  produced  on  judiciously  thinned-out 
terminal  buds.  The  plants  enjoy  fairly  good  culture  in  8  or  9-inch 
pots,  and  certainly  pay  the  growers  in  proportion  to  the  attention 
given.  The  usual  height  of  the  varieties  is  3  and  4  feet. 
The  purest  white  varieties  are  White  Christine,  White  Emperor  of 
China,  Boule  de  Niege,  and  Clara  Jeal.  Elsie  is  a  creamy  white,  and 
Emperor  of  China  white  with  blush  centre.  It  is  often  seen  growing 
out  in  the  open.  The  yellows  embrace  some  good  coloured  varieties. 
Dorothy  Gibson  is  a  rich  golden  yellow  ;  Chevalier  Domage  the  same 
colour.  Temple  of  Solomon  was  an  attractive  variety  twenty  years 
ago,  and  is  still  good.  Golden  Christine  is  a  golden  buff.  Among  the 
dark  coloured  varieties,  Cullingfordi,  a  scarlet  crimson,  is  excellent. 
Dr.  Sharpe,  magenta  crimson,  is  first  class,  also  King-  of  Crimsons,  a 
variety  of  deep  colour.  The  dark  velvety  crimson  colour  of  Julie 
Lagravere  is  exceedingly  rich  and  blooms  admirably  outdoors  in  the 
southern  counties.  Mons.  Benjamin  Giroud  is  another  crimson  of 
newer  introduction  than  many  of  the  reflexed.  Putney  George  is  bright 
crimson.  Peach  Christine  and  Pink  Christine  are,  as  their  names  imply, 
of  different  shades  of  pink.  They  are  old  varieties.  Miss  F’lorence 
Lunn  and  Progne  are  the  two  best  amaranth  or  claret  coloured 
varieties.  The  latter  variety  does  well  outdoors,  and  is  violet  scented. 
'1  he  above  list  includes  the  best  of  the  older  varieties.  A  new 
variety  comes  to  the  front  this  season  named  Lewisham  Belle.  It  is 
considered  to  be  a  good  addition  to  the  varieties  of  reflexed  suitable 
lor  exhibit  ion,  being  of  good  form  and  size.  Its  colour  is  sulphur 
yellow. — E. 
Dark-coloured  Chrysanthemums. 
Ha\isg  read  “Specialist’s”  remarks  on  the  above,  I  would  like 
to  mention  one  old  variety  which  I  consider,  on  account  of  its  brilliant 
red  colour,  should  not  be  left  out  in  the  cold.  This  is  Matthew 
Hodgson ;  we  grow  it  here  every  year,  and  have  had  it  full  exhibition 
size.  We  grow  all  the  new  sorts,  but  I  must  say  none  of  them  will 
beat  Matthew  Hodgson  for  its  brilliant  colour.  The  bud  should  be 
secured  the  first  day  or  two  in  August,  as  it  is  one  of  those  sorts  which 
take  a  long  time  to  develop.  It  is  a  sturdy  grower,  and  will  stand 
liberal  treatment. — A.  J.  L.,  Wyfold  Court  Gardens. 
Overfed  Chrysanthemums. 
I  READ  with  great  interest  the  article  on  page  402  describing  the 
collection  of  Chrysanthemums  at  Warren  House.  What  struck  me 
was  the  parasraph  alluding  to  Mr.  Gleeson’s  care  in  feeding  his  plants 
with  artificial  manure.  Many  others  would  be  interested  who  were 
journeymen  with  me  under  Mr.  Gleeson  at  Warren  House  a  few  years 
ago.  Artificial  manures  were  then  used  very  freely,  both  in  potting 
and  during  the  growing  period,  producing  plenty  of  wood  and  foliage, 
but  no  grand  specimen  blooms  such  as  your  correspondent  describes. 
It  would  be  a  great  benefit  to  young  gardeners  (especially  those  who 
are  unable  to  procure  artificial  manure)  if  Mr.  Gleeson  or  his  grower 
would  direct  their  attention,  through  the  piges  of  this  Journal,  to  his 
new  method  of  cultivation,  which  seems  to  be  so  successful  in 
producing  grand  blooms  of  the  autumn  queen. — W. 
Bash  and  Decorative  Chrysanthemums. 
No  one  can  deny  the  heauty  of  well-grown  blooms  of 
Chrysanthemums  of  an  exhibition  standard,  even  if  not  grown  for 
exhibition  away  from  home,  but  at  the  same  time  their  culture  is 
rather  of  a  luxury  in  these  days  of  gardening  for  profit.  Plants  that 
one  can  cut  an  armful  of  flowers  useful  for  house  or  table  decoration 
are  apt  to  be  thought  more  of  than  those  bearing  only  two  or  three 
large  blooms,  be  these  ever  so  handsome  ;  and  the  one  fault  of  the 
predilection  in  their  favour  is  that  the  room  they  take  up  greatly 
lessens  that  at  command  for  the  more  useful  bush  and  decorative 
plants. 
I  am  not,  of  course,  saying  that  the  hig  blooms  are  not  decorative, 
that  would  be  absurd ;  but  I  have  seen  in  so  many  cases  the  best 
positions  chosen  for  them  without  regard  to  the  inconveuience  caused 
to  the  other  section,  that  I  would  like  to  ask  for  these  a  little 
more  consideration.  To  do  them  well  the  bush  plants  require 
room,  so  that  the  lower  leaves,  instead  of  being  either  a  mass  of 
mildew  or  else  conspicuously  absent,  would  remain  firm  until  the 
flowers  were  open,  and  clothe  the  plants  almost  to  the  pot.  A  great 
deal  of  care — quite  as  much  as  is  bestowed  on  the  plants  grown  for 
big  blooms — is  necessary  in  their  culture,  and  not  every  variety  is 
suitable,  but  they  are  well  worth  the  trouble  involved. — H.  R. 
Abbey  Park,  Leicester. 
When  on  a  recent  visit  to  Leicester  a  spare  quarter  of  an  hour  was 
devoted  to  a  visit  to  the  Abbey  Park.  The  first  object  was  the  grand 
^how  of  Chrysanthemums  displayed  in  two  ommolious  span-roofed 
greenhouses  containing  upwards  of  2000  plants  in  full  bloom.  Without 
the  aid  of  a  guide  it  was  computed  ihat  probably  upwards  of  a 
hundred  varieties  of  Mums  were  in  the  collection.  Many  of  the 
blooms  would  have  made  their  mark  on  the  show  board.  Notable, 
too,  was  the  large  stock  of  late  propagated  dwarf  plants  varying  from 
a  foot  to  2  feet  high,  each  furnished  with  one  flower,  and  which  did 
tffec'ive  duty  on  the  side  shelves.  Another  interesting  object  in  the 
park  was  the  thriving  Oak  tree  planted  by  the  Princess  ot  Wales  at 
tne  opening  of  the  park  in  1883.  Time  would  not  allow  of  a  more 
than  cursory  glance  at  this  grand  public  park. — G.  W.  G. 
Weeton  Hall,  Otley. 
A  FEW  days  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  of  paying  a  visit  to  Weston 
Hall,  the  seat  of  Col.  Dawson,  to  see  the  ever  genial  gardener,  Mr. 
Robt.  Craigie,  and  his  Chrysanthemums.  The  sight  I  met  with  will 
not  readily  be  forgotten.  To  my  mind  his  plants  were  perfection,  not 
altogether  for  size  of  bloom,  but  for  their  clean  and  healthy  appearance, 
with  leaves  to  the  tops  ot  the  pots.  Numbers  of  these  plants  are 
growing  in  6,  7,  and  8-inch  pots  for  grouping.  Another  pleasing 
feature  was  made  hy  about  forty  plants  of  Miss  Mary  Anderson  and 
Eva  Cameron,  grown  in  48  and  32-siz0d  pots.  The  weather  for  the 
past  fortnight  in  the  valley  of  the  River  Wharfe  has  been  very 
dull  and  foggy.  I  enumerate  a  few  of  Mr.  Craigie’s  best  blooms : 
Miss  Nellie  Pockett,  Madame  Gustave  Henry,  Mr.  T.  Carrington, 
Pride  of  Madford,  Mons.  C  lenon  de  L4che,  Le  Grand  Dragon,  Edith 
Tabor,  Elthorne  Beauty,  Edwin  Molyneux,  Lady  Hanham,  and  Lord 
Ludlow.— J.  Snell,  Farnley  Gardens. 
