492 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
November  29,  1900. 
W,  R,  Church. 
Amongst  the  many  splendid  Japanese  Chrysanthemums  that  have 
been  exhibited  and  honoured  with  certificates  by  various  societies 
during  the  present  season  W.  R.  Church  must  be  accorded  a  foremost 
place.  It  has  received  an  award  of  merit  from  the  Royal  Horticultural 
Society,  first-class  certificates  from  a  dozen  or  more  provincial  societies, 
and  the  silver  medal  of  the  Edinburgh  Exhibition  for  the  best  novelty 
in  the  show.  Like  C.  J.  Salter,  which  we  reproduced  on  page  441,  it 
is  one  of  Mr.  Juhn  Rockett’s  seedlings,  and  Messrs.  Wells  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
Earlswood  Nurseries,  Redhill,  are  distributing  the  stock.  Our 
illustration  conveys  an  admirable  idea  of  the  form  of  the  flower,  which 
is  built  up  of  broad,  incurving,  and  reflexing  florets  of  exceptional 
subi'tance.  The  colour  is  rich  crimson  brown,  the  reverse  of  the  florets 
being  golden  buff.  It  is  generally  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  novelties 
of  the  season  and  one  of  the  finest  of  the  several  that  have  come  to  the 
old  country  from  the  worthy  Mr.  Rockett. 
A  Handsome  Quartette. 
Scottish  Chief  is  an  English  seedling  Japanese,  raised  by  Mr. 
Weeks;  it  seems  to  be  a  variety  specially  adapted  to  the  cooler 
climate  of  Scotland.  Last  year  Mr.  Beisant  staged  a  remarkably  fine 
bloom  at  the  Edinburgh  show,  which  caused  quite  a  furore  amongst 
cultivators.  Mr.  Beisant  repeated  his  previous  success  with  the  variety 
this  year  by  securing  the  award  for  the  premier  bloom  of  the  show 
with  a  srdendid  example  of  Scottish  Chief.  This  amongst  something 
over  3000  blooms  was  distinctly  a  creditable  achievement.  The  bloom 
was  8  inches  wide  by  7  inches  deep.  The  rather  narrow  florets  are 
semi-drooping.  In  colour  the  lower  half  of  the  bloom  is  pale  yellow, 
the  centre  rich  golden  yellow. 
Mrs.  Ritson  is  a  pure  white  sport  from  Viviand  Morel,  being  an 
exact  counterpart  of  its  parent  in  every  way  except  colour.  In  Scotland 
t'.is  Japanese  grows  to  perfection,  and  many  grand  blooms  of  it  were 
staged  at  the  late  Edinburgh  show,  where  it  is  in  much  favour. 
It  may  not  be  generally  known  what  a  grand  specimen  plant 
Madame  G.  Bruant  will  produce.  At  Birmingham  Show  Mr.  Braz'er 
staged  a  plant  of  this  Japanese  variety  carrying  forty  magnificent 
blooms  and  handsome  foliage.  When  grown  in  this  manner  the 
centre  of  each  bloom  is  nearly  white,  while  the  outer  portion  is  a 
handsome  rose  colour. 
As  a  yellow  flowered  Japanese  J.  R.  Upton  has  few  equals.  The 
habit  of  growth  is  all  that  could  be  desired,  being  dwarf — 3  to 
4  leet — and  sturdy,  carrying  deep  green  leaves,  just  the  kind  of 
growth  for  grouping  purposes.  The  blooms,  when  full  siz-d,  measure 
9  inches  in  diameter  and  are.  of  proportionate  depth.  The  florets  are  of 
medium  width,  curling  irregularly  and  drooping  gracefully,  still  filling 
up  thoroughly  its  centre  ;  the  colour  is  a  rich  orange  yellow.  The 
illustration  on  page  423  of  the  Journal  gives  an  accurate  idea  of  the 
form  of  the  flower. — E.  Molyneux, 
Feeding:  Chrysanthemums. 
I  BEAD  with  amused  interest  “  W.’s”  note  on  the  feeding  formerly 
practised  by  Mr.  Gleeson  at  Stanmore,  and  I  trust  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  reading  Mr.  Gleeson’s  reply.  It  seems  evident,  unless  “  W.”  is 
ironical,  that  this  correspondent  is  not  a  believer  in  abundant  feeding 
of  Chrysanthemums.  The  incident  recalls  forcibly  to  mind  a  visit  a 
what  was  once  a  popular  garden  and  a  great  gardener,  who,  bitten 
with  the  “  mum  ”  fever,  entered  into  Chrysanthemum  cultivation  for 
the  production  of  big  show  blooms.  He  had  then  great  faith  in  the 
efficacy  of  liberal  feeding,  and  did  so.  His  plants  were  superb  to  look 
upon ;  his  results  in  flowers  were  most  disappointing.  He  has  long 
since  gone  to  bis  rest,  but  even  he  then  learned  a  lesson. 
How  many  others  strong  in  their  belief  of  the  efficacy  of  these 
manures  so  highly  recommended,  and  which  unfortunately  some  do 
not  hesitate  to  recommend,  yet  do  not  use  them,  have  found  when  the 
flowering  season  came  that  they  have  been  deluded,  that  the  result  is 
gross  leafage,  and  strong  but  pithy  wood  and  very  poor  imperfect 
flowers.  All  our  best  growers  are  chary  of  patent  manures,  they  rely 
more  on  the  excellence  of  their  loam,  which  can  hardly  be  too  good, 
and  with  which  is  associated  some  well  decayed  old  hotbed  manure,  soot, 
^  *  little  bonemeal,  or  even  fine  bone  dust.  The  use  of  liquid  manures 
should  be  sparing,  and  then  given  rather  in  weak  than  in  strong 
form.  There  are  few  better  mixtures  than  sweet  horse  droppings  and 
80ot  in  the  proportion  of  a  bushel  of  the  former  and  a  peck  of  the 
-after  to  twenty  gallons  of  water,  varied  by  sheep’s  or  deer’s  droppings, 
and  dissolved  basic  slag.  But  a  real  good  firm  sweet  loam  constitutes 
the  basis  of  successful  flower  production. — A.  D. 
Comments  on  the  N.C.S.  Show. 
Under  this  heading  your  excellent  Chrysanthemum  correspondent, 
“  Sadoc,”  gives  us  some  clear  and  precise  impressions  of  the  great 
show.  I  entirely  concur  with  “  Sadoc’s  ”  assertion  that  the  great  vase 
class  was  the  finest  ever  seen,  not  only  at  the  Aquarium,  but  in  the 
south  of  England,  and  the  tables  containing  this  class  for  general 
interest  quite  eclipsed  all  others.  Referring  to  the  varieties  utilised 
in  the  first  prize  exhibit,  I  do  not  think  any  vase  created  such  a  furore 
as  Le  Grand  Dragon,  for  the  blooms  as  staged  were  certainly  the  finest 
I  have  .seen  of  this  variety.  As  to  the  vase  of  Rride  of  Madford, 
I  shall  dismiss  it  by  saying  I  admired  its  colour,  but  I  object  to 
turning  a  flower  inside  out,  whether  it  be  a  Rose  or  a  Chrysanthemum. 
Cal  vat ’99  was  simply  enormous,  but  the  variety  lacks  colour;  it  is 
neither  flesh,  fish,  nor  fowl. 
I  am  glad  to  find  your  esteemed  correspondent  considers  the 
incurved  section  distinctly  improving.  For  my  part  I  am  quite  sure 
of  it,  and  while  conceding  the  possibility  of  a  deranged  memory,  I 
think  I  can  remember  the  exhibit  of  Messrs.  Drover  at  the  Centenary 
Show  very  well,  but  the  flowers  did  not  strike  me  so  much  as  the 
exhibit  of  Mr.  Higgs  in  the  Holmes’  Memorial  class.  They  were 
certainly  not  the  same  type  of  blooms  ;  but  “  Sadoc  ”  should  bear  in 
mind  that  the  section  has  been  considerably  broadened  since  the 
Centenary  Show,  and  the  varieties  on  the  board  at  that  date  would 
have  little  chance  with  the  exhibition  sorts  of  to-day.  Whether  the 
committee  acted  wisely  in  admitting  such  varieties  I  must  leave  to 
the  experts,  but  I  am  under  the  impression  that  had  they  not  done 
so  the  incurved  section  would  by  this  time  have  been  relegated  to 
the  same  level  as  the  reflexed  section ;  and,  after  all,  the  blooms 
displayed  by  Mr.  Higgs  were  wonderfully  well  finished — yes,  and,  I 
suppose,  dressed  too. 
I  am  afraid  the  fountain  classes  hardly  came  up  to  the  ideal 
formed  by  many  people,  but  they  were  a  decided  improvement  on  the 
tins  and  bags  of  manures  and  fertilisers  usually  seen.  I  also  thought 
the  Anemone  classes  better  than  those  of  the  past  few  years,  especially 
the  Japanese  type,  the  competition  being  keen  and  the  flowers  bright, 
fresh,  and  well  developed.  But,  alas !  our  raisers  think  of  nothing 
but  the  enormous  Japs,  and  it  seems  to  me  are  endeavouring  to 
produce  that  3-foot  flower  we  read  of  a  week  or  two  ago  in  the  daily 
Rres.s,  to  the  disadvantage  of  all  other  sections. — J.  Bee. 
•  Notes  on  Varieties. 
It  was  generally  admitted  that  the  blooms  in  the  principal 
classes  at  the  Royal  Aquarium  were  very  fine,  probably  the  finest 
large  exhibition  blossoms  that  have  yet  been  seen.  The  Japanese 
in  the  large  vase  class  and  in  the  Holmes’  class  shown  by  Mr. 
F.  S.  Vallis  and  Mr.  W.  Higgs  quite  sealed  the  fame  of  those  two 
growers,  whatever  they  may  do  in  subsequent  years.  Both  being 
young,  we  may  certainly  hope  to  see  them  to  the  fore  again.  Not 
so  Very  far  behind  the  first  named  was  Mr.  W.  Mease,  who  can 
probably  count  a  greater  number  of  these  contests  in  which  he 
has  taken  a  prominent  part  than  could  any  other  exhibitor  who 
competed  at  the  last  National  Show.  In  his  stand  the  premier 
Japanese  bloom  was  found,  a  magnificent  specimen  of  the  variety 
Mrs.  Barkley.  This  flower  measured  9j  inches  by  7  inches  deep,  so 
that  those  readers  who  did  not  see  for  themselves  may  judge  of  its 
size,  and  it  was  not  fully  developed  !  This  variety  was  good 
everywhere,  so  was  Lord  Ludlow.  M^ns.  Chenon  de  L4che  seemed 
prominent,  and  the  blooms  had  a  deeper  colour  than  is  usually  seen. 
Lionel  Humphrey  was  a  striking  blossom,  its  deep  bronzy  crimson 
shade  is  one  that  ik  most  telling  on  a  stand.  Calvat  1899  is  a  huge 
flower  without  being  coarse  in  colour ;  it  is  white  tinted  pink.  As  might 
be  expected  Madame  Carnot  was  in  good  form ;  so,  too,  was  the 
primrose  sport  Mrs.  W.  Mease,  but  we  did  not  observe  good  specimens 
of  G.  J.  Warren. 
Rrobably  the  finest  yellow  flower  was  J.  R.  Upton,  a  glorious 
bloom,  and  a  variety  that  exhibitors  should  note.  Sir  H.  Kitchener,  a 
buff  yellow  flower,  was  conspicuous,  and  has  been  seen  in  fine  form 
many  times  this  year.  A  charming  incurving  white  is  Miss  Alice 
Byron,  and  that  old  variety  Eva  Knowles  in  its  apricot  shade  is 
distinct  in  colour  as  well  as  charming  in  form.  We  do  not  care 
for  Le  Grand  Dragon,  although  it  was  largely  shown ;  it  is  big,  but 
devoid  of  grace  in  its  build.  Mrs.  J.  Lewis  is  a  fine  white,  and  among 
the  new  sorts  Mr.  G.  Carpenter  should  be  mentioned.  It  is  a  huge 
drooping  petalled  flower,  the  colour,  rosy  purple,  being  bright  and 
pleasing.  Another  big  bloom  is  Lord  Salisbury  ;  one  specimen  evidently 
from  a  late  bud  bore  a  colour  quite  bronzy  crimson  in  shade,  but 
generally  the  former  tint  predominates.  Rride  of  Madford  was  rich 
in  cases  where  the  flowers  had  been  manipulated  by  making  the  florets 
reflex.  This  “dressing”  of  Japanese  blooms  will  doubtless  be  new  to 
