October  16,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
359 
EMUMS 
A  Birmingham  Amateur's  Collection. 
The  collection  figured  on  page  361  is  that  of  Mr.  J. 
Austin,  25,  Alder  Road,  Sparkbrook,  Birmingham,  who 
sends  a  few  particulars  regarding  his  flowers.  It  is  seven 
years  since  he  commenced  gardening  as  a  hobby,  and  has 
but  a  small  garden — 20yds  long  by  5yds  wide,  in  a  thickly- 
populated  district.  Mr.  Austin  is  a  metal  worker,  and  works 
fifty-four  hours  per  week  in  a  manufactory  situated  two 
miles  from  his  home.  He  has  two  glass  houses,  and  started 
with  six  Chrysanthemum  plants  given  to  him  by  a  friend, 
and  he  was  so  delighted  with  them  that  he  determined  to 
increase  his  stock  to  thirty  plants,  which  he  did,  and  grew 
them  with  much  care,  being  ultimately  rewarded  with  a 
goodly  crop  of  blooms.  In  the  third  year  (1897)  he  further 
added  twenty  more  to  the  number,  this  making  fifty  in  all, 
and  yet  again  in  the  following  year  he  found  space  for 
another  fifteen.  Mr.  Austin  joined  the  Birmingham  and 
District  Amateur  Gardeners’  Association  in  1898,  and  on 
November  9,  1898,  made  his  first  venture  as  an  exhibitor. 
His  success  was  beyond  his  expectation  ;  he  gained  two  first 
prizes  and  one  third  prize.  This  persevering  and  enthu¬ 
siastic  amateur  has  since  then  won  many  other  prizes  and 
special  certificates,  including  a  silver  medal  for  a  group  of 
Chrysanthemums  and  foliage  plants  in  pots  on  November  21, 
1900.  On  the  same  occasion  he  gained  five  firsts  and  a 
certificate  of  merit  for  a  bloom  of  the  incurved  variety 
James  Agate.  Amongst  his  list  of  varieties  with  which  he 
was  most  successful,  our  correspondent  names  the  follow¬ 
ing  Japs.  :  Nellie  Pockett,  Madame  Gustave  Henry,  Lady 
Hanham,  Mrs.  Barkley,  Emily  Towers,  Lady  Ridgway,  Mrs. 
G.  W.  Palmer;  and  such  incurveds  as  C.  H.  Curtis,  James 
Agate,  Lady  Isobel,  Topaze  Orientale,  Hanwell  Glory, 
Baron  Hirsch,  and  Louise  Giles.  He  has  now  over  100 
plants.  Altogether  with  a  total  of  eighty-three  prizes  from 
November  1,  1898,  to  November  21,  1900,  Mr.  Austin  has  a 
very  wonderful  and  creditable  record.  Last  year  (1901)  he 
secured  one  silver-gilt,  three  silver,  and  two  bronze  medals. 
Too-much  alike  Varieties. 
Societies  that  are  affiliated  with  the  National  Chrysanthemum 
Society,  are  directed  to  the  undermentioned  synonymous  or  too- 
muoh-alike  varieties  which  so  nearly  approach  each  other  in 
general  appearance  that  they  must  not  be  shown  on  the  same 
stand. 
Incurved  Varieties. 
/Empress  of  India 
1  Lady  H.  St.  Clair 
<  Mrs.  Cunningham 
I  Snowball 
(White  Qneen 
(  Golden  Empress  of  India 
(  Bruce  Findlay 
/Golden  George  Glenny 
1  Mrs.  Dixon 
(Mrs.  C.  H.  Glover 
( Laline 
(  Mrs.  A.  Jacks 
(■  John  Doughty 
1  Mrs.  Robert  Mudie 
(Bronze  Queen  of  England 
John  Lambert 
Golden  Queen  of  England 
Emily  Dale 
Emily  Dale  Improved 
John  Salter 
Mr.  Howe 
j  Lady  Dorothy 
(  Charles  Gibson 
(Lord  Alcester 
(Princess  Imperial 
(Miss  M.  A.  Haggas 
1  Richard  Parker 
(Mrs.  George  Rundle 
(Mrs.  George  Parnell 
(  Mrs.  W.  C.  Egan 
(  Countess  of  Warwick 
( Princess  of  Teck 
-j  Charles  Shoesmith 
(Christmas  Number 
Princess  of  Wales 
Beauty  of  St.  John’s  Wood 
Mrs.  Heale 
v  White  Princess 
i  G.  J.  Warren 
(Yellow  Madame  Carnot 
(Madame  Louis  Remy 
( Lady  Ellen  Clarke 
(  Mrs.  C.  Blick 
(  Mrs.  Richard  Jones 
(  Queen  of  England 
(  Blush  Queen  of  England 
Japanese  Varieties. 
( Pride  of  Madford 
(Beauty  of  Teigumoath 
f  Sunflower 
ISwanley  Yellow 
( W.  Slogrove 
Improved  W.  II.  Lincoln 
(T.  Selwood 
Hairy  Varieties. 
(  Enfant  des  deux  Mondes  I  (  Hairy  Wonder 
(White  Louis  Boelnner  |  (  R.  M.  Gray 
( Esau 
(  Princess  Ena 
A  Chat  About  Bulbs, 
It  is  better  to  be  in  good  time  over  making  out  the  bulb 
order  than  to  delay  until  late  in  the  season,  when  the  bulbs  should 
have  been  either  potted  or  planted.  There  is  a  tendency  on 
the  part  of  some  people  to  put  off  sending  their  order  as  long 
as  possible.  Then,  when  they  receive  their  Hyacinths  or  Tulips 
in  an  advanced  stage  of  top-growth,  and  spike  and  flowers  result¬ 
ing  are  weak  and  spindly,  or,  in  the  case  of  Tulips,  many  may 
be  "blind,”  they  sit  down  and  indulge  in  long  letters  to  the 
vendors  upon  the  inferior  stamp  of  bulbs  which  have  been  supplied 
to  them. 
I  am  by  no  means  laying  down  the  dictum  that  all  bulbs 
which  have  commenced  top-growth  will  of  a  necessity  be  unsatis¬ 
factory  after  planting,  for  I  have  seen  late-planted  Tulips  succeed 
fairly  well  when  not  placed  in  the  ground  much  before  Christ¬ 
mas.  This  was  an  exceptional  case,-  and  the  safe  rule  is  to  get 
them  planted  in  suitable  weather  during  October. 
“  Where  shall  I  get  my  bulbs  from  P  ”  is  a  question  frequently 
put  and  not  difficult  to  answer,  so  long  as  the  needful  cash  is 
forthcoming.  Qur  home  growers  are  producing  Narcissi  in  great 
quantity  and  variety  nowadays,  also  other  bulbs  such  as  Snow¬ 
drops,  Scillas,  Ac.  The  bulk  of  the  Hyacinths  and  early-flower¬ 
ing  Tulips  must,  I  think,  continue  to  come  from  the  Continent, 
as  we  cannot  compete  with  the  growers  there  owing  to  climatic 
and  soil  difference,  as  well  as  the  greater  cheapness  of  labour 
abroad  in  the  bulb-growing  districts.  It  is,  however,  possible 
to  so  arrange  our  orders  that  the  home  grower,  as  far  as  possible, 
may  benefit. 
Those  that  are  not  grown  in  this  country  the  buyer  has  the 
option  of  obtaining  through  an  English  firm,  or  direct  from  the 
foreign  salesmen  or  growers,  who  now  have — some,  at  least — 
representative  agents  here.  I  fail  to  see  much  benefit  accruing 
to  the  buyer  for  sending  across  to  Holland,  as  by  dealing  with 
any  of  the  well-known  houses  which  advertise  in  this  journal  he 
is  sure  to  receive  (so  far  as  may  be)  value  for  money. 
Roman  Hyacinths  and  Roman  and  Paper-white  Narcissi  which 
are  needed  for  November  and  December  blooming  should  bo 
ordered  without  delay,  and  immediately  on  arrival  ought  to  be 
potted  or  boxed  according  to  the  requirements  of  the  grower. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  cultural  details  after  all  that  has: 
been  written  upon  the  subject  in  these  pages. 
The  soil  used,  however,  is  an  important  factor  for  or  against 
success.  This  should  be  light,  rich,  and  open.  Remember  the 
Dutchmen  rely  chiefly  upon  cowdung  and  sand  for  the  growth 
of  the  splendid  bulbs  they  send  us.  Loam,  leaf  mould,  and  well 
rotted  manure  in  equal  parts,  well  mixed  together,  with  plenty 
of  silver  sand  is  what  I  generally  use,  and  with  fair  success. 
Do  not  be  in  a  hurry  to  get  your  bulbs  housed  and  out  of  the 
plunging  material,  whether  this  latter  be  of  ashes,  cocoa-nut 
fibre,  or  any  other  medium.  Let  the  pots  be  full  of  roots,  or. 
nearly  so,  and  then  you  may  feel  safe  as  to  the  future  of  the 
leaves  and  flower-spikes,  after  culture  being  what  it  should.  A 
sudden  transition  from  total  darkness  to  full  light  is  to  be 
avoided,  and  must  be  guarded  against  by  partially  shading  the 
blanched  growths  for  a  few  days.  By  placing  them  in  the  semi¬ 
darkness  beneath  the  greenhouse  stage,  the  danger  of  a  check 
from  such  a  sudden  change  of  circumstances  may  be  avoided. 
There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  discussion  at  one  time  or  another 
as  to  the  relative  values  of  ashes  and  cocoa-nut  fibre  as  a  plunging 
material.  Well,  owing  to  the  greater  comfort  and  cleanliness 
in  working  amongst  the  fibre,  I  should  certainly  always  prefer 
to  use  it ;  but  when  one  cannot  get  fibre,  then  the  next  best 
thing  is  undoubtedly  coal  ashes,  and  so  far  I  have  never  dis¬ 
covered  any  advantage,  in  the  growth  of  the  bulbs,  from  the 
use  of  one  more  than  another. 
To  return  to  the  subject  of  buying  once  more.  Some  of  us 
have  a  longing  and  a  desire  to  attend  the  autumn  sales  and  see 
what  cheap  bargains  we  can  pick  up.  I  have  had  some  experi¬ 
ence  of  buying  in  this  manner,  and  I  cannot  say  that  I  have  gone 
away  dissatisfied  with  my  purchases.  But  let  not  the  inexperi¬ 
enced  person  go  alone  on  such  an  errand,  for  lie  may  find  himself 
sent  either  very  full  or  empty  away.  That  is  to  say,  he  may 
perhaps  obtain  a  great  quantity  of  those  sorts  he  does  not  want, 
and  which  are  of  little  value  to  him,  and  of  those  which  would 
be  of  use  lie  has  none,  or  very  few.  It  is  astonishing  how  many 
bulbs,  both  in  number  and  variety,  it  is  possible  to  obtain  m  a 
guinea  collection.  For  the  amateur  with  small  means  of  accom¬ 
modation  this  is  an  excellent  plan  of  obtaining  bulbs  ;  half-guinea 
collections  giving  good  results  upon  a  smaller  scale  still. 
In  an  article  of  this  description  it  is  usual,  if  not  always 
advisable,  to  say  something  about  Hyacinths  in  glasses  or  vase,. 
Candidly  I  am  not  in  favour  of  this  method  of  culture, 
it  is  cleanly  and,  as  a  rule,  fairly  successful,  I  at  once  admit,  but 
it  seems  a  little  bit  unnatural  to  my  way  of  thinking  that  the 
chief  organs  of  supply  in  the  plant’s  economy  should  be  exposed 
to  the  vulgar  gaze.  Besides  this,  though  at  times  one  secs  really 
fine  spikes  grown  in  glasses,  they  are  seldom  as  satisfactory  as 
