54 
JOUUX'AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  21,  19C4. 
Two  Decorative  Varieties. 
The  two  we  figure  are  fine  decorative  Chrysanthemum;^ — 
Carrie  is  one  of  Wells’  new  early-flowering  introductions,  of  a 
rich,  l)right  yellow;  while  pompon  Prince  "Victor  is  one  of  the 
best  in  its  section,  and  is  coloured  dark  maroon. 
The  Chrysanthemum  Analysis. 
Growers  of  the,  ‘‘  Mum  ”  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  the  land  are  certainly  under  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Mr. 
Molyneux  and  to  the  Editor  of  the  Journal  for  the  excellent 
analysis  given  in  the  copy  closing  the  year  1903.  No  doubt 
many  will  treasure  that  issue  and  keep  it  as  a  useful  reference 
for  future  use.  England,  .Wales,  and  Scotland  are  all  repre¬ 
sented  in  the  analysis,  but  why,  Mr.  Molyneux,  have  you 
omitted  “  dear  ould  Oireland  ”  ?  There  are  some  excellent  ex¬ 
ponents  of  tlio  cult  in  the  Emerald  Isle,  and  another  year  I 
would  respectfully  suggest  they  should  be  represented. 
Referring  to  the  analysis,  there  are  one  or  two  varieties  we 
expected  to  have  seen  in  different  position.  From  what  we 
have  seen  of  Miss  Elsie  Fulton  in  Scotland  this  j^ear  we  had 
expected  to  have  seen  it  higher  in  the  list.  Mrs".  Greenfield, 
too,  has  been  fine  in  the  North.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Carnot 
family  have  fallen  out  of  the  running  almost  altogether  among 
Scotch  growers,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  Edwin  Molyneux.  ° 
Tho  Morel  family  and  Mutual  Friend,  onco'  so  popular,  have 
also  now  to  take  a  back  seat,  not  coming  up  to  exhibition  size. 
Amongst  whites,  Madame  Cadbury,  Miss  Nellie  Pockett,  and 
Miss  Alice  Byron  are  still  in  high  esteem. 
Decorative  varieties  are  now  much  in  demand,  and  no  doubt 
there  will  be  many  anxiously  awaiting  a  reply  to  Sir.  W.  D. 
Whittaker’s  request.  Popular  sorts  in  this  'locality  are  La 
Triomphante  and  its  sport,  Mrs.  Kirk;  Miss  Watson,  Ryecroft 
Glory,  M  illiam  Holmes,  John  Shrimpton,  Nivens,  Pride  cf  Rye- 
croft .  W .  H.  Lincoln,  Madame  Phillipe  Rivoire,  and  L.  Canning. 
Single  varieties,  too,  are  becoming  more  and  more  popular,  and 
rightly  so,  as  they  are  so  graceful  and  lend  themselves  to  every 
form  of  decoration.  The  two  sorts  we  find  most  useful  are  Mary 
Anderson  and  Annie  Holden ;  Purity  has  not  come  up  to  our 
expectations,  and  will  be  discarded. — Aibyn,  Bridge  of  Earn. 
In  reading  tho  above,  one  or  two  points  rather  struck  me. 
First  of  all,  the  very  great  help  it  must  be  to  growers  living 
in  somewhat  out  of  the  way  districts,  whose  experience  of  shows 
is  perhaps  limited  to  one  or  two  at  the  most.  It  also  gives  an 
opportunitj'  of  seeing  how  far  one’s  own  judgment  is  in 
accordance  with  that  of  men  O'f  vast  experience  and  discern¬ 
ment. 
I  think  where  varieties  are  synonymous  the  votes  might  be 
bracketed,  as  in  the  case  of  Miss  E.  Fulton  and  Princess  Alice 
of  Monaco.  Miss  Mildred  Ware  tops  the  list  of  new  varieties 
with  twenty-seven  votes,  yet  only  polls  seventeen  votes  for  the 
best  fifty,  one  less  than  IMrs.  F.  W.  Tallis,  which  receives 
twenty-four  votes  as  a  novelty.  Hy.  Perkins  receives  twenty- 
two  votes  as  a  new  variety,  but  seemingly  six  of  the  voters  do 
good  enough  to  be  included  in  the  larger  list.  Miss 
Olive  Miller  received  an  exactly  proportionate  number  of  votes, 
VIZ.,  sixteen  and  ten. 
F.  S.  ^  allis  received  thirty-seven  and  nineteen  votes,  and 
occupies  fourth  place  in  each,  being  beaten  as  a  noveltv  by 
Miss  M.  A\  are,  AIis.  F.  M .  ^  allis,  and  Hv.  Perkins,  whose 
positions  are  forty-nine,  forty-eight,  and  fifty-one  in  the  larger 
voting.  Geo,  Penford  only  received  nine  votes  for  the  best 
fiit.V,  and  nineteen  as  a  new  variety.  Several  others  also  re¬ 
ceived  more  votes  in  the  les.ser  poll.  To  my  mind  these  anomalies 
all  go  to  prove  the  value  of  the  audit,  especially  to  the  less 
experienced,  as  it  shows  the  difliculty  the  aspirant  for  a  place 
amongst  the  elect  half-hundred  encounters  in  attaining  that 
honour  and  then  maintaining  its  place  afterwards.  Long  may 
Mr.  Molyneux  wield  his  pen  for  the  benefit  of  our  Autumn 
(Jueen  and  her  subjects  generally. — A.  H. 
_  After  reading  the  notes  from  l\Ir.  Godfrey  (page  32),  the 
inconcliisiveness  of  the  late  Analysis  seemed  to  me  to  point  to 
the  necessity  of  providing  one  from  private  growers  and  another 
iroiii  the  Irade.  It  might  be  said  that  novelties  of  .several 
ot  the  hu’gest  vendors  would  probably  receive  favour  from  the 
hands  of  the  Trade  individually.  I  venture  to  think  that  such  | 
a  feeling  would  be  put  a.side  and  discouraged  in  the  face  of 
ji  the  importance  of  the  question  at  stake.  That  private  growers 
are  qualified  to  judge  of  the  merits  of  ordinary  stock,  and  as 
far  as  they  are  proved  the  new  ones,  is  well  admitted  ;  but  it 
is  alrsolutely  certain  that  the  favoured  ones  who  can  indulge 
in  large  inve.stments  sufficient,  at  any  rate,  to  compete  with 
trade  growers  are  few— very  few. 
In  catalogues  all  newcomers  are  given  their  very  be.st 
credentials,  and  those  who  have  to  choose  from  catalogue 
descriptions  alone  have  to  depend  on  chance  a  good  deal.  An 
election  from  the  tradesmen  could  be  conducted  exactly  on  th;' 
same  lines  as  those  now  annually  compiled.  That  the  annual 
election  will  ever  become  perfect,  judged  by  everybody’s  .stan¬ 
dard,  seems  well-nigh  impossible,  yet  the  interest  all  the  same 
is  well  maintained  ;  indeed,  the  returns  are  anxiously  awaited. 
Since  the  decorative  and  market  Chrysanthemum  is  becoming 
yearly  a  greater  necessity,  the  same  or  a  similarly  arranged 
election  would  meet  with  almost  as  much  favour.  Mr. 
Godfrey’s  dissection  of  the  election  tables,  and  especially  of  the 
new  varieties,  would  seem  almost  to  qualify  the  terms  he  uses 
in  the  comparisons  made. 
Is  it  not  desperately  disappointing  when,  after  a  trade 
favourite  has  been  so  loudly  boomed,  to  find  it  afterwards 
de.scribed  as  insipid,  too  soft,  and  the  colour  one  that  quickly 
fades?  This,  too,  after  fancy  prices  have  been  paid,  and  a 
season’s  hopes  and  prospects  expended.  Most  readers  will 
admit  the  authority  of  Mr.  Godfrey  in  all  matters  pertaining 
to  Chrysanthemums,  and  his  opinions  and  arguments  are  always 
weighty  and  demand  respect.  Yet  readily  granting  all  this,  lie 
will  probably  yet  find  di.s.sentient  voices  in  the  “  Journal' a 
jurors”  in  their  summing  up  and  verdict. — An  Interested 
Onlooker. 
It  would  be  very  interesting  and  in.structive  to  mo.st  Journal 
reader.s  if,  to  the  names  of  each  voter,  was  attached  the  number 
of  varieties  he  wrongly  e.stimated.  In  the  best  fifty  Japanese 
your  correspondent  ‘‘A.  H.”  states  he  was  wrong  in  eight, 
personally  I  was  wrong  in  ten.  The  ten  I  included  and  which 
were  unplaced  are  as  follows  W.  Duckham,  Miss  Olive  Miller, 
George  Penford,  Henry  Perkins,  Lady  Mary  Conyers,  Countess 
of  Arran,  Exmouth  Rival,  Exmouth  Criimson,  Ben  Wells,  Mrs. 
J.  J.  Thorneycroft.  The  varieties  I  thought  unfit  to  be  placed 
in  the  be.st  fifty  Japanese  are  as  follows Madam  R.  Cadbury, 
IMrs.  H.  Weeks,  Florence  Molyneux,  Le  Grand  Dragon,  Henry 
Stowe,  Mrs.  E.  Thirkell,  Matthew  Smith,  Sir  H.  Kitchener, 
Australie,  and  Madame  Waldeck  Rous.seau.  The  three  first- 
named  of  these  are  grand  whites  when  well  grown,  but  I  think 
another  year  will  prove  more  conclusively  that  the  ten  varieties 
I  omitted  to  place,  or  rather  thought  unfit  to  be  placed  in  the 
best  fifty  Japanese,  will  not  find  many  .supporters.  It  would  be 
most  interesting  to  growers  if  the  editor  could  prevail  on  each 
of  the  other  voters  to  give  a  list  of  the  varieties  they  voted  for 
or  against.— A.  Jefferies,  Moor  Hall  Gardens,  E.ssex. 
New  Year  Varieties. 
My  choice  of  late  “Mums  ”  would  not,  I  am  afraid,  support 
Mr.  Molyneux’s,  for  he  has  unfortunately  left  out  of  his  list 
several  old  favourites  which  mu.st  be  well  known  to  him,  and^ 
which  have  not  up  to  the  in-e.sent  been  superseded  for  floriferous- 
ness  colour  or  constitution,  and  I  find  it  is  unwise  to  discard 
these  until  we  have  well  proved  the  merits  of  some  of  the 
newer  introductions. 
Here,  where  large  quantities  of  cut  .stuff  is  required  for 
house  decoration,  we  try  some  of  the  better  class  Japanese 
kinds  each  year,  for  the  purpo.se  of  finding  out  any  improve- 
ni.ents,  but  unless  they  are  really  an  advance,  taking  their  la.st- 
ing  qualities  when  cut  into  consideration,  we  discard  them. 
Last  year  I  had  Fran9oi.s  Pilon  good  and  fre.sh  the  fir.st  week 
in  INIarch,  and  is  the  best  late  Chrysanthemum  of  its  colour. 
Equally  late  also  is  a  seedling  white  of  my  own  ;  there  is  no 
other  white  that  I  am  acquainted  with  which  will  keep  so  long _ 
evep"  bud  opens  a  perfect  flower,  it  travels  well,  and  is  an  ideal 
florist’s  flower.  Mrs.  H.  Weeks  deserves  to  be  grown  much 
more  than  it  is,  although  perhaps  not  of  quite  so  branching 
a  habit  as  some,  the  rxuality  of  the  flowers  makes  up  for  this.  ^ 
Of  a  very  pleasing  .shade  of  colour,  which  attracts  every¬ 
one’s  attention,  is  Harold  Wells,  a  light  sulphur  yellow,  with 
flowers  very  freely  produced  on  extra  stiff  flower-stalks,  and  if 
well  disbudded  very  good  flowers  are  obtained.  This  variety 
travels  well,  and  lasts  a  long  time  when  cut.  It  was  sent  out 
by  Mr.  Wells,  of  Earlswood,  and  was  a  sport  from  a  white 
variety. 
As  a  good  late  chestnut  crimson  “  Jap,”  Glorious  is  hard  to 
beat.  It  will  last  six  weeks  after  the  flowers  have  expanded.  Other 
useful  and  reliable  varieties  can  be  noted  by  referring  to  the 
report  of  my  exhibit  at  the  R.H.S.  meeting  on  January  5,  and 
as  they  are  all  old  standard  kinds,  detailed  description"  of  eacli 
is  only  wa.ste  of  time.— W.  H.  Clarke,  The  Gardens,  Aston 
Rowant  House,  Oxou. 
