FIXE BLOOMS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19813, 28 December 1929, Page 17

FIXE BLOOMS.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. ANNUAL CHRYSANTHEMUM j SHOW. TKOil OWI CO***3f CliDiKI LONDON, November 14. The fine new hall of the Horticultural • Society provided plenty of room for the j artistic arrangement of the blooms at the annua! exhibition of the National Chrysanthemum Society. What is also j important —the extra space gives the j visitors an opportunity of examining ; the exhibits in comfort. Few flowers are : more popular than chrysanthemums, and the exhibition has attracted a great ; deal of attention. i ilanv wonderful large Japanese varieties wore displayed by all the professional firms. Among the outstanding blooms of this variety were the bronze and yellow "Mrs A. Holden," the fine white '"Mis G. Drabble," the '•Daily Sketch'-' deep rich rose with lighter reverse to the petals, the "Ked Majestic," a deep rich terracotta red with yellow reverse, and the large orange sphere ''Mrs It. C. Pulling." "Charles Davis" is a striking Japanese variety with long, drooping ygllow petals; "Ladv E. Miller" another beau- ; yellow "bloom, and "General Petain'' a light pink. "Mrs Keith Luxford" is an attractive dark chestnut variety with dull gold reverse. The florets are broad and beautifully reflexing, showing little of the reverse. Of the white varieties one of the finest on show was "Mrs H. Wills," with closefitting petals and green shading. There was no scarcity of the smaller flowered types for the ordinary gardener. Among a beautiful show of these one noticed especially the yellow sport, "Alice Honour," the bright golden yellow, "Yellow Marvel"; a sport of "Golden Marvel"; "Balcombe White," a seedling of great promise, ivory white in colour, with stiff florets; "Sandown .Radiance," bronze with yellow centre; "Matchless," yellow with rolled spiky florets; and "Jean Pattison," a charming copper bronze. The Competitions. There was keen competition among the private growers, and mention of the results will indicate to some extent the varieties which are favoured. In the open class for three blooms of each of 12 Japanese varieties, the first prize was awarded to the Dowager Lady Annaly, who also won the first prize in the class for three blooms of each of six varieties. In both cases she showed wonderful flowers of the variety "Miss Ada Ellis" as well as particularly good examples of "Majestic" and "Queen Mary." Sir John Ward, who was the runner-up in both cases, secured the first place in the class for 12 new varieties, and also won the Holmes Memorial Challenge Cup for one bloom of each of 36 Japanese varieties. In this class the second prize was won by Lord Hambleden. Lady Melchett had the best exhibit of 24 Japanese varieties. One of the most perfect examples of skilful cultivation was staged by the Dowager Lady Annaly in the class for exceptionally large blooms of 12 Japanese varieties. The classes for single vases of largeflowered varieties of specified colours are always interesting, as they tend to bring out the best kinds in each colour. The prize-winning varieties were: White, "Mrs G. Drabble"; yellow, "Princess Mary"; and crimson, "Birmingham." The challenge cup for the best exhibit of IS incurved varieties, and also the first prize for 12 incurved varieties, went Jo Mr G. Curran, of Nottingham. Mrs E. Winterbottom, of East Grinstead, who led in tho class for six vases of decorative varieties, had splendid displays of "Mrs R. 1\ Felton," "Jean Pattison," and "In Memoriam." Tho best of four exhibits of pompom \*arieties came from Mr J. W. Husaey, of Exeter. The George Monro Challenge Cup for 12 varieties of single chrysanthemums was won by Mrs Yarrow, of St. John's Wood, who had fine vases of "Fusilier" (crimson-scar-let), "Audrey" (yellow), "Kita" (cop-pery-red with yellow centre), and "Mrs J. Palmer" (white). Mrs Yarrow was also successful in other classes for single varieties. The best exhibit from an aflSliated society came from the Finchley Chrysanthemum Society. About 30 new varieties were submitted to the committee. The best appeared to be a large rose-coloured single paled "Hebe" and a glowing crimson ciecorative variety named "Lucifer." Both were shown by Mr H. Shoesmith, jun.