APRIL. /O 



Daisy-like flower, seed was produced in abundance, which would not 

 ripen, even with artificial encouragement, in this country ; these seed- 

 lings having been again hybridised, results the most satisfactory have 

 been obtained. 



I will say little about the cultivation of these Pompons, as the 

 general culture of the large-flowering kinds is equally applicable to 

 this new class ; a few cursory remarks are therefore all that are 

 necessary. About March or April select good suckers or cuttings 

 from the old plants, giving the preference to such as appear stout and 

 short-jointed ; put one in a pot, say a large sixty ; mix together a 

 good rich soil, taking equal proportions of loam, rotten dung, and 

 leaf-mould, to which may be added a sufficiency of rough sand to 

 make the whole porous ; when potted, put them in a house or frame, 

 and keep them close for some time, say three weeks, by which period 

 most of them will be well rooted ; then gradually harden them off, 

 and about the middle of May give a shift into larger pots, say 40' s ; 

 after which place them in the open air, in a situation sheltered from 

 the easterly winds, and at a sufficient distance from each other to 

 admit of a free circulation of air; about the middle of June give them 

 their final shift into 12' s or 16's, using the same compost as before ; 

 they should then be plunged in an open border, where they can re- 

 ceive the full influence of the sun, two-thirds of the pot being buried, 

 and placed at from two to three feet apart each way, which allows 

 plenty of room for watering, tyeing, &c. ; and attention must now be 

 paid that a liberal supply of water be given as occasion requires, for 

 if the plants are allowed to get too dry, besides receiving a natural 

 check, they will lose a portion of their foliage. Care must now be 

 taken to continually top them, as the plants will grow very fast and 

 luxuriantly ; their first topping should take place when about four 

 inches high, and be repeated untilJuly or August. One great feature 

 worthy of remark in the Pompon varieties is, that they can be con- 

 stantly topped until a much later period than the large-flowering 

 kinds, without retarding or diminishing their blossoms ; thus they are 

 easily made into handsome and ornamental specimens, and when 

 covered with their innumerable and beautiful double Ranunculus-like 

 flowers, they may be truly said to be perfect little gems. Before the 

 blossoms expand, the plauts can be taken from the ground and re- 

 moved to the greenhouse, which will be of great assistance to their 

 development ; no check will be experienced by the removal, if plenty 

 of water be given them. 



I had nearly forgotten to mention one very beautiful characteristic 

 of the Pompons, which is, that they blossom much earlier than any 

 of the other kinds, thus obviating the great complaint against Chry- 

 santhemums when grown in the open borders ; namely, that the frost 

 destroys the plants before the flowers have time to develope them- 

 selves. A variety is now off"ered to the floricultural public, which is 

 said to blossom quite a month before any other sort now generally 

 known : persons in the habit of forming masses in the flower-garden 

 will best judge of the merit of this novel and peculiar sort. 



I have prolonged my remarks upon these valuable acquisitions to 



