810 



The Weekly Florists' Review, 



May 1. 1902 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY 



OF AMERICA AND ITS FIRST 



ANNUAL EXHIBITION. 



The action taken by those members of 

 the Chrysanthemum Society of America 

 who met at Indianapolis in February 

 should be indorsed by and receive the 

 hearty support of ail who grow the 

 chrysanthemum, for there is much good 

 work awaiting the doing in the chrysan- 

 themum field. The interest in the chrys- 

 anthemum is extensive and assuredly will 

 be long sustained. Since the popular re- 

 gard for the tlower has grown to such an 

 extent it will always be in large demand 

 in its season. The record of work per- 

 formed by the C. S. of A. from its in- 

 ception to date, though falling short of 

 what might be expected in volume and 

 comprehensiveness, is at least satisfac- 

 tory in its efficiency, and the benefits 

 arising therefrom have accrued to the 

 growers. 



The action above mentioned, of hold- 

 ing an exhibition in chrysanthemum 

 time, should arouse widespread general 

 interest. The Horticultural Society of 

 Chicago has made the exhibition an as- 

 sured fact, and it now behooves chrys- 

 anthemum growers to try and make the 

 show in Chicago next November the 

 greatest and most complete chrysanthe- 

 mum exhibition ever yet held. A pre- 



dent with this work we have seen com- 

 mercial standards of excellence material- 

 ly advanced. We have also seen the 

 chrysanthemum as an exhibition flower 

 successfully exploited and brought to a 

 surpassing degree of excellence. A con- 

 tinuance of this is most desirable, but a 

 society organized in the interests of a 

 particular tlower should take cognizance 

 of all its types and forms. The time 

 will be opportune in Chicago next No- 

 vember. Shall we avail ourselves of it? 



A. Hereinoton. 

 President Chrysanthemum Society of 

 America, 

 iladison, N. J. 



THE CULTIVATION OF EPACRIS. 



Of all hard-wooded winter-flowering 

 plants there are possibly none so useful 

 or graceful as the New Holland shrubs 

 called Epaeris. Failure in the culture 

 of these plants I attribute to three 

 causes, viz.. 1, lack of air; 2. loose pot- 

 ting; and 3, the ton hard cutting-back of 

 plants after flowering. Of the three, the 

 last named is the commonest error. I 

 know but too well that many very suc- 

 cessful growers cut their plants hard 

 back after flowering, and they succeed 

 well after this treatment; but I have 

 found them succeed best without this 

 barbarous method. 



A German Idea of a Table Decoration in New York. 



liminary list of premiums has been is- 

 sued. It contains 51 classes for chrys- 

 anthemum flowers and plants. Copies 

 of the list can be obtained on applica- 

 tion to Ed%vin Lonsdale, Wyudmoor, Pa., 

 or E. A. Kanst, ,5700 Cott.igc Grove ave- 

 nvie, Chicago, 111. 



This exhibition will certainly bring 

 together a large number who are spe- 

 cially interested in the chrysanthemum, 

 and it would seem eminently fitting to 

 further signalize the occasion by holding 

 a chrysanthemum convention at the same 

 time and place; for, as before said, 

 there is work to be done, and it can best 

 be accomplislicd when there is a large 

 "community of interests" gathered to- 

 gether. 



Reviewing the work that has been ac- 

 complished by the Society, we are eon- 

 fronted with" the fact that it has been 

 mainly along commercial lines. Coinci- 



Epacrises are usually propagated by 

 cuttings of the tops of the shoots, about 

 an inch long; these should be inserted 

 in pots of silver-sand, and put in a forc- 

 ing-house under a bell glass, or in a hot- 

 bed, air being gradually given as soon as 

 the cuttings have rooted. I have, how- 

 ever, found layering to be the best 

 method of multiplication, and whatever 

 others have to say to the icontrarj', I al- 

 ways manage to root them by this 

 method, whereas scores upon scores of 

 cuttings have failed by damping. 



Filf thumb-pots with a compost of 

 peat and sand, care being taken to have 

 a preponderance of sand on the surface 

 for the layers to root into. ' Place the 

 plant to be propagated on a hard sur- 

 face in the greenhouse or elsewhere, 

 bend down the lower shoots, cut a notch 

 in them similar to that made in car- 

 nation-layering, and peg them down in 



the pots with a piece of wire or 

 wooden layering-pin, and draw the sand 

 round the layer, giving the plants a 

 gentle watering with a line rose. Place 

 the plants where they may remain un- 

 disturbed until they are rooted, which 

 will probably be in six or seven weeks. 

 AVhen well rooted, cut the connection 

 between the old plant carefully, and re- 

 move the young one on to a shelf near 

 the glass; aft'ord water carefully, and see 

 to its various requirements daily. In 

 about a mouth after this, shift the plant 

 into a 3Vi-inch pot, using peat and sand 

 in equal proportions. Crock the pot 

 carefully and well, place some rough 

 peat over the drainage to prevent the 

 finer particles of soil being washed 

 through; be careful and pot firmly, 

 loose potting is a prelude to failure. 

 Press the compost all round the ball of 

 the plant so as to make it quite firm 

 and close. Afterwards remove the 

 plant on to a stage in. a cool house, still 

 keeping it near the glass. Apply water 

 carefully, but not fire-heat - unless the 

 weather is extremely cold. The follow- 

 ing spring, if the plant has rooted well, 

 pinch out the top in order to cause side 

 shoots to form; and in about six weeks 

 after this, when the plant has started to 

 grow once more, shake it out of its pot, 

 and shift into a 5-inch one, employing 

 the same soil as before. In summer, re- 

 move the plants to a cold frame, and let 

 them remain there until the end of Sep- 

 tember, when they should be placed in 

 the cool greenhouse; if they have rooted 

 well, a weak application of liquid ma- 

 nure may be afforded occasionally until 

 they commence to flower. 



Treatment of Old Plants. — Never 

 shift the plants into larger pots until 

 they are well rooted; when the plants 

 get large, they will continue in good 

 health for three or four years without 

 shifting, and yet flower well, provided 

 they arc occasionally fed with weak li- 

 quid manure. Frequent shifting is 

 not requisite, unless young plants are re- 

 quired as specimens. The proper sea- 

 son for a general shifting is any time 

 from March to August, although upon 

 extraordinary occasions, as the breaking 

 of a pot for instance, they may be 

 shifted with safety at any other time. 

 When potting, provide ample drainage, 

 and press or ram the soil firmly. Some 

 growers raise the center of the ball 

 .S or 4 inches above the sides of the pot, 

 their intention being to prevent the roots 

 from being injured by an excess of 

 water, for if by chance the plant does 

 get an over-supply it can only be round 

 The outside of the pot and at the ex- 

 tremitv of the roots; the upper part of 

 the old ball of earth and the stem being 

 so much higher, that the water runs 

 down to the edge of the pot, and the- 

 quantity of drainage-material below al- 

 ways keeps the plant from suffering 

 from an over-abundance of water. For 

 my own part, I consider this precaution 

 unnecessary, for provided the plants are 

 healthy, and the application of water is 

 in careful hands, no mischief will accrue 

 from the ordinary potting. After pot- 

 ting, remove the plants to the green- 

 house for a time, afterwards place them 

 in a cold frame for the summer; syringe 

 them occasionally, which will serve to 

 keep down thrips. 



As soon as the plants have finished 

 flowering, cut back the stronger growths, 

 but leave the weaker shoots at full 

 leno-th. Some cultivators cut all the 



