174 



THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



and soine liad to use it not so many davs 

 old. 



I have no wish to disparage these 

 learned professors, but I want to prove to 

 the amateurs that it is quite possible to 

 grow flowers that will rival the professed 

 growers, if they have only an ordinary 

 garden, and will devote judicious care and 

 attention to the plants. My object for the 

 present will be only to direct attention to 

 the six plants exhibited last year by Mr. 

 Hutt ; these were acknowledged to be the 

 finest ])lants ever exhibited by an amateur. 

 The following observations are founded on 

 notes obtained from Mr. Hutt, and my 

 own personal knowledge of tiie plants, as I 

 saw them three or four times a week during 

 the season. 



In the beginning of April, Mr. Holland 

 gave Mr. Hutt seven plants, viz., Cedo 

 nulli, Bob, Helene, Duruflet, Brilliant, 

 Pluie d'Or, and St. Thais ; they were about 

 six inches high, and in GO's pots. The 

 plants were shifted into 48's, stopped, and 

 kept in a cold frame till the frost had dis- 

 appeared ; they were watered every day 

 between twelve and one o'clock, and care- 

 fully covered up at night. The first breaks 

 were stopped about the middle of May, and 

 a regular system of pegging down adopted. 

 The shoots were stopped as often as ne- 

 cessary ; that is, when they were about five 

 inches long. The stopping was continued 

 to the middle of August, excepting Cedo 

 nulli ; that plant a fortnight later than the 

 rest. 



COMPOST. 



Being the first year of culture, none 

 of the old manure and other ingredients, 

 which some consider so necessary, could 

 be pi'ocured ; so the plants had to be con- 

 tent with the best the garden afforded, 

 which was composed as follows : — Mould 

 from the London fields, I'otten dung about 

 twelve months old, and silver-sand. The 

 drainage consisted of broken oyster-shells, 

 with small cinders, or charcoal mixed to- 

 gether, which was found to answer well, 

 in all stages of potting, new or clean pots 

 were used. 



During the heat of the day, the plants 

 were shaded from eleven to five o'clock, 

 and watered regularly three times a day, 

 and syringed occasionally, particularly in 

 the morning, as it was found when the dew 

 dried up, the plants rather flagged, although 

 the roots were damp. The syringing im- 

 mediately restored them to their natural 

 habit, particularly if done under as well as 

 over the foliage; but when the plants were 

 in bloom, care was taken not to wet the 

 blossoms. 



'c\ 



It was found that wire cut the bark of 

 the shoots, so pegs made as this were used, 

 which allowed the shoot to be 

 either brought dov.n or rose up 

 as was requisite. The pots were 

 plunged about half way in the 

 border, a small pot being 

 placed at the bottom of each 

 to make pei-fect drainage, and 

 prevent the worms entering the 

 pots ; the object of sinking the 

 pots was to prevent the sun 

 affecting the roots, and for the 

 convenience of pegging ; so 

 many pegs being used, had they 

 been inserted in the pots it 

 would have injured the roots. 

 Thefoi'm of the plants adopted 

 was a round flat surface, about 

 3 ft. 6 in. in diameter, raised at 

 the back, which pi'cvented the 

 using wedges when at the ex- 

 hibition. During August and 

 September liquid manure com- 

 posed of cow-dung was given 

 twice a day ; in October, of 

 fowls' and pigeons' dung, and 

 only given once a day, using it 

 weak up to the time of show. 

 It was found that Bob, with 

 excessive treatment of liquid manure, 

 had its foliage turn a pale colour. This 

 plant, however, will stand a more liberal 

 supply than any other, and soon recovered 

 its natural colour with the Sejjtember 

 growth. In using liquid manure, great 

 cai-e should be exercised ; at first it should 

 be very vreak, and the strength increased ; 

 it should, however, be given to Brilliant 

 very sparingly, as this plant has a ten- 

 dency to have seedy eyes, which will be 

 increased by a copious supply of manure — 

 twice a week is quite sufficient. The plants 

 were bloomed in a tent 20 feet by 10, with 

 glass at top, and canvas all round; wood 

 was afterwards placed in front, as it was 

 found that the light through the canvas in 

 front ch'cw the stems towards it, which 

 disarranged the symmetry of the plant. 

 This was remedied by covering up the 

 front of the place, so that the plants only 

 received light from the top. The dark- 

 coloured flowers were placed as near the 

 glass as possible, and the light colours 

 about six inches from it, shading Cedo 

 nulli. In flowering Bob, the centre bud 

 was taken away, as this bud will bloom 

 earlier than the others, while the side ones 

 will come out all together. This plan 

 was also adopted by Mr. Charles Bolton. 



