48 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



enemies to the grape-vine lurk in these, and the washing will be 

 of small service if it is not of the most thorough character. la wash- 

 ing the young wood, use very little soft-soap, and avoid injuring the 

 buds. The soft-soap should be in a saucer, and the brush can then 

 be dipped into it as may seem desirable. Alter the washing is com- 

 pleted, dress the vines with a mixture of sulphur, soot, and tobacco- 

 juice. To this may be added suiBcient clay to give the mixture the 

 consistency of paint. If the preparation of tliis composition is 

 attended with any inconvenience, the vines may be dressed with 

 Gishurst compound, whicli may be obtained at all nurseries and 

 seed-shops. The smaller-sized box of the compound, costing fifteen 

 pence, will be more than sufficient to dress the vines in a greenhouse. 

 The compound sbould be used at the rate of about Goz. to the gallon 

 of water. Use soft water, and let it be boiling-hot when the com- 

 pound is added to it. Let the dressing be well worked into the 

 crevices with a small painter's brush, and then fasten the vines up 

 in their proper places again. 



STANDAED CHEYSANTHEMUMS. 



BY ADAM FOESTTH, 



Brunswick Nursery, Stote NewingtoD, N. 



ROM the inquiries which reach me from time to time, it 

 appears that the cultivation of standard chrysanthe- 

 mums is not thoroughly understood in some districts ; 

 and I have ventured to offer a few hints on the subject 

 for the guidance of those readers who may be in need 

 of information. 



Although the production of standards is rather more difficult 

 than of dwarf-plants, they well repay the extra labour requisite in 

 their cultivation, for they are most useful to break the monotony of 

 a display, as their round heads on clear stems stand up above the 

 dwarf trained plants, and have a very beautiful appearance. The 

 merest beginner may grow very pretty standards by following the 

 directions I give; but it requires some practice to produce standards 

 of first-class excellence, hence we do not often see at exhibitions 

 good examples of this class. Some growers keep their standards 

 several years, and the stems thereby become very stout and strong, 

 and if well managed, they have fine heads. But all the standards I 

 have exhibited in my winning collections have been yearling plants 

 — that is to say, raised from cuttings and grown to full dimensions 

 in one season, after which they are destroyed. The reason I prefer 

 yearling plants is that the old ones are not to be depended on ; the 

 old wood may die in the winter. 



As ornaments for the dinner-table are in demand, I would 

 suggest to amateur gardeners that standard pompones are admirably 

 adapted for the purpose, as they do not interrupt the view across 

 the dinner-table, their heads being above the line of vision when the 



