THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GAEDEN GUIDE. 15 



flower, will be to repot when the plants need larger pots, and keep 

 theni properly watered. They are not stopped at all, but trained to 

 a single stem, with a neat stick for support. The main stem will 

 emit from sis to ten side-shoots, with a cluster of buds on each. 

 When the buds get large enough to handle, all but one on each 

 shoot is removed, which enables them to attain dimensions that 

 would be impossible were all left. In the autumn, as the flowers 

 begin to open, and frost is likely to set in, Mr. James removes the 

 plants to the conservatory stage, which is about forty feet long and 

 fifteen feet wide, and groups them rather close together, according 

 to the heights and colours. The result of this is a fine bank of 

 flowers, backed up with healthy green foliage, throughout the 

 greater part of November and December. 



I had no intention of going into cultural details, but the method 

 of treatment is so simple, and the effect produced so grand, that I 

 had Dot the heart to withhold the information. I hope we shall now 

 hear the last of the excuse, that the plants take so much time to 

 grow, for I venture to say that no house of specimens would equal, 

 in point of beauty, a bank of plants grown in this way. It must 

 not be forgotten that they must not be huddled together when 

 growing. When that happens, they grow tall and lanky, and lose 

 the lower portion of foliage, which materially spoils the effect 

 unless packed together, so that the pots touch when placed in the 

 house. 



The Japanese varieties are likely to supersede those with incurved 

 flowers, for conservatory decoration. The flowers are so large, 

 showy, and in many instances so grotesque in appearance, that they 

 look less stiff and formal than the best of the incurved varieties. 

 There need be no fear of their entirely displacing those that come 

 up to the florist's idea of perfection. Were it so, no one would 

 regret it more than myself. They are, however, rapidly advancing 

 in public favour, and great progress has been made in raising new 

 varieties since their first introduction to this country. There are 

 two distinct types of flowers : one has long, broad, flat petals — this 

 is commonly termed the " ribbon form ;" the other has thin, wiry, 

 thread-like petals. Both forms are valuable for dressing up epergnes, 

 during the time they are in flower ; and the smaller flowers of the 

 latter type are useful for bouquets. They must not, of course, be 

 employed too largely for either of the above purposes, for the faint 

 odour which arises from the chrysanthemum flowers is not always 

 agreeable. They, however, have a much more light and elegant 

 appearance than those belonging to the ordinary varieties. 



The new varieties that Mr. Salter, who has already done so much 

 in improving the chrysanthemum, intends letting out next spring, are 

 in every way worthy of his reputation. They are all good, and are 

 either improvements on, or distinct from, existing kinds. Taking 

 the Japanese first, we have Meteor, a fine variety, belonging to the 

 thread-petal section ; the flowers are large in size, and of a bright 

 orange colour. Dr. Masters, this belongs to the ribbon class, a 

 grand, bronzy, red flower, with bright golden yellow centre, which 

 gives it a peculiarly rich and novel appearance. Purpureum album 



