120 THE FLORIST. 



SOUTH METROPOLITAN CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 



A second general meeting of this society was held on Monday 

 evening, March 14, Mr. Mills in the chair. Mr. Morgan, gardener, 

 Lincoln's Inn Fields, introduced the subject of discussion. He said 

 that to show that he was not unmindful of the welfare of working men, 

 he begged to give them a little information concerning the growth of 

 the Chrysanthemum as a standard. He stated that the idea originated 

 with him of having a quantity planted out for the purpose of taking up 

 to pot, and that his attention was directed to a plant of Cedo Nulli, 

 which had a fine large head upon a single stem, somewhat about 

 seventeen or eighteen inches high. He took it up, potted it, and the 

 shoots being tied down, it formed a very compact top, producing about 

 sixty or seventy good blooms. This took place in August. Believing 

 that he could materially improve upon this in the following November, 

 he took off a lot of cuttings, taking the eyes carefully out, and potted 

 them singly in a cold frame until April. He then prepared a piece of 

 ground by dressing fully two spades deep, supplying a quantity of 

 stone and brick rubbish to the bottom, and covering the whole over to 

 the depth of two feet — the compost used being a mixture oi loam, road 

 sweepings, and a small quantity of sand ; then planting out two feet 

 asunder. As they grew, he took the eyes out as soon as they appeared, 

 letting the leaves remain upon the stem from the very bottom, watering 

 the foliage twice every day, and the roots as often as in his opinion they 

 required it. By the middle of June, they were nearly three feet high, 

 and the nature of the plant being to branch off at a certain height, care 

 must be taken to secure eyes sufficient to send out shoots to form the 

 head before it does so. He informed the meeting that he left from five 

 to six of the above, then carefully taking off the top of his plant, the 

 shoots soon made their appearance, and when about five or six inches 

 long were stopped : and that he then commenced forming the head by 

 placing a little bast matting round the stem, bringing down the shoots. 

 This process was practised — namely, stopping and tying — till the end 

 of July, when he began to study the best means of getting them into 

 pots. He took his spade, cut straight down about half-way round the 

 plant a little less than the size of the pot intended for its reception, 

 keeping it well watered. In about nine or ten days after, he cut 

 round the part remaining, taking it up, carefully potting, and abstaining 

 from injuring the roots. It was kept in the shade for a few days, when, 

 judging that it was going on well, he took off all the foliage from the 

 stem, and removed it to a brighter aspect, still regularly watering and 

 attending, and watching, and supplying liquid manure twice a day. 

 By management such as this, he had plants three feet high, with heads 

 perfectly flat, five feet in ciicumference, with fifty shoots full of buds, 

 and handsome green foliage. He then gave a list of some of the best 

 sorts for growing as standards, among which may be mentioned Cedo 

 Nulli, Modele, Bob, Mustapha, Helene, Drin Drin, General Canrobert, 

 Duruflet, and Argentine. 



After some remarks from Mr. Broome, Mr. Taylor in moving a vote 

 of thanks observed thst he had a true love for the Chrysanthemum, 



