71 



CULTIYATION" OF THE POMPONE CHETSANTHEMUM 

 EOR EXHIBITION. 



BT MB. PAEKEE, NUESEETMAK, OE STEATEOED.* 



FTER the admirable treatises which have appeared in the 

 Floeal Woeld on the growth of the Chrysanthemum 

 by such able masters of the art as Messrs. Holland and 

 Broome, who were the first to introduce the present 

 system of training the pompone, it would be superfluous 

 for me to attempt anything like a learned disquisition on the sub- 

 ject. But having undertaken to offer a few observations, I trust 

 that the hints which I shall be able to give will be of some little 

 assistance to my brother amateurs, in which case I shall be well 

 repaid for any trouble I have taken. 



In the first place, I will say a few words on the training of the 

 pompone, for when a plant is properly trained, it forms one of the 

 most beautiful objects that can adorn the conservatory or show- 

 board. Some people have severely censured the present system of 

 training, but tliat arises, I think, from a foolish and short-sighted 

 prejudice, for plants not trained can never be made to attain to nearly 

 the size of the trained ones, and if we can have a plant double the 

 size, of good form, and every property equal to one untrained, it ig 

 obvious that training is advisable ; and the very men who condemn 

 the practice, if called upon to judge plants grown upon the two 

 methods, would be compelled to give the prize to those that were 

 five or six feet across, and every desirable quality in perfection, in 

 preference to those that were not more than half the size, that 

 were grown naturally, as it is termed, with the exception of stopping, 

 and having such a negligent appearance as to look far from beauti- 

 ful. I recollect being once connected with a society which gave 

 prizes to both trained and untrained plants, the former being 

 arranged on one side, and the latter on the other side of the room. 

 The row of trained plants looked like beautiful beds of flowers, while 

 the nntrained ones flopped about in every direction, and so disap- 

 pointed the exhibitors and visitors that it was determined to do away 

 with them, with the exception of plants grown in five-inch or six- 

 inch pots, so that they could not be grown large enough to be ugly. 

 Then, again, why do not those men who condemn trained plants 

 grow some in their natural way and exhibit them, and so put their 



* The two most successful exhibitors of trained pompones at the London 

 shows during at least fifteen years past have been Mr. Hutt and Mr. Parker. 

 These have placed before the puljlic plants five to six feet in diameter, convex like a 

 watch-glass, solid with leaf and bloom, and the sticks and ties invisible. Mr. 

 Hutt has never favoured us with any information respecting his practice, but 

 plants of his and skeletons prepared Irom plants have been engraved in former 

 issues of the Floeal Woeld to show the mode of training, etc. We are very 

 happy in placing before our readers the above paper, with which we have been, 

 furnished by Mr. Parker, whose practice differs in some respects from that usually 

 followed. Mr. Parker has embarked in the nursery trade since the paper was 

 written.— Ed, F, W. 



