354 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND QAEDEN GUIDE. 



vember, we must do justice to tliein through the summer. It is well 

 known that there are many gentlemen's gardeners who are skilful in 

 almost everything they touch, save and except the chrysanthemum. 

 To the employers of these persons this is sometimes a mystery ; 

 yet it is easily explained by the fact that there is so much to do 

 during spring in propagating bedding-plants, that the chrysanthe- 

 mums are started late ; and so much to do during June and July 

 to keep beds in order, that the chrysanthemums are half starved 

 when they ought to be well fed ; and so the end of it is a failure. 



During the past month, we have visited gardens and exhibitions, 

 and have seen chrysanthemums under many different aspects. Her 

 Majesty's Conservatory at Buckingham Palace has been marvellously 

 gay with these flowers, Mr. "Wyness, the able head gardener there, 

 having always taken an interest in this flower. The system pursued 

 by Mr. Wyness during the past year will just meet the case of those 

 gardeners who cannot give this subject the attention it ordinarily 

 requires for exhibition purposes. Mr. Wyness planted out nicely- 

 rooted pieces on a well-prepared, sheltered border in the spring, 

 and they almost took care of themselves until October, when they 

 were taken up and potted, and put in the conservatory to flower. 

 Of course this mode only insures long-legged plants with a few 

 huge flowers on each — say half-a-dozen or so ; but if these plants 

 are grouped, as in the case before us, with cam.ellias, palms, ferns, 

 and other handsome subjects, the flowers shine in ^11 their proper 

 glory, and the gauntness of the plants producing them is concealed 

 from the spectator. A finer display than that at Buckingham 

 Palace this season we have not seen, though we have seen every- 

 thing else of the kind to be found in or near the Metropolis. 



Another point of some importance arises out of the question. 

 How much heat will they bear ? When at Mr. Salter's a few days 

 ago, the ventilators were open ; the cruel cold wind was blowing 

 through so that there could be no pleasure in the '•winter-garden," 

 and there was no aid of heat to mitigate the asperity of the chill 

 November air. Xow, Mr. Wyness kept the conservatory at a mini- 

 mum of 60% and allowed the temperature to rise during sunshine to 

 70°, and there was not a leaf browned, or a flower weakened in colour 

 thereby. Mr. Crute, one of the most enthusiastic amateurs of this 

 flower, had a most beautiful display in a temporary house con- 

 structed for the purpose as an "annexe" to his conservatory, and 

 here but little air was admitted, so that viewing the flowers was not 

 attended with inconvenience or discomfort. Let it be understood 

 we do not advocate any forcing of this flower — for the fact is, forcing 

 is injurious ; but, on the other hand, we are full}^ satisfied that there 

 is no necessity for treating it as if an Arctic blast would help the 

 flowers ; and, to make short of it, we protest that the house in 

 which they are displayed should be made as comfortable as possible 

 for visitors ; and if a little heat is necessary to that end, it should 

 be employed without any foolish fear of spoiling the flowers. 



In criticising and comparing plans, we have observed in several 

 instances this season that the plants that have refused to flower 

 have been in larger pots than those that have flowered satisfactorily; 



