116 THE GARDENER. [March 



at the point of which was a magnificent bloom, of great size, finely 

 coloured, of full substance, and splendidly incurved. Taking the 

 quantity of floral matter (if such an expression is admissible) entering 

 into the composition of one of these flowers, they were equal to six or 

 eio-ht of the flowers of the plants trained on the wire-skeletons, with 

 the added value of the finest development. The Floral Committee, 

 who sat in judgment on the claims of these rival styles of growth, 

 gave their decision in favour of Mr James — a thoroughly just and 

 right judgment. It may be stated that the mode of growth — i.e., the 

 habit and appearance of the plants — was exactly similar to that adopted 

 by Messrs Salter & Son of Hammersmith, whose doings with the 

 Chrysanthemum are chronicled in another page. 



I saw readily enough the advantage of the style of growth adopted 

 by Mr James in relation to the use of the Chrysanthemum as a decora- 

 tive plant for the conservatory. A huge, formally-trained plant, from 

 3 to 5 feet in diameter, is of but little value as a decorative agent in 

 a conservatory, destitute alike of natural grace or elegance. As both 

 are sacrificed by the mode of training adopted, they require to be 

 put out of sight, when brought home from the exhibition stage, as 

 offensive to a correct taste. On the other hand, when I went to Isle- 

 worth, and saw, in the handsome conservatory attached to Mr Watson's 

 residence, the magnificent floral display made by Mr James, why, the 

 conclusion was inevitable, that there, on the stage of that conserva- 

 tory, could be seen something very much better than the display made 

 by the huge plants at the Chrysanthemum Exhibition at Liverpool in 

 November last. On this lean-to stage were some 260 plants of large- 

 flowering Chrysanthemums, with a few of the best of the older 

 Japanese varieties dotted about among them for the sake of novelty, 

 and having a front edging of the dwarfer-growing Pompone varieties. 

 In addition, there was a row of plants standing along on the opposite 

 side of the conservatory, so a perfect floral avenue was obtained. A 

 large portion of the plants were in pots, 10 inches in diameter; some 

 of the smaller plants, and all the Pompone varieties, were in 24- 

 sized pots, the plants averaging from 3| to 5 feet in height. Be- 

 lieving as I do that a successful cultivator can always say some- 

 thing, when detailing his method of culture, that must prove of use to 

 other cultivators who can only reach a lower level of success, I got 

 Mr James to give me an outline of his cultivable process, that others 

 may perchance be enabled to go and do likewise. 



The cuttings from which were gradually developed these fine plants 

 were struck in January of last year. For the future Mr James will 

 strike his cuttings in February, so as to have his plants of rather 

 dwarfer growth. Every one, almost, knows how readily cuttings of 



