November 30, 1907 



HORTICULTURE 



701 



EXHIBITION CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



A Paper Kead Before the Chiysanthemiim 

 Society of America by William Duekham. 



The chrysanthemum continues its 

 prosperous and undisturbed march 

 down the wide avenue of popularity. 

 We are a year older; the chrysanthe- 

 mum also has added another year to 

 its career, but it is not a year older, 

 it is more youthful, and full of vitality, 

 and capable of new and fresher deve- 

 lopment than it was a year ago. We 

 are distinctly older, and may have 

 some passing twinges in the bones to 

 remind us of that very disturbing fact. 

 The chrysanthemum is fresher and 

 more beautiful and more varied and 

 even a little larger than ever. 



The Reason for Popularity. 



Wherever flowers are grown the 

 chrysanthemum now has its place and 

 its honor. Its forms seem almost end- 

 less and its varieties are bewildering. 

 I am, however, inclined to think that 

 some excellent people entirely miss 

 the real explanation of the great popu- 

 larity which the flower now enjoys. 

 Permit me to say. with all conviction 

 and earnestness, that the popularity is 

 entirely due to the growing of exhibi- 

 tion varieties. I am convinced that if 

 you were to secure all the flower shop 

 windows on Broadway and fill them 

 with pompons, and with every other 

 variety that grows and flowers at this 

 season, and omit entirely the exhibi- 

 tion varieties, I am convinced, I say, 

 that they would attract no popular at- 

 tention whatever. I grant that flower 

 lovers of the old-fashioned variety, 

 who worship constantly at Flora's 

 shrine, no matter what she has to dis- 

 play, would view them with pleasure; 

 but the greater public, the press, socie- 

 ty, and even "the man in the street" 

 would pass them unnoticed. The 

 splendid position in popular and social 

 esteem now held by the flower is due 

 to that wonderful development from 

 the tiny little parent flower to these 

 massive blooms that now entrance 

 every beholder. If we had here before 

 us the blooms that were exhibited even 

 ten or twelve years ago, even we who 

 know the history of the flower would 

 be dumbfounded at the progress, and, 

 I make bold to say, the end is not yet. 

 The flowers which only the few could 

 produce when the shows first began 

 are now produced by the many and the 

 leaders are more closely pushed by 

 their followers year by year. And, as 

 the blooms increase in size, in finish, 

 in brilliance of color, in decorative 

 quality, so also does the popularity of 

 the chrysanthemum increase. The 

 growing of larger, nobler, more stately 

 flowers, and in greater abundance, this 

 is one sure way of holding the popular 

 favor. 



About Cultural Methods. 



How shall we do this? We are all 

 learners? If by any fortunate chance 

 you could learn something from my 

 methods, I have no doubt that I could 

 learn from yours. But as you are not 

 speaking at this moment, and I am, 

 I must venture to assume the role of 

 adviser and tell you quite frankly and 

 simply just how I grow my flowers. I 

 do not assert that these methods are 

 the best, I simply say that they have 

 come out of my experience and they 

 seem to serve me well. 



And now we come down to the point 



of cultivation, which perhaps is the 

 one all important thing in maintain- 

 ing the interest in the exhibition of 

 chrysanthemums, for without good 

 cultivation no good or large flowers 

 would be seen. Each of us has no 

 doubt his own ideas and ways of do- 

 ing this, but the following is what I 

 have practiced for some considerable 

 time. I do not say it is the best way — 

 far from it. perhaps — for I realize there 

 are a number of you here who could 

 do all this much better than is possible 

 for me. 



I have tried early, medium and late 

 pro])agating and am frank to say gen- 

 erally the medium early propagation 

 toward the end of February or eai-ly 

 in March has given me the best re- 

 sults. It is needless tor me to go into 

 detail of the method employed; you 

 all know. But I do claim that as soon 

 as plants are rooted and potted no 

 neglect can be made up. The plants 

 require all the attention it is possible 

 to bestow. 



Time to Propagate. 



Some of you may say and can pro- 

 duce the very finest flowers from much 

 later propagation. This I am free to 

 admit; so have I produced good flow- 

 ers from late struck cuttings. In fact 

 some of the best flowers not only in 

 finish, color, etc., but the largest, were 

 from plants propagated in April, but 

 for general acceptance I would prefer 

 the first week of March. I shall omit 

 the general cultivation. Suffice it to 

 say it is impossible to give the young 

 plants too much care and attention in 

 the growing season. 



I have grown plants in boxes, in 

 benches and pots; all with about the 

 same result. The best flowers per- 

 haps were grown in the bench divided 

 with strips between each plant con- 

 fining the roots to a small space, and 

 I found the stronger the growth the 

 better the flowers, especially when the 

 roots were confined to the smallest 

 area. I have always been opposed to 

 large pots or spaces: after all I have 

 observed, I am convinced more than 

 ever, for when feeding time comes you 

 have all live and growing roots where 

 on the other hand if too much space 

 and soil is given, a lot of roots die 

 and the plants consequently suffer. 



Taking the Bud. 



Now to flowers; first, we must have 

 the bud and to me the bud is quite 

 as important as to have a strong, vig- 

 orous plant. This has surprised me 

 more the past year or two and par- 

 ticularly this year— brought about 

 somewhat in my mind by the Austra- 

 lian varieties. I will refer only to 

 crown buds, for I don't know of five 

 varieties, which terminal or even late 

 crowns would win in fast company. 

 The introduction of so many Austra- 

 lian varieties perhaps accounts for 

 this, my experience with varieties of 

 Australian origin being that the buds 

 can be taken much earlier and will 

 develop perfectly, especially if the 

 weather should be warm; if not put 

 the house a few degrees warmer by 

 fire heat and you will find buds that 

 would seem impossible to open will 

 develop perfectly, and what appears 

 at one time a hard core without the 

 slightest semblance of a flower devel- 

 ops finally into a beautiful and well 

 finished bloom. 



I have in mind a batch of Nellie 

 Pockett, which showed buds August 

 1st. It appeared a little early to take 

 them, but if allowed to go on, would 

 in my mind, have been a little late. 

 A pai-t was taken and the result was 

 that no finer Pockett have I ever' seen; 

 the other half that was allowed to go 

 on made only medium or second class 

 flowers, although taken August 21st to 

 24th. This applies to a number of 

 varieties, and I say do not be timid cf 

 taking an early bud, especially of 

 varieties of Australian origin, and as 

 I said before it is not always the 

 strongest and most vigorous plant that 

 produces the best and largest fiowers, 

 but just as important is the bud taken 

 at the right time. 



I would wish it to be distinctly un- 

 derstood I am speaking of exhibition 

 varieties; but at the same time do not 

 think 1 despise the different types, such 

 as decorative, or commercial, or the 

 beautiful singles, for all are very beau- 

 tiful and all have their usefulness and 

 are fully as beautiful as the large 

 Japanese, but as I was asked to say or 

 confine my remarks to exhibition va- 

 rieties, I have for that reason done so. 

 Feeding chrysanthemums is too well 

 understood for me to dwell on; you 

 all have your own way, and it varies 

 but little; I find the chrysanthemum is 

 not very particular what it is fed on, 

 provided it is not fed on the same 

 diet too long; a change is always ap- 

 preciated and the plant responds and 

 will return many times over, the best 

 care and feed one can bestow upon it 



LOCAL AND FLORISTS' SHOWS. 



At the Edgefield, Ga., chrysanthe- 

 mum show, Robert Berckmans of Au- 

 gusta officiated as judge. 



Tong & Weeks. Ashtabula, Ohio, on 

 November 15 and 16, showed chrysan- 

 themums in great variety. 



At Hewitt's Flower Store, Mon- 

 mouth, 111., Nov. 4-11, the chrysanthe- 

 mums attracted many visitors. 



Central Park greenhouses. Daven- 

 port, Iowa, have been open to the pub- 

 lic during the chrysanthemum season. _ 



Park street greenhouses, B. T. 

 Genther, Foxcroft, Me., made an un- 

 usually attractive display this season. 



A splendid display of chrysanthe- 

 mums was made by P. B. Blake & 

 Son, Marion, 0., on November Sth 

 and 9th. 



At Highland Park, Rochester, N. Y., 

 upwards of 100 varieties of chrysanthe- 

 mums have attracted visitors in 

 throngs. ' 



An attendance of upwards of 4,000 

 was the gratifying result of the an- 

 nual show at Jos. Heinl & Sons, Jack- 

 sonville, 111. 



At Undercliff. St. Johnsbury. Vt., on 

 Nov. 16, after the flowers had been ad- 

 mired by the public they were all cut 

 and sent among the sick. 



H. P. Potter, Wilmington, Del., has 

 opened his greenhouses to the public, 

 with a noteworthy stock in which 

 chrysanthemums lead. Among his car- 

 nations is an unnamed variety, a 

 cross between Mrs. Thos. W. Lawson 

 and Queen. 



The Horn Bros, at Rittersville. Pa., 

 displayed the products of their 13 

 houses the past week to hundreds of 

 delighted admirers. Ernest Ashley is 

 another successful grower at Ritters- 

 ville for whose display the people wait 



