1882.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



39 



are many more varieties which are just as good, 

 if not better than those named. While in Phila- 

 delphia, in November last, I made a visit to the 

 Horticultural Hall at Fairmount Park. The 

 Palms and Ferns were a lovely sight, and in ex- 

 cellent condition. But to my eye the most 

 striking thing there was a house of Chrysanthe- 

 mums. There was almost every color you can 

 mention, with the exception of blue, and that 

 we must never expect to see, if we look into the 

 natural law of colors. I made note of one or 

 two of the most striking varieties, — Temple of 

 Solomon, a very large yellow, extra fine ; Hero of 

 Stoke Newington, Antonella, Empress of China, 

 Jardin des Plantes, Mrs. George Mundle, and 

 many others. I find it best, if good specimen 

 plants are wanted, to start the cuttings from 

 November to January, but I prefer the former ; 

 after the cuttings are started, a cold greenhouse 

 near the glass is the best place to grow them ; 

 never let them get dry or pot-bound. "When 

 they have obtained a height of four or five in- 

 ches the top should be pinched out, to encourage 

 side shoots ; as soon as the small pots are filled 

 with roots give them a liberal shift, which, by 

 the end of June, will require pots from eight to 

 twelve inches. I think the Chrysanthemum, 

 like the rose and strawberry, delights in new, 

 fresh loam, with one-third good, rotten cow ma- 

 nure. Some people will advise to fill the pot 

 one-third full of bi-oken pots, for drainage ; but I 

 think it is quite time for us to leave ofi'such old 

 whims, that our grandfathers practiced years 

 gone by. 



1 found last summer I had to water our plants 

 twice a day, without any crocks at all in the 

 bottom, only a piece of rough turf, and the pots 

 plunged into the ground to their rims. I think 

 nine out of ten will agree with me that good, 

 rough, rich loam is better for a gross feeder like 

 the Chrysanthemum to grow in, than a lot of 

 old broken pots. In stopping the shoots it is im- 

 portant to stop them all at one time. i''ou will 

 often see some a little stronger than others; but 

 you will find if they are stopped, and the weaker 

 ones are left, the growth will run to the ones 

 left untouched, and an uneven plant is the result. 



Last May I planted a row of young Chrysan- 

 themums in a border, on the north side of the 

 house, forming a back row of some bedding 

 plants, mixing with each plant a good spadeful 

 of well-rotted manure. From the end of October 

 to the middle of December, this row of Chrysan- 

 themums was the admiration of the town. Thev 



flowered fully two weeks later than our neigh- 

 bors'. The Chrysanthemum can be trained to 

 almost any shape, of which I will write some 

 other time, should the editor think it would be 

 interesting to our readers. 



A BLUE BEDDING PLANT. 



BY C. D. WARDE, CONCORD, N. H. 



In answer to the inquiry of " W. D.," in the 

 January number, would suggest as a fine blue 

 bedding plant for ribbon beds, and as a most ex- 

 cellent companion for Centaurea and Achyran- 

 thus, some of the dwarf compact growing varie- 

 ties of the Ageratum mexicanum. Have seen 

 beautiful efiects produced with them in the 

 Jardin de Luxembourg, in Paris, in the fine 

 gardens of Hon. S. W. Hale, of Keene, N. H., 

 and elsewhere. Start the plants early and trim, 

 to the proper shape. 



N£IV OR RARE PLANTS. 



New Alterkanthera Aurea.— This is a great 

 acquisition for yellow lines in ribbon-line plant- 

 ing; of a fine habit, dwarf and compact ; foliage 

 light green and golden yellow— the yellow pre- 

 dominating.— P. Henderson. 



Dwarf Double Geraniums. — These are the 

 "newest novelties" in the Geranium line. On the 

 Continent of Europe, they have now Princess 

 Stephanie of this class. It grows only from ten 

 to twelve centimeters high. The flowers are 

 double, rose color with a light centre. 



New Dahlia, " Juarezii."— The grandest nov- 

 elty of the year, and not only a novelty but a 

 most valuable and useful decorative plant for all 

 purposes through the late summer and autumn 

 months. Its blossoms are of a rich scarlet, and 

 very much resemble in shape and color the well- 

 known Cactus, Cereus Speciosissimus. Height 

 about 3 ft., very bushy, flowers of very striking 

 appearance, and quite unlike those of an ordinany 

 double Dahlia, the florets being flat and pointed;, 

 during the fall and winter the flowers sold at 

 fifty cents each.— P. Henderson. 



New Dwarf Sweet Chestnut.— A new orna- 

 mental shrub lately introduced from Japan. 

 The fruit or nuts are edible, and are produced 

 freely on plants three feet high. The nuts are as. 

 large as the common " Horse Chestnut," and are 

 equal in quality to the common small chestnut. 



