114 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



and that they are not yrown as much as in previous years : 

 it simply means there is a broader interest being- taken in 

 horticulture and a more general interest in chrvsanthe- 

 mums and that everyone grows the type he can do the 

 Ijest with. 



I will venture this assertion, which 1 believe is a safe 

 nne to make, and that is, that the number of people grow- 

 ing 'mums lioth indoors and in the garden has never been 

 equalled in tlie ])a>t. 



ilical freedom, and religious 



A Iio'-SE OF I'.XHiiHTio.x cii R^■s.\.\••nn•".^u•MS. 



p. .\. WIIIEXER l-;ST.\TK. OGOXTZ. P.\. WM. Kl.EIXIlF.l 

 G.\RT)ENF.R. 



TRADITIONS OF THE FATHERS. 



Since the history of the human race has l:)een record- 

 ed, and before, folk lore has been handed down from 

 one generation to another, sometimes with additions 

 thereto, sometimes with substractions therefrom, liut 

 always interesting to the student of the history of the 

 development of man in his struggle for greater attain 

 ments, in science, art, p 

 liberty- 

 There is but one phase of the suljject which we have 

 any desire to refer to at this time, namely, that which 

 pertains to the art of gardening. 



We shall not go further back than 1717 when green- 

 houses were first constructed for the cultivation of 

 exotic plants. The greatest perfection in the art has 

 l^een attained in England and Belgium ; both coun- 

 tries characterized by a humide climate. It is from 

 these lands across the sea where horticulture has been 

 studied and practiced for three centuries that our most 

 proficient gardeners come, and with them they liring 

 4s a rule the traditions of the fathers, and it is a marvel 

 how tenaciously they cling to them, with little patience 

 for the fellow who dares to do otherwise. The late 

 Ij'eter Henderson, a Scotchman of keen perceptions, 

 ^yais--the first to break away from his earlv training, 

 and estal?li.sh a new order of things in the land of his 

 adoption. That-^^s on the Atlantic Coast two score 

 years ago. And what a-- stir he made among the profes- 

 sionals who did as Dadv did. or as the head gardener 

 of some estate in the old countrv had taught them tn 

 do. He revolutionized the whole system of propaga- 

 tion of plants, which had been followed up to the time in 

 the horticultural world, and the publication of bis Ixioks, 



xz 



so siniplitied the art that it took the breath of his critics- 

 from tliem. 



'1 his same class of gardeners ha\e been attracted to 

 this part of the heritage of the ciiildren of men, and 

 with them they have brought their traditions, though 

 climate and country is radically different from the land 

 (if tiieir nativity, and working conditions not at all ike 

 those under which they learned. We shall point nut 

 SI .me iif the errors which they were taught, and fondly 

 cherish. When making cuttings of either soft or 

 hard wooded plants it had to be at a node or joint, 

 antl the propagator who dares to do otherwise is 

 a heretic. As a luatter of fact the most successful 

 ]iropagator of the rose from out door grown 

 wood never thinks of making a cutting at a joint. 

 There is no necessity whatever for making Poin- 

 settia cuttings at a joint. The hollow tube be- 

 tween the nodes will r( » it as readily as those made 

 in the old traditional wa}'. drape wood, cut to 

 single eyes, with two inches below the eye will, 

 if ]5laced in clean sand and given a gentle bottom 

 heat, root as readily as when two eye? are used,' 

 ihe lower e\e close to the cut. 



'i'hen tliere is another tradition that these 

 gardeners cling to with the tenacity of life : a blue 

 L;r;iss turf. They must have a turf to be happy, 

 an.d blue grass at that, no matter if the days are 

 bright, and the atmosphere dry as the breath of 

 an oven after the bread is baked. Xo matter how 

 much water it takes or wlio pays the bill for 

 ~u;)]3lying it. they must have a blue grass tnrf. in 

 a desert land, or be disconsolate. 



With all due respect for the fathers. iiia\ we 

 never forget the fact that tliey lived u]! tn the 

 ligjit they had, and while we revere tiieir memo- 

 ries, we live in an age of progress, and in a land 

 wliolly different in every particular from that in 

 wliicli they lived and wrought. 

 ba\'c heights to climl) and depths to explore 

 from a horticultural i)oint of view, of wbicli \hcy ne\'er 

 even dreamed. — Pacific Garden. 



We 



THE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW 

 YORK. 



Attention is again called to the b'all Lixhibition of this 

 society, which will be held at the .American Museum of 

 Xatural History. November 4 to 7. Schedules are now 

 l:eing prepared, and will soon be ready for distribution. 

 That preparations may be made for the exhibition of 

 bush jilants. the premiums offered are given bel^w: 

 ( 11 ItYSAXTHEilUilS— PLAXTS. 



SPECniEX BUSHES. 

 ill not li'--s tl'.iin foiirtoeii-iiuli pots. 



First. •Sii-cnid. 



. , .*.-jO.(mi .$r,."i.(ir» 



.")().! Ml :i.").0(t 



.id, nil n.'i.no 



Any other color M.mt ;>.-). Oil 



Aiipmonp or Single aiiv color .311.110 l.^.OO 



Cla'5'5 Xo. 

 A-1— YpIIow 

 A-2— ■\Vliite 

 ,\-3-Pink . 

 A-4 

 A -4 



Sweepstakes for finest !Uid best Eiisli Plant Silver 



Tliis is tlie Society's Clip valued at $100.00. 



n\].. 



Tn not more tlian fonrteen-indi ]iots. 



A-fl— YelloNV if2.-).00 $1 .",.00 



A-7— White 2.1.0(1 l.i.OO 



A-S--Piiik 2.-).00 IS.OO 



.\-n— Any other color 2.i.0fl l-i.OO 



spEci:\iEX sTAxnAPns. 



X'nt less than four feet in diameter, in not less than lonvteeii- 

 inch pots. 



A-10— .\iiy color .$20,011 .sl.1.00 



SPEflMEX. ODD SHAPE. 



.\-l 1 .\iiy color 20.00 l.l.OO 



(JKOPkOE v. XASII. Secretary. 



