August 19, 1869. ] 



JOUKNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



141 



Bat whilst we are thns so strenaouply advocating tlic oaltivation of 

 cool Orchids, I must put in a plea on behalf of the East Indian kinds 

 from the low or hot parts, for I am undar the imprcgsiou many are 

 discontinain^ their growth hocanso the houses require to be so hot, and 

 are, therefore, not enjoyable. This, however, need not be the case ; 

 some of the most beantifnl Orchids known are fonud among the 

 Vandas, Aerides, and Saccolabiums, and they will both f^-ow and 

 flower profusely in alo^rer tempei-aturo than many imagine ; in winter, 

 with the house ranging from 60" to 65"', they will enjoy robust health, 

 and in summer with 65'^ for the minimum. A collection of East 

 Indian Orchids, which I saw recently, perfectly astonished mo ; the 

 house was nnboarublo ; I can compare it to nothing but an oven, and 

 very little or no air was admitted. The consequence was, no one could 

 remain in the place even a few moments with pleasure ; indeed, if Or- 

 chids required such an atmosphere, I should myself bo the first to 

 discard them ; and how men who profess to have a knowledge of 

 these plants can commit such grave errors, it is difficult to under- 

 stand ; beginners might be excused for doing such things, but even 

 they, one would imagine, would soon learn to con-ect such blunders. 



With respect to terrestrial Orchids, comparatively nothing has been 

 done ; but, as a class, they have been very much neglected, for no 

 other roasou, so far as I know, than people imagine they are ditficult 

 to cultivate. This is tho opinion of thirty years ago, and I do hope 

 to see more of these bcautifal plants grown than has ever yet been 

 attempted. There are many Disas, Satyriums, Pogonias, Episte- 

 phiams, Habenarias, Ptorostylis, ttc, that we in oar philosophy 

 have never dreamed of, which will ba perfect gems if properly estab- 

 lished in our gardens. One cause of failure I have noticed, and that 

 is the complete baking they usually get in the winter season. In their 

 native habitats some roots will, undoubtedly, be deep in the moist soil, 

 although the top is parched aud Inraed. This is not taken into con- 

 sideration, and the plants with ns get dried to powder. Many of these 

 kinds succeed well in cold frames, others thrive well with such plants 

 ag Odontoglossums, whilst other.^, again, require tho warmth of the 

 East Indian house. They require an abundant supply of water, with 

 ample drainage to carry it away quickly, and insects must be vigilantly 

 looked for and speedily destroyed. This applies to Orchids gene- 

 rally, otherwise they will soon fall into bad health. I consider it a 

 sure sign the collection is larger than can be properly managed when 

 the plants become infested with these pests. 



In conclusion, I have no hesitation in saying no class of plants 

 yield such gorgeous, chaste, elegant, and curious flowers, wh 1st none 

 can compete with them for fragrance. The impression that Orchids 

 are difficult to gi-ow is fast becoming exploded, and I wish to destroy 

 that impression entirely as speedily as possible, for nothing is farther 

 from the truth. My own practice for very many years proves to me 

 that if moderate artificial heat be applied, a liberal supply of fresh 

 air given, which must be properly supplied with moisture according 

 to the season, using for potting material good live sphagnum moss 

 and fibrous peat, no difficulty whatever will arise in the cultivation of 

 these plants. 



lu collections of any plants, death and disease will occur sometimes, 

 and therefore a collection of Orchids should not be expected to be 

 exempt any more than other classes of plants ; but if care is taken 

 this will be nothing serious, for they certainly will withstand more ill 

 treatment than most plants before they quite die. In a few words, 

 therefore, to keep your Orchids in a healthy and satisfactory state, I 

 say, Provide moderate- sized houses for them in preference to large 

 ones ; give only a moderate supply of fire heat ; let them be abun- 

 dantly but judiciously ventilated, and the atmosphere sufficiently 

 charged with moisture to yield nourishment to tho plants, and every- 

 thing in connection with them in a sweet and living state, avoiding 

 anything in the shape of decay as one would a pestilence, and nothing 

 more wUl be heard or said about the difficulties of Orchid cultivation. 

 — B. S. Williams, Victoria Nursenj^ Ujyper HoUowaij, London. 



ON THE CULTURE OF CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



It is well known in the horticultural world that in the dull months 

 of November and December the Chrysanthemum assumes an un- 

 doubted sway in the conservatory ; and I am confident that all who 

 have once witnessed the gorgeous panorama of colours which a conser- 

 vatory full of well-grown Chrysanthemums presents at that dull time 

 of the year, when flowers are so scarce, will agree with me when I 

 assert that there is no decorative plant more worthy of general culti- 

 vation. It is, therefore, surprising to find that a plant so highly 

 valaable for in-door and out-door decoration should not ere this have 

 received more marked attention. 



Since the introduction of the new Japanese varieties Chrysan- 

 themums may be divided into three principal classes — viz.. Large-flow- 

 ered, Pompons, and Japanese. From Chi"ysanthemum sinense, intro- 

 dnced into this country from China in 1761, were produced our Large- 

 flowered varieties ; from the Chusan Daisy, sent home by that famous 

 collector Mr. Fortune, originated the Pompons ; and the new Japaneso 

 varieties were raised from seed by Mr. Salter, of Hammersmith, fi-om 

 Chrysanthemum roseum punctatum, a native of Japan, likewise intro- 

 duced by Mr. Fortune. 



In this paper I purpose to divide my remarks into two parts — first, 

 that relating to ont-door cultivation ; secondly, on cultivation for the 

 conservatory and for exhibition. I vrish it to be distinctly understood 



that the observations which I am about to advance will be of a purely 

 practical character, or confined to matters which have come under my 

 personal experience. .~-.7 



In briefly alluding to out-door cultivation, after five years' practical 

 experience in Hampshire aud the same in Lancashii-e, I find by careful 

 observation that the Chrysanthemum blooms nearly two weebs earlier 

 in the former than in the latter county, and about ten days later in 

 Perthshire and Forfarshire than in Lancashire. l''rom this it will be 

 seen that tho Chrysanthsmum will amply repay any labour bestowed 

 on it out of doors from Lancashire to Hampshire, more especially in 

 the southern counties, for with protection from frost a good display 

 maybe maintained from the beginning of November till Christmas; 

 bat much display cannot be expected from this plant cultivated out of 

 doors iu latitudes north of Lancashire, as in many parts of Scot- 

 land no reliance can be placed on its dowering at all out of doors, and 

 in some places there in late seasons it requires no small amount of 

 cultm-al skill to bloom it even under glass. 



No grower has obtained gi'cater celebrity a", an out-door cultivator 

 of this plant than Mr. Broome, of the Temple Gardens, London, 

 where he grows thousands of Chrysanthemums annually, which are 

 tho daily admiration of thousands of visitors when no other flowers 

 can bo seen out of doors. 



I will speak of the propagation of this plant, also of the treatment 

 of the young plants, uuder the second division of my subject. 



Presuming that tho plants have been kept clear of insects during 

 the winter months, they may be planted out in the open ground in the 

 end of March or bsgiuniug of April. In preparing the borders for 

 their reception it is necessary to deeply dig the ground, mixing with 

 the soil some rich loam, a little well-decayed manure, aud some lime 

 rubbish. They will grow in almost any soil, but by this preparation 

 better blooms will be insured. After the plants are fairly started into 

 gi'owth great attention must be paid to watering, for if they are allowed 

 to flag they will become bare at the bottom. To prevent this, it is 

 good policy to mulch well. When the plants advance in gi-owth, in 

 order to prevent the wind breaking them, they should be secured with 

 sticks. Two stoppings will be sufficient for them iu the south, but 

 none is requisite iu the north. They should be syringed with clean 

 water twice a-day. In September they generally show their flower 

 buds, at which time liquid manure should be supplied. That from 

 the farmyard will be found suitable if no better is at command, if well 

 diluted with clean water — say four or five times as much of the latter 

 as of the former, according to strength. Reference will be made to 

 this presently. They may have this liquid preparation at every alter- 

 nate watering until the blooms begin to open, when it must he discon- 

 tinued. Every available means should now be employed to preserve 

 the beauty of "the plants and to prolong their blooming period. This 

 may be secured by covering up in frosty weather with ti^'any, calico, 

 &c. By attention to this, as I have said, a tolerable display may be 

 kept up out of doors in mild winters till Christmas. 



I now come to the second division of my subject — viz . cultivation 

 for the conservatory and for exhibition, aud I will submit the substance 

 of my mode of culture in this county. 



I may say that old plants cut down and treated the same as Pelar- 

 goniums, if they break well, generally make the best specimens ; but 

 they are not to be much depended on, for it frequently happens that 

 when a plant is in full bloom one or several shoots die oft suddenly, 

 thereby spoiling the specimen. As early in November s suckers can 

 be obtained from the old plants they should be taken off, with a Uttle 

 root if possible, choosing the strongest, and rubbing off all eyes at the 

 bottom of the sucker, after which they should be inserted singly in 

 thumb pots in a compost of one-half loam and one-half leaf mould, 

 with a sprinkling of silver sand. After a gentle watering they should 

 be placed in a cold frame, plunging tho pots in ashes or any similar 

 light material, keeping them close to the glass aud well syringing for 

 two or three weeks, when they will be found to be rooted. A little air 

 may then be given, gradually increasing the quflutity until tho young 

 plants are sufficiently hardened, aud still syringing them frequently in 

 mild weather. By the middle of December the roots will have reached 

 the sides of the pots, when the plants may be shifted into 3-inch pots, 

 using less leaf mould in the compost than formerly. After this time 

 they must have plenty of air on all favourable occasions. Although 

 they will not grow much in the winter months, yet if kept close to the 

 glass and in a sunny situation, with a lining of hot manure round the 

 outside of the frame, and covered up at night, they will keep gradually 

 moving; for the sooner the specimens attain the desired size the earlier 

 the stopping may be discontinued, thus giving the grower more time 

 to thoroughly ripen the wood, which I maintain is of tho very first 

 importance in Chrysanthemum culture, and without which no grower 

 can produce satisfactory results. As soon as the plants have attained 

 the height of 4 or 5 inches their points should bu pinched out, which 

 will cause them to throw out several side shoots. All shoots after 

 this time should have their points nipped out after they have made 

 four joints, until the plants have reached the desired size. 



About the middle of January the roots of most of the plants will again 

 have reached the sides of the pots, when they should have another 

 shift, using oyster-shells for crocks, and giving plenty of drainage. At 

 this time I make up the compost which is used at every future shift. 

 It is made up in the following proportions — three parts turfy loam, 

 and the fourth part one half leaf mould and the other half pounded 

 oyster- shells, lime rubbish, and silver sandiu equal proportions. The 



