REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GARDENS. 289 



detached portions of the old stock. During the months of June 

 and July, when the plants are growing fast, they should be 

 frequently topped to induce stocky growth. Some localities are 

 much infested with insects, Avliich often blight the shoots so badly 

 that few flower buds appear. A good plan in such cases is to 

 place a frame work of mosquito netting about the plants, with an 

 opening on one side. This will keep out their worst enemy, the 

 chinch bug. Green and black aphides — small insects which 

 cling to the leaves and buds near the ends of the shoots — often 

 gather in such large numbers as to cripple the shoots seriously. 

 The frequent application of tobacco dust will keep them in check. 

 The plants should be taken up early in September, potted care- 

 fully, and stood in some shady place to recover. As cold weather 

 comes they should be housed at night and stood out during the 

 day time. 



The large flowers we see on trained specimens are obtained by 

 reducing the number of buds on a shoot to one only. More 

 flowers, but smaller, would naturally come were all the buds 

 allowed to remain. It is just a matter of taste. Small plants of 

 all the leading varieties are offered by the principal florists in 

 spring time. The newest are not always the best. Here is my 

 selection for next season ; Morning Crow, pink ; Mutual Friend, 

 white ; 0. W. Holmes, red ; Marion Henderson, yellow ; Norma, 

 pink ; Ivory, white ; Columbine, bronze ; Garza, white anemone ; 

 Savannah, yellow pompon ; John Shrimpton, crimson ; W. H. 

 Lincoln, yellow ; Joseph H. White, white. 



This statement was written at the request of the Chairman of 

 the Garden Committee, especially for amateurs and schools. It 

 is in no sense a professional article. 



T. D. Hatfield. 



William Nicholson's Chbysaitthemums, Fbamijstgham. 



For Chrysanthemums on benches the other applicant was Mr. 

 William Nicholson, whose plants were grown for commercial 

 purposes, on a bench in the centre of a house 15 X 100 feet, and 

 formed a very satisfactory exhibit indeed. We have requested 

 some notes from Mr. Nicholson, and he says : " In regard to 

 Chrysanthemums for 1896 I think quite a little progress has 

 been made — that is, in separating the kinds for exhibition 

 blooms and those for commercial purposes. Mine are all grown 



