viii THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



the amateur and since then almost every season has 

 seen the introduction of new members to the great familly 

 of fairly large-sized chrysanthemums, of good habit, 

 possessing the highly important recommendation that they 

 come to perfection in the open air towards the end of the 

 summer or early in the autumn. These numerous varieties 

 raised by Mr. Goacher must be called early flowering 

 doubles, to distinguish them from the early flowering 

 singles raised and distributed by myself from Merstham. 



Having referred to those who are principally associated 

 with me in the important work of raising and distributing 

 the newest and best varieties in Australia, England, and 

 America it may not be out of place >to say here that, for 

 my own part, my whole time is spent among chrysan- 

 themums. For upwards of forty years I have cultivated 

 them and studied them, watching their growth and noting 

 their innumerable interesting peculiarities. Born in 1848, 

 at Lovell Heath, near Charlwood, on the borders of Surrey 

 and Sussex, I was initiated into farming operations. 

 But this was not quite to my taste, and I soon began to 

 make acquaintance with the most ancient of all occupa- 

 tions in the gardens of Fen Place, Turner's Hill, Sussex, 

 when I was still a youth in my teens. In the 

 course of time the gardens were enlarged, and I felt 

 very pleased with myself when I was entrusted with the 

 work of laying them out and afterwards managing them. 

 My career as a chrysanthemum grower began in 1869. 

 In those days only two sections were recognised the large 

 flowered varieties, which were mostly incurved, and pom- 

 poms. The names of the favourites of thirty or forty years 

 ago are of very little interest now, except for purposes of 

 comparison ; but I recollect that my first success was 

 achieved with Miss Marechaux. This was shortly after 

 I began business on my own account at Earlswood, in 

 1877. I grew as many of the variety called Elaine as I 

 could house, and as soon as these were cut Mrs. G. Rundell 

 took their place. The latter was followed by Miss 

 Marechaux, a large, late, white incurved variety, which 

 I grew in 8-in. pots three plants in a pot. They soud at 



