44 THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



shifted even while they are in full bloom. Indeed, if they 

 are given a good soaking the day before they are removed, 

 and another soaking after they are re-planted, one would 

 hardly know they had been shifted. 



The early flowering chrysanthemums comprise several 

 sections, including Pompoms, Japanese and Singles. The 

 method of cultivation in all cases is the same. As the 

 former varieties are now very generally known it is need- 

 less to refer to them at length, and I will therefore deal 

 in this chapter particularly with the Singles, which can 

 now be cultivated in the open air, not only in the gardens 

 of the great, but also by the humblest cottager with only 

 a few yards of ground to spare. 



How Early Singles were Obtained. 



As this book is not only a guide to the cultivation of 

 chrysanthemums, but is also intended to possess historical 

 value, I may, I hope, be permitted, without over-stepping 

 the bounds of modesty, briefly to allude to the way in 

 which * the early Singles came to be introduced to the 

 horticultural world. 



When I removed from Earlswood to Merstham in 1904, 

 there were only two or three single varieties of chrysanthe- 

 mums which flowered in the open by the end of September. 

 I had been so successful in raising a vast number of early 

 Japanese varieties that I determined to obtain a similar 

 result in the case of singles. The initial efforts were 

 somewhat disappointing, but by dint of perseverance I 

 obtained a batch of rather weedy-looking seedlings through 

 crossing some of the October flowers with the September 

 varieties mentioned above. Included in the seedlings was 

 one which I subsequently named Surrey, which was the 

 best of the lot. This I crossed with Mabel Goacher. The 

 result surprised all anticipations, flowers of amazing 

 numbers and of infinite variety o<f shape and colouring 

 being produced. Thus within three years I was able to 

 plant out 20,000 early flowering singles at the Merstham 

 Nurseries, all these chrysanthemums being grown specially 



