General Notices. 279 



early growth of wood ; by tliis means the latter is made earlier, and is con- 

 sequently better ripened, and the foliage is of much deeper color than if no 

 stimnlus had been given. I treat the Indian or Greenhouse Azaleas in the 

 same way, witli the exception of giving tliem a short rest for a fortniglit or 

 three weeks after flowering, when they receive but little water of any kind. 

 I then bring them out, and give them such pruning as is necessary to keep 

 them in a good pyramidal shape, after which tliey are supplied with strong 

 guano-water, until they have completed their growtlis ; they are then placed 

 out of doors in a sunny situation, where they remain with the pots, protected 

 from the action of sun and wind until tlie autumn rains set in, when tliey are 

 housed for the winter. The advantage of manure or guano-water to the 

 Greenhouse Azalea is, that tlie blossoms are much finer, and the petals of 

 better texture ; and I find that by the use of manure-water tlie most decidu- 

 ous kinds retain their foliage through the winter, and are well clothed witli 

 foliage when in blossom, which I consider adds much to tlie beauty of the 

 plant ; even the old, but now rare one, " Flore pleno," under this treatment, 

 is an evergreen, and altliough one of the most delicate of Azaleas, it wOl 

 bear guano-water as well as any of the more robust kinds. When it has 

 not been convenient for me to have the manure-water previously prepared 

 for the Azaleas, I have placed a piece of guano, about tlie size of a walnut, 

 on the surface of the soil, and watered upon it from time to time, and I never 

 found any bad effects from this practice. — ( Gard. Chron. 1850, p. 277.) 



Culture of the Chrysanthemum. — He observed tliat it was only 

 within the last few years that the chrysanthemum had attracted pub- 

 lic attention. Partial exhibitions had been held in different localities, 

 but it was now looked upon with as much interest as any other of our 

 previously more familiar favorites. He knew of no autumnal flower that 

 had greater claims upon our attention; being comparativly hardy, the 

 time it remained in perfection, the rich and varied shades of color, the 

 distinct and beautiful varieties of form, its adaptation to tlie wall, the 

 greenhouse, tlie conservatory, the drawing-room, or the cottage windows, 

 tended alike to make it the favorite of the wealthy amateur,, as well as tlie 

 humble cottager. Mr. Holmes then proceeded with remarks on the new 

 varieties, and the difficulty of obtaining seeds in tliis climate. The only 

 important improvement he had noticed was in their cultivation; some of the 

 oldest varieties were still the very best. For instance, for incurved flowers, 

 Goliah and two colored incurve stood unequalled. In the other class, superb 

 clustered yellows were far before the imported new ones. If we could not 

 save seeds, he thought we should reject all the new ones that are not im- 

 provements. 



He would recommend only tlie early sorts for the pleasure garden where 

 protection is inconvenient, such as Queen, Imperial, Goliah, Princess Marie, 

 &c. ; for, if tlie flowers once become frozen, they would not expand kindly. 

 When the object of the cultivator was for exhibition, whether for cut blooms 

 or specimen plants, very much of his success would depend on a judicious 

 selection of varieties for their respective purposes. He particularized the 

 sorts most adapted for specimen plants, such as Phidias, Lady Camden, 



