DCCEMBEIt 14, 191G. 



The Florists^ Review 



3^ 



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POCKETT TALKS SHOP 



An Interview with the World^s Leading Raiser of New Mums 



It is said 80% of the chrysanthemums staged at the autumn flower shows 

 in America are varieties raised by T. W. Pockett at East Malvern, Australia 



IHETHER or not a census of 

 the shows would prove that 

 more than three-fourths of 

 the exhibition mums shown 

 in this country are varieties 

 originated by Thomas W. 

 Pockett, certain it is that 

 there is no man in the world who has to 

 his credit so large a list of meritorious 

 iutroductions. That the genius which 

 has resulted so well for the trade is not 

 likely soon to be extinguished is shown 

 by the fact that Miss Louisa Pockett, 

 a daughter, and William Pockett, a son, 

 liave also shown great aptitude for the 

 cultivation of chrysanthemums. The 

 faculty appears to be one of special 

 family inherence. 



A Success in Both Hemispheres. 



It was one of Mr. Pockett 's early 

 assertions that the chrysanthemum is 

 adaptable to conditions in every coun- 

 try, and sufficiently vigorous to bloom 

 equally well in both hemispheres. The 

 soundness of that contention has been 

 demonstr ated, and 

 jilants raised from 

 seeds in East Malvern 

 S^ive satisfaction wher- 

 ever they are distrib- 

 uted. A notable in 

 stance is that of Wil- 

 liam Turner. If Mr. 

 Pockett did no more 

 than create this popu- 

 lar variety, it would 

 he sufficient to entitle 

 him to special distinc- 

 tion. The flower is 

 now as well known in 

 Great Britain and 

 America as in Austra- 

 lia. 



When seen among his 

 favorite mums April 

 15, for mums bloom in 

 Australia while it is 

 spring in America, Mr. 

 Pockett claimed a mo- 

 ment's indulgence for 

 t)ie purpose of refer- 

 ring to the death of 

 W. Wells, the famous 

 British specialist. In 

 some notes to Mr. 

 Pockett, after it was 

 known that death was 

 near, Mr. Wells said : 

 "The latest seedlings 

 of yours are the best 

 you ever raised. Your 

 •1 81, Alice Benson, is 

 the finest formed 

 flower I ever saw. 

 i^eedMng L 113, Louisa 

 Pockett, is wonderful. 

 You could not have 



given J 54, Golden Champion, a better 

 name. It is good in every way." 



"On the subject of new varieties," 

 said Mr. Pockett, "years ago a large 

 proportion of the seedlings of that 

 period were considered good enough to 

 keep. Now it is not possible to obtain 

 one in a thousand that will conform to 

 the type demanded. 



Systematic Hybridizing. 



"Take whites, for instance. I have 

 raised William Turner, Alice Benson, 

 Lady Ferguson, Anzac and Louisa 

 Pockett. These represent all the types 

 of Japanese chrysanthemums from one 

 cross. Can I hope to improve on them 

 without introducing new strains? I say 

 no. That cross has produced from the 

 many thousands saved all that are 

 likely to be of the highest standard. 



"All our best results," continued Mr. 

 Pockett, "are obtained by selecting 

 plants for seed and plants for pollen. 

 That is where systematic selection 

 comes in. By applying the pollen with a 



Thomas W. Pockett. 



camel 's-hair brush there is a chance of 

 securing good seed. But unless the flow- 

 ers are carefully protected there is every 

 likelihood that a large proportion of the 

 seeds will become cross fertilized with 

 other varieties than those selected. 

 Bees, wind and many kinds of insects 

 carry pollen from one flower to another, 

 and that must be guarded against; 

 otherwise the parentage of the seeds 

 will be completely lost and the result is 

 not likely to be satisfactory. 



"The seed of single chrysanthemums 

 is usually ripe about the end of June, 

 in Australia. That of other sorts does 

 not mature until August. 



Saving and Sowing the Seed. 



"Seed vessels should be gathered 

 when dry and spread out for several 

 days in a dry part of the plant house. 

 Toward the end of August the seeds 

 should be rubbed out and sown in pots, 

 boxes or nursery beds specially prepared 

 to receive seeds for germination. The 

 following method we find effective: 

 Place boards four 

 inches wide and an 

 inch thick on edge, so 

 as to enclose whatever 

 space is conside red 

 large enough. At the 

 bottom of the enclo- 

 sure thus formed put 

 an inch of charcoal or 

 coarse sand, then one 

 and one-half inches of 

 sandy loam. Make it 

 firm and level.* In this 

 sow the seeds by press- 

 ing them in with a 

 smooth tile. Over the 

 seed bed thus formed 

 there should be placed • 

 a covering of about 

 one-eighth of an inch 

 of dry sand that has 

 been previously washed 

 and sifted. The seeds 

 will germinate in two 

 or three weeks. A 

 sheet of glass over the 

 bed will protect the 

 seeds and materially 

 assist g e r m i n a tion. 

 When there are signs 

 of growth the young 

 plants must be given 

 fresh air gradually un- 

 til they are strong 

 enough to do without 

 the glass covering. As 

 soon as they are fit to 

 handle, the seedlings 

 may be transfe rred 

 from the nursery bed 

 into the garden, or 

 grown on in pots and 



