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JOOENAL OF HOETICULTBBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



[ December 7, 1878. 



a rioh compost. The second week in March the plants will be 

 about 6 inches in height and well established. I now take out 

 the extreme point, which induce numerous side shoots to be 

 thrown out — sometimes a dozen, according to the variety. I 

 generally manage to have them potted into 6 inch pots by the 

 middle of April ; the side shoots or breaks are then about 5 or 

 6 inches long, and are pegged down towards the rim of the pot. 

 Shortly after this the plants are removed to a cold frame, and 

 plenty of air is given on all favourable occasions. At this time 

 they grow very rapidly and are again pinched, and potted 

 into 8-ineh pots. I may here state, that by taking out the ex- 

 treme points of the shoots carefully I secure a larger number of 

 strong breaks than by pinching back in a rough manner. If 

 the plants are allowed to have a check at this stage of their 

 growth, either by hard pinching, allowing them to become 

 dry, or placing them in cold draughts, they will eventually 

 present the grower with a number of deformed flowers besides 

 losing a part of their foliage. 



I pot my plants for the last time from 8-inch to HA-inch 

 pots the first week in Jane, about which time they are pinched 

 for the last time. This stopping will give from forty to sixty 

 breaks, a number which will be found quite sufficient to form 

 a first-class specimen. After being potted into their flowering 

 pots they are taken to their summer quarters ; a piece of open 

 ground is provided in the full sun, but sheltered on all sides 

 from wind. I place them on the surface of the ground and 

 surround each pot with ashes up to the rim. I let them grow 

 on after this in their own wild way without any training what- 

 ever, giving them every day unlimited supplies of water, add- 

 ing a little clear soot water two or three times a-week. I find 

 during hot weather that the plants cannot have too much 

 water, provided the drainage is clear. The foliage will also be 

 improved by a watering overhead late every evening. 



About the beginning of September the buds will begin to 

 appear. I always select the centre one en each shoot, and 

 remove all others with the point of a small penknife; this 

 operation I perform as soon as I can do so without injuring 

 the centre bud. The ashes are now removed from the sides of 

 the pot to allow the sun and air free access to all parts of the 

 pot and plant, with a view to having tho wood thoroughly 

 ripened — a great point to be aimed at, for without ripe wood 

 fine flowers need not be expected. 



Earwigs and a small grub are found to be very troublesome 

 at this stage ; they must be diligently sought for and de- 

 stroyed, or the moBt promising plant will soon be disfigured 

 by their depredations. After the buds are all set I substitute 

 guano water for soot water. I take a good pinch between the 

 thumb and forefinger and rub it well into a small can of water 

 and use at once, a method I find answers very well. 



Staking the plants U a very important operation, which re- 

 quires care, taste and patience. I usually commence tying the 

 first week in October. I will, as briefly as possible, try to 

 describe the way I proceed. The most convenient way is to 

 place the plants on a hand barrow, being careful to have it 

 level. But before tying I give a good dusting of flowers of 

 sulphur underneath the foliage, which can be easily done by 

 turning the plant on its Bide ; this is to prevent mildew. 

 The first stick placed in the centre of the plant must be up- 

 right. The sticks I use are about 2 feet long. I now take a 

 shoot and tie it as low down this stick as I can without break- 

 ing — a little twisting is sometimes necessary — so that the bud 

 comes directly on the top of the stick. Five sticks are now placed 

 around this central stick in a circle, and they will be found to 

 be about equal distance from the centre stick and from each 

 other. The after-part is a mere repetition, except the outside 

 circle, and theEe shoots are brought down to the rim of the pot 

 and then tied straight up the stick. I allow my plants to stand 

 outside as long as the weather is at all open, and several of 

 the early varieties only have the protection of an open shed 

 on wet days and cold nights. The plants will grow consider- 

 ably after this, and the buds will soon be several inches above 

 the sticks; these must be drawn down, carefully working the 

 ties down at the same time until the bud reaches its original 

 position, making a notoh above each tie to prevent pushing up 

 again. This mode of culture has led to considerable success 

 both at metropolitan and suburban exhibitions. 



It will be seen by the above remarks that I have given dates 

 which are strictly in accordance with my own practice ; but if 

 the intending Chrysanthemum-grower can get his plants along 

 earlier in the season let him do bo by all means. Early growth, 

 short-jointed wood, combined with thorough ripening, are the 

 chief elements of success. 



The compost I use for the final potting consists of good 

 yellow loam broken up roughly three parts, one part well- 

 decayed manure, and a handful of bone dust to each plant, 

 with enough silver sand to keep all open. 



Good varieties for specimens are Mrs. G. Bundle, G. Glenny, 

 Mr. Dixon, Mr. Brunlees, Prince of Wales, Lady Hardinge, 

 Guernsey Nugget, Venus, Faust, Dr. Sharp, Alma, and White 

 Christine. The three last-named have reflexed flowers, but 

 the plants are free growers of good habit. — W. Hall. 



[The engraving is from a photograph of the smallest plant 

 which Mr. Hall exhibited at the Brixton Show. For exuber- 

 ance of foliage from the base to the points of each stem, and 

 for the high quality of the blooms, also for the compaotnesa 

 and general finish of the specimen, it is an admirable example 

 of skilful cultivation. The variety represented is Faust, a 

 purplish crimson flower large and incurved. — Eds ] 



NOTES FEOM TASMANIA. 



The past winter in Tasmania has been the driest known for 

 many years, no rain falling for six weeks ; and after two or 

 three wet days it was again fine for four or five weeks, which 

 is very unusual at this season of the year (September). 



During our winter months I often think of the long dull and 

 sunless days of English winters, and think that if the gar- 

 deners at home could only secure the bright Tasmanian winters 

 there would be fewer complaints about the difficulties of the 

 early forcing of plants, Grapes, Strawberries, &<;., as here it 

 is an exception to have two, or even one sunless day in a week. 

 Daring Jane, Jaly and August, which are our dullest months, 

 we frequently have frosts. The severest I have known was 

 12° Fair., but by 11 a.m. the sun was as warm and genial as a 

 May day at home. The south wind here is very cold and cut- 

 ting, similar to your east wind. 



We have the following shrnbB and plants in opsn borders 

 planted out without the slightest shelter, and with one excep- 

 tion all remain uninjured during winter and grow most luxu- 

 riantly : — Tecoma jasminoides, Polyga'a myrtifolia, P. cordi- 

 folia, Boronia megastigma, B. elatior, B. serrulata, Clianthus 

 Dampieri, Aralia Sieboldi, Libonia floribnnda, and Phormium 

 tenax variegatum ; Grevillea robusta being the only plant that 

 appears to suffer daring winter. These are only a few of 

 many plants treated as . border plants which at home receive 

 greenhouse treatment. Many Btove plants are here grown as 

 greenhouse plants. 



Tasmania may justly be called a frait country. I shall 

 never forget the first impressions I received upon landing after 

 a long voyage and seeing the immense quantities of fruit. 

 There is a small Plum grown here very largely, but which does 

 not meet with a very ready sale, as the market is overdone 

 with it. It is a small oval-shaped Cherry Plum, and which in 

 former times realised 20s. to 30s. per bushel. At one place I 

 saw upwards of eighty bushels allowed to fall and go to waste, 

 tha price offered not paying for picking. Small fruits are largely 

 grown for the Melbourne market and for jam manufactories. 

 Prices vary from 2$d. to 4$<2. per lb. for Black and Bed Car- 

 rants and Baspberries. Apples and Pears realise in Tasmania 

 from ?s. to 4s. per bushel wholesale, but a much higher rate 

 in Melbourne. The soil and climate here are admirably adapted 

 for fruit-growing. Apricots, Peaches, Grapes, &i., grow and 

 frait abundantly. Apricots and Peaches grow as standards 

 and produce fine-looking fruit, although I do not think the 

 flavour so good as at home. 



The bush at this season of the year begins to look very gay. 

 The Acacias are now in full bloom. In some parts the Bight 

 is grand, as for miles all along the roadside are Acacias from 

 3 to 40 feet high, completely covered with rich golden flowers ; 

 while the small Epacrises, Heaths, and Orchids are beginning 

 to unfold their colours. 



I think Tasmania is well entitled to share honour with New 

 Zealand as being the paradise of Ferns. In my rambles 

 through the bush I have seen some magnificent valleys of. 

 Ferns in their rioh wild beauty. Upon the N.W. coaBt I saw 

 a fine patch of Gleichenia speluncae, whioh had fastened itself 

 to the undergrowth. I measured the patch, it was 30 yards 

 round and 7 feet high. There was not a place around it where 

 I could get my hand through without displacing the foliage. 

 It was growing in a swampy creek. I was struck with its great 

 beauty, and was sorry to think how fast these fine examples 

 of Ferns are disappearing owing to the bush fires. After a 

 fire has passed over them they still live, but never reoover 

 their beauty. I recolleoted the specimen Gleiohenias which 



