512 



JOUBNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 14, 1876. 



manure water may be given three times a- week, for the Chry- 

 santhemum is a voracious feeder. I have used the word " clear," 

 and it is important, for if the manure water is used in a thick 

 state the sediment formB a coating over the surface of the soil, 

 excluding air and rendering the plant lesB vigorous. Sprinkling 

 overhead on the afternoon of fine days just before the sun 

 goes down induces rapid growth and keeps the plants healthy. 

 From June onwards Chrysanthemums grow quickly, and if 

 good bushes are required the plants must be looked over once 

 a-week, and any shoots that are 4 or 5 inches long must be 

 stopped, always pinching out the txtrerce point; and as they 

 grow they must be 

 trained, care being 

 taken not to have the 

 ties too tight, and 

 carefully remove all 

 suckers that arise 

 from the root, as they 

 rob the head. 



A little judgment is 

 necessary in training 

 the plants, for if a 

 pyramid be required 

 a good leading shoot 

 must be selected and 

 stopped before grow- 

 ing too high. The 

 best shoot from this 

 stopping should again 

 take the lead, the 

 side branches being 

 trained out regu- 

 larly. As regards the 

 time that the plants 

 should be last stop- 

 ped much depends 

 upon the varieties 

 that are grown, and 

 whether it is required 

 to have them all in 

 perfection at about 

 the same time ; for 

 many varieties, such 

 as Bob and some of 

 theAnetnone-fiowered 

 Eorts are much later 

 than others, such as 

 the Cedo Nulli. The 

 end of June I have 

 found to be quite late 

 enough for stopping 

 the late-flowering va- 

 rieties, but the early 

 sorts may be stopped 

 till the third week in 

 July. They may be 

 stopped later and then 

 bloom, but the qua- 

 lity of the flowers is 

 not so good. 



Towards the latter 

 end of September the 

 plants will show flower 

 cuds, and when these 

 are large enough to 

 handle all but the 

 best on each shoot 

 must be taken off, for 

 one good bloom for 

 exhibition is better 

 than three or four small flowers. The plants should have 

 their laBt tying about the second week in October, for if de- 

 layed till a week or so before they bloom they never look so 

 well. Distribute the blooms equally all over the plant, 

 which will not be much trouble if the training has been re- 

 gularly attended to throughout the summer. The pots may 

 now be lifted out of the plunging material, have plenty of 

 room, and be placed in the full sun, for without well-ripened 

 wood good flowers must not be expected ; and on no account 

 must the plants be allowed to be dry, using water at all 

 times, if poesible, that has been well exposed to the air. The 

 sprinklings overhead may also be discontinued after the end 



Fig. 74.— Pompon chbtsanthemuh (from a photograph). 



of September, for with dewy nights and less solar heat too 

 much moisture about the foliage encourages mildew, a good 

 preventive of which is a duBting of sulphur or Eoot, but the 

 latter I prefer. 



The plants should be taken into a well-aired light greenhouse 

 on the approach of frost, and be dewed overhead with a 

 syringe every morning till the flowers show colour, and with 

 a few sunny days and a little fire heat on frosty nights to keep 

 the house comfortable they will be in good condition by the 

 first and second week in November. 

 The following varieties I have found make very good speci- 

 mens, but there are 

 many others more or 

 less suitable: — Bob, 

 Mdlle. Marthe (two 

 of the best), Astrsea, 

 St.Michael, Antonius, 

 St. Thais, White Tre- 

 venna, Rose Treven- 

 na ; White, Lilac, and 

 Golden Cedo Nulli; 

 Rose Marguerite, Gol- 

 den Circle, Calliope, 

 Helene, Madame 

 Montels.Marie Stuart, 

 Mr. Astie, La Sul- 

 tana, Adonis, Aigle 

 d'Or, Rose d'Amour, 

 Brilliant, and Mrs. 

 Hutt. 



Standard Pompons 

 are very ornamental, 

 and may be produced 

 by taking a strong- 

 rooted sucker 6 inches 

 in height of any of the 

 tall - growing kinds. 

 These should be pot- 

 ted in 6-inch pots as 

 soon as the plants 

 have done flowering, 

 placing in a warm 

 greenhouse, tying up- 

 right as they grow, 

 and when of the de- 

 sired height stop 

 them. After they have 

 pushed fresh growth 

 freely pot them into 

 their flowering pots 

 and place outdoors 

 with the others. A 

 hoop may be placed 

 to form the head by 

 driving three stakes 

 in the pot in a tri- 

 angular manner, and 

 to these fasten each 

 hoop with wire. When 

 the plants are housed 

 the three supports 

 maybe cut away, leav- 

 ing the hoop attached 

 to the head of the 

 plant with only a 

 stout stake in the 

 centre for support. — 

 A. Hakding. 



[The engraving is 

 from a photograph of 

 a plant of Mdlle. Marthe exhibited by Mr. Harding at the 

 Brixton Show. The plant was 3J feet in height and 2£ feet in. 

 diameter at the base, and was skilfully trained and cultivated. 

 —Eds.] 



EARLY WRITERS ON ENGLISH GARDENING. 



No. 23. 

 JOHN RAY. 



I found the last of John Bay's known collateral relatives an old 

 woman at the " Ship " inn, at the Hythe, Maldon, Essex, and 

 the memory of her celebrated ancestor was retained by her, 



