864 



PRACTICE OF GARDENING. 



Part III. 



6472. Propagation. By dividing the root, by suckers, and by cuttings ; the latter is 

 the best mode, as producing plants less likely to throw up suckers. The cuttings are 

 usually taken from the side branches in August, planted in shallow pots, placed in a 

 warm shaded spot, and covered with a hand-glass. In a month or six weeks, they 

 ■will have struck, and are then put into pots of the smallest size, and put in a warm 

 situation, where they remain till November ; they are then placed under a frame for the 

 winter. 



6473. The soil used generally for the chrysanthemum, is two thirds of turfy or virgin 

 loam, and one third of leaf-mould or decayed dung. 



6474. Culture in pots In April, the cuttings of the preceding autumn are shifted 

 into No. 32 pots, and set out into a well sheltered south border, on a bed of scorire, for 

 the summer. About the beginning of October, when the flower-buds are formed, they 

 are taken into the green-house, on the stage of which they are exposed as much as possi- 

 ble to the air, both night and day, in good weather, but protected by the lights from 

 wind, rain, and frost. The Chinese also propagate the chrysanthemum by cuttings ; but 

 they take them off in May, strike them as we do, and then put each plant in a small pot, 

 in which it flowers the succeeding autumn. By this means the plants are much dvvarfer 

 than ours usually are, and instead of having great part of their stems naked, or covered 

 with withered leaves, they are clothed with green foliage from the ground to the flower. 

 In order that the blossoms may be strong, they pinch otF all the flower-buds, excepting 

 three, or five, or sometimes only one, as soon as they appear, and are liberal in the use of 

 liquid manure ; those which remain are as large and fine as are produced by the most 

 bulky plants. {Wells, in Hoi-t. Trans, vol. iv. 571.) This is by far the most simple, 

 elegant, and economical mode of propagating this beautiful flower ; it has been practised 

 several years by the Comte de Vande, at Bayswater, as well as by others in this country, 

 and whenever it is generally known will be as generally adopted. All suckers should be 

 removed, only one or three stems trained erect, and branching regularly on all sides. 

 The side branches and top, or head, should be so arranged and adjusted Ijy a nice appli- 

 cation of black threads and wires, attached to the main prop as to render the figure of the 

 entire plant perfectly symmetrical. Three stems may be trained, though one is better than 

 three, because it will grow stronger : but three are better than two, which do not com- 

 pose a whole ; and better than a greater number than three, because unity departed from, 

 there is no limit to irregularity. One and three are unity ; because one is complete, and 

 three has a beginning, middle, and end. All possible numbers besides, either fall short 

 of or exceed unity : they are irregularities, and irregularities are redundant and infinite, 

 and therefore unsatisfactory to contemplate. 



6475. Culture in the open border. Many of the sorts may be planted out in warm 

 borders, or compartments, or against walls, and will flower well in fine autumns ; but 

 their roots require protection through the winter, and they should be renewed about every 

 two years ; for as they increase much in size by suckers from the roots, the plants, if left 

 for a longer period, become unsightly, and produce small and imperfect flowers. The 

 early flowering varieties, as the purple, changeable white, rose, and buiT, seem the hardiest 

 and most suitable for borders. {Sabine, in Hort. Trans, vol. iv. 323.) To look well in 

 the border the plants should be lai-ge, and with * many stems ; their flowers are 

 consequently more numerous, and produce a greater eff"ect at a distance. The ap- 

 pearanes of the flowers on many of the kinds is very different when blossoming in the 

 borders from those which expand under glass, so much so, that they might be easily 

 mistaken by an unexperienced observer for different varieties. {Hort. Trans, vol. v. 

 162.) 



SuBSECT. 23. Hydrangea. — Hydrangea hortensis, L. {Bot. Mag. 438. ) Decan. Dig. L. 

 and SaxifragecB, J. HydrangelU, Fr. ; Kehlknopf, Ger. j and Hydrangea, Ital. 



6476. The hydrangea is a very low under-shrub, producing broad green leaves, and 

 cymes of monstrous flowers, like the guelder rose in form, and red in color, changing to 

 white and green. Its native place is unknown ; but it is commonly cultivated in the 

 gardens of ' China and Japan, from whence it was introduced to Kew by Sir J. Banks 

 in 1790. It is much valued as a chamber plant, and in consequence, extensively cul- 

 tivated near London and most large toivns of Europe. 



6477. Varieties. Soon after it was introduced, soiue plants were found with blue 

 flowers, which some supposed to be produced by salt or saltpetre, and others by oxide of 

 iron. The yellow loam of Hampstead heath and some other places, and some sorts of 

 peat-earth are found to produce this effect ; but the cause is not yet ascertained. Dr. 

 Daalen, of Antwerp, finds that turf-ashes, and still more effectually those of the Norway 

 spruce, the wood generally used as fuel by him, applied to the roots of hydrangea, pro- 

 duced the blue color of the petals. {Hort. Tour, 122.) According to Busch, of Peters- 

 burgh, " the hydrangea will be turned blue by watering the young plant, the summer 



