352 Account of the Varieties of Chinese Chrysanthemums 



witnessed the brilliant display of Chinese Chrysanthemums 

 in the shop of Messrs. Colvill, in the King's Road, Chelsea, 

 in the months of October and November, especially in the 

 season of 1818, which was peculiarly favourable, must have 

 been struck with their beauty ; these Nurserymen seem to 

 have paid more attention to the Chrysanthemums than any 

 others near London, and they have besides the credit of hav- 

 ing produced to the English gardener the Purple variety, 

 which was the first of the collection known to us. 



The mode of propagation of these plants, pursued in the 

 garden of the Society, is to take off in August a sufficient 

 number of cuttings from the side branches of the flowering 

 plants, and to plant them in shallow pans placed in a warm 

 but shaded spot, and covered with a hand glass. The cut- 

 tings will strike and be well rooted in a month or six weeks, 

 when they are shifted into sixty size pots, and put into a 

 warm situation, where they remain until November, they 

 are then placed under a frame for the winter. About the 

 end of April they are shifted into thirty-two size pots, and 

 set out in a well sheltered south border, for the summer, 

 during which they are plentifully watered. As soon as the 

 flower buds are formed, which is usually about the beginning 

 of October, they are taken into the green-house, on the stage 

 of which they are exposed as much as possible to the air, 

 both night and day in good weather, but protected by the 

 lights from wind, rain, and frost. The compost used for 

 them is made of two-thirds rich turfy loam and one-third 

 leaf mould, or decayed dung. The suckers thrown up from 

 the roots may be separated, and thus the plants will be en- 

 creased, but those raised from cuttings are preferred, because 



