154 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



February 24, 1912. 



it was introduced in 1836. Its large blue 

 flowers are freely produced during May 

 and June. Any pruning which may be 

 necessary must be left until aft^r the 

 flowers have fallen. Of the numerous 

 varieties the following is a selection : 

 Albert Victor, lavender ; Edith Jackman, 

 white, with a mauve tinge ; Fair Rosa- 

 mond, white; Lady Londesborough, silver- 

 grey, with a reddish bar to each sepal ; 

 Mdlle. Torriana, rose, flushed purple ; Mrs. 

 George Jackman, white ; Mrs. Quilter, 

 white; and The Queen, mauve. 



C. florida differs from the last-named by 

 flowering two or three weeks later, and by 

 having more formal-shaped, and sometimes 

 double, flowers. It, like C. patens, flowers 

 on the okl wood, lience it must not bo 

 pruned until the flow^ers are over, and even 

 then lUMther kind needs severe priniing, 

 a littU^ tliiiinin*; being usually all that is 

 required. It is a native of Japan, and has 

 been in cultivation for more tlian a cen- 

 tury. Tlie flowers may be white or l)lue. 

 Good varieties are : Belle of Woking, sil- 

 verv-£:rev, double ; Countess of LoA-elace, 

 blnisli-lilae. double; Duchess of Edinburgh, 

 wliite, double ; and John Gould Veitch, 

 lavender. 



flowers 



being urn -shaped. 



C. lanuginosa, a native of China, is the 

 type of a group which is characterised by 

 bearing very large flowers. These, vbl some 

 instances, are from six to eight inches 

 across, and the colour may be white, 

 mauve, blue, or white, with stripes of 

 other colours. As it blossoms in July and 

 August from the current season's wood, 

 pruning may be done in February. This 

 must be fairly hard, for the previous 

 year's shoots require cutting back to 

 within a few buds of the older wood. There 

 is a wide selection of varieties, and of 

 these the following will be found worthy 

 repres(Mitatives : Alba magna, white, with 

 a faint blue tinge ; Anderson Henryi, 

 creaniy-wliite ; Beauty of Worcester, bluish- 

 violet, sometimes double; Duchess of Teck, 

 white; Fairy Queen, flesh; Gloire de St. 

 Julien, lavender-blue ; Lady Caroline 

 Neville, pale lavender ; La France, violet ; 

 Louis Van Houtte, violet-purple ; Madame 

 Van Houtte, white ; Marcel Mnser, pale 

 lavender, with reddish bars ; and Nellie 

 Moser, white, w^ith red bar on each sepal. 



C. viticella is a European species, wdiich 

 gives its name to a group that is rendered 

 conspicuous by reason of its large quan- 

 tities of elegant purple flow^ers. which are 

 smaller than those of the other groups. Tlie 

 flowerin"; time is from late in July until 

 October, and the flowers are borne from 

 young wood, therefore the branches may 

 be pruned back to within a few buds of tlie 

 base in February. There are varieties with 

 red, white, and double flowers. Good ones 

 are : Bicolor graveolens, yellowish-Avhite ; 

 La Nancienne, violet, double: alba, white; 

 rubra, red ; Lady Bovill, blue ; Madame 

 Grange, crimson-violet; grandiflora, red; 

 and Thomas Moore, violet. 



C. Jackmani, the type of one of the 

 most extensive groups, is a hybrid between 

 C. lanuginosa and C. viticella. It blooms 

 freelv from July to October, the flowers 

 being of a rich purple colour. It requires 

 hard pruning in February, for the flow^ers 

 are produced on the current year's wood. 

 Among the many varieties, red, white, and 

 purple-flowered kinds may be obtained. The 

 following is a selection : Alexandra, pur- 

 ple ; Earl of Beaconsfield, purple; Gipsy 

 Queen, purple; Jackmani alba, w^hite ; J. 

 rubra, red ; J. superba, deep purple ; 

 Madame Edouard Andre, red; Othello, 

 purple; Snow White, white; and velutina 

 purpurea, purple. 



C. cooeinea differs frf)m the other kind.s 

 by dying to the groxmd Runually, and by 



its scarlet 

 Crossed with other varieties several showy 

 hybrids have been obtained. Of these 

 Countess of Onslow, purple, wath red 

 bands ; Duchess of York, blush-pink^; 

 Duchess of Albany, pink ; and Sir Trevor 

 Lawrence, crimson, are showy kinds. 



W. Dallimore. 



EARLY'FLOWERING 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



It is impossible to over-estimate the im- 

 portance of early-flowering chrysanthe- 

 mums. They are of immense value for l)eds 

 and mixed borders, and for providing an 

 abundance of flowers for cutting during the 

 late summer and autumn months, they are 



indispensable. For this latter purpose a 

 good number of plants should be put out 

 in the reserve garden, which will prevent 

 the necessity of cutting flowers from those 

 in tlie beds. It is also advisable to retain 

 a good stock of plants for refilling spaces 

 which occur in the borders through the re- 

 moval of plants that have ceased flowering. 

 Occasionally failures happen with other 

 subjects after being bedded out, and it is 

 at such a time that the value of these 

 early-flowering chrysanthemuins is appre- 

 ciated. They are very accommodating, and 

 lift well if dull^ showery weather can be 

 chosen for the operation, and even in 

 bright weather they stand the ordeal won- 

 dertuUy well, providing a slight shading 



is afforded, and the plants are syringed for 

 a few days. 



Propagration. 



The most suitable time to take the cut- 

 tings is from the middle to the end of 

 February. The stock roots, which haA^e 

 been in cold frames since being lifted and 

 boxed, are placed in a newly-started fruit 

 house in January, where abundance of ma- 

 terial for propagating purposes will be in 

 readiness bv the time mentioned above. 

 The cuttings are dibbled into seed boxes, 

 which have been previously filled wnth light 

 soil, having a layer of sand on the top. 

 After being inseiled, the cuttings are given 

 a good watering, and allowed to remain in 

 a little warmth to root. When top growth 

 commences the tops are pinched out to 

 induce side growths, the idea being to f orm 

 bushy plants. As soon as the side shoots 

 are in evidence, remove the boxes to cold 

 frames, keeping them fairly close until they 

 become accxistomed to the change of tem- 

 perature. After being in the frames for 

 about a fortnight the young plants should 

 be planted out in frames. Place about six 

 inches of good soil in the frames, and plant 

 nt b^nst six iii<-lies apiut. A good watering 

 slioiild bp oi^eii wben i>lanting is com- 

 pleted, and it is necessary to keep the 

 frames shaded and fairly close imtil the 

 plants are established. After this the shad- 

 ing ean l>e dispensed with, and air gradu- 

 ally given until the weather allows full ex- 

 posure. The extra trouble caused by the 

 frame cidture is well repaid, and splendid 

 plants will be in readiness for putting out. 



Planting:- 



The most suitable time for putting the 

 plants into their outside quarters depends 

 a great deal on locality. In the southern 

 counties, tbe end of April is generally safe, 

 but in the colder districts the pl-mtino; 

 must neccssnrily be <b*layed until Inter. If 

 possible, a fr<^sb site sboui<l be selected 

 nnnuallv, for there is notbititr more eon- 

 diicive to the welfare of tbese chrysanthe- 

 mums than new ground. The distance tbev 

 are to be put apart must be governed by 



the habit of the varieties grown, generally 

 speaking, from two feet to two feet sis 

 inches between the plants will be found 

 ample space. 



One stake is quite sufficient for support- 

 ing the plants, and, as growth advances, 

 the shoots must be looped to it. It is verv 

 beneficial to tlie w^e'lfare of -chrysanthe.. 

 mums to stir the surface of the soil fre- 

 quently, and a slight dressing of some ap- 

 proved artificial manure given occasionally 

 will prove of great assistance. 



Varieties to Grow. 



The list of early-flowering chrysantlie- 

 mums now on the market is an extensive 

 one^ and those varieties mentioned below 

 are only a few of the many obtainable: 

 Bronze Goacher, bronze ; Carrie, vellow; 



. , ^ ^ J ^ / 7 



Crimson Marie Masse, crimson-bronze ; 

 Crimson Queen^ crimson; Goaclier's Crim- 

 son, bright crimson ; Goacher s Pink, fine 

 pink ; Harrie, orange ; Harvest Homej 

 orange and crimson ; Horace Afartin, yel- 

 low ; Improved Masse, lilac j Le Cygne^ 

 wliite ; Market "Wliite, good white ; Mrs. 

 W. Sydenham J dark crimson \ Norbet 

 Puvrez, salmon; Ralph Curtis, creamy- 

 white ; Robbie Burns^ rose ; Roi des Blanos^ 

 white; Roi des Precoces, bright crimson; 

 and Wells* Scarlet, scarlet terra-cotta. 



Gnaton Gardens. 



E. C. POOLEY. 



REVIVAL OF THE HULL 

 CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW, 



It is pleasing- to hear that this show is to 

 be revived after a lapse of eight years; it 

 would be better news to hear of more re- 

 vivals, but I fear the opposite is rather the 

 tendency. The Hull show is to extend over 



two days, and I am sure all will wish it a 

 long term of prosperity. 



There were four outstanding features iu 

 the late shows that are wortliy of special 

 mention. Firstly, the extraordinary punc- 

 tuality and readiness for the judges; at two 

 minutes to 10 a.m., Mr. Dixon could be found 

 iu front of the clock with bell in hand to 



- 



g^ve the signal to clear. If seme other socn?- 

 ties would copy this system, it would be the 

 better for exhibitors and judges alike. 

 Secondly, this society was the pioneer of 

 showing how effectively large-tiowered cluv- 

 santhemums could be disposed along wit/^ 

 ioliage plants to produce a bold, yet artistic 

 and harmonious effect. Thirdly, it initiated 

 the idea of table decoration by artificial 

 light, thus thoroughly representing what a 

 dinner-table design should 'be, and how effec- 

 tive chrysanthemums could be employed 

 conjunction with any natural foliage. Thi* 

 is all too often a source of argument and dis- 

 satisfaction at autumn shows, as exhibitors 

 are at a loss to know how to arrange their 

 tables, whether for daylii^ht effect or for arti- 

 ficial light. With good prizes and stringeut 

 regulations there was no room for argument 

 at the Hull displays. Fourthly, the extreme 

 courtesy and consideration that was showu to 

 all concerned was especially noticeable. 



Manv persons may wonder how, with alj 

 these good qualities^ the Hull Society ceased 

 to progress, and indeed closed down. I iiia) 

 or may not be right in my answer to sucii 

 an enquiry, but, having acted as one of tii« 

 judges for many years, I saw exhibitors gra- 

 dually dropping "off, and this undoubtedly 

 was the principal cause of decline in the re- 

 ceipts. Fifteen years ago there was a stron? 

 tendency all over the country to offer extra 

 large -and tempting prizes for cut bloom-- 

 these were naturallv sought after by ^iif 

 leading exhibitors, and as Hull is geographi- 

 cally situated out of the direct line from one 

 large centre to another, the society suffered* 

 as exhibitors found it easier to get to ^^^r! 

 Sheffield, Bradford, Leeds, etc., than 

 Hull; hence the show lacked the support oi 

 exhibitors, and this had an adverse effect 

 upon the attendance. E. Molyneux. 



I 



