THE EARLY-FLOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUM. 431 



burgh and London, and declared to be quite equal to those usually 

 seen in September. 



In the experiments already referred to I indicated that I had 

 pinched one lot of plants and cut back another in each set, and the 

 results have been that, as a general rule, the pinched plants are approxi- 

 mately one to two weeks, and the cut-back plants two or three weeks, 

 later in flowering than those grown naturally, with no other beneficial 

 result, except dwarfing, to compensate for loss of time. 



The lesson I have had confirmed by this experiment is that, where 

 plants are wanted to flower early, the cuttings as a rule should be put 

 in during February ; earlier propagation will give larger plants and 

 somewhat later results. Trade growers can hardly leave the whole 

 of this work until February and March, and if they did I fear their 

 customers would not consider whether the plants were to bloom early 

 or not, but the size of the plants when received would command their 

 first attention, and their comments would be in accordance with their 

 views of what a plant should be. 



The best time for planting out is one on which opinions are varied. 

 In response to demands, we send out our Chrysanthemum plants from 

 the end of April onwards, and our own stock is always planted early in 

 May. If the plants are carefully hardened off, I rarely find that any 

 difficulties arise. Many southern growers advise the third week in 

 May as the correct time, and their opinions must be respected. The 

 weather conditions for a week after planting have a deal to do with 

 success or failure. 



I am a strong believer in comparative trials of all classes of Florists' 

 flowers and Vegetables where a large number of varieties exist, and in 

 my opening sentences I referred to a trial of Early-flowering Chrys- 

 anthemums which I conducted during the summer of 1914. In 

 addition to my firm 's stock I purchased from various sources all the 

 varieties which I could obtain, and after classifying these to sections 

 and colour I had them planted in ordinary garden soil — six plants of 

 each variety. In trials of this kind the leading shades of colour should 

 be planted together, for convenience of comparison and inspection. 

 The plants were grown naturally, and when the largest number were at 

 their best — September 22 — they were examined by four experts, who 

 gave such marks as seemed good to them. The varieties under trial 

 were 328, namely 190 Japanese, 39 Pompons, and 99 Singles. 



I will give the names of those that received marks in their respec- 

 tive colours : — 



White:— XXX 'Artemis,' 'Cranford White,' 'Doris Peto,' 

 'Tuckswood Early,' 'White Countess.' XX 'Auguste,' 'Framfield 

 Early White,' 'Grosvenor,' ' Hermine,' 'La Neva/ 'Market White,' 

 'Pluie d' Argent.' 



Creamy White : — XXX' Cream Perriere,' 'White Masse.' XX 

 ' Perle Chatillonaise.' 



Primrose :— XX 'Ethel. ' 



Pale Yellow —XXX ' John Bannister.' 



