M4 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



March 



S, 1898. 



AMONGST THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



■ 



Thf somewhat monotonous and tedious process of propagating a large 

 collection is perhaps the least troublesome, though it is decidedly the 

 least interesting period of the year's work amongst chrysanthemums. 

 Growers will welcome the advent of brighter weather and longer days 

 equally as much as the plants themselves, and these latter will now 

 rapidly gain vigour and develop a sturdy, healthy growth. 



In the routine of watchful attention which these plants constantly 

 require nothing is more important at this season of the year than a full 

 exposure to light, a position near the roof glass, and abundance of 

 ventilation whenever possible without admitting cold, cutting winds 

 directly on to the plants. Any treatment which deserves the name of 

 ddling *' usually ends more or less in failure ; a close, moist atmos- 



treatment would injure, or, at least, check the growth 

 disease which was observed amongst chrysanthemums afraid 

 the first time in this country will prove troublesome It Season f °r 

 sembles the fungus which attacks carnations and is nerh ^ ™ Uch re * 

 with it. I am making inquiries about it amongst friends S PS, -n denti cal 



5 nas > and will shortly 



W; H. lees. 



6 ^quines 



send our editor the result. 



Trent Park Gardens. 



Sundews. 



The plants that may be included under this heading comprise 

 of drosera— the true sundews— roridula, drosophyllum n j? enera $ 

 largest genus is drosera, the members of which are native; ^/a the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and North America, and three British lISS^ 



"coddling"' usually ends more or less in lanure ; a ciose, moist atmos- uape ot Good Hope, ana iNonn America, and three Brit h • ' 

 phere with a high temperature is altogether wrong treatment, and quickly Roridula contains but two species, one of which, R goreon S P ecies - 

 induces a thin, long, and weakly growth. A temperature ranging probably the only representative in cultivation, while the sen? H n ° W 



between 40 and 55 degrees will suit the plants admirably. The higher 

 figures should only be approached by the aid of sun heat, plenty of 

 ventilation being given when the thermometer records 50 degrees. 

 Watering is very easily managed, though extremes must be avoided ; too 

 much is as injurious as too little ; an occasional sprinkle overhead on 

 mild bright days during the forenoon may be given with advantage, but 

 no liquid manure is needed by the roots at this period, as feeding will 

 promote a soft, fleshy growth which will not bear the exposure to open 

 air treatment later on. Firm and robust health with dwarf short-jointed 

 growth is the ideal condition, and may be easily maintained if a good 

 loam is used in potting. Freedom from insect pesis must be secured, 

 and these are very easily kept in check whilst the plants are inside by 

 using the now well-known nicotine vaporising compound, which has 

 made the work of fumigation such a simple matter. Green and black fly 

 and thrips are troublesome at this season, A light dusting of soot 

 amongst the plants is a great help in keeping away insects. 



Potting must be done as soon as the roots require more room, and 

 this is easily determined by carefully turning a plant out of its pot ; no 

 better rule can be given, and it is most unwise to defer this operation 

 when once the roots have thoroughly occupied the soil in which they are 

 growing. The question of soils always appears interesting, and many 

 beginners suppose that herein lies the whole secret of successful cultiva- 

 tion. I grant this is an important point, but not more so than many 

 other details of apparently less consequence. A good loam is the chief 

 essential in mixing a suitable compost, and that is the top three or four 

 inches of old pasture land which is medium in character, between clay 

 and sandy soil, and which necessarily contains abundant grass-root 

 fibres. This is best when dug and stacked some few months before it is 

 required for use. Two-thirds of such loam, and the remainder equal 



phyllum; a native of Portugal and Morocco/Ms*' monotS^^ 

 droseras, two of the strongest as well as most handsome are h H' i 

 toma and D. binata, the former being by far the strongest £ro\ • 

 the leaves twice branched, and with less highly-coloured tentaclesTh ^ 

 I), binata, forming a plant of twice the height of the species last na 1? 

 of which it is considered a variety. The North American specie* n 

 filiformis, is extremely attractive when grown in mass, but has a hJw' 

 of dying out under cultivation after a few years. D. capensis ffWpH • 



the Gardeners' Magazine, April 15, 1893), is one producing a stem nf 



three or more inches high bearing persistent foliage, its specific name 

 indicating its habitat. D. spathulata and D. Eurkei closely resemble 

 each other, forming close tufts or rosettes of foliage, with exceptionally 

 bright red tentacles. A very slender plant is D. auriculata from 

 Australia and New Zealand, with a stem nine inches high and small 

 ear-shaped blades ; upon short petioles. Our native species are not the 

 least interesting of these plants, and I have seen quite nice specimens of 

 D. rotundifolia grown in saucers in dwelling rooms. D. anglica and I) 

 intermedia possess spatulate foliage, and are both British. A few years 

 ago D. cistiflora was attracting considerable attention at Kew on account 

 of its rosy red flowers, but is, I believe not now in cultivation. 



The long linear leaves and tentacles possessing no power of move- 

 ment, though the secretion is extremely profuse, at once distinguish the 

 genus drosophyllum from the foregoing. This grows a foot or more 

 highland has primrose-yellow coloured flowers. Seeds germinate freely 

 of this plant, and it is best grown in a compost of fibrous loam, broken 

 rocks, and sand. Roridulas are most energetic in their fly-catching 

 habit. At the Cape they are of bush-like habit, of several feet in height, 

 and are said to be hung up in the dwellings as we hang fly papers, being 

 taken down and rinsed after a good catch. This we find succeeds fairly 



parts leaf-soil and well-decayed s able manure, adding a good sprinkling well in a greenhouse temperature in a sandy peat soil. The above are 



of sand and wood ashes sufficient to keep the soil sweet and open, make mos t of those in cultivation, and when well grown they cannot fail to be 



lE^S ^° mp ° St 1 e * ur * , th f T • arC n0t dr y . when P°" l . n * takes of interest, not only on account of their insectivorous habits, but as orna- 



ES3£l ™? IZ S " * f° 5* m * ™ ce , me ? lu ™ cond,tl ° n M to ™nts to our greenhouses/ They are now commencing growth, and pre- 



rSLM Z^.L^Z£A$"J '£ ™& WS? P? ra,i »» a>oaM at ,;„ce be made" for their being attended to in ,1,. % 



too quickly into the new soil the top growth will be also rapid and thin. 

 Firm potting conduces to the dwarf, sturdy growth we so much desire. 

 Though it is generally correct to root the cuttings in December and 

 January in order to give the plants a long, steady growing period, some 

 of those varieties which bloom early, such as Australian Gold, Mutual 

 Friend, and Pride of Madford, will give excellent blooms if good cuttings 

 are taken late in February and grown on in the usual way, taking only 

 two blooms from each plant. By propagating thus late the flowering 

 period is retarded, which, in the south of England, is an advantage to 

 exhibitors, as it is difficult to preserve blooms of some varieties in good 

 condition for November shows unless such methods are adopted. 



We are experimenting this season with several varieties with respect 

 to retarding, as I am much inclined to believe that early propagation is 

 unfavourable to some, and the variety which has led me to this opinion 

 most of all is Reme d'Angleterre. In 1895 we had one small cutting of 

 this in March, and the resulting plant gave us three excellent blooms, 

 whilst in the two succeeding years, though we have had apparently 

 better, because stronger, plants from cuttings taken in December the 

 flowers were quite moderate. The blooms from the early rooted plants 

 were from second crown buds, whilst those from the March cutting were 

 from the crown buds. In the former case the crown buds appeared too 

 early (about July 25), to be taken, and the same bud on the late struck 

 plant was taken on August 12, thus proving the influence of late rooting 

 over the time of formation of the flower buds. 



of potting or renewal of soil, if necessary, in whatever manner they are 

 grown. They are in no way difficult to cultivate, and all will grow in a 

 cool greenhouse temperature in a compost of fibry peat, chopped 

 sphagnum, moss, and coarse sand ; or if the beds are of any dimensions 

 some broken charcoal may be added. 



The droseras are lovers of a boggy soil, in which large quantities of 

 water are present, and, indeed, this is the case with both roridula and 

 drosophyllum, both requiring copious supplies in their growing season, 

 though during the winter a less supply is necessary for these two latter 

 genera. 



If grown in pots it is a good plan to cover the stages with sphagnum, 

 upon this the plants may be stood upon inverted pots. In this way, if 

 they are examined, fine healthy roots will be found to have grown into 

 the damp hollow chamber formed by the hollow pots— to the length of 

 several inches, all exceedingly healthy, and covered with fine root hairs. 

 Taking this into consideration, they are now grown here in a house 

 specially prepared for them, by having tanks of shallow depths—about a 

 foot— a space of a few inches being left at the bottom by planting them 

 upon a teak staging or raft. In this manner the roots will during the 

 growing period find an unlimited supply of moisture when necessary-as 

 the bed can be saturated at will, or be kept dry if needed, as the tanks 

 may be filled or emptied at any time. All are lovers of sunshine, and by 

 full exposure a fine red tint is obtained upon the tentacles, which adds 



*uw v.ajju=>uic a mie reuuntis ODtainea upon mc icuuu-ica, v.*..-.- 



distinctly to their appearance. Although enjoying a superabundance ot 

 moisture, on no account must they be syringed, as this causes the glanai 

 to run, as well as knocks one leaf against another, sticking them together, 



R. L. HARROW, 



This suggests another 



point in the successful treatment of some varieties, but with the numerous 

 introductions each season, it is only reasonable to suppose that those 

 varieties which give us good blooms at the proper time are the ones most 

 likely to become popular. It occasionally happens that a really splendid 

 flower of a comparatively little grown, though by no means new variety, 

 is exhibited in a collection, and, usually, this is observed at provincial 



snows, bucn blooms are, undoubtedly, the result of a certain peculiarity ™ ~ w Jaa •■«■«=... ums.-ine cnry Sa .nuc.»u^ ~. — [ 



of treatment which the plant has received, it may have been in the time I !?V n J°f an equal sbare of P raise and abuse ' After conside f ab for he 



of propagation, in pinching, or in the acc dental breaking of f,E f nd * the latest and a,so the sh °'test lived of all the varieties when cut, and for i» 

 which has been the>eans*of bringing the flo^r buTal Just the righ ^ MM0B " ' ' u ^ ***** — f ° * ™ " ' 



SSSiSSV^ m the ^P^nally early formation of the bud which 

 controls what is known as the natural break. 



and giving them a very draggled look. 



Edinburgh. 



Chry 



L. Canning seemsJJ 



°wi th fi u n s e u a r f m r great 



to Grower ^f t f ° f their P ains - !t wou, <* be a *«»t beSfit 



to growers if those who are successful with particular varieties would 



find it the latest and also the shortest lived of all the varieties when cut, and for 1 

 latter reason I cannot recommend it. The plants seems to be very sunjec 



mildew, and are scarcely presentable when used in pots as single sp ecim ;° 

 tillincT uac»c t *.i i_i j, ™ • ^^"tnria. which has creawj 



n n.i-r^i inV^VT • ji IT 51 ' ana each of us to be i 

 \ W K f g,VC takG ° f 0Ur experience freely, 

 received an P d iH, h°T, n . ursen « s careful handling when first 



SeThly 8S beentr ^^^l^ W tW0 ^ 



t grown m warmth as a sudden change to quite cool 



lining vases. 1 can thoroughly recommend Pnncess \ ictona, 

 white flowers ; the foliage is grand, and the blooms last, when ^ 

 tor two or three weeks, according to the position and temperature ot tne . 

 When grown as a bush and kept in very cool quarters when housed, it cei : / 

 runs Canning very close for lateness. I cut the last blooms of it on aai ^ 

 February 5, for use in a church, where they are still good at nearly the enj 0 ^ 

 month. Both the varieties are fine when grown in five-inch pots, and 1 w 

 Canning beats the Princess when grown in this manner. The metrioa ^ 

 tried answers admirably. Take a number of the tops from the stock gro rf 

 bushes during the last week in May, and strike them in heat ; pinch out 

 same when rooted, so as to induce three or four shoots ; pot on to " ve ^ 

 disbud and leave one bloom on each shoot. The result will be son 

 decorative material, -A. Jefferies, Kins' s fVaiUn Bury, 



