Feqruary 6, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. Linnean Society at 8 p.m. 
Sexagesima. 
Roj al Geographical Society at 8.30 P.si. 
Society of Arts at 8 P.M. 
EARLY-FLOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
‘ ” S the paper I wrote last year for the Journal of 
Horticulture was thought useful, I have for some 
time intended writing another, giving an account 
of the doings of the past season, but it has been 
delayed until now. I trust, however, it is not 
too late for those who wish to profit by it in the 
forthcoming season. 
Early-flowering Chrysanthemums are no 
longer obscure plants. They are now coming 
to the front, and they create a sensation, which was not the 
case a few years ago. The season just past has been a good 
one for the growth of the plants, although rather too dry 
around London and through most of the south and midland 
counties. The progress this season has been marked by 
the first prizes ever offered for the early-flowering Chrysan¬ 
themums, and we have to thank the Crystal Palace Company 
and Mr. Head for the liberal manner in which the idea was 
carried out. Unfortunately Mr. N. Davis of Camberwell and 
myself were the only competitors, still everything must have 
a beginning that is to continue growing. It is perhaps 
proper that I should say Mr. Davis received the first prize, 
and myself the second. The prizes were £4, £3, and £2 
for a collection of not less than six varieties, three of a sort 
grown in 8 inch, or 24-size pots. These pots I consider too 
small to do full justice to the plants, and hope in future 
that exhibitors may be allowed to grow their plants in 
16-size pots, which are much better for the purpose, and also 
more likely to be in stock in the garden or nursery of the 
person intending to exhibit. The time of the Exhibition was 
the 5th and 6th of September (the National Dahlia Show), 
and the sorts I had then ready for the purpose were Madame 
Desgrange, Lyon, Mrs. Cullingford, White St. Crouts, Mdlle. 
Jolivart, and the so-called Late Flora. It will thus be seen 
that these are the varieties that may depended on for that 
particular time, though every season at the present rate of 
progress will bring new sorts to the front. The additions last 
season were numerous, and there seems a fair prospect for 
this summer bringing still more to notice. 
The new early-flowering varieties which I grew for trial 
last season were as follows :— 
Salter’s Early Blush.— To this I give the first place as 
a plant of much importance and having a capacity to come 
in advance of old Illustration—that is, the Marie Longarre of 
the French. It is very early, flowering by the 28th of June 
under glass. It is very desirable as a dwarf sort, growing 
only 20 inches to 2 feet high, and generally requires no 
sticks. The foliage is abundant, and the flowers about 
2 inches across, the colour being a bright pale pink. The 
habit of the plant is much like St. Mary, and the leaves 
resemble that, but it is earlier. It is a very good, as also a 
durable flower, standing heat very well. On the 20th of 
July flowers which opened on the 28th of June were hardly 
faded. It was then in good condition, the thermometer in 
the house beside it having been many days up to 100°; in 
fact, so hot that it dried the flowers of the double Zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums close to it. It is very easy and prolific to propagate, 
which is not the case with all the early and semi-early sorts. 
A cutting which was inserted on the 18th of April, on the 
31st of August had the two first flowers fully out; the plant 
was then 21 inches high, and covered with buds. Another 
cutting inserted on the 25tli of May was on the 31st of 
August 1 foot high, and had its first flower fully out. This 
last was a top cutting, which made a good plant in a 48-pot. 
On this same 31st of August, too, the plant which flowered 
in June was in bloom the second time. 
Fiberta.— This, the next valuable novelty, is a discovery. 
I do not know where it originally came from, or who raised 
it, and if anyone should say it is very old, that may be true, 
but I know very well that I never saw it before, and none of 
the experienced growers to whom I have shown it have any 
knowledge of it. It is a yellow Pompon of the very best class, 
resembling Madame Marthe, but it is rather a flatter flower 
and much more profuse ; in fact the most profuse I have seen, 
superior in this respect to Aigle d’Or, and not fugitive like 
that. The flowers are very full of florets—I counted 429 in 
one flower. The blooms are about If inch across. It is 
well adapted for cutting purposes, each individual flower 
having a stalk 2 inches long, which enables every flower to 
expand without any buds being removed. The colour is a 
very bright pale yellow. Its first flowers expanded on 
July 14th, and from that time till the end of October they 
came to perfection in such numbers that they were in dense 
masses. The foliage of this plant is poor, and being of 
slender habit it requires support to keep up the large numbers 
of flowers. It is a robust plant, easy to grow and to pro¬ 
pagate, just likely to suit market growers. It has been said 
that this is sometimes called Jardin des Plantes, but I have 
never seen it so. I know both the Chrysanthemums called 
by that name, and it is not like either of them. 
Late Flora.— The French are to blame for this mis¬ 
nomer, as it is truly one of the early varieties, flowering by 
the 11th of July from cuttings inserted March 29th, and 
I have given it the prefix of early that others may not think 
it really late as I did last season. It is a quick robust 
grower, though not very stout, but being of dwarf habit 
that is not much consequence. It grows only 18 inches 
to 2 feet high. The flowers are of a fine deep yellow colour, 
almost equal to St. Michael, they reflex, and are If to 2 inches 
across. This is different from most others in one respect— 
namely, the flowers do not open all at once, but the plants 
continue blooming for months. On the 18th of October I 
had plants covered with flowers which had been flowering 
over three months and nearly four. I believe as a small 
pot plant it will prove one of the best. A plant in a 48-pot 
on the 28th of September showed thirty-eight open flowers 
not faded. Although it is not so full a flower as some— 
that is, the petals are not so numerous, it expands in such 
a way as to fill the flower well, forming a rather flat, not 
globular bloom. It requires no sticks, and endures storms 
of wind and rain well. 
Madeline Davis. —A new early yellow Pompon, raised 
by Mr. Davis of Camberwell, London. It is the earliest of 
all Chrysanthemums I know, having come into bloom on the 
12th of May, or three days before Nanum. It is a profuse 
bloomer and rapid grower, from 12 to 16 inches high. 
Mons. Luquet.— One of the latest of the early varieties, 
not flowering until the end of September, but it is a distinct 
and valuable sort, of French origin. It slightly resembles 
Delphine Caboche, is not so early as that, but much better. 
It is one of the most profuse bloomers, grows about 32 inches 
high, stout, and thick, of robust habit, with dark green 
foliage. The flower is very full, the petals short and thick. 
It is rather more blue than Lyon. The flowers are If inch 
across. It is altogether an admirable garden plant, bearing 
a mass of blooms. 
I will now say a few words on some of the varieties of 
which this is my second season’s experience. 
jSTo. 241.—Yol, X., Third Series. 
No. 1897.— Yol. LXXII., Old Series. 
