March 5, 18S5. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
193 
under the patronage of the King of the Belgians, who contributes several 
valuable prizes. All the principal Belgian horticulturists are connected 
with the management of the shows, and there is every prospect of a busy 
season in Antwerp. 
- The schedule of the Manchester Whitsuntide Show, which 
is to be held in the Gardens of the Royal Botanical and Horticultural 
Society of that city at Old Trafford, as usual comprises a number of very 
liberal prizes. Orchids are especially well provided for both in the 
amateurs’ and the nurserymen’s classes, the prizes ranging from £16 to £1. 
Fine-foliage plants, stove and greenhouse plants, Azaleas, Ericas, hardy 
plants, Pelargoniums, have also numerous classes devoted to them. 
- A visitor sends the following respecting the Orchids at Shire- 
cliffe Hall, Sheffield, which are under the charge of Mr. Jame 3 
UJale :—“ The Phaiaenopsis Schilloriana mentioned in the Journal last 
spring has had this season a branched panicle with over forty flowers, and 
is also supporting a young plant on an undeveloped flower-stalk. A 
lateral bud below the plant has broken, and is now producing four or 
five buds. This plant has four leaves, averaging 16 inches in length 
and 4 in width. A companion plant to this has five leaves, averag¬ 
ing 12 inches in length and 4 in width. This is also bearing a young 
plant, and produces a panicle of between thirty and forty flowers. In the 
same house is now floweiing a good specimen plant of Dendrobium 
fimbriatum var. oculatum, bearing thirty panicles of it* bright yellow and 
crimson-spotted flowers, the beauty of which can be readily imagined. 
Several large specimens of D. nobile and D. nobile var. Wallichii, 4 feet 
in diameter, have been loaded with flowers, and the strong well-ripened 
pseudo-bulbs of the past year’s growth promise even a more glorious 
harvest next season. A large specimen Carlogyne cristata has produced 
thirty racemes of its lovely white flowers. The pseudo-bulbs of this 
fine specimen are 4 inches in length and nearly 51 in horizontal cir¬ 
cumference. The length of the foliage is 17 inches and in breadth 
1J inch. There is also a good display of spring flowers, such as Cycla. 
mens, of which one plant in a 6-inch pot has seventy-five flowers, 
Camellias and Hyacinths.” 
CULTIVATION OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
[The snbstance of an essay read at the last monthly meeting of the Lincolnshire Gar. 
tleners’ Association by Mr. A. Wipf, gardener to N. Clayton, Esq,, of East Cliff, Lincoln.] 
Whether to the cottager or artisan, amateur or professional gardener 
few plants will give greater pleasure or cause more enthusiasm than the 
Chrysanthemum well grown, but the Chrysanthemum cannot be grown to 
perfection on the letting-alone principle. I have heard people say—and 
even gardeners too—“Oh, I do not grow them for fine flowers, but for 
cutting.” To me this way of reasoning is incomprehensible, for cannot fine 
flowers be also used for that purpose ? Half a dozen of the latter will give 
greater pleasure and cause more attraction than a whole armful of inferior 
flowers ; for I contend that whether we grow a Chrysanthemum, a bunch of 
Grapes, a crop of Peaches, or anything else that a gardener has to provide, 
one perfect specimen is worth fifty indifferent ones. 
But to my subject of growing those large flowers that you have seen at 
recent exhibitions. Commence, then, by choosing strong, sturdy cuttings 
or what is a better name, suckers, which should be about 2 inches high. Do 
not cut them off above the level of the soil, as is so often done, but get 
down in the soil as low as possible, as in cutting Asparagus. Many will 
probably be already provided with white bristling roots. Insert them singly 
in 2-inch pots, in a mixture of half leaf mould and half loam, with a fair 
portion of sand added; make the soil tolerably firm in the pots, finishing 
off with a dash of sand on the surface, and place them near the glass in a 
cold frame, kept air-tight, where frost can be excluded. I put mine in a 
frame between the rows of Calceolaria cuttings, and do not lose more than 
2 per cent. A good watering is given immediately they are put in, and they 
must be constantly kept moist. Chrysanthemums require more water in the 
cutting state, as well as afterwards, than many people are aware of. Great 
difference of opinion exists as to what time is the best for striking the 
cuttings, but, speaking from my own experience, it matters very little so 
long as you get them rooted by the beginning of April. Some of my best 
flowers exhibited this year were from plants not struck till that time. I 
take all the cuttings that are ready during December, but any that are not 
ready I patiently wait till they are, sooner than put in lanky weakly growths 
which never would produce fine flowers. Should any plants have a number 
of cuttings above 2 or 3 inches high, cut them off level with the soil and 
wait for the next suckers that will issue from the soil, digging them out as 
previously advised. Some varieties are rather shy in producing suckers 
and in that case recourse has to be had to stem cuttings, which are never so 
good as those that issue direct from the soil; the best stem cuttings are 
those nearest to the soil. 
As soon as they are rooted they should be taken out and placed in a cold 
frame, wh^re abundance of air can be given whenever the temperature is 
above freezing point. The lights should also be taken off on all favourable 
occasions. Before we come to the next potting let us consider for a moment 
for what purpose the plants are required. If for exhibition, or where fine 
large flowers are appreciated, as they should be in every garden, make up 
your mind how many of each variety you intend to grow. Let one half 
grow on naturally, and, with a penknife, take out the centres—the merest 
point—of the other half. From the growths that issue select the three 
strongest to train up. I have two reasons for doing this. In the first place 
it reduces their height, and, secondly, by having two sets of plants differently 
treated you are sure to get some of the buds in at the right time, which is a 
very important point. In the case of plants intended for specimens they 
ought also to have their points removed when 6 inches high, but I will deal 
with the after-treatment later on. 
By the middle of March they will require shifting into 5-inch pots. 1 I 
use a compost of three parts fibrous loam, one part of leaf soil, one part of 
well-decayed manure free from worms, with a sprinkling of sand, wood 
ashes, soot, and bonemeal. The pots are well drained with a layer of 
fibrous turf over the crocks, and the soil is firmly pressed about the roots. 
They are then taken back to the frame (which is kept closed for a few days) 
and watered sparingly till root-action recommences. Air should be given 
freely on all favourable occasions, and the lights removed whenever pos¬ 
sible. They must on no account be allowed to get drawn, for upon the 
slow, sturdy, healthy growth they now make depends the future success of 
the plants. Whenever favourable weather sets in place them out of doors 
in a sheltered position where they can be protected from those nasty 
south-westers with which we are so familiar. They must never be allowed 
to suffer from want of water; once let that take place in a serious degree, 
the tissues dry up, the foliage collapses, and the stem prematurely hardens, 
with the result that the plant can never again perform its functions to the 
utmost of its capacity. 
By the beginning of June commence giving the strongest plants their 
final shift into 8-inch pots. For such varieties as the Beverleys, Mr. Bunn, 
Princess of Wales, Mr. Heales and others 7-inch pots are quite large enough. 
The compost I use for the final potting consists of three parts of strong 
loam, one part of well-rotten manure, with a good sprinkling of soot, wood 
ashes, bonemeal, and old mortar broken small. A few pieces of the mortar 
placed amongst the drainage is also beneficial. Unless the loam is of a very 
retentive character I am no advocate for the use of sand for the final 
potting. It only impoverishes the soil, and I fail to see any advantage 
gained from its use for strong-growing plants like Chrysanthemums. But 
I do not place the composition of the compost as a matter of the first 
importance. It is the time the buds are taken and the feeding they get after¬ 
wards upon which results depend. As soon as the plants are potted, which 
should be done as firmly as possible, secure them to stakes 5 feet high, give 
a good watering, and place them in a position where they will enjoy the 
benefit of the sun as much as possible. It will both save watering and 
keep the roots at an equal temperature if the pots can be partially plunged, 
or ashes heaped round them. Attention is necessary to secure them to the 
stakes as they advance in growth, and so as to prevent them being blown 
about by the wind. 
Before I go to the subject of disbudding and feeding I will take in hand 
the plants intended for specimens. The cuttings are struck and the points 
are taken out when the plants are 6 inches high. When they have made a 
few fresh leaves pot them into 5-inch pots. When the fresh growths have 
made five or six leaves take out the point again and tie down the shoots 
towards the edge of the pot, securing them to the main stem beforehand 
with a safety tie so as to prevent splitting. To secure good-sized specimens 
there must be no delay, and not a single leaf should be allowed to grow 
that is not absolutely necessary to furnish the foundation of the specimen. 
I find, therefore, that greater progress is made by keeping these young 
plants closer than those intended for cut blooms. After liberal ventilation 
during the early part of the day it will benefit the plants very much to 
close the frame in the afternoon and give a copious damping down. 
Well, the plants are now rooting freely in 5-inch pots. As soon as growth 
recommences give them another shift into 8-inch pots. Four to five leaves 
having been made take the points out again, tying them out if necessary. 
On the plants beginning to grow again shift them into 12-inch, their 
blooming pots. Continue pinching at every fourth or fifth joint till the 
middle of June for the large-flowered and Japanese and till the end of June 
for Pompons, after which the plants will be furnished with about sixty or 
seventy flowering shoots. 
When they have received their final shift they are best placed out of 
doors in a sheltered position, at the same time well exposed to the sun. 
Ashes heaped round the pots will save watering, and in that position they 
should be left without any further attention as to tying or staking until the 
buds are set. After disbudding to one, two, or three on a branch, according 
to variety, a number of stakes, 2 feet 6 inches long, are inserted at regular 
intervals, and the branches are tied down with great care, bringing the outer 
branches to the centre and the inner ones to the outside row of stakes. 
Should they grow much above the points of the sticks the ties can easily be 
slipped down. Two important points connected with their culture are 
these :—Never pinch and shift at the same time, and be careful in watering 
after shifting until root-action recommences. The following are, in my opinion, 
the six most suitable incurved or large-flowered Chrysanthemums for speci¬ 
mens :—Mrs. G. Bundle, Mrs. Dixon, Prince of Wales, Christine, Mrs. Sharp, 
and George Glenny. The six best Japanese—Early Red Dragon, La Nympke, 
Peter the Great, Chinaman, Fair Maid of Guernsey, and Bouquet Fait. 
The six best Pompons—Brilliant, Bouquet Parfait, Antonius, Dick Turpin, 
Rosinante, and Golden Circle. 
Since we have been attending the specimens, the others have grown 
apace ; they were potted in June, have made rapid progress, and by the end 
of July they will have permeated the new soil. This, in my opinion, is the 
time when feeding should commence. I am well aware that many noted 
growers deprecate the use of liquid manure until after the buds are set, but 
please to recollect that I have been recommending their being potted into 
7 or 8-inch pots, in which, I think, they are more under the control of the 
cultivator, and, therefore, any additional food they require can be given in 
the shape of liquid manure. The wood can also be better ripened in the 
smaller pots, especially in a wet summer. In commencing to feed the 
Chrysanthemum, it is a safe practice to let every third watering be weak 
liquid manure ; either soot water or that prepared from cow manure is the 
best for a beginning At the end of three weeks I give it at every second 
watering until the bud begins forming, and then discontinue it until the bud 
is safe. More buds are lost or disfigured by the use of stimulants during 
their formation than many people are aware of. As soon as the bud is 
formed and safe, commence to feed in earnest, gradually increasing the 
strength of the liquid until it is given as strong as the plants can take it. 
On the buds beginning to colour gradually decrease the strength of the 
manure till you get back to clear water. There is great diversity of opinion 
