400 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ November 8, 1883. 
with the condition of Gros Guillaume, which seemed to be as free and 
regular the Black Hamburgh. On our leaving the large conservatory we 
passed a long narrow vinery with span roof; this was full of ripe Grapes, 
fine developed berries, and as black as sloe c . They appeared to us to be 
Gros Colman. Of black Grapes this variety appears to be the leading 
article in Covent Garden Market.—A. 0. W, 
EXHIBITING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
parted irregular corolla, and the upper segment of the calyx on the outer 
covering ending in a nectariferous tube running down the peduncle, 
while the Geranium being a regular flower—that is, the petals being all 
alike, and having no nectariferous tubes. The Pelargoniums I think are all 
from the Cape of Good Hope, and are not hardy; while the Geranium is 
perfectly hardy, and at least a dozen species natives of Britain, annuals 
and perennials, while exotic species are amongst our finest hardy her¬ 
baceous plants.— James Percival. 
Now that the critical time has arrived for watching exhibition flowers 
a few hints may be useful to some of your subscribers, among whom may 
be many amateurs. Earwigs must be closely sought for, as one of these in 
a flower often spoils it in a night. The florets must also be kept in their 
place as they are produced. Sometimes they come twisted or curled, hence 
Fig. 74.—Board for Chrysanthemums, under side. 
Heed aitention with the tweezers, and occasionally one or two may require 
removing, yet the less taken from an incurved flower the better. 
Collars will be required for rather loose flowers of the Queen tribe, and 
these should be placed on in time to keep the bloom solid. Circular pieces 
of cardboard are the best for this purpose with a small piece taken out of 
the centre, and a straight cut from the centre to the outer extremity of 
card, which will enable it to be placed very easily round the stem 
of the flower. 
A few hints may be useful to young beginners at the forthcoming 
shows with regard to boards for exhibiting. In staging forty-eight blooms 
it is the most convenient to have two boards made for twenty-four flowers, 
which should be 24 by 18 inches; three-quarter-inch deal answers 
admirably painted a rather light green. The legs should be made to screw 
in and out of battens at the back and front, and should be of the right 
length for raising the board 6 inches at the back and 3 inches in front. 
The engraving (fig. 74) represents the underneath side of a board. Tubes 
can be made by any tinman, and must, of course, be a little shorter than 
the legs of the board. 
Cups (fig. 75) in three sizes are required ; the largest for the back row 
may be 3 inches long, for the middle a little more than inches, and for 
the front row a trifle shorter. These cups may be of wood and turned in 
a la - he, or may be purchased in tin from such florists as Mr. Cannell. 
The blooms also require to be fixed firmly in their places by wedging 
the stems with small pieces of soft wood or cork, or, as is often used, a 
piece of the stem taken off the bloom stalk, as that is always at hand. 
This must be done from the bottom of the cup, as shown in fig. 76. 
When flowers are inclined to come with short centre florets, placing 
the blooms in a dark cupboard or in the exhibiting box will often draw 
them up in the centre, and in some cases improve the colour in light 
varieties. 
Larger boards are necessary for Japanese flowers, as these are far more 
spreading ; higher cups also are necessary. Every grower should have a 
pair of tweezers, but beginners must be careful in using them, as the 
blooms are easily spoiled. The quills and short petals are all that should 
be removed, and many flowers need no dressing at all. Be sure also to 
shade from bright sun, as this reflexes the incurved flowers sooner than 
anything. Also too much heat without air will have the same effect. 
—Grower and Exhibitor. 
[The above notes, by a very experienced cultivator, will be useful to 
those who have not seen Chrysanthemum blooms prepared for the stands. 
Boards and boxes (fig. 77) for containing them, tier above tier, are made of 
a superior order, and can be had ready for use. Such are represented in 
the figure we are enabled to submit by favour of Messrs. Cannell and 
Sons of Swanley. Our artist has represented one of the cups with such 
fidelity as to show a part of the stem, as it has been broken accidentally ; 
this part, as will be apparent, is for inserting in the tube.] 
Pelargoniums and Geraniums. —The botanical differences between 
’these are clear and distinct, and there is none of the confusion that exists 
amongst so-called Violas and Pansies. The Pelargonium has a five- 
WORK AMONG APPLE TREES. 
As the time for planting Apples is at hand I send a few notes, the- 
result of my experience with Apples on a light but rich soil, in which 
vegetables of the Cabbage tribe, Lettuces, and French Beans make 
wonderful growth, hut in which Carrots always fail, and it is not suitable' 
for most other root crops. A peculiarity with Apple trees is, that all 
varieties canker in the wood to some degree ; trees on the Paradise stock 
being so much more subject to canker than those on the Crab, that in 
the case of Blenheim Pippin, which cankers very badly on the Crab, has 
died out entirely budded on the Paradise stock. Wellington (Dumelow’s 
Seedling) again, which only cankers very slightly on the Crab stock, does 
so to a great extent on the Paradise stock. Another result of my experi¬ 
ence is to plant maiden trees only. In order to obtain a number of 
bearing trees of a few good and reliable varieties, we a few years ago 
purchased a number of 2s. 6 A. trees, but the only kind of these that has 
at all done well has been Stirling Castle; others will be burned this- 
autumn, and their places taken by maidens prepared in the garden,. 
Maidens planted two and three years have borne larger crops and hand¬ 
somer fruit than prepared trees planted seven years ago. 
Our work amongst Apples this autumn includes the lifting of a large 
number of maidens planted two years ago, and of older trees that were 
lifted two years ago. We have also a large number of home-budded, 
plants to transfer from the rows in which they were budded, and to place 
in fruiting rows. If we had a command of turf, each of these home- 
prepared maidens would havejts roots placed between two layers of turf, 
in which the trees would form a good foundation. A few of the more 
particular sorts will be so treated, but not all. Some that were two 
years ago planted in a mixture of decayed vegetable refuse have done so 
well that the others will be planted in the same manner. The older trees 
are lifted with a ball of soil and at once replanted. Some decayed refusa 
will be placed round and over the roots of these; and not to be forgotten 
is a mulching of horse-droppings given to each tree. Each tree is also, 
supported by a stake. Fresh-planted trees are not pruned, but such buds 
as are not wanted are rubbed off in spring, and the foundation of a plant 
formed with those left. 
As to work among older trees, so long as the trees grow well and bear 
Fig. 75.—Tube ani Cups for Chrysanthemums. 
freely I do not know that it is wise to disturb the trees. Our plan has 
been to leave yearly a large amount of young well-ripened wood, and to 
cut out any cankered or bare branches. Four years ago a number of 
old trees, free-bearing sorts, were lifted and replanted in another 
part of the garden. Though the roots with them were destitute of 
fibres, all except one have grown, and this year the others have borne 
heavy crops of fruit. It is, doubtful, however, if it would not be a better 
plan to replant with healthy young trees which produce much better 
fruit than can be obtained from old trees. 
As to the varieties to grow, there is no doubt that those which do well’ 
in one locality do not succeed in others. As instances I may say that 
such generally good sorts as Blenheim Pippin, Cellini, and Hawthorndeu 
do not succeed here. The first cankers in the wood, the second is small 
in the fruit which cracks badly, and the last simply stands still without 
making any progress from year to year. My plan is to increase the 
number of trees of really good varieties, so that those which will be growa 
