November 13, 1890. j 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
429 
others again plant them straight into the open ground, where they 
remain until they bloom ; but the latter method is not common, although 
I know it is adopted by one of our most extensive growers, who is a very 
■successful exhibitor. As soon as the cuttings are quite established, at 
whatever season they are taken, they are generally transplanted to the 
■ground, where they make very rapid growth—so rapid, indeed, that it 
is always necessary to make successional plantings to insure having 
-certain varieties at exhibition time. The period for the general planting 
■out is the month of October, which is early spring with us in Tasmania ; 
but cuttings which are inserted even in November frequently furnish 
•flowers for the show which takes place in April. When the plants 
have attained a height of about 10 inches it is usual to top them, and 
the three branches which are thus produced are, as soon as they are of 
sufficient height, tied to separate stakes, the axiliary growths being 
removed as they appear. Each plant thus produces three large 
blooms, instead of one, as grown upon the single stem mode, 
and we have found that the blooms are quite as fine, while the 
more dwarf growth is better suited for garden culture. The plants 
■do not appear to require nearly so long a period for ripening the 
wood as seems to be necessary in England, the latest plants being 
generally quite as mature as those which were put out earlier. The 
Tapidity with which the Chrysanthemum grows in our climate in most 
instances precludes us from taking the crown bud, which develops too 
■quickly to be of any use for exhibition purposes. The greater heat of 
our late summer has probably something to do with this ; therefore it 
is the custom to select the terminal bud, which gives us far more 
■satisfactory results. Much difficulty was experienced by those who at 
■first adopted the single stem plan of growing, for so many of the 
varieties grew to so great a height as to render it almost impracticable 
to give them sufficient support, and to protect them from the high 
winds which often prevail in our autumn season ; so that as it was evident 
that results quite as satisfactory were obtained from topping once in 
the early stage, that plan is most generally adopted. 
As our climate is very much drier than that of England it goes with¬ 
out saying that a great deal of labour is necessary as soon as the 
■summer sets in, so that the plants may suffer no check, and it is there¬ 
fore indispensable to mulch all the ground upon which Chrysanthemums 
are grown very heavily with well-decayed manure before the spring 
rains have quite ceased ; by this means a good stock of moisture is 
•stored up to meet future needs. Then, when all disbudding is over and 
the season of bloom is approaching, all those who are growing for 
■exhibition purposes set about giving the plants copious doses of liquid 
manure ; but as each grower in our locality seems to have some pet 
liquid for this purpose it would be rather difficult to say which is most 
in demand. Some use chemical manures, others soot water, stable 
manure liquid, bone dust, or guano liquid. 
We have many enemies to contend against during the whole period 
■of the growth of our favourite flower. To begin with, the mildness of 
our climate permits such midnight marauders as slugs to play deadly 
havoc among the tender foliage of newly rooted cuttings, necessitating 
much watchfulness. Scarcely have these foes left the field than many 
■growers who have plants and cuttings which have been imported from 
England find that they have imported with them a black fly, which 
haunts the newly unfolded leaves, and is very difficult to dislodge. 
Eater we have unwelcome visitors in the form of small green worms and 
•caterpillars, which do much harm to the bud shoote ; then, when all 
appears to be smooth sailing, mildew makes its appearance, and some¬ 
times a small green fly follows this; but what is more objectionable 
than any of these is the sudden damping of the blooms just when success 
•seems most certain. With regard to the latter trouble, however, I have 
seldom seen it affect the Japanese varieties, and only certain of the 
incurved, those which generally suffer most being the Empress of India, 
the Queen family, Alfred Salter, and some others—for, strange to say, 
many varieties which grow in the same bed, within a few feet of those 
•named, do not suffer at all. 
The drawback to the system we pursue of growing exhibition blooms 
entirely out of doors, is the liability to which they are exposed of being 
injured by early frosts which occasionally visit us in the autumn, so 
that it is sometimes necessary to have a kind of elevated frame over 
which light canvas may be drawn to avert injury to the flowers. In 
addition to all the best known and esteemed varieties of incurved and 
Japanese, good collections of reflexed, Anemone flowered, Pompons, and 
fimbriated varieties may be seen at our exhibitions, but there is no 
question that Japanese varieties are preferred by the majority of our 
growers, probably on account of the greater difficulty which exists in 
producing perfect types of the incurved varieties, as well as the greater 
adaptability of the former for all decorative purposes. Our exhibitors 
have yet much to learn from the old country in the matter of staging, 
arrangement of colours, and other matters which have to be considered, 
-as well as the production of flowers which are fit for exhibition. Ex¬ 
hibitors, too, are not always satisfied with the decision of the judges, who 
are sometimes not as experienced as could be wished, but this is a 
difficulty which time will remove, as men of home experience find their 
way to our shores and introduce some of their ideas among us. 
The competition among both professional and amateur Chrysanthe¬ 
mum growers is very keen, and the contests are always very close ones, 
many of the exhibitors travelling as far as from Hobart to Launceston, 
and vice versa, a distance of 130 miles by train, with their exhibits. 
Tasmania is destined to occupy a premier position among the Australias 
with regard to Chrysanthemum culture, owing to the great superiority 
of its climate, the scorching hot winds of the summer upon the main¬ 
land having a most deleterious effect upon the plants, while the water 
supply of the colonies adjoining Tasmania is not at that period adequate 
to the demands made upon it. I feel that it is a matter for congratula¬ 
tion that our Society is privileged to be represented among the affiliated 
societies of the National Chrysanthemum Society upon this most 
auspicious occasion, although I consider it is to be regretted that a 
member no better qualified than myself to speak upon Chrysanthemum 
culture should have undertaken the task, but I trust that my endea¬ 
vours to throw some little light upon matters as they exist at the Anti¬ 
podes will be received in a spirit of indulgence and toleration of my 
shortcomings. 
I cannot conclude without expressing a deep regret, not only on 
behalf of the Northern Horticultural Society of Tasmania, but also upon 
my own, at the untimely decease of the late Honorary Secretary of the 
FIG. 57.—MES. MARIAN THROWER. 
National Chrysanthemum Society, Mr. William Holmes, whom I had 
the pleasure of meeting, and to whom I am indebted for many acts of 
kindness and courtesy. 
ROBERTS’ IDEAL WINERY. 
I read with much pleasure in your issue of September 18th the 
interesting reprint of a paper read by Mr. T. Roberts at the meeting of 
the British Fruit Growers’ Association at Brighton, on September 11th, 
and I have been hoping that some amateur other than myself, thirsting 
for knowledge, would have made further inquiries through the medium 
of your columns as to the full structural details of these vineries that 
Mr. Roberts so strongly recommends, and in which it appears he has 
been so successful, whereby we amateurs could profitably undertake the 
cultivation of the Grape at popular prices. 
I have just erected a Tomato house under the superintendence of a 
friend, from mutually devised plans, 100 feet long, 32 feet wide, in 
two arcades, not spans, if you please (what a much brighter picture 
arcade presents to the mind’s eye than span), heated with 1000 feet of 
glazed earthenware piping. I am no believer in houses cheaply run up, 
without regard to permanence, constantly wanting repair, and in a very 
few years becoming quite tumbledown. Grape growing could not be 
properly or successfully carried on in such houses as these I am sure on 
Mr. Roberts’ system. Would he kindly say whether his houses are iron 
or wood, and also give any other useful information to assist me in 
erecting a similar structure to his own, but of more modest dimensions? 
The one I propose would be 100 feet long, 25 feet wide, 10 feet high at 
the sides ; also would he deem two flows and a return up each side 
sufficient for heating purposed, or would he suggest in addition a flow 
and return on each side of the pathway ? — T. W. S. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOWS. 
FINCHLEY.— November 4th and 5th. 
That two societies working for the same object in such close proxi¬ 
mity as Finchley and Highgate could both make grand exhibitions on 
the same day shows that there must be a large number of cultivators in 
the immediate neighbourhoods. The Woodside Hall, in which the 
fifth annual Exhibition was held, was not large enough to contain the 
various exhibits Cut blooms were excellent throughout all the classes, 
the chief honour being awarded to Mr. Grey, gardener to W. B. 
Brand, Esq., Finchley.' for thirty-six blooms, eighteen Japanese and 
eighteen incurved, for which a large silver challenge cup was offered ; 
there were four competitors, and the first prize collection comprised fine 
blooms. Japanese : Avalanche, Baronne de Frailly, Gloriosum, Etoile 
du Lyon, Mons. II. Elliott, Mrs. Cannell. Edwin Molyneux, Ralph 
Brocklebank, Sunflower, Madame C. Audiguier, Maiden’s Blush, Madame 
