548 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 16, 1866. 
LITE AND FORGED CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Late Chrysanthemums [as producers of useful flowers for 
cutting for home use have not yet attained the position they 
ought to occupy in private gardens. For several years past I 
have had good Chrysanthemums till late in spring, and last year 
we bad them particularly fine, and cut and sent blooms regularly 
to London three times a week up to the beginning of June, at 
which time the plants were destroyed. The blooms all through 
were quite as good as those produced under ordinary cultivation 
at the usual period of flowering. Many of your readers who 
would like a supply of these most useful flowers for as long a 
period as possible, may be glad to have their attention directed 
to the subject at this time, when in many gardens Chrysanthe¬ 
mums are getting over, and that stage when it is necessary to 
take the plants in hand in order to succeed with them. However, 
before proceeding to particularise this method of securing a long- 
continued supply of bloom it may be convenient to say something 
first of what can be effected by retarding. It is surprising to 
find in so many gardens that no pains are taken to lengthen the 
Chrysanthemum season by the simple method of retarding a 
selected number of plants. 
* I send with this note buds from late plants of Ethel, Yirginale, 
Fair Maid of Guernsey, Mrs. C. Carey, Peter the Great, L’Ador- 
able, Guernsey Nugget, Miss Margaret, Salteri, La Favorite, 
Julie Lagravere, ‘Madame Sentir, M. Astorg, and Calliope as 
examples of what may be effected in even such an early season 
as the present in keeping plants back from blooming until much 
beyond their usual time. In the case of some of these, the result 
desired has been accomplished by not allowing the buds usually 
taken to develope, but by taking those shoots which come on after 
the former have been destroyed ; and others are, of course, 
simply retarded by keeping the plants out late and when housed 
by keeping them quite cool, and it may be said here that the 
nature of the structure in which the plants are placed has much 
to do in keeping them back. A house with a south aspect is the 
worst possible for this purpose. A flat lean-to with a west aspect 
does well, or an airy span-roof running north and south. In any 
case where flowers are not wanted for cutting there need be no 
difficulty in preserving the blooms on the plants for a long period. 
SucVas those we have would hold out till the middle of February, 
and that is putting it at the earliest date, and the month of 
March would most likely be the correct time. But as we grow 
plants primarily for flowers, they will be used long before either 
date, and in order to have a later supply we are compelled to give 
a certain number of plants a forcing treatment. Indeed, all buds 
are the better for a little heat after the shortest day, as they 
open so much finer and purer and there is no loss from petals 
damping. But the principle of forcing is different from that of 
merely giving a little heat in order to open one set of buds ; for 
it must be continuous, not only in opening buds, but in producing 
fresh buds and forwarding those in intermediate stages on the 
same plants. 
It need hardly be said that all plants intended for this forcing 
must be, as a primary condition, in strong vigorous health, with 
foliage intact and roots in a condition of activity. That being 
understood, we proceed to say that there are at least four points 
of importance which require the attention of the cultivator. 
Active roots need a constant supply of food, and that is most 
easily supplied by surface manurings at stated intervals; ours 
are dressed weekly, and it is found that th s suits them admirably. 
But dressings of manure are worthless unless the soil in which 
the roots are growing is kept in a uniform condition as to mois¬ 
ture, and therefore dryness at the root is inimical to the produc¬ 
tion of good flowers, and must be guarded against in order to 
ensure success. But, further, neither manure nor water will be 
of service to the roots unless the temperature allowed the plants 
be sufficiently high to keep the foliage and young growths 
growing healthily all along, and thereby establishing an action 
and reaction betwixt the roots and the foliage. And, lastly, the 
flowers should be cut when ready. The flowers last longer when 
cut in a young state, and they ease the plants in some degree, 
though not in a large one. Heat should be given at the latest 
about the first week in January, and should be discontinued as 
the days lengthen and natural heat increases, but the plants 
must be kept under glass till the last to secure purity in the 
flo vers. Mildew, if it appears, is dissipated by dusting wiith 
sulphur, and green fly, which may become troublesome and 
destructive to the value of the flowers, is best kept at bay by not 
too heavy fumigation with tobacco. The best I have tried 
for forcing is Fair Maid of Guernsey, but Mrs. C. Carey is also 
very good, and this year, owing to the strong liking shown for 
bronze and brown shades, a few of these sorts will be experimented 
with. 
About this time also old healthy plants of Madame C. Des- 
granges may be taken in hand, repotted into a larger size, and in 
a few weeks introduced into a temperature not exceeding 55°, 
when under fairly good attention flowers should be ready for 
cutting early in summer. It is much the best plan, however, not 
to allow these plants to rest to keep them on after their 
flowering period is past. This is the best type of a continuous 
flowering variety that I know.—B. 
[The sprays sent were in the best of health, and the buds in the 
stage usually seen towards the end of September and beginning of 
October.] 
GOGERDDAN, CARDIGANSHIRE. 
The residence of Sir Pryse Pryse, Bart., is situated about three miles 
east of Aberystwyth. The nearest railway station is Bow Street, on the 
Cambrian line, distance from the gardens half a mile. They are well 
worthy of a visit by anyone interested in a well-kept garden. They are 
surrounded on the east and south by some of the most picturesque 
scenery for which Wales is noted. To the west lies Cardigan Bay some 
two miles distant, and in the distance is Barmouth, Towyn, and Aber- 
dovey, backed up by the mountains of Merionethshire, so well known 
to tourists in these parts. My visit, on November 29th, was a hurried 
one, and it was not the best time of the year to see gardens at their best, 
but’we found something very pleasing inside, of which I will give a few 
brief notes. After being introduced to Mr. Yearey, the gardener, by the 
friend who accompanied me, we entered a span-roof house with a partition 
in the middle, used for Melons and Cucumbers in the summer, but at the 
time of my visit filled with very useful flowering plants. In one of these 
houses I noticed Eucharises with some capital spikes of bloom on, and 
free from that dreaded disease so prevalent in some places. There were 
some healthy Gardenias in pots with promising buds, Allamanda Header- 
soni, flowering profusely, trained under the roof. A good number of 
Bouvardias were just past their best. Summer-struck plants of Poin- 
settias and Euphorbia jacquiniae flora, Gesnerias, a few Orchids, aDd 
other u=eful plants too numerous to mention were also included. A third 
house contained a miscellaneous collection of greenhouse plants, capital 
plants of Richardia ethiopica, also some dwarf well-grown Chrysanthe¬ 
mums from 2 to 4 feet high, grown on the late cut-down system. Winter¬ 
flowering Begonias, Salvias, and Cypripedium insigne, with some good 
blooms on, winter-flowering Epacrises, and a host of other useful plants 
made up a most brillant display. Adjoining this house is the plant stove, 
a lofty, well made house, and was well furnished with a variety of flower- 
ng and foliage plants, including some well grown specimen Crotons, but 
short of colour, owing, I have no doubt, to the shade required to protect 
other plants. Croton Weismanni was very well coloured on account of 
its standing in a more favoured position. There were some capital Palms 
in this house, and useful Dracaenas, Crotons, Dieffenbachias, and other 
plants in 5 and 6-inch pots for decorative purposes. A few Calanthes, 
with their graceful spikes of flower rising above the foliage plants, gave a 
very pleading effect. The roof was furnished with choice stove creepers ; 
the greenhouses contained the finest Primulas, double and single, I have 
seen for some time, showing capital trusses of bloom and the foliage 
1)61 We'next inspected a range of lean-to vineries. The Vines, I was 
informed had borne excellent crops this season, and by the appearance of 
the wood fully bore out the good accounts given of them. While passing 
through this range I noticed some good Cinerarias, well grown plants, 
and promising well for the future. A span-roofed vinery, u=ed as an 
early house, was filled at the above date with Pelargoniums, and if they 
go on as satisf ictory as they have started, will give a good account 
towards May. I n diced some healthy Lachenalias on a shelf close to 
the glass. It is seldom this pretty dwarf bulbous plant is seen in private 
places why I am at a loss to know. I am sure it deserves to be more 
cultivated. The kitchen garden is wall stocked with fruit trees, and 
in another kitchen garden are two capital ranges of Peach houses built 
against the wall dividing the two gardens. They are from 80 to 90 feet 
long each range. The Peach trees are trained against the wall and look 
well for next year. Tomatoes are grown along the front of the Peach 
houses inside in summer. We took a bird’s eye view of the pleasure 
grounds, and promise! to call again to see the outside beauty of the 
gardens’and I am sure it will be worth a visit to in the proper season. 
Mr Yearey deserves great credit for the general condition of the garden. 
I noticed on our way to Aberystwyth, fully exposed to the sea breeze, 
Veronicas, Fuschias, Marigolds, Stocks, and Tropoeolums m full bloom 
nit half a mile from the sea, looking quite as fresh as flowers do in 
September.—W. Roberts, Llwyngrvern Hall, Machynlleth. 
SOME EASILY FORCED FLOWERS. 
Now that the Chrysanthemums are over, and a great blank has 
occurred amongst the flowers in our greenhouses and conservatories, a 
general desire will exist to begin forcing and have a good display of 
flowers ao-ain as soon as possible. Where forong houses exist this will 
be a very easy matter, but unfortunately in the majority of cases the 
appliances for forcing flowers are very limited, and this difficulty has 
Generally to be tided over by! the cultivator selecting eaily forced 
plants to deal with. This I can testify is a good way of learning a supply 
of flowers, and although there may be some choice plants that cannot 
be taken in hand, the easily forced ones are a large class, and prove 
