14 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 1, 
only when grown as bush plants that their usefulness is made apparent. 
A few societies have lately tried to revive the growing of bush plants 
by offering prizes for groups of cut-downs, and if other committees 
were to copy the example it would, without doubt, be the best means 
of showing amateurs and others interested in the Chrysanthemum the 
best varieties to grow for decoration. 
I will enumerate a few of the varieties which I have found most 
suitable as bush plants. Early varieties : Madame C. Desgrange and 
Gustav Wermig, to be followed by Lady Selborne, Marguerite Marrouch, 
Avalanche, Mdlle. Lacroix, Edwin Moiyneux, Hamlet, Jeanne Dfilaux, 
Madame J. Laing, Sarah Owen, W. Holmes, Val d’Andorre, Stanstead 
White, Cullingfordi, Mrs. Dixon, and Mrs. Bundle. Late varieties : 
Meg Merrilies, Ealph Brocklebank, Hero of Stoke Newington, Princess 
Teck, Charles Gibson, Ethel, and Virginale. The above list contains 
the most suitable, and will give a succession of blooms from the middle 
of August till the end of February. 
The end of November is the best time to propagate, procuring short 
stout cuttings from the base of the plant, and insert them singly into 
thumb pots, using a light sandy compost. If placed in a cold pit and 
kept close for a few weeks they will quickly form roots. Care must, 
however, be taken to keep the foliage dry, or many will be lost through 
damp. When rooted plenty of air must be given on all suitable occa¬ 
sions, and if the pit can be kept at about 40° the plants will pass the 
winter safely, and be in good condition for transferring into 48-size 
pots early in March, this time using one part leaf mould to two parts 
loam, with the addition of a peck of horse droppings slightly dried 
and broken up fine, to every 2 bushels of soil, and sufficient silver sand 
to keep the compost open. 
The final potting of the early varieties should be done early in May, 
and the autumn and winter varieties early in June, using the same 
compost as before, with the addition of 7 lbs. of Thomson’s Vine and 
plant manure to every 2 bushels of soil. Sixteen and twenty-four sized 
pots will be found sufficiently large, and are most suitable for plants 
used for decorative purposes. Pot moderately firm, as it induces a 
well ripened growth and subsequently an abundance of well developed 
blooms. 
Watering is an essential point, and must be well attended to, never 
allowing a plant to become dry, or disastrous results will follow. Liquid 
manure may be given once a week during the growing season. After 
the buds are set it may be given every second watering, with an occa¬ 
sional dusting with some artificial manure. When the flowers are partly 
expanded all supplies of manure must be withdrawn, because the 
ammonia in the manures acts too strongly on the flowers, causing them 
to decay quickly.—J. P. 
New Varieties op Chrysanthemums. 
Mr. Doughty's suggestion that cultivators of the Chrysanthemum 
should exchange experiences with reference to the “ novelties ” which 
they may have tried during the past season is a very practical and useful 
one. Considerations of space render it impossible adequately to test all 
of the vast array of “novelties” which each season brings to us, and 
unfortunately the glowing descriptions which oftentimes accompany 
them are not always to be strictly depended on. Besides, when we 
consider how very small a per-centage of these introductions prove of 
sufficient merit to supplant existing show varieties, it is obvious that, 
unless space and labour are unlimited, indulgence in the undoubtedly 
interesting task of proving novelties in any quantity must be at the 
expense of the general “ showing power ” of the collection. It is very 
desirable, therefore, by way of mutual assistance, that those in a position 
to do so should follow Mr. Doughty’s excellent example and contribute 
their experiences of new varieties to the common stock of knowledge on 
the subject. 
Here, then, is my contribution. I have followed the lines suggested 
by Mr. Doughty. In considering the dates given allowance must Li 
made for locality and situation. My garden is twelve miles south-east 
of London, in a valley, and exposed to severe frosts, early and late. As 
I write (10 p.m., December 22nd') my Negretti and Zambra thermometers 
(certificated at Kew) show 8° above zero at 4 feet above the ground, 
and 2° only exposed on the hard snow. But to the “ new varieties.” 
I have divided them into four sections—namely: Section 1, Those 
which, in my judgment, are likely to prove of high value for show 
purposes. These are :— 
A. H. Neve (Japanese).—Very large; long drooping petals some¬ 
what after the style of Belle Paule ; silvery blush. Height to crown 
bud, from pot, 5^ feet. Fairly strong grower. Plants rooted 
February 28th. Showed early bud, June 24th. Crown buds taken 
August 27th. Flowers fully out, November 8th. Last well. Time 
correct. 
Annie Hartshorn (Japanese incurved).—"Waxy white ; petals of 
great substance, symmetrical, and bold, incurving; 4 feet; good grower ; 
struck Slst December; showed early bud 31st May ; showed second 
bads 20th June ; these removed, crown buds taken 14th August ; out 
15th October et seq ; fine flowers, but taken rather too early. This 
variety is remarkable for the persistence with which it shows buds. 
The whole of the early cuttings, even those remote from the stem, show 
buds. Late cuttings probably best for many reasons. 
Puritan (Japanese incurved).—Early blooms white, later blooms 
peach ; petals incurving, broad, and regular ; large flower ; 5 feet ; 
strong grower ; first plant struck 21st January ; showed early bud 23rd 
April ; crown buds first visible 25th July ; taken 10th August; flowers 
out 31st October; pure white, very full and fine; second plant struck 
14th December ; stopped at 4 inches ; showed first buds 15th August ; 
taken 22Qd August; flowers not quite so full centres as last plant, but 
strongly tinged with peach ; out 12th November ; a terminal bud on a 
third plant showed an eye. 
Danae (Japanese).—Bronze or amber yellow ; very large and 
massive, but somewhat rough in character ; florets drooping, long, and 
twisted ; 54 feet; strong grower ; struck 17th November ; early bud 
22nd May ; crown buds visible 4th to 11th August; taken 11th to 15th 
August; out 11th to 20th November ; time correct. 
Mrs. a. Waterer (Japanese).—Early flowers dull white, with 
petals after Meg Merrilies ; later blooms petals very broad, resembling 
a bunch of white ribbons tinged or striped with rose on the exterior ; 
firrt plant struck 30th January ; crown buds IGth August ; out 20th 
October, rather too early ; second plant struck same date ; pinched 
1st June ; late crown buds taken 7th September ; out 23th November, 
too late, 20th to 25th August probably best time. 
M. E. A. Carri£re (Japanese).—Creamy blush tending to white ; 
long drooping petals ; large, GJ feet; strong grower. Two plants 
struck 5th December ; both showed early bud 15th June. The next 
buds, terminals, appeared 10th, and were taken 14th September ; out 
20th to 25th November ; fine flowers, but rather too late. 
George Atkinson (Japanese).—White, something after the style 
of Madame Louise Leroy ; very large, and when well grown very deep 
and full ; flowers from late crowns or terminals show an eye and have 
wide flat petals ; 44 feet; strong grower; struck 31st December ; 
crown buds taken 2~0th August ; out 15th November. Second plant, 
one crown bud taken 28 th August and two terminals 12 th September; 
probably about 14th August correct time. 
W. W. Coles, superb ; Mrs. E. W. Clarke, scented ; E. Crawford, very 
large, but somewhat ragged ; Volunteer, certainly distinct from, and 
superior to, Mrs. Irving Clarke ; Leon Frache, best on rather late bud ; 
and Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, with me a strong grower, but marvellously 
brittle, have already been dealt with by Mr. Doughty and others. 
I have not included Sunset, as, although we are told that it will 
come double, the experience gained from four plants with varied experi¬ 
mental culture has not, so far, led me"to that conclusion. At present I 
must class this variety as semi-double, and, although unquestionably & 
magnificent variety, useless for show purposes. 
Section 2. — Varieties which require a second season’s trial buh 
appear likely to prove show varieties of more or less value. I give them 
in order of merit as I have found them, but as they are with me still 
on trial, I do not propose to trespass on your space by giving cultural 
notes. These, however, I can supply to anyone wishing for information 
concerning any particular variety named. A1 the following aro 
Japanese :—George Maclure, very promising ; C. Pratt, late, very pro¬ 
mising ; L. Canning, white, after Avalanche, good for late work ; Mont 
Blanc (Waterer) ; M. A. de Lean, very like Mdlle. Lacroix ; Coronet ; 
Lucrece ; Mont Blanc (Delaux) not strictly a novelty ; L’Automne, very 
attractive colour ; Vieil Or, very late, must have bud by 1st August p 
Mrs. Irving Clarke ; Eynsford White and Maribol. 
Section 3.—Varieties worthy of a further trial, but not, so far, 
showing clear evidence that they will ultimately prove of real value for 
showing purposes : — Mrs. J. C. Price, Ceie^, Sokoto, Mrs. Langtry, 
J. E. Pearson, Mdme. V. IMenier, Mrs. Spaulding, Meto, Sunnyside^ 
Honourable Mrs. Carnagie, Mrs. A. J. Drexell. 
Section 4.—Varieties which, so far as my experience of them goes^ 
are not likely to prove of lasting or perhaps any value for show purposes, 
although many of them are very novel and pn'.tty, and valuable for 
decoration. The experience of others may lead to a different conclusion,, 
but I give the list for what it is worth Little Tycoon (early), Madame 
Prunac (very pretty contrast of tender colours). Miss Esmeralda (colour 
too dull), M. iJules Le’ebvre (very beautiful), Madame Lay, M. 
Collins (very pretty, colour quite unique), Kioto, J. Thorpe, Seebard, 
Neptune, Superbe flore (early), Baronald (too like G. F. Moseman), 
Gladiator (identical with C. Sharman), Alcyon, Grand Mogul (ton 
late), Gold, President Hyde (telling colour, but too small), Mrs. J. B. 
Bailey (very late). Dr. John Tanner (pretty, but lacks size). 
As I can “ house ” but 450 plants all told the trial of the foregoing, 
from one to four plants of each, trenched very greatly on my general 
show collection. The results are at the service of your readers. 
—C. E. Shea, The Ebns, Foots Cray, Kent. 
[We are very much obliged to Mr. Shea for his interesting com¬ 
munication.] 
Cutting Down Chrysanthemums. 
Now that the busiest part of the Chrysanthemum season is past 
growers will be comparing the past season’s work with the previous 
year’s doings. As my subject is cutting down, I must confine my 
remarks to that portion of the work. In making out the following list 
I have confined myself to varieties that may be depended upon to pro¬ 
duce good results. I have omitted many which I consider are not con¬ 
stant under the cutting-down system, though they sometimes do well. 
To make my remarks as clear as possible I have classed the varieties into 
three groups. Those to be cut down early should be operated upon 
about the middle of May, though, as will be seen, there are but fev/ 
which require to be cut down so soon. We have had Mdlle. Paul 
Dutour grand when cut down then, but it is not included in the list, as^ 
two blooms are sufficient for one plant to bring to perfection. Mrs. 
F. Jameson is omitted for the same reason. The midseason kinds 
should be cut down the first week in June, and the middle of the 
month'is early enough for those classed to be cut down late. I have 
