March 12, iflJl. ] 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
199 
A mong these a sufficient number may be found to furnish 
flowers throughout the year. For several seasons anterior to 
"ihe present we had no difficulty in culling posies out of doors with¬ 
out break, so that it is not so much for want of a suitable selection of 
good hardy plants that a supply cannot be obtained as from too 
-severe weather recurring at longer or shorter invervals. It is 
unnecessary to institute a comparison as between the merits of 
hothouse flowers and those of a hardy character. All classes are 
worthy of the best attention that cultivators can possibly extend to 
them. At the same time it may not be amiss to notice here the 
-decided advantage that glass-protected flowers possess over those 
which are grown in the open air, and necessarily subjected to rain, 
wind, and hot sun. We have only to refer to such hardy plants as 
Lily of the Valley, Narcissus, and Lilies grown out of doors with¬ 
out protection, and to compare with them examples of the same 
kinds of plants flowered under glass protection, to be convinced 
of the exceeding advantages all glass-protected flowers possess. 
Cultivators of flowers for exhibition are obliged to protect the 
flowers they intend to stage if they are desirous of meeting other 
-competitors on even terms. Growers for market in the same 
way find it to their advantage to protect choice hardy flowers, or in 
some cases to cut them at an early stage of development and to 
allow the flowers to fully expand in hothouses or other structures 
The matter is worthy the attention of private gardeners as to the 
-extent they may find it possible to adapt means of protecting 
some at least of such popular flowers as Carnations, white Pinks, 
Lily of the Valley, Schizostylis coccinea, Christmas Roses, and 
others. Daffedils, Rhododendrons, Gladiolus, and some other 
^flowers expand well after being cut, and a supply of these should 
accordingly be cut a few days before there is a call for them. 
With regard to the cultivation of hardy perennials there are a 
few points in common which may very well be treated of here 
Perhaps the most important of all is to endeavour to steer clear of 
•overcrowding. This defect may arise from more than one cause. 
Plants may be set out too closely, and while the stronger is ruining 
the weaker by overgrowing it, the despot so employed will not 
produce such a wealth of beautiful flowers as if it had in the first 
instance had a space allotted it sufficient for an unrestrained 
development. Overcrowding again may arise, and most commonly 
does arise, from individual plants being left either too long on one 
spot or from the stems being unthinned. Young plants yield the 
greatest quantity of flowers—that is to say, of course, if the plants 
are quite strong to begin with. As instances, a young plant of 
■Chrysanthemum maximum or of lacustre, of Golden Rod or of 
Michaelmas Daisy, having in either case a maximum of five strong 
shoots each, and each shoot allowed room for the fullest develop¬ 
ment, will produce more flowers than old plants with numerous 
weakly shoots, which must be tied in bundles in order to keep 
them “ tidy ” looking. A very good method of obtaining cut 
•flowers in the best condition is to plant annually, biennially, or 
triennially according to the nature of the plant. 
It is generally an impossibility to manage all good hardy plants 
in this way, but the best of them can readily be treated so 
It is wonderful what can be accomplished by a systematic method 
of doing these things, and I have no doubt that method in 
cultivating the best hardy plants for their flowers must come to 
No. 559.—Voii. XXII., Third Series. 
be recognised as of equal importance to growing annually beds of 
Seakale, Artichokes, Cabbages, or any other vegetable. With regard 
to plants arranged in borders for effect, where there is a difficulty 
about periodically overhauling the whole borders much may be 
effected by annual or biennial lifting, and dividing the stronger 
growing plants. In addition to securing finer blooms the borders 
are kept in good condition, and do not become so frightfully ex¬ 
hausted under this method. The labour is not much greater than 
is necessary in the general annual preparation of the border, and 
the result, as a whole, is well worth what little extra labour is 
incurred. 
The undernoted plants are mainly those which are cultivated in 
borders ; notes in greater detail will follow on the culture of the 
finer class, or at least those which enjoy the greatest popularity. 
Asters or Michaelmas Daisies hold a very prominent position as 
providers of valuable flowers. They range in height from the 
dwarf A, alpinus to those of six or eight feet like A. nova 3 -belgi 8 e. 
They are not all of equal value. At the same time it is only fair 
to admit that where there is a great demand for flowers alike for 
house decoration and for church and harvest festivals, any or all 
of the Michaelmas Daisies can be safely relied to furnish flowers 
in season. The earliest is A. alpinus, which with its white form is 
very suitable for vase furnishing. Then we have A. longifolirs 
formosus, and closely following A. Amellus bessarabicus, the latter 
one of the very best and one of the most useful of hardy flowers. 
Soft and charmingly harmonious effects in table decorations are 
produced with this flower in conjunction with common Paris 
Daisies and yellow Corn Marigolds. Bat indeed it is hardly 
possible to so employ it as to make an unhappy combination. 
A. versicolor is also very good, more especially for large vases. 
When grown with only a few stems, and these allowed plenty of 
room, each stem is clothed with dozens of side shoots in addition 
to the central pyramidal cone which finished the spike. A. elegans 
and A. multiflorus are small-flowered forms, and both should be 
grown. A. ericoides is the best of the close growing small 
flowered sorts. Of tall growing kinds with good-sized flowers I 
like A. carnosus, A. Chapmani, and A. turbinellus. In a good 
autumn like that of last year the two distinct kinds—named 
respectively A. novse-belgim and A. novae-anglim—were particularly 
fine and desirable plants. 
In conjunction with Asters, Stenactis speciosa holds a very high 
position as a good decorative plant. I have already referred to the 
common Ox-eye Daisy, also known as the Horse Gowan, Chrys¬ 
anthemum leucanthemum. Under cultivation—and I speak after 
some ten years’ experience with it—good forms of this are superior 
to C. maximum. It combines with early flowering quite a perpetual 
character, as the same plant continues to open flowers until stopped by 
frost or by the near approach of winter. The habit is, moreover, dwarf, 
and has far more elegance about it than any of its garden congeners. 
Indeed, in this respect it stands very high as a flower for cutting. 
It is quite perennial in nature, and though most readily increased 
by seed, it can also be propagated by means of rooted growths in 
the same manner as C. maximum. The latter is well known for 
its high qualities as a decorative flower. Where large clumps of it 
are wanted it will be found much better to put out from three to 
six small healthy pieces at equal distances where the clump is 
wanted than it is to allow the old plants to grow into large clumps 
without let or hindrance. In the manner recommended ave secure 
a much more floriferous mass, while the flowers are larger and the 
flowering season is much extended. 
Yery similar remarks apply to the autumn C. uliginosum. 
When each stem has plenty of room it becomes well clothed with 
side shoots from near the bottom. Last autumn masses of this 
were beautiful grown in this way. In addition to employing the 
single flowers in the usual way, entire stems may be cut for extra 
large vases, which they furnish in a most attractive manner. 
The Golden Rods require to be treated in the same way as 
No. 2215 .—Yol. LXXXIY., Old Series. 
