October 13, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
881 
Chrysanthemums at Gortmore, Dundrum, Co. Dublin. 
A visit to some of the growers of Chrysanthemums is quite as 
interesting in the month of December as when the plants are in full 
flower. This was the case with me when visiting Gortmore, the seat of 
J. G. Nutting, Esq., by seeing to what an extent of perfection 
the individual plants attain. The illustration (fig. 45) below, repro¬ 
duced from a photograph, gives an idea of the plan adopted by the able 
gardener, Mr. E. Knowldin, for growing his Chrysanthemums for 
exhibition. 
The border on which the plants stand faces south, and is over 
100 feet long by 18 feet wide. It is covered with coal ashes, which are 
Market Chrysanthemums—Early Frosts. 
Chrysanthemums for market are grown in such quantity that the 
question must often arise in the grower’s mind whether the time devoted 
to their cultivation during the spring and summer could not be more 
profitably employed. To the fruit grower they are useful in many ways 
no doubt, chiefly as filling an awkward gap in the autumn and winter 
after the summer crops are over, and forming a source of income when his 
houses would perhaps be empty. They can be housed until their flower¬ 
ing season is over, too, without augmenting the bills for fuel very 
largely. But the markets are often glutted with them, and they are 
frequently sold very cheap, the percentage of profit being very low. It 
must not be forgotten that they require careful attention at a time 
when the work of the season is very pressing, and when the hands are 
needed badly in other ways. 
But lately we had the question from another point of view for 
consideration. The winter quarters of our Chrysanthemums were 
occupied by Tomatoes, and our leading variety being a capital late 
setter the middle of September found us with a heavy crop of fruit, 
which we were unwilling to sacrifice in order to make room for 
Chrysanthemums. Stated briefly, it was a case of Tomatoes versus 
Fig. 45.—CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT GORTMORE. 
made quite firm, and bricks placed for the pots to stand on. There are 
four rows of posts, with galvanised wire strained on each row ; to these 
the green painted stakes are tied, and not thrust in the pots, as is usually 
done. There are seventy-five to eighty plants in each row, all of which 
are allowed to break naturally, and these are tied in a regular manner 
to the stakes, presenting to the eye an appearance of four symmetrical 
hedges. The varieties are so arranged that the plants in each row are 
nearly the same height, the tallest being about 8 feet high. It is 
gratifying to note the healthy, vigorous strength, and ripeness of wood, 
well covered with rich green foliage, and the very few buds lost through 
all the recent strong winds. 
Chrysanthemums at the time of my visit were everywhere on the 
walks, and all looked exceedingly well. When once they all are housed 
the display will be very fine. Last year Mr. Nutting, with the aid of 
his energetic gardener, took all the leading prizes at the Dublin and 
provincial Shows. 
There are many beauties about this lovely country seat worth noting, 
such as the grounds, which are well laid out and planted with fine 
Coniferae, and in the garden Roses are a speciality. In the houses are 
stove plants and Orchids, too numerous to mention.— J. W. Henderson. 
Chrysanthemums. Somewhat unexpectedly the former won the day. 
Previous to the 17th of September the nights had been cold, but few 
expected frost of sufficient severity to injure Chrysanthemums. The 
sharp frost on the night of the 17th or morning of the 18th found us 
consequently completely off our guard. All through the Lea valley 
the weather was more or less severe, but many growers saved their 
plants from injury by laying them down and covering them with 
mats or straw. At several places 9° of frost were registered, a tem¬ 
perature, of course, low enough to fatally injure Chrysanthemums. 
I must add that our Chrysanthemums are badly cut up. We had 
several thousands exposed, out of which we shall save very few, the buds 
on early and late varieties being alike irretrievably damaged. We shall 
probably get an inferior crop from the flowering shoots lower down the 
stem. Certainly we are not the only sufferers, as I am informed that 
one large grower has 40,000 plants all more or less injured. Doubtless 
many that think they have escaped will form a different opinion when 
the flowers expand. But one thing is evident, and that is that in this 
district preparations will have to be made for housing Chrysanthemums 
in future before September is very far advanced, which will shorten a 
season already sufficiently brief, and be the means of making Chrys- 
