474 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 14,1894. 
Green Chrysanthemums. 
In the Journal of Horticulture (page 467) “ C. H. P.” says Florence 
Davis was probably the forerunner of the green varieties. This was not 
the first variety of recent years, as Lucrece, introduced three or four 
years previous, is much greener. It is a Japanese of American origin, 
of first-class habit and form, and I believe was discarded by many 
growers on account of its “ greenness.”—A. B. C. 
Bush Chrysanthemums in Scotland. 
Though the careful cultivator studies the wants and characteristics 
of his plants at all seasons, the success or otherwise of bush-grown 
Chrysanthemums depends largely on the kind of treatment they receive 
during the summer and autumn months. I have seen very good plants 
grown from poor cuttings, and weakly plants develop during the later 
months of summer into serviceable decorative specimens. The plants in 
most collections by this time have been placed in flowering pots. For 
my own part I am not particular to a week or two, but do not like the 
final potting to be delayed later than the second week in June. 
The compost for Chrysanthemums is a matter of little moment; 
I grow them hardly two years in the same kind of soil. Given a 
good loam, there is no fear of the plants not succeeding. Of late years I 
have employed a compost of a more open nature than I formerly used. 
The soil at my command is deficient in fibre, therefore the potting is 
done less firmly than is generally the case. I am also careful not to 
overwater at any time, but on the contrary incline rather to limit the 
supply of water to as little as the plants require. I have tried standing 
the pots on a hard gravel bottom, but prefer a modified method of 
plunging the pots. The smaller are lowered two-thirds, while the larger 
are plunged a little more than half their depth. My experience points 
to this being the best kind of treatment. I do not find that the plants 
to any extent root through into the plunging material. No doubt a 
system of lavish onpouring of water tends to cause downward rooting, 
just as careful watering checks any such tendency. I, however, have 
the plants lifted at least twice during the autumn ; and thus any roots 
that may have wandered downwards are broken off before the plants 
depend upon them for support. The system of leaving at the time of 
potting an extra inch or two below the rim of the pot unfilled with soil, 
in addition to other advantages, has yet this other that fresh material 
added to the surface tends to keep the roots inside the pot. 
I think the most important matter of all in the culture of plants 
for the production of blooms for decorative purposes is the allowance of 
a due proportion of light and air. Plants and shoots crowded together 
render nugatory the best treatment in other respects. It is, indeed, the 
one point where so many fail, and the reason for bush grown plants so 
largely producing undeveloped flowers. When the collection is being 
set in its summer position the first thing to be considered is, therefore, 
the space each plant will require for growth. I have occasionally placed 
them closer together than I knew was necessary, intending to draw out 
a certain proportion and allow all more space when the growths began 
to crowd. This plan is good, provided it is carried out; but it sometimes 
happens that work is delayed, and the process of “ drawing out ” is left 
to stand over until irreparable damage has resulted. On this account 
I find it better to give each plant full space from the beginning. It 
matters less for the earlier flowering varieties to be a little too close for 
a time, as the period they are housed before flowering is short; conse¬ 
quently the loss of foliage is not much in that time. In the case of late 
flowering sorts, however, the result is disastrous. It is impossible 
to keep foliage in good condition till Christmas, on till the middle or 
end of January, unless the shoots and leaves have been produced under 
the best conditions attainable in our climate. The final result is, of 
course, poor undeveloped flowers. 
In addition to standing the plants suflSciently far apart to allow for 
maturation, it is of equal importance to stake out the shoots in such a 
manner as to secure to them a full amount of light. Young gardeners 
like to see newly staked plants well proportioned. In this case the 
end in view necessitates the placing of the stakes at such an angle as 
will leave the plant quite open in the centre, the shoots being tied out 
like an inverted umbrella half opened. Some varieties during the summer 
produce so many side shoots that if all were left to grow the benefit of 
this method of staking would be lost and the energies of the plants 
frittered away on the production of a number of small blooms. The 
point to observe with these is to leave just as many shoots as will have 
room to grow and the plant capable of sustaining. A small, well- 
developed bloom, it must be remembered, is quite as beautiful as a 
monster, but it must be well filled, and the plant has a limit when 
the power of doing this degenerates into the production of masses of 
undeveloped florets, which by courtesy we term flowers. 
The feeding of Chrysanthemums during the summer and autumn is 
a point requiring judgment. It is bad policy to allow the foliage to 
yellow and decrease in size. At the same time it is unsafe to employ 
stimulating manures largely. The perfect way is that which watches the 
changes which appear. A slight application of sulphate of ammonia 
may do wonders in reviving the energies of an exhausted plant, but it 
is also to be remembered that an overdose of the same may completely 
ruin it. Slight surface dressings of a rich compost are very beneficial, 
and these in general are sufficient to keep the plant in a robust, healthy 
condition. Early in September is a period when such a dressing is gene¬ 
rally applied. Again about the middle of October or a little later another 
supply is afforded. 
When large bush-grown plants are first housed it may occur that the 
change from a cool moist atmosphere out of doors to a dry airy structure 
seriously affects the plants. This is, in fact, the time when foliage 
suffers so much, and when it either withers or mildews. The out-of- 
door course of treatment has, of course, an effect which predisposes the 
plant in its behaviour when placed indoors. But under the best treat¬ 
ment the plants cannot be expected to bear up unaffected by this 
change unless care is taken to lessen the difference. In some cases an 
extra supply of water may be all that is needed, but with houses on 
which the sun exerts a powerful effect it may be necessary and wise to 
shade the plants for a few days. Directly new roots are seen forming 
on the surface of the soil it may be hoped that the plants are safe, and 
the foliage under ordinary good treatment able to carry on the late sorts 
for many weeks. A little sulphate of ammonia is often of much 
benefit shortly after the plants have been placed inside.—B. P. 
Brotherston. 
Chrysanthemums on Walls. 
Knowing the value of well managed plants out of doors to give 
useful blooms when the bulk of the ordinary grown plants under glass 
are over, and having a spare wall with a southern aspect at disposal, I 
have annually rearranged the varieties with a view to thoroughly 
testing their capabilities for out of door growth. I find the old stools, 
or roots that have fiowered in pots for one year are preferable to plants 
that are raised from cuttings the same year, for the reason that they are 
better furnished with branches near the base. Where the wall is low it 
is possible to have it covered completely with foliage from the base to 
the summit, and over three parts of it with blossom in the autumn. 
This is obtained by a judicious selection of sections and varieties. For 
instance, the taller growing Japanese kinds, like Sunflower and Edwin 
Molyneux, cover the higher part of a wall 7 feet, the lower half 
being occupied with Japanese like M. Bernard and Val d’Andorre, with 
varieties of Pompons intermixed. 
I find the results depend on the methods of culture. For instance, 
where the plants are provided with good soil, of a reasonable depth and 
well attended to in the matter of water being supplied to the roots, 
especially during such a dry summer as that experienced last year, they 
produce excellent results. Contrast these well managed plants with 
those that are neglected, and it will quickly be seen that the latter 
methrd cannot be the means of encouraging any extension of this form 
of Chrysanthemum culture. Good culture induces robust growth of 
both leaf and branch, which means considerable multiplication of shoots 
and correspondingly more flowers. No matter how well any particular 
variety may succeed it is not wise to allow the same plants to remain too 
long without renewal. Some of my plants had until last year occupied 
the site for the last eight years, but they had sadly deteriorated in the 
quality and number of their flowers. Therefore in February of 1893; 
a new plantation was made, removing the old soil and replacing it with 
fresh compost, which was largely composed of roadside refuse, to which 
was freely added freshly gathered leaves. The hot dry weather of last 
summer necessitated a literal application of manure, which was largely 
minimised by ample mulchings of partly decayed manure, as owing to 
the full southern aspect the soil quickly became dry. I prefer to put 
out the old plants in February or March rather than directly they have 
finished flowering in pots. 
With a view of suggesting to others the pleasure, irrespective of the 
utility, derived from wall Chrysanthemums, I append a brief list of 
sorts that are suitable to this form of culture. Those belonging to the 
incurved section are the worst form of flowers to encourage, others 
having reflexed florets are the best; the natural imbrication of this 
section is one means of resisting damp. The drier the blooms can be 
kept the less damage frost will do them. It must be underntood that I 
am now dealing with plants receiving no protection at any time beyond 
what a wall affords. Mrs. Horril is a fine reflexed sport from the 
incurved George Glenny, having the characteristics of that variety in 
all respects except formation of flower. This is quite one of the best 
sorts to grow. The four varieties—golden, pink, peach, and white—of 
the Christine family are excellent, and so is Distinction and Emperor of 
China, both belonging to the reflexed type. Amongst Japanese one of 
the best is Edwin Molyneux ; one plant of this fills a space 4 feet in 
diameter, and has been smothered with blossoms. Sunflower is one of 
the best of rich yellows. Peter the Great provides a lighter tinted 
variety in that colour. Val d’Andorre gives us bronzy coloured blossoms. 
Source d’Or cannot be excelled in this respect, however ; and Amaranth 
is surpassed by M. Bernard. Etoile de Lyon gives the latest opening 
blossoms, much paler than generally seen on well grown plants under 
glass. 
Single flowered varieties I appreciate here as well as elsewhere ; they 
are so well adapted to this form of culture. Useful varieties include 
Mrs. Langtry, pink, small blooms, but deliciously perfumed ; Bessie 
Conway, white, purple stripes; Golden Star, rich golden yellow, and 
White Perfection, which gives us bunches of well formed flowers on 
