December 15, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
519 
of the Journal, which supplies a want in this direction. Its dwarf 
sturdy habit and stiff flower stems, added to the rich colour and power- 
ful fragrance of its blooms, make it a most desirable bedding variety 
while the quiet tone of its strong grey-green tufts is pleasing even in 
the depth of winter. 
The great saving of labour in making use of a plant of this character 
where large masses of colour are required during the autumn months is 
obvious. I hough it is a mistake to suppose that Carnations can be left 
alone year after year to take care of themselves with good effect, yet 
they are hardy, need no coddling whatever, and the second year after 
planting gives the most satisfactory results. The only trouble required 
is layering a sufficient number every autumn to keep up the stock, and 
it is very doubtful whether any other plant will give so great a return 
of pleasure for the small amount of culture it requires as this Carnation 
Already a break into another and distinct shade of colour is foreseen, and 
it is therefore hoped that Paul Engleheart will be the forerunner of a 
who devotes special attention to Chrysanthemums, and his able assistant, 
are to be congratulated on the success of this “ home Exhibition.” 
EARLY VERSUS LATE VINE PRUNING. 
We were told last week to prune our Vines “ directly the leaves are 
fallen, the reason given being that “ the greater extent of young wood 
keeps the sap more or less in circulation, and causes a certain amount 
ot waste which cannot take place when the Vines are pruned.” Now I 
have an idea that the motion of the sap, which does take place after the 
leaves are down is downward to the roots, and is therefore not wasted. 
In proof of this 1 have seen the pieces cut from the leaders of younc 
Vines directly the leaves had fallen bleed very much at their base, 
whde the corresponding parts where they had been cut from did not 
bleed. There is, I should think, a considerable amount of sap in the 
young wood of a Vine even after the last leaf has fallen ; and what I 
Fio. 62.—CHRYSANTHEMUMS AT CHILWELL. 
sturdy race, which will still furth r extend the usefulness of this de¬ 
lightful hardy flower.—C ultivator. 
MESSRS. PEARSON’S CHRYSANTHEMUM HOUSE AT 
CHILWELL. 
In a report of the Chrysanthemums at Chilwell that appeared in 
this Journal a few weeks ago, the magnitude of the collection was referred 
to and its effectiveness pointed out. The engraving, from a photograph, 
will show that too much was not said in favour of this great display, 
that has been admired by thousands of visitors during the° past month. 
The plants were grown for the purpose of grouping, a considerable 
number being disbudded for perfecting a limited number of fine blooms, 
while all the buds produced by others were allowed to expand for pro¬ 
ducing a mass of flowers of differing size, and suitable when cut for 
various decorative purposes. A central group was formed down the 
centre of 100 feet long house, with a path surrounding it, the width of 
the structure, 30 feet, enabling side banks to be also formed. The 
plants were well grown and judiciously arranged. A visitor, who has 
seen many public and private exhibitions, describes the effect as 
magnificent. Leaving the imagination to fill in the colours it will 
perhaps be conceded he was not far wrong. Mr. Charles E. Pearson, 
would like to know is, whether it is better for the health of the Vine to 
cut the wood with the sap in it, or to wait a fortnight or three weeks 
(keeping them under conditions favourable to rest) before pruning. I 
know that we are continually told to “ prune directly the leaves have 
all fallen in order to ensure complete rest.” Still my bold ignorance 
gives me courage to ask the question, and I hope some of your esteemed 
correspondents will oblige.—T. C. 
| The author of the advice referred to comments on this letter as 
follows :—“ There is no such thing as live wood without sap. If the 
wood becomes dried to the extent of depriving it of all moisture it is 
practically dead. After the leaves fall the wood contains no more sap 
than at any other time during the period of rest with the soil in a moist 
state and the atmosphere favourable to the flow of the sap, and the sap 
then in the shoots, assuming them to be pruned, is no loss whatever to 
the Vines. If the weather be warm when the leaves fall it may not be 
injudicious to defer the pruning until it becomes cooler and less favour¬ 
able to the flow of the sap, but there is nothing so dangerous as delay, 
and nothing so likely to cause waste of the vital forces of the Vines as 
allowing them to long remain unpruned, and evaporate from parts which 
are no benefit and must ultimately be removed. A fortnight or three 
weeks’ rest after the leaves fall cannot be described as injudicious, and 
expresses nearly what was intended. The object was to enforce the ad- 
