264 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 20, l&M. 
with energy displayed. Conferences only mystify would-be cultivators. 
Well may the public look askance at savants not agreed, and when 
doctors differ who will step into the breach ? Here is a chance for the 
Royal Horticultural Society to rega : n its prestige and earn the ever¬ 
lasting gratitude of the country. 
I have been led into this discussion by reading the reports of the 
Fruit Conference in the newspapers. To find a statesman cudgelling 
farmers and labourers—born tillers of the soil—into seeing something in 
fruit and vegetable growing that will assist them to stem the current of 
depression is most suggestive—of what 1 Well, what you like. I know 
it is only by the efforts of individuals that good can come, and so far as 
I can see it never came but in one way—viz., in cultivating the soil so as 
to produce a maximum of useful products with as little outlay as is 
practicable.— Utilitarian. 
Cultivators of plants for the production of large blooms will now 
he busy “taking” the buds as fast as they form. This phase of the 
culture of Chrysanthemums for the purpose named is perhaps the most 
important of the details required in producing the best results. No 
person can go far wrong if he retains all the flower buds now showing, 
removing the growth shoots as soon as they can be handled, because to 
allow the growths to extend, taking out the bud instead, then waiting 
for the last bud which will form at the extreme point of the shoot, 
would not result in success, if I except perhaps one or two cases of 
incurved varieties—notably the Queen family in the extreme south of 
England. To have good blooms of the Japanese varieties the buds as 
showing now must be retained. The best time of the day to remove the 
growths is early in the morning, when the dew is on the leaves and 
shoots, renderins the growth more succulent and easier to take off than 
it is in the middle of the day, when the leaves are dry and the shoots 
soft, as they are with the sun shining. There is a danger at that time 
to injure the flower buds. The best way to proceed is to hold the stem 
near the top securely in the left hand, and with the rRht give the 
lateral shoots which spring from just below the bud a sharp bend in a 
downward direction, when they easily snap off. If a suspicion exists 
that the hud has been damaged one growth should be allow r ed to remain 
near the point of the branch for a few days, as the bud, if at all dis¬ 
figured, cannot possibly develope into a perfect bloom. If it is thought 
best to remove the bud and allow the shoot to grow it will produce a 
bloom even if a small one. By the removal of all lateral growths at 
each node which burst out during the temporary check given to the 
plant by the formation of a flower bud the whole energy of the plant is 
concentrated to the flower bud at the point of each branch. Three 
blooms to each plant is the orthodox number allowed. Much better it 
is to have this number of good quality than to attempt more and have 
them small. When the exhibition table is reached this will be found to 
be good advice. 
SECURING THE BRANCHE3. 
The branches as they extend should he securely tied to their supports- 
Neglect of this detail at this season is often attended with serious 
results, such as the breaking of the shoots just below the buds, which 
are at that particular point very soft, and in most varieties they are liable 
to bend ; added to this the weight of water lodging among the leaves 
during showery weather often cause the points to snap off. Birds 
seem to be very fond of alighting on these points, which if at all bent 
by their own weight are almost sure then to break. The shoots grow so 
fast at this stage that almost daily attention is necessary to keep the 
ligatures in proper order. If the stakes are rough through the bark 
being upon them or knotty the ties do not slip up as growth proceeds, 
consequently the shoots buckle and in time snap off. This often happens 
with the good or scarce varieties. Generally the plants this year are 
not so tall as in some past seasons, owing possibly to the sunless cold 
spring. The plants in consequence did not make that free growth from 
the time they were rooted as is their wont under more favourable 
weather. 
WOOD RIPENING. 
The wet sunless summer has been all against ripening the wood as 
growth progressed. This must have been much felt by those persons 
residing in the northern counties of England or in low-lying flat dis¬ 
tricts. Those on breezy hills are certainly favoured this year in this 
respect. I should not be surprised to see many large loose blooms this 
season from unripened plants. Soft sappy stems cannot produce flowers 
of the same depth and firmness as plants do which are grown throughout 
the season under more favourable conditions. The stems require solidi¬ 
fying as growth proceeds. No artificial treatment can make up for an 
insufficiency of solar rays. Particularly is this felt in the incurved 
section. To make the most of favourable weather the branches should 
be trained as thinly as possible for gaining the desired end properly 
ripened wcod. 
WATERING AND STIMULANTS. 
Watering the plants has been an anxious operation this season. 
During such showery w'eather as that experienced, applying water to the 
roots when required has been difficult to perform. For days together 
the plants received more rain than was good for them, causing in some 
instances a loss of the lower foliage. After a spell of wet weather it is wise 
to allow the plants to approach dryness somewhat before applying 
water to the roots as a counteraction to the soddened state of the soil 
in the pots. Care should be exercised in the use of stimulants in such 
weather as has prevailed for fear of rendering the branches gross in 
character. Until the buds are freely swelling it will not be wise to 
give the plants much aid beyond a little soot water for keeping the foliage 
of a good colour. After the buds are freely swelling stimulants may 
be given, varying the kind as often as circumstances will allow. Liquid 
manure made from sheep or cow manure is efficacious. The soakage 
from the manure heap, too, is good. The various kinds of artificial 
manures recommended are no doubt all good if the directions accom¬ 
panying each are faithfully carried out, but where such is not the case 
it is useless to blame the manures. 
INSECT ENEMIES. 
Insect pests are numerous this season. The palm in this direction 
must be given to the earwigs. I never saw them so numerous, it not being 
an uncommon occurrence to find thirty and forty inside of a 2j-inch 
pot containing a small portion of moss, this being a good trap for them. 
Stems of Broad Beans cut into lengths and placed among the leaves are 
also useful. The chief damage earwigs do to the plants is injuring the 
buds while in a young state ; if these are disfigured then it is useless to 
expect perfect blooms, as any injury done to the young bud is certain 
to develope later on. Caterpillars upon the leaves are also troublesome 
this season. Nothing but searching at night and handpicking will clear 
the plants of these. 
MILDEW. 
Mildew is now very conspicuous on the leaves of some varieties. Fre¬ 
quent dustings with sulphur—that of a brown colour is best—on the 
affected parts will keep this in check if taken in time, otherwise more 
severe measures must be had resort to, such as syringing the plants 
thoroughly with a liquid peparation made in the following manner 
Place 2 lbs. of sulphur and 2 lbs. of lime, which has not been slaked, in 
ten quarts of water, and boil for twenty minutes. For syringing on the 
plants use two wineglassfuls of the mixture to four gallons of clean cold 
water. A thorough drenching of the foliage should be given, using the 
jet, which causes a single stream to be poured on the plants. By placing 
the forefinger of the left hand over the orifice the liquid can be directed 
at will during the operation. 
DECORATIVE PLANT!. 
Bush plants of single. Pompon, and Anemone Pompon varieties 
grown for the use of the conservatory to flower in masses will need 
strict attention now for keeping their foliage in good condition, this 
very much enhancing their appearance as decorative plants. It often 
happens that these plants are grown in small pots for the sake of con¬ 
venience as to space. Capital objects may be had in 7-inch and 8-inch 
pots if the necessary attention be given the plants. The principal part ho 
be considered is timely attention in applying water to the roots. Alternate 
applications of liquid manure may be given to the plants now. If larger 
blooms he wished for, only the buds now forming at the points of the 
branches should be retained, removing the others. A few points on each 
plant will suffice to secure larger blooms of these sections, while the 
remaining branches may he allowed to flower profusely. Sceur Melanie 
is one of the best sorts to grow for a profusion of pure white flowers. 
As an edging to a group in the conservatory or elsewhere this variety 
is capital, as it generally carries more foliage than most sorts.— 
E. Molyneux. 
THE ROMANCE OF SEED-SOWING. 
(Concluded from page 217 .) 
Besides these four methods of dispersion, previously referred to, 
there is one other occurring in a few cases and deserving of notice. 
I refer to movements of the plant itself— i.e., of some portion of it. 
Dandelion, after lying horizontally among the grass while ripening 
its seed, rises to an erect posture, thus enabling the wind to act on the 
parachute-like pappus surmounting the fruit. On the other hand, marry 
plants by their movements provide not for dispersion of seeds by wind, 
but for burial of them in the soil. The small white Subterranean 
Clover (Trifolium subterraneum) of our commons and downs is a good 
example. Here, instead of the large number of florets seen in a head 
of purple Clover and others, only about three of the bunch become well- 
developed florets with pods ; the rest remain abortive in a sense— i.e., 
they are developed into a number of short fibres, each having four or 
five divisions like the fingers of a hand, but of course very minute. 
These palmate fibres together form a small green knob in the centre 
of the flower head. The whole plant lies close to the ground, except 
that at blossoming time the three florets stand erect to secure fertilisa¬ 
tion by the bees. This accomplished the stem lengthens and turns 
