December 2T, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
587 
should be potted by the end of the first week in June, for if it be 
driven later it interferes with the ripening of the wood. The next 
important point is the soil for potting. He used three parts 
good pasture loam and one part leaf mould, with burnt ashes and char¬ 
coal. He did not like to pot in too rich a mixture, but to feed the plants 
as they required it during the season. He claimed that the advantages 
gained by this system were that he had a full acquaintance with their 
requirements, and was not so liable to make mistakes by overfeeding. 
The next consideration was potting the plants firmly. The soil must be 
rammed well and made firm, leaving it just so that the water will pene¬ 
trate through. If not potted firm enough the wood will be unripe and 
unfit to build up the blooms, and imperfect blooms will be the result, as 
many have experienced this season. The next point of importance is 
watering. Some people imagine they cannot overwater the Chrysan¬ 
themum, but this is a great mistake. The Chrysanthemum requires 
plenty of water, but it should be given when needed. Great mistakes 
are made by letting the plants get dry, which causes checks in the growth, 
and blind flowers and disappointment often follow. With regard to 
the course to pursue in growing the plants for high-class blooms he 
believed in letting Nature take her own course with a few exceptions. 
He recommended striking the cuttings of early and late varieties at 
different times, believing that where time could be afforded it was a 
much superior plan to any other. How often did we hear it said, “ I am 
afraid my so-and-so is too late or too early.” He believed that, with cer¬ 
tain exceptions over which we had no control, the Chrysanthemum 
could be had in bloom at any reasonable date. 
The most important point of all is “ taking” the bud. This requires 
great care, judgment and skill in it can only be gained by experience. 
If the buds are not retained at the right time for each variety it is 
useless to expect flowers of first-class quality. It is not the particular 
date on which the bud should be taken, but the state of each individual 
plant must be considered and the peculiarities of each variety thoroughly 
understood before success could be achieved. Japanese late varieties 
require their buds to be taken early ; for instance, Boule d'Or, Meg 
Merrilies, Grandiflorum, Golden Dragon, and others about the middle of 
August. From his own observation and that of others he considered the 
best time to be generally from the 18th August to the 1st September, 
and if all other things were satisfactory he was sure success would 
follow. It was a mystery perhaps to some that when they took every 
care of a bud they found it did not swell and develope properly, and 
perhaps would not open. In his opinion this was caused by too strictly 
stopping the side growths, and thus, there being no course for the sap, 
the bud not being large enough to take it, a check to the plant follows, 
and the bud becomes useless. To remedy this evil he recommends that 
a growth or growths should be allowed to stay to take up the superfluous 
sap until the bud requires it. 
Ripe wood is of great importance, for without it no high-class 
blooms can be expected. By the time the Chrysanthemums are in bloom 
the wood should be quite hard and brown, and the leaves should have a 
bronzy appearance. He had not seen many plants of this sort this 
season. The next and last point of importance was feeding the plants. 
There were many different systems of feeding and many kinds of manure 
employed. On this part of the subject he would say little, but let 
everyone follow the particular method he considered best. He believed 
from his own experience and that of others that the Chrysanthemum 
required feeding as soon as the roots were round the final pots, com¬ 
mencing with weak liquid and working up by degrees until the flowers 
are three parts open. He had proved this to be the best method by 
treating plants differently side by side. 
Mr. H. Broomhead thought he had found out a good deal this 
season. He was strongly against feeding the Chrysanthemum before 
the buds could be seen. The Chrysanthemum was not such a gorman- 
diser as many people thought it was. He cautioned growers against 
putting their plants out too soon in May unless they had a very sheltered 
spot, because of the strong winds we had to contend with during that 
month. He preferred to put them out the first week in June. He also advo¬ 
cated getting them in early, and recommended all plants, whether early or 
late, to be housed by the 1st October. We were never safe from severe 
frosts after the beginning of October. With regard to setting the buds 
he thought it was not advisable to take every lateral away at first, but 
to do it by degrees, one or two now and then, and the grower would have 
better buds. He also recommended that weak varieties should be potted 
in smaller pots, leaving the soil rather looser ; also that a lighter mixture 
should be used, consisting of half leaf mould and half turf pulled to 
pieces with the hand, riddled, and a shovelful of soft coke, about the 
size of peas, obtained from manufactories, and added to the compost. 
This would effectually prevent the soil becoming waterlogged, and the 
roots seemed to like these ashes and to cling to them. He also recom¬ 
mended syringing the plants the first week after the final potting instead 
of watering. 
Mr. E. Holland said that a failure generally brings success. He 
had failed this year in growing the Chrysanthemum, but he had found 
out where he had failed. His first failure was in the final potting. He 
had made the soil too solid before putting in his plant, and the result 
was the water would not pass through, and the roots refused to enter it. 
He had proved this by turning out a plant, and found that the roots had 
not worked in the bottom soil at all. He had also made his soil too rich. 
He had used turf, leaf mould, oyster shells, soot, and Beeson’s manure. 
He found he had used too much soot, for when rain came the plants 
flagged and turned their tops down. He turned some out and repotted 
them, and they recovered. Mr. Holland asked the question whether in 
taking the bud and stripping off the laterals would it be better to com¬ 
mence at the bottom or the top of the shoot ? 
Mr. Broomhead replied that the top of the shoots should be first 
cleared, or you would lose the bud altogether if a crown bud. 
Mr. Holland said that with regard to feeding, if potted in fairly 
rich soil they would carry through with little or no feeding. He 
thought they required something in the soil to get them to form good 
buds. 
Mr. Farrow bore out what Mr. Holland said in regard to too rich 
a compost. He knew a grower who made the same mistake, but find¬ 
ing it out he shook out all his plants and repotted them, and finally 
took prizes. 
Mr. Broomhead said one of the most important things is top- 
dressing. About the beginning of August many roots near the surfaces 
of the soil get bare, and the sun injures them. A barrowful of good 
material should be in readiness, and any time when looking over the plants- 
a little can be sprinkled over the surface, and every watering will carry 
nourishment down and new roots will form and gradually work to the 
top, when they can be top-dressed like the others. He advocated for 
the top-dressings bone dust, leaf mould, and manure all rubbed together,, 
but being careful not to ram it. This top-dressing will carry the plants 
on until the buds show, and then give them a little light liquid,, 
clear and thin. He also recommended that in very hot weather the- 
pots should be shaded by boards. 
Mr. Collier considered that many mistakes were made by potting: 
in too rich a compost. It induced a gross growth which at first de¬ 
lighted us, but in the end showed us that the plants could not get pro¬ 
perly ripe. He was in favour of frequent top-dressings, as he; 
considered they were the life of the plant. He top-dressed many 
kinds of plants with advantage. He did not advocate very early 
striking of the cuttings, but when a start was made it should be 
followed up and all checks to the plants avoided. 
Mr. Holland asked whether the Japanese required larger pots- 
than the incurved 1 
Mr. Broomhead considered a 9-inch pot was large enough for 
any plant. He used 8-inch, 8£, and 9-inch pots, and none any larger. 
A vote of thanks was given to Mr. Farrow and all who took part, 
in the discussion, and this interesting meeting concluded.—E. D. S. 
ON OYER-SUPPLY OF GARDENERS. 
[By Mr. J. Barry. 
Read at a meeting of “ The Chiswick Gardeners’ Mutual 
Improvement Association.”] 
Gardening has been, and still is, undergoing great changes in this 
country. What will be its ultimate position? This would seem to be 
an important question well worthy of consideration. They, the 
11 younger members,” form part of that rising generation of gardeners, 
who in the fulness of time will succeed those who are now so worthily 
maintaining the supremacy of British horticulture. One word of advice 
here. They must, to be successful, march with the times. The subject 
of this paper may, for convenience sake, be grouped under two general 
headings—viz., Emigration and Selection. The latter term may at 
present seem somewhat ambiguous, its full purport will be seen later on. 
I take it that few will dispute the truth of this proposition—viz., that 
there are too many gardeners. One may also be reminded that while 
the market seems to be overstocked, really good gardeners are more in 
demand and more appreciated now than ever in the history of horticul¬ 
ture. The bane of present-day gardeners is their anxiety to be employed 
under glass—as has been well said, the horticulture, commercially con¬ 
sidered, of the future will be gardening in the fields. The present- 
demand is for all-round men, and a man who can grow anything, from 
Grapes and Tomatoes to Strawberries, Mushrooms, and Orchids, not 
forgetting Potatoes and Cabbages, hardy flowers, and trees and shrubs, 
is as sure as fate to succeed if he is sober and industrious. It is not 
my object to decry cultivation under glass—by this method we are 
enabled to enjoy at home the luxuriant and beautiful vegetation of the- 
tropics—but often all the beauty of English gardening is not in the 
indoor but in the outdoor arrangements. 
I think we must go back to some twenty or twenty-five years ago, 
a, time of prosperity by leaps and bounds, when gardeners were manu¬ 
factured, to understand aright the present times. In those days there- 
was plenty of money spent, and consequently there were foremen and 
journeymen in quantity in various gardens. As times began to get 
bad foremen were dispensed with, then fewer journeymen were kept. 
Then, perhaps, a cheaper head gardener was wanted, and many a, 
Eoreman has taken a head place at considerably less wages than the head 
mrdener who was leaving had been receiving. I know of good head 
hardeners who have been out of place for three or more years, and yet 
they have testimonials which should carry them anywhere. 1 he struggle 
for bread and cheese induces some men to take situations at any wages, 
and the desire to save a few pounds a year induces employers to offer 
low wao-es, and they find they can get a man, calling himself a gardener, 
on their own terms. Whether he really is a gardener or not it takes- 
time to find out, and meanwhile the saving a little on his wages is the 
consolation to the employer. The wage question is, I know, a very 
lore one, and I will only allude to it briefly. Underpaying head 
j-ardeners is a bad policy. The feeling entertained by a good man ill 
oaid is a desire to leave the service, and an intention to do so the first 
opportunity that offers. Compare the wages of a groom or a butler 
with the wages of some gardeners, and you have the best possible comment 
; hat could be offered on the question, but so long as the supply is 
