March 1,1888. ] 
JOUJixYAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
177 
entry fee of 10s. Gd. will be charged to societies not affiliated with the 
National. No entry fee to bo charged to affiliated societies. Third, 
Each society competing must be prepared to guarantee that, the blooms 
staged are cut from the collections of its members only. Fourth, That 
the forty-eight blooms may be the production of one or more growers 
at the option of the society competing. Fifth, No limit as to number 
of entries from each society, but no society will receive more than one 
prize. Sixth, The cash will be paid to the Treasurer of the society 
winning the award, to be equitably divided between the contributors.” 
The idea has been freely discussed and ciiticised, several difficulties 
having been pointed out, but the preponderance of opinion up to the 
present is in favour of the scheme. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM PRINCESS OF TECK. 
We are told “ there is nothing new under the sun,” and in all 
probability the subject which I wish to draw attention to, although it 
is new to me and Mr. Crossling, and to all those whom I have spoken 
to about it, it is perhaps well known to some of the readers of the 
Journal. 
When visiting Mr. Crossling’s Penarth Nursery the other day I was 
very much surprised to find a lot of wefl-grown plants of the above 
variety in one of the houses, fiowering as profusely as Chrysanthemums 
do in November. The plants were dwarf and well furnished with 
branches, which were covered with healthy leaves to the rims of the 
pots, and the flowers seemed fresher (though not quite so large) and 
whiter than they do in the autumn. The idea of prolonging the Chrys¬ 
anthemum season to February and March was new to me, and while 
admiring the healthy state of the plants, I felt anxious to know when 
they were propagated, and the treatment they had received to produce 
an abundance of fiowmr at this season, and asked Mr. Crossling. 
He informed me that the cuttings were inserted some fifteen 
months since, that the plants in question flowered at the usual 
time last autumn, and were cut dowm after fiowering at Christmas and 
placed in a cold frame for protection, as he wished to increase the stock. 
Shortly after being placed in the frame they began to grow and show 
signs of fiowering, when they were removed to a warm greenhouse. The 
plants were not shaken out of their pots and repotted in fresh soil, nor 
the points of the shoots stopped at any time, but they were liberally 
supplied with liquid manure to encourage them in making a sturdy 
growth. 
Mr. Crossling finds it a great acquisition to flower at this season 
when white flowers are scarce, and thinks he will have a succession of 
flowers of Princess of Teck till the end of March.—^A. Pettigeew, 
Cardiff, 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
( Continued from page 138.') 
SUMMER TREATMENT. 
Ip they can be placed singly in rows so much the better, but in any 
case set them so far apart that a person can pass about amongst them 
with ease without injury to the foliage, and also to facilitate the free 
circulation of air and exposure to the sun with a view to having the 
wood well ripened, which is most important for the production of good 
blooms. If the soil is moist when the plants are potted no water will 
be required for a day or two, after which they should have a good soak¬ 
ing. Great care must be exercised in giving water at this period, for too 
much causes them to become unhealthy, which retards them the whole 
season. During hot weather a gentle syringing two or three times a day, 
followed by a good dash with the hose pipe in the evening, is beneficial. 
In cold sunless weather this should be discontinued, or mildew will be 
encouraged. A light syringing occasionally with lime and soot water 
will assist in developing a dark healthy foliage. In addition to these 
items attend carefully to watering and staking as required, keep the 
stems free from side shoots and the base from suckers, to concentrate the 
strength in the main stems, at the apex of which will appear in due 
time a fiowe’^ bud known as the “crown bud,” in some varieties early in 
August, and in most cases before the month is out. In some varieties 
which require a longer period than the majority to develops, it is ad¬ 
visable to take the crown bud early in August, but in most cases, and 
especially in an early season, the crown bud should be rubbed off and 
the shoots reduced to one, which will in a short time nroduce the 
terminal bud, surrounded by a number of lesser buds, which may be 
rubbed off, taking the centre one for the bloom. 
An explanation of the term “ taking the bud ” may not be out of 
place here. It does not signify that the bud is taken off, but that the 
accompanying side shoots or buds are removed, leaving the bud which is 
“ taken ” for the production of the bloom. Generally speaking the 
best time to take the buds for this class is the last three weeks in August, 
commencing with the Japanese, which take the longest period to develope 
their buds ; this gives them time to ripen well before being housed. 
When taking the buds remove the superfluous shoots or buds with the 
thumb nail as soon as they can be handled without damaging the bud. 
BUSH PLANTS. 
Cuttings for bush plants should be struck in January and treated in 
the same manner as the others, potting as required until the plants 
are about 4 inches high, when they shoulil be topped, and in the case of 
stronger plants again, after' breaking into growth, when the shoots 
are from 4 to G inches high ; at the next break thin the shoots to the 
required number. About the month of August, after the plants make 
their natural break, select what shoots arc wanted and remove the rest. 
The number to leave must be regulated by the demand, whether for 
quantity or quality, and handsome specimens of these may be turned 
out by judicious training. When the buds appear in September, if the 
plants are required for decoration no disbudding is needed, but if larger 
flowers are desired they should be disbudded to the centre one on each 
shoot and all side shoots rubbed off. The plants throughout the season 
must be treated similarly to the others with regard to staking, watering, 
and tying. A very good method of producing a quantity of bloom with 
little trouble is to plant them out in good positions in the spring when 
all danger of frost is past. All the attention they require is an occa¬ 
sional waterinsr and mulching in dry weather; tie loosely to a single 
stake in the centre. These should be lifted when the buds are setting 
about the end of October or early in November according to locality. 
Pot firmly and stand them under a north wall for a week or more, during 
which time they must be thoroughly soaked at the roots and syringed 
two or three times a day. If properly treated in this manner they suffer 
little and produce abundant blooms, which may be thinned or not 
according to circumstances. 
CUTTING DOWN CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Cutting down Chrysanthemums has a tendency to keep them dwarf 
and cause them to start uniformly. Plants for this operation should be 
treated as previously advised for large-flowering varieties, but instead of 
topping train with a single stem. They should be cut down about the 
third week in May, a fortnight or three weeks before their final potting. 
Do not cut too deeply into the hard wood, or they will not break so 
freely. After breaking select the required number of shoots and treat 
as previously advised. The tops may be struck and flowered in G or 
7-inch pots with a single stem. 
Pomjnms .—Pompons are generally grown as bushes for decoration ; 
they should be struck at the same time and treated in a similar manner 
to bushes of the large-flowering varieties ; 8-inch pots for the majority 
of these will be large enough for the final potting. 
Single TAi’Afie.?.—The same remarks apply to single varieties, which 
arc also singularly well adapted to the production of small plants by 
striking the points of the shoots about the end of August and placing 
them singly into 4-inch pots. Other classes may be similarly treated 
in this respect, but these are most suitable for the purpose. 
Summer-Jiowering Varieties. —Since the introduction of summer- 
flowering varieties the season has been greatly prolonged. They are most 
useful for herbaceous beds and borders, and are not valuable as pot 
plants except in a late wet season, when they may with advantage be 
lifted and potted for the better development of their flowers. Strike 
cuttings in February, top once or twice, and plant out in May. 
Antnmii-flowering Varieties. —-Following closely u pon the last-named 
are the early autumn varieties, which arc always appreciated, blooming 
as they do when flowers are otherwise scarce. They may either be 
planted out and lifted when the buds are set or grown in pots ; in the 
latter case treat as recommended for bushes in pots. 
CHRYSANTHEMUM ENEMIES. 
Insects, Sj'c. —Green fly is the most persistent pest of the Chrysan¬ 
themum. Indoors either in spring or autumn this may be cured by 
fumigation or dipping the shoots affected into softsoap and water ; but 
during the summer dusting with tobacco powder and smart syringings 
occasionally will effect a cure. The same remarks apply to black fly and 
thrips. A leaf-mining maggot often appears during summer ; its where¬ 
abouts can easily be detected by the peculiar markings it causes on the 
leaves, which must be squeezed or cut out and destroyed. Another 
small maggot often infests the apex of the shoots about August; this 
must be persistently picked off. Earwigs have the credit of damaging 
the flower buds and young shoots ; it is doubtful if this is the case, but 
as they do damage to the open flowers they are better trapped, which 
may be effected by placing inverted pots with a little hay inside on the 
tops of the stakes. 
Mildew .—Mildew, which appears especially in damp weather, is the 
most troublesome pest to contend with. The best remedy where prac¬ 
ticable is dusting with flowers of sulphur ; failing this, mix the sulphur 
in the proportion of two handfuls to 4 gallons of water, and apply with 
the syringe, giving an occasional washing with the hose pipe in favour¬ 
able weather. 
MISCELLANEOUS DETAILS. 
i'ht'cfLiy.—Feeding should commence when the pots are fairly well 
filled with roots; it must not be overdone, or the result will be gross 
growth at the expense of the blooms. Many and various are the manures 
recommended, but I prefer commencing with soot water, to bs followed 
by guano or cow manure as the plants gain strength. Sulphate of 
ammonia, an excellent stimulant, requires to be very carefully used. In 
an ordinary way 2 ozs. to 4 gallons of water is sufficient, but as different 
examples vary so much in strength, it should be tested on a few plants 
before applying it generally. After the first week or two of feeding the 
stronger growing varieties must have some stimulant every time they 
are watered, commencing the application in a weak state, and increas¬ 
ing the strength until the maximum is reached ; this should be continued 
until the flowers are three parts developed. For weaker growing sorts 
the same remarks 'apply, but the stimulant must be given weaker and 
not so often. 
Tojy-dressing. —Top-dressing should be done when the roots appear 
on the surface ; a soil similar to that recommended for the final potting, 
firmly rammed, is as good as can be used. 
