JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 3,1591. 
198 
cannot wait on posterity, anl someone, a quarter of a century 
lienee, may have the patience to disinter from Reichenbach’s 
herbarium, if it is thought worth while, any names which have 
’the prescription of priority. If even so astute and experienced a 
(botanist as Sir Joseph Hooker found himself unable to penetrate 
ifche mystery which surrounds many of Reichenbach’s names and 
■descriptions, it seems scarcely worth while attempting to rescue 
rtbem from the oblivion into which for the present they must fall. 
MARGUERITES ALL THE YEAR ROUND. 
If I were asked to name which I considered the most useful of 
■all plants grown in pots for decorative purposes I should un¬ 
hesitatingly say Chrysanthemum frutescens ; and although I am 
(prepared to hear that many will not agree with me, I think I can 
ishow that the white Marguerite has at least great claims to that 
distinction when all its good qualities are fairly considered. 
Because it happens to be a somewhat common and easily grown 
plant its merits are frequently overlooked. Doubtless it reached 
the height of its popularity a few years ago when the aesthetic 
craze was at its height. The ever-changing fashion in flowers 
brings many plants to the front in turn which have slumbered in 
obscurity, and after the rage is over they gradually settle down to 
the position to which their merits entitle them. 
Marguerites have now won for themselves a prominent position 
with all who have much experience in decorative work. Although 
•comparatively easily grown they are not as a rule cultivated so 
well as they should be. Market growers find that there is an 
•enormous demand for them at good prices. Not long ago an old 
friend who is growing a quantity for market, wrote to ask my 
epinion as to the best way to manage the plants in order to pro¬ 
duce good flowering examples during the spring months, as he 
knew I took great interest in them, and had at various times grown 
fhem largely in a great variety of ways, and in sizes ranging from 
useful decorative plants in 4, 5, and 6-inch pots up to gigantic 
specimens 6 feet in diameter. 
Propagation is easily performed at any time of the year, and 
should be constantly going on, as in this way an unbroken succes¬ 
sion of flowers may be kept up throughout the year ; and these 
charming plants are useful alike for supplying cut flowers and for 
decorative purposes. A good batch of cuttings should be put in at 
the present time, which will supply flowering plants in pots from 
4 to 6 inches in diameter during April and May next. We dibble 
the cuttings into boxes and place them in close frames or handlights 
at all times, and by preventing the leaves from flagging by 
shading and sprinkling we find they root very quickly, and 
grow freely. Good leaf soil and loam in equal proportions with 
sand added form our favourite compost for cuttings, but where 
sweet and good leaf soil cannot be obtained substitute peat or 
cocoa-nut fibre refuse. In addition to the cuttings that are put in 
now, another batch should be inserted at the end of October, and 
another in January, a regular succession being put in every month 
from that time onward throughout the spring and summer months. 
Spring-struck cuttings make planfs quite large enough for bedding 
(purposes. Our own, which were struck at that season, are now a 
mass of flowers. Plants rooted in June are now well set with 
flower buds at the point of every shoot. These will give a good 
.supply of flowers in October and November, and others just potted 
off will succeed them. In selecting cuttings choose short jointed, 
sturdy shoots, as although any part of the stem will grow these 
.make the best plants. 
As soon as the plants begin to grow take out the point of each, 
•and when young shoots begin to appear place them in 3 and 4-inch 
spots. We flower a limited number in the latter size, and as from 
the first stopping they generally produce three or four shoots they 
are not again stopped, but any odd flowers which appear are 
removed till the shoots become strong, then they flower profusely. 
Those which are transferred to 5-inch pots are stopped once more, 
(while those which go into 6 or 7-inch ones receive an additional 
stopping or two, according to their strength and the number of 
shoots they hav 1 -. A cut-tack plant is much more productive for 
anything large than the last-named size. At each potting the soil 
•should be rammed thoroughly firm to produce sturdy roots, and to 
store as much food as possible into a small space. Like all other 
'Chrysanthemums the Mirguerite is a gross feeder, and is also very 
partial to soot. After trying many composts we find the following 
gives the best results : — Two parts loam, one leaf soil, one fresh 
laorse droppings, and a 6-inch pot of soot added to each barrowful. 
In order to produce large plants the largest of them when they 
have done flowering in May should be cut back to two or three 
•eyes. As soon as they begin to grow again knock them out of the 
£ots, remove part of the old ball, cut the roots with a sharp knife ; 
see that they are thoroughly moist, and plant in moderately rich 
soil in an open position out of doors, where, if they they are well 
attended to in watering should the weather be dry, they will 
quickly grow into fine heads. About the second week of September 
put them into suitable size pots, and place them under a north wall, 
or in some other shady position, and syringe once or twice a day if 
bright weather prevails. As soon as danger from frost threatens 
place the plants under glass. A vinery cleared of fruit or an 
ordinary greenhouse will be suitable. Should bright weather 
follow they will still require to be syringed in the middle of the 
day. 
As soon as an opportunity presents itself after the plants are 
housed they should be tied out, as that is the time to lay the 
foundation of a fine plant. Commence by placing a wire under 
the rim of the pot, and with strong green thread bring the lower 
branches down so that they rest on the rim of the pot, or as near to 
that point as possible without running any risk of breaking the 
shoots. After the lower part of the plant has been dealt with 
fasten many of the other shoots to neat stakes, so as to have them 
evenly distributed over the whole surface, the centre of the plant 
being full and rounded, and each shoot standing quite clear of its 
neighbours. Stakes will not be required for every shoot, but if 
they are arranged at regular intervals the shoots in the spaces 
between can be kept in position by being fastened to the tying 
material carried from stick to stick. As this tying goes on all 
strong shoots should be stopped, and by the end of October the 
shoots which are the strongest then will require stopping, and any 
flower buds that are showing should be removed. From that time 
till Christmas remove any odd flower buds which appear. After 
then let both flowers and shoots remain, and by the middle of May 
they should be a mass of fresh white starry flowers, which will 
assuredly receive a full share of admiration. 
If very large plants are wanted quickly the shoots may be left 
from 5 to 9 inches in length at the next pruning, and if any blank 
spaces occur even longer to get the plant into good form. Where 
there is no particular desire to secure large specimens quickly 
prune to three or four eyes, plant out, and treat as above described. 
Plants that have been used for summer bedding may also be lifted 
and grown for pot specimens. If room can be spared it is a capital 
plan to lift a good number of plants from the beds before the frost 
has injured them, as these supply a quantity of flowers during the 
autumn months, and if they are then cut back they supply fine 
cuttings in the spring, after which the old plants can be thrown 
away. 
The only insects that are really destructive to Marguerites are 
the larvae of the Celery fly (Tephritis onopordinis), and these often 
work sad havoc amongst them. I believe the only real remedy is 
to pick off all the leaves infested as soon as the attack is noticed 
and burn them. This plan should be followed up as long as any 
trace of the pest is visible. The plants should also be syringed 
with water in which quassia chips have been steeped. This renders 
the leaves bitter and distasteful to the fly, which first bores the 
leaves and then lays the eggs. When plants become very badly 
infested before remedial measures are taken it is better to burn 
them and start with a clean stock. It is generally supposed that 
when these insects abound in any district any Marguerites growing 
near are bound to become a prey to their destructive attacks. With 
this I do not agree, as I have frequently noticed that it is the 
conditions under which plants are often grown which predispose 
them to such attacks. Surround them with conditions congenial 
to their requirements, give them liberal treatment, and there need 
be no dread of the pest which sometimes proves so destructive. 
A dry atmosphere, or continued dryness at the root, will quickly 
bring the plants into such a debilitated state as to render them unable 
to resist the attacks of the leaf borer. I have seen fine healthy 
plants lifted in September, which were not given the requisite 
amount of shade and syringing, badly attacked a week after they 
were lifted. Other plants which were carried safely through that 
period by good attention sometimes fall a prey to the attacks of the 
same enemy shortly after they are housed, the great change from 
the cool dewy nights and the shady position they occupied in the 
open air to the dry atmosphere of a vinery during bright days, 
such as often follow frosty nights in October, undoubtedly bringing 
about, in my opinion, such an undesirable result. Prevention 
could have been effected by thoroughly syringing the plants during 
the middle of the day, and in some cases shading as well. These 
are all useful lessons learnt by observation. 
Marguerites, being gross feeders, require plenty of water and 
a regular system of feeding when the pots are crammed with roots, 
indeed they require far more water at the roots than the show 
types of Chrysanthemums, and quite as much feeding. Soot water 
given two or three times weekly keeps the foliage good in colour. 
Weak manure water made from the drainings of stables should be 
given once a day if the p^nts require watering so often, and an 
occasional dressing of the artificial manures regularly advertised 
