544 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 17, 1885. 
It is curious also to note tlie pre-eminence of the Picotee over 
the Carnation at one time, and anon that the flaked varieties of 
the Carnation were most esteemed. One would infer from Miller 
that Picotees were most in favour with the early florists, and 
that in Miller’s time the flaked Carnations were preferred. 
A hundred years ago flaked and bizarred Carnations were of 
nearly as good quality as they are now, but the Picotee did not 
ossess the same excellence. It has been greatly improved 
uring recent years, however. The bright golden yellow Picotee 
would have been a joy for ever, but it has been lost. If any 
grower of Picotees has the means of referring to Hogg’s 
Treatise on the Carnation, sixth edition, page 58, there is a 
coloured plate of a fringed and not well-formed yellow Picotee. 
It has few good qualities to recommend it from the point of view 
of a modern Picotee fancier; but all will admire its rich orange 
yellow colour. Many varieties of this type were cultivated in 
England long before Hogg cultivated them so successfully in his 
garden at Paddington. He names as many as fifty varieties, all 
of which are lost to our gardens We are told that the Empress 
Josephine cultivated an admirable collection of yellow Picotees 
in the gardens at Malmaison, also that the late Queen Char¬ 
lotte and the Princesses a few years ago had a superb collection 
of yellow Picotees at Frogmore, which were the delight of all 
who saw them. The above remarks may be useful information 
to those who have an idea that the Carnation is quite a modern 
flower. Of course, one cannot judge any plant or flower either 
by its past or present popularity. The Carnation and Picotee 
must stand or fall on their own merits, although it is well not 
to exclude any degree of sentiment that may be attached to them. 
At the present time there are many good varieties in all the 
sections easily to be obtained, and by ordinary care their culture 
presents no great difficulty. A very grave mistake which some 
persons make is the attempting to grow too many varieties. 
Exhibitors are more likely to suffer from this than those who 
merely grow them for cutting or garden decoration. 
It is better not to grow more than about six varieties in each 
class or section Thus, if we begin with the scarlet bizarres the 
best six are Admiral Curzon, Arthur Medhurst, George, Mars, 
Raynor Johnson, Robert Lord. Of crimson bizarres Harrison 
Weir, H. K. Mayor, John Simonite, Master Fred, Rifleman, and 
Shirley Hibberd. Pink and purple bizarres, Mrs. Barlow, Sarah 
Payne, Squire Llewelyn, Squire Penson, William Skirving, T. S. 
Ware. Purple flakes, Earl Stamford, Florence Nightingale, 
James Douglas, Mayor of Nottingham, Squire Whitbourn, and 
Squire Meynell. Scarlet flakes, Figaro, Henry Canned, John 
Ball, Matador, Sportsman, Superb. Rose flakes, James Merry- 
weather, Jessica, John Keet, Rob Roy, Sybil, and Tim Bobbin. 
Picotees, Red-edged—Brunette, Clara, Dr. Epps, Emily, J. B. 
Bryant, John Smith, W. Bower, Princess of Wales, Mrs. Gorton, 
Thomas William, Violet, M. Douglas, William Summers. 
Purple-edged—Alliance, Baroness B. Coutts, Clara Penson, Her 
Majesty, Jessie, Mary, Mrs. A. Chancellor, Mrs. Summers, 
Muriel, Picco, Rev. J. B. M. Camm, and Zerlina. Rose and 
scarlet edged—Constance Heron, Empress Eugenie, Fanny 
Helen, Favourite, Miss Homer, Miss Lee, Mrs Payne, Mrs. 
Webb, Mrs. Rudd, Royal Visit, Evelyn, and Mrs. Nicol. 
Yellow ground Picotees—Alice, Eleanor, Flavius, Lightning, 
Princess Beatrice, Princess Marguerite, Prince of Orange, Ne 
Plus Ultra, Mrs. Colman. 
The cultural remarks are simple and easily summed up. The 
staple should be good turfy yellow loam, but I know it is almost 
as easy for some people to get gold dust as good yellow loam. 
To those who cannot obtain it, get as good garden mould as 
possible, add to it a fourth or fifth part of decayed manure, some 
leaf mould, and sand; in case leaf mould is not obtainable, peat 
will do. Anyone having sufficient knowledge of potting can tell 
by the feel of the compost whether it is light enough for the 
roots to run readily through it. I like to get all the plants potted 
in October, a pair of plants into a large 60, or one plant into 
a small 60. The plants do not take long to root into the fresh 
potting soil, and when they are fairly rooted abundant supplies 
of air ought to be admitted. The lights of the frames ought to 
be entirely removed in fine weather; when it rains they ought 
to be tilted. I have grown Carnations and Picotees for many 
years, but have never had any plants suffer from spot, or that 
swelling of the stems near the surface of the soil which has 
been denominated gout. Green fly is troublesome, but can 
readily be destroyed by dusting with tobacco powder or fumi¬ 
gating with tobacco.—J. Douglas. 
FREE-FRUITING GRAPES. 
Lately some inquiries have been made about these, and I am not 
surprised at it, as it is quite natural that amateurs with limited knowledge 
of Grape-growing should wish to secure as good a return as possible. 
Some may say all the best-flavoured Grapes are the most difficult to 
cultivate, and this may be so, as the whole of the Muscats are not easily 
managed successfully; but there are others by no means bad Grapes, and 
it is more satisfactory to grow them and have them in good condition than 
attempt the choicer sorts and only get fruit of a third-class character. 
Muscat of Alexandria, although not a shy Grape in producing bunches, is 
very shy in forming berries, and it may frequently be seen bearing 
bunches which are mere skeletons. Cannon Hall Muscat is worse still in 
this respect. Muscat Hamburgh is also deficient, and Madresfield Court 
loses so many of its berries before they gain proper maturity, that 
allowing it to be a good one to form bunches, it is certainly far from 
furnishing perfect bunches at cutting time. Gros Guillaume is very shy 
to produce bunches, and should never be grown unless there are practical 
hands to attend to it. Gros Colman produces bunches very freely. 
Duchess of Buccleucb, a small white Grape of exquisite flavour, is one of 
the best of all to produce bunches. I have counted as many as five on 
one side shoot. The flavour of this Grape is as good as the finest Muscat, 
and I am surprised it is not more grown by amateurs. Black Hamburgh 
is a capital variety to produce bunches, and the Black Alicante is better 
still. Trebbiano bunches more freely than Syrian. The Duke of Buccleuch 
is not a very free-bunching variety, neither is Golden Champion, as both 
may often be seen in the best of vineries with a few bunches on one spot 
and no more for a considerable distance. I know of an amateur who 
planted a rod of the Duke four years ago, and as yet he has not seen 
it produce a bunch. Some may say this must be the fault of the 
•cultivator, and I say so too, but it only goes to prove my words that 
amateurs had better be contented with free-fruiting Grapes of average 
merit than trouble with shy growers and the highest class ones when there 
is little chance of growing them so as to fully develope their good qualities. 
—A Kitchen Gardener. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
PREPARING PLANTS POR CUTTINGS. 
Having "been requested to detail my experience in cultivating 
these increasingly popular flowers it will be well to begin at the 
beginning, and this is the treatment of plants after blooming for 
affording the best cuttings for propagation. I regard a favourable 
start as being necessary to a successful finish. The foundation 
must be thoroughly laid to insure that success which all should 
strive to attain who engage in the cultivation of this flower. „ 
When the plants have done blooming cut those varieties that 
are plentiful producers of cuttings down to within a few inches of 
the soil, but do not cut shy-growing, new, or scarce varieties lower 
than 2 feet above the soil, as more opportunity is then afforded for 
the plant to break and produce cuttings, although they are not so 
good in quality as those pushing from the soil or close to it, for the 
reason that those growiug out of the hard stem are much more 
likely to show flower buds prematurely—often, indeed, as soon as 
the young plants commence growing. This should be avoided as 
much as possible. Still, where the variety is scarce, it sometimes 
happens that we must have these cuttings or none at all. 
Place the pots containing the old roots or stools in any cool 
house as close to the glass as possible, to prevent the growths 
becoming drawn and consequently weak. No situation is better 
for them than a vinery or Peach house at rest where plenty of 
light can be had consequent on the foliage of the Vines or Peaches 
having fallen. Some growers place them in cold frames, which 
auswers very well, except in the event of very hard frost ; in that 
case the plants require protection, or the young growths will be 
injured if not spoilt, as they are very tender at this stage by reason 
of their having been growing a long way from the glass prior to 
cutting down. 
Some Varieties will throw up cuttings so freely as to become 
weakened by being crowded. When this is likely to occur thin out 
the weakest shoots in good time to give space to the stronger. 
In the case of any varieties not promising to afford a sufficient 
number of cuttings, loosen the surface soil, and if the roots are 
bare through the continual drenchings of water given previous to 
the plants blooming, cover the roots with light gritty soil composed 
principally of leaf mould and sand. Examine the drainage to 
make sure the plants are not waterlogged, and give occasional 
waterings with weak liquid manure, which will tend to strengthen 
the growths. Too much water applied to the roots will induce a 
yellow sickly growth, which must be avoided. It sometimes 
happens that some plants will refuse to start at all without special 
treatment. After correcting any defect in the drainage place such 
plants in gentle bottom heat, and syringe the stems occasionally. 
This is the only way I know of to force stubborn plants into 
growth. Those starting freely will not require any heat, but 
merely protection from frost, with plenty of air on all favourable 
occasions. Green fly occasionally attacks the points of the young 
shoots, and can easily be got rid of by fumigating with tobacco. 
There are other systems adopted by growers to produce cuttings 
in quantity, which I will endeavour to explain as clearly as I can. 
