581 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDERER. 
[ December 31, 1885. 
Heath, will commence in January. It is designed “to occupy a position 
not yet filled,” and will be “ a pictorial review of knowledge of all kinds, 
comprehending amusements, art, domestic economy, inventions, literature, 
and science.” The publishers will be Messrs. Wells Gardner, Darton 
and Co. 
- An American writer wishes that “ the name Chrysanthemum 
could be shortened, as it causes some trouble to those who are not 
familiar with botanical names. We hear them called Cassanthiums, 
Chrysantheums, as well as Chrysantumbums, Chrysants, and Chryschian- 
thems.” To these might be added a daring abbreviation in common use 
amongst English growers—namely, “ the Mums. ’ 
- We have received a copy of Sutton’s Pocket Garden 
Calendar for 1886, a neat little production, giving with the ordinary 
calendarial matter, condensed instructions in garden operations for each 
month. 
- The Journal des Roses for Doeember gives a coloured plate of 
the Hybrid Perpetual Rose, Gloire de Rouchet, which is said to have 
been raised at Bouchet, the residence of M. Maxime de la Rocheterie, the 
President of the Orleans Horticultural Society. It appears that the gar¬ 
dener, M. Pignard, sowed a number of seeds selected from the best 
varieties, and amongst the resulting progeny the variety named was almost 
the only one which attracted much attention. It was subsequently tried 
by M. Scipion Cochet at Suisnes, where it proved quite satisfactory. In 
colour it is described as approaching Margottin’s Marechal Forey, and in 
general characters as resembling Gonod’s Madame de Moreau, but with 
larger flowers and of a more lively colour, a bright reddish scarlet. 
TRAINED SPECIMEN CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
On page 546 Mr. Iggulden says he should not be grieved if these were 
altogether excluded from shows, and that he believes many share in his 
opinion. I am inclined to think that he is only one in a thousand. 
I say, as before, that a flower show is nothing without good specimens, 
whether they be Chrysanthemums or any other plants. Your correspondent 
wishes to know if they are profitable. We do not grow them for profit; 
they are grown for the pleasure of their owner. Mr. Iggulden also wishes 
to know how they look at home ; they look equally as well as at the show, 
and I think a little better, because they are more effective by being mixed 
—incurved and Japanese, and Pompons together—grouped as Mr. Iggulden 
prefers ; but they are all trained specimens, and they are greatly admired 
by my employers and their many friends. Our visitors give me great 
praise for the training. Mr. Iggulden says they require much more house 
room than they deserve. In my opinion they well deserve the house room 
they require, and if this cannot be had no one ought to attempt to grow 
and train them as specimens; nor should persons who have not the time 
nor the skill. I admit if they lose their foliage and show the stakes they 
look very unsightly, but well-grown plants are not in that condition. 
Mr. Iggulden may think because I grow so many of these that I have 
nothing to cut from. That is not so. I have been cutting Chrysanthemum 
blooms in abundance from the middle of August up to the present time 
for home decoration, and many boxfuls have been sent away to other 
places. It may “ grieve ” Mr. Iggulden more when 1 say that my 
employers want me to grow a larger number of these specimens than I have 
ever done. It may please your correspondent, perhaps, if I tell him that 
I had thought of giving up showing, and it may be so, but the plants will 
be grown just the same and more of them. I have nothing to say against 
grouping as your correspondent prefers. I like the style very much, and 
should like to see more of it at the shows ; but for all that I am in favour 
of trained specimens when well finished. I should like to know what the 
Committees of the different Chrysanthemum Societies have to say about 
trained specimens being admitted at their shows—do they prefer them or 
not ?— W. Monk. 
The cultivation of the above should be encouraged, and liberal 
prizes offered at our annual exhibition for competition, and should 
include every variety. Among the pleasing but beautiful varieties, 
some of them extremely novel in character, exhibited by Messrs. H. 
Cannell & Sons of Swanley, many could be found that would prove highly 
interesting on the exhibition table, would not require so much staking, 
and would be a source of attraction at home as pot plants. My friend 
Mr. Monk and myself can recall a period of thirty years ago, when 
some grand specimens were shown with healthy foliage and abundance of 
flowers. They were selected on account of their adaptation for pot 
culture. I have listened to the throng of horticulturists who would admire 
and di-cuss the merit of those marvels of productions as exhibited by 
Messrs. Scruby, Wetherall, Ward, Holmes, Wiggins, and George—the 
majority of which enthusiastic cultivators are gathered to their fathers. 
We have seen some fine blooms this year, requiring superb skill to produce 
them, but we should not forget all tastes are not alike.—J. F. McElroy, 
Campden Hill, Kensington. 
Cook’s Early Cabbage. —I see in the Journal that Mr. Inglis and 
Mr, Oliver have each sent you a packet of Cabbage seed for trial. I take 
the liberty of sending one also of what I consider the true stock of 
Cook’s Early Cabbage, having grown and saved the seed of it for twenty 
years, the stock being obtained from Mr. Cook. This is a good spring 
Cabbage, but to have it in perfection sow in July and plant in September, 
and Cabbages will be produced second to none for quality or earli¬ 
ness.—S. 
[The seed shall be sown with the other in due time.] 
THE MONARCH PLUM (RIVERS). 
This Plum was raised from a Btone of Cooper’s Large Red, generally 
known in this country as “ La Delicieuse ” or “ Lady Lucy ” of some of 
the Kentish fruit-growers, and said by Dawning to be raised by Mr. 
Joseph Cooper of New Jersey from a stone of the Orleans. The fruit 
of the Monarch is very large, and in shape roundish oval, a dark purplish 
blue in colour ; it is freestone, with solid flesh of excellent quality. The 
young shoots are downy, but the down disappears on the older wood. 
The growth of the tree is very robust, forming a vigorous natural 
pyramid, and producing fruit spurs in abundance at an early stage. The 
fruit ripens about the 25th of September in the south, and is quite free 
from any tendency to crack. It is therefore likely to prove a valuable 
fruit for the grower, ripening after the glut of other Plums. Cultivated, 
on walls or as a cordon it will produce very fine specimens, and as a 
standard or pyramid it makes a very prolific tree. The Grand Duke, 
another large late Plum, alsa originated from the La Delicieuse. 
STRAWBERRY PLANTS IN WINTER. 
Under the above head your correspondent, “ A Kitchen Gardener,” 
refers to the winter treatment of Strawberries in pots for forcing, which 
is, without doubt, a subject well worthy of discussion at the present time. 
I think the majority who force these plants in any quantity commence 
operations long before March, and have by that date many hundreds of 
plants in different stages of development. Such must be the case in all 
establishments where the fruit is required early in the season, as it is 
possible to produce them, and a continuous supply maintained afterwards 
for use daily or to be packed two or three times a week until they can be 
gathered outside. This is the position of many, and perhaps at no season 
are Strawberries more welcome than during the early months of the year, 
when the number of dishes for dessert are somewhat limited. 
I was under the impression that some of the ideas put forward by 
your correspondent on the treatment of the plants during the winter were 
obsolete. For instance, the system of storing the plants in a heap by 
packing row after row one above the other with straw, litter, or ashes 
amongst them cannot be too strongly condemned. The other plan advo¬ 
cated by “ A Kitchen Gardener ” of storing them under a wall on their 
sides and allowing them to become dry should not be practised. Both 
these systems are unnatural and prove exhausting to the plants. The 
Strawberry plant during the whole of the winter months is naturally 
moist at its roots, and why should the opposite extreme be practised with 
this plant when grown in a pot ? Your correspondent knows that this 
drying system is radically wrong, for he says, “ These are not kept so dry 
at the roots as those at the bottom of the wall,” this having reference to 
those plants stored in a cold frame. The above clearly shows that “ A 
Kitchen Gardener ” does not believe that the plants are benefited by 
being kept dry, or he would practise the same treatment with those pro¬ 
tected in a frame. It appears to me that he is prepared to sacrifice that 
which is of vital importance to the well-being of the plants for the mere 
purpose of protecting a few pots from being destroyed by frost. Not only 
does your correspondent practise this treatment, but he advises others to 
subject their plants to an unnatural system for the same purpose. If this 
is the only reason that can be adduced for keeping the plants dry the 
least that can be said for it is that it is a very poor one. 
In no stage should these plants be dry at their roots, and all who may 
wish to preserve their plants in the best possible condition, whether they 
be few or many, should not adopt a system likely to prove injurioue to 
the plants. The Strawberry is perfectly hardy, even when grown in 
pots, and has not been injured in the least when the temperature has 
fallen below zero during very severe winters; in fact, we have always 
found these plants start more quickly into growth after being exposed 
during a sharp winter. During the severe weather alluded to we have 
not lost more than perhaps a score or two of pots out of 1500 or more. 
This has generally been due to the pots being partially exposed instead 
of being covered with the material used for protecting them. 
My advice to all is to keep their plants outside, for they will pass the 
winter just aB safely as if in cold frames, and will start with greater free¬ 
dom into growth. In order to protect the pots they should be plunged 
after growth has ceased in ashes or amongst leaves. In whichever they 
may be plunged the rim of the pots should be protected as much as pos¬ 
sible. I am never particular about the pots being filled with the ashes or 
leaves used for plunging as long as the crowns are not buried. When 
the plants are plunged as thickly together as possible very few pots will 
be broken. If strong the plants will possess large leaves, which will 
extend well beyond the pots in which they are growing, and these assist 
in protecting the rim of the pots. If very severe weather sets in and is 
likely to last, mats are placed over the plants, or a little clean dry straw. 
This protection is given ta protect the pots, the plants would be better 
