1G8 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER , 
[ March 4, 1886. 
the summer, in fact none except when the days are very bright 
and hot. Under this treatment there is no fear of the plants 
burning provided they are allowed sufficient water at their 
roots, the atmosphere is kept moist, and they are freely 
syringed. When these conditions are observed rapid growth 
is the result, and insects such as thrips and spider will not 
trouble the plants. 
At any time from the present until October, when the 
plants have developed large highly coloured foliage and 
further growth is not desired, the plants may be gradually 
hardened to cooler treatment. This will prevent further 
growth, and keep them for a long time in the best con¬ 
dition for decoration. Before plants are employed in 
rooms or for exhibition harden them carefully on these 
principles, or their foliage will flag and perhaps not recover 
in cool quarters. All plants intended for the winter ought 
to have their growth completed and be highly coloured by 
the end of September, for growth made after then cannot be 
well coloured. When the pots are full of roots feeding may 
be practised, supplying either clear soot water or artificial 
manure to the surface of the soil. 
The varieties of Crotons are now very numerous, and the 
majority are ornamental when full grown. The followiug 
are useful sorts, in addition to those already enumerated : — 
angustifolius, Disraeli, Lord Derby, Evansianus, Hawkeri, 
majesticus, Mortii, Princess of Wales when well coloured, 
Sinitzinianus, variegatus, picturatus, Warreni, and Wies- 
manni. Crotons that it is desired to push into growth as 
quickly as possible should be placed in a night temperature 
of 65° to 70° after they are potted. —Decorator. 
NOTES ON PEAS. 
Much has been written in these pages of late respecting this very 
important vegetable crop. The cultural notes by Mr. H. Marriott will 
have been read by many with much interest, as it is well known that 
he is one of the most successful Pea exhibitors in the country. One 
year, however, I had the satisfaction of surpassing his best collections 
at South Kensington. I have not had time to grow for exhibition 
since ; but I still cultivate large quantities for the kitchen, and so 
long as I receive the “ well done ’’ of my employer the showing is a 
secondary consideration. Mr. Marriott is, if I may use the expression, 
a Pea man. He has himself to please, nobody else, and Peas are his 
hobby. If this does not account for his prizetaking ic will, I think, 
for the time and expense he devotes to their culture. The treatment 
they receive from their youth upwards in watering, clipping, thinning, 
shading, &c., must indicate to many hard-working gardeners how hope¬ 
less is their chance of winning any Pea prizes if all this is necessary. 
In my opinion prize Peas may be produced with less attention 
than many think. I have never at any time sacrificed the kitchen 
supply to win a prize or compete at any show ; but if abundance can 
be had for the kitchen and a few for exhibition from the same row 
everyone is satisfied. Our plan has always been to sow in rich soil 
and produce strong plants of a prolific and lasting character, and only 
a stem here and there was treated for show purposes. This was 
any one which appeared extra strong or had formed extra large pods ; 
then some small ones on the same stem might be cut and the point 
taken out of the main leader. This had the effect of making the pods 
remaining swell to their fullest extent and become excellent for show¬ 
ing. The summer before last I exhibited a few dishes very success¬ 
fully, and they were gathered from rows which supplied the kitchen 
at the time, and from which we saved many quarts of seed after¬ 
wards. 
Peas will always pay handsomely for liberal cultivation, such as 
deep digging and copious manuring ; and when this is done at the 
first good pods will be produced in spite of everything. I do not 
object to Mr. Marriott growing his Peas in the way he thinks best, 
but what I like to see and encourage is a competition of produce re¬ 
presenting the general merits of varieties. Good Peas or show pods 
will never be produced in poor soil, and this should never be for¬ 
gotten when sowing is going on. Last year we had some exception¬ 
ally dry weather in July and August, and it was a most difficult 
matter to keep the Peas fresh and green, and the conclusion we came 
to was that midsummer Peas as a rule are sown too near the surface. 
Watering and mulching are partial remedies for this ; but when the 
soil becomes hot and quite dry for several inches down it is difficult 
to save the roots from its injurious influence if they are only 2 or 
3 inches from the surface. The trench system of growing Peas is one 
which cannot be overpraised, but many seem to forget that Peas 
sown in March are those which will be liable to suffer from drought 
and heat in June and July 7 , and the sowing in trenches is often not 
begun until it is too late. I am in favour of throwing the trenches 
out 1 foot in depth, placing 3 inches of good manure at the bottom, 
2 inches of soil over this, sow the seed, and cover with 2 inches or 
soil. The roots will soon find their way into the manure, and when 
the hot weather comes they will be 1 foot below the surface ; and in 
earthing up or mulching it is an easy matter to fill the trench level 
with the surface of the soil. All Peas sown after the beginning or 
March should be treated in this way. Late crops are also benefited 
by it, as, although there may be plenty of moisture when they are in 
pod in late September and October, it is the drought of July and 
August which is apt to check the growth of the plants and reduce 
their cropping qualities further on. Let it be understood, however, 
that it is only from March that I recommend trenches in a general 
way. We have had several rows of Peas, more particularly the 
wrinkled sorts, fail altogether by being sown m trenches in January 
and February, and in wet localities or cold stiff soils early sowing m 
trenches should be avoided. . . 
Wrinkled Peas are assuredly the most tender, and the instance or 
sowing Wordsley Wonder the first week in January to secure pods 
for exhibiting on the 14th of July, as cited by Mr. Marriott 
(page 134) indicates how wrong it is to have a Pea buried in the sou 
for two months at least that are decidedly against its advancement. 
In the summer of 1884 1 won a prize with Wordsley Wonder at 
South Kensington in July, and the seed w 7 as not sown until the 14th 
of March—ten weeks at least later than Mr. Marriott’s. It is a rule, 
almost without an exception, that during the growing season, which 
extends from the beginning of March onwards, all Peas will be ready 
for gathering in sixteen weeks at most after sowing, and I would 
guarantee to sow any kind of Pea on the 14th March and exhibit it 
in prime condition oil the 14th of July. In all my experience or 
Wordsley Wonder I have never dreamed that it took upwards of seven 
months to gain maturity, and I am sure this is not its general 
character.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
( Continued from, page 127 .) 
TRAINING PLANTS FOR PRODUCING LARGE BLOOMS. 
Various are the methods of training Chrysanthemums for the 
production of large blooms. In referring to the different systems 
practised, my remarks will be strictly confined to those plants 
which are growm specially for supplying large blooms either for 
exhibition or home decoration, not to trained specimen plants. 
Some growers top the plants when 4 inches high, the point of the 
shoot being pinched out. This induces the production or two 
shoots, which are tied to a stake and allowed to extend till the first 
natural “break,” and from this break two other shoots are carried 
up. Some persons consider this topping induces a dwarfer habit, 
but that does not always follow, as I have seen plants grow quite 
as tall w 7 hen treated in this manner as when grown under other 
systems. Other cultivators top the plants when 8 inches high ; 
three branches are produced after this topping and trained to 
separate stakes, all axillary growths being removed as fast as they 
appear. Flowers produced by this method are generally large, but 
owing to the wood not being thoroughly ripened, consequent on 
the late topping, and the growths being behind their natural stage, 
are not of first-rate qnality, lacking depth and solidity. In ordei 
to reduce the height of their plants some growers in the etuiy 
stages starve them by withholding water—giving much less than 
they properly require, and also by allowing them to become root- 
bound previous to shifting into larger pots. Flowers produced by 
such plants are rarely of the first order of merit, having the detects 
mentioned in the previous case. A plant rendered constitutionally 
weak by starvation cannot produce perfect flowers. 
Many plants are grown with one stem only, not topping them 
at all, but allowing them to attain the customary height of each 
variety. All other conditions being favourable good flowers are 
produced by such plants, but I consider the practice wasteful, as one 
plant will produce more flowers of equally good quality. It more¬ 
over often happens that the points of the shoots are broken by 
winds, rain, and frequently by birds alighting on the points. When 
such accidents befal single-stemmed plants, they may be, and often 
are, spoilt, the time and attention bestowed being then wasted. I 
must make an exception in the matter of topping in favour or 
Eve and its sport Mabel Ward, which is the exact counterpart ot 
its parent in growth. Good examples of these are seldom seen. 
The best way to insure good flowers is to grow the plants with one 
stem till the middle of May, then top them, select three of the 
best shoots resulting, from these three branches rub off all 
