March 11, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
195 
pots, using soil as previously described, returning them to their 
former position on the shelf near the glass in a cool house. As 
soon as the roots reach the sides of the pots place the plants on 
ashes close to the glass in a cold frame or pit, and protect them 
from frost, keeping them rather close for a few days. When the 
weather is favourable ventilate freely, and on fine days remove the 
lights. Before the plants become root-bound shift them into 
6^-inch pots. As soon as the shoots have grown 5 inches long top 
them again. About the middle of May they should be placed out 
of doors in an open position safe from strong winds, but where 
they will have the full benefit of the sun and where they can be 
covered with some light material in the event of a frost occurring. 
About the first week in June the plants will require their final 
shift into 12-inch pots, and about the middle of this month they 
must have their final topping. Plunge the pots half their depth 
in ashes. This prevents the soil drying quickly and keeps the 
plants firm, as if not secured in some way they are liable to be 
blown over in exposed positions. Attend carefully to watering, 
never allowing them to become dry at the roots, or the foliage will 
not be retained in that fresh healthy condition which is absolutely 
necessary in well-grown specimens. Syringe the plants in the 
afternoon or evening after bright days for refreshing them and 
keeping the foliage clean. If green fly attacks the points of the 
shoots dust with tobacco powder, and if mildew appears dust with 
sulphur. Place a stake to each shoot, which prevents then - being 
broken otf by wind or accidents. By this time they will be growing 
freely, and towards the end of July will have a large number 
of branches, some of them 2 feet long. At this stage they must be 
got into position. Commence by tying the branches out, having in 
view the size required, depressing them as may be desirable. 
Manipulated at this stage the branches bend more easily than they 
do later in the year, righting themselves much better, and when the 
plants are in flower bent stems are not so apparent, as training is 
done at a later stage. Bending the branches induces them to 
break into growth more freely. The plants make a natural break, 
forming a flower bud, about the middle of August. The branches 
produced from this break will each show a flower bud about the 
middle of September. These are the buds which should be retained 
for the production of the flowers. As soon as they are large 
enough to handle all other buds must be removed, retaining only 
the centre one. When the buds are swelling the plants must have 
their final tying. Thin stakes painted a colour which most re¬ 
sembles the branches and leaves are the best, as they should not 
be obtrusive. Secure the branches carefully to the stakes, leaving 
space for the stems to swell, as they thicken considerably at this 
stage. When in bloom the plants should be from 2 feet 6 inches 
to 3 feet high, pot included, the centre of the plant slightly 
rounded. 
The plants should be housed according to the variety, be it late 
or early. Seven weeks for the late varieties, and a month or 
five weeks for others, will suffice previous to the time for flowering. 
Place the plants as close to the glass as possible, giving abundance 
of air and sufficient fire heat to dispel damp in wet or foggy 
weather. Feeding Chrysanthemums will be treated in a special 
article. 
To grow specimens of the type represented in the engraving 
(fig. 35) the cuttings should be struck at the same time as the others, 
and the plants treated the same except in a few details. The pots 
need not be quite so large for flowering them in, 11-inch pots being 
ample size. The plants should be topped three times, the last 
time about the middle of June. The branches should be tied 
down a little earlier than for the dwarfer and larger plants, and it 
is important that the lower parts of the stems be bent, securing 
them to notched sticks, which can be pressed down from time to 
time for regulating the height of the branches. Bending and 
twisting the upper parts of the stems is a great mistake. Not a 
sign of this should be visible, but each branch should appear to 
come straight from the centre of the plant in a natural manner, 
and support a handsome bloom good enough to be arranged in a 
stand of cut flowers. Many branches are not required when the 
plants are grown under this system ; therefore, at the natural 
breaking of the plant in August the shoots should be disbudded to 
the number required, thus causing those retained to be of superior 
quality, with robust foliage and eventually supporting grand 
blooms. Feeding and housing the plants should be carried out in 
the same way as the others. 
The engraving is from a photograph of a small yet admirably 
finished plant grown by Mr. Hall of Brixton. 
BUSH AND DECORATIVE PLANTS. 
Where quantities of flowers are required for cutting, the bash 
method of cultivation is recommended, especially to amateurs, as a 
good show of blooms can be had in a small space. The plants not 
being tall are also well adapted for greenhouses or arranging in 
certain positions in larger conservatories. Flowers can be had later 
in the season by growing two batches of plants. From the middle 
of January to the same time in February is the best time to strike 
the cuttings. When the plants are 4 inches high top them for the 
production of side branches, shifting as required before they are at 
all root-bound into larger pots, and keeping them stocky in growth ; 
8-inch and 10-inch pots are large enough to bloom them in, using 
the largest pots for the strongest growing. One topping is enougli 
for some of the plants, while those required to be grown larger 
should be topped again when the shoots are 5 inches long. If a 
later batch of plants is required strike more cuttings in March. 
When the plants are placed out of doors do not allow them to 
touch each other, as the more air and space each one has the 
dwarfer it will be. Great care must be exercised in watering the 
plants, as much depends upon the quality of the foliage in a 
decorative point of view. 
For the smallest plants three or four branches are sufficient to 
retain from the first topping, but in the larger size about eight is a 
fair number and sufficient to produce large bushes. If three shoots 
are produced from the fust topping a dozen will spring from the 
Fig. 35.—Specimen Bush Chrysanthemum 
second. Select from these the number required, and tie them 
securely to stakes. At the natural break of the plants in August 
many more shoots will be produced ; these must be disbudded to 
the requisite number—about twenty-four on the large, half that 
number on the smaller plants, and from these numerous side shoots 
will grow and bloom. In September the flower buds will appear. 
If a few larger blooms are required take off all the buds except the 
centre one on each branch, but where a mass of flowers is preferred 
there should be no disbudding, and the stems will be clothed with 
flowers in abundance. After the central flowers are cut others are 
produced by the side shoots in succession. The plants should be 
housed in batches, allowing some to remain outside till severe frost 
compels their removal. Plants grown under this method require 
free ventilation, but not so much fire heat to prevent the flowers 
damping as those grown to produce large blooms. Place a stake 
to each main stem, or one strong stake in the centre of the 
plant, to which the branches can be tied loosely. Where the 
varieties are naturally of dwarf habit this answers very well ; but 
in the case of taller kinds one stake to each branch makes all secure. 
Nearly all varieties of Pompons and Anemone Pompons are well 
adapted to this method of growth on account of their floriferousness. 
—E. Molyneux. 
EARLY TURNIPS. 
No time should be lost in making sowings of Extra Early Milan and 
Early Snowball Turnips in drills 1 foot apart and about 1 inch deep in 
: light soil in a rather dry and warm situation. If clean crisp roots are 
