March 25, 1888. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
231 
ventive and cure of mildew in Roses. Mr. Church added that he had not 
hesitated to bring this insecticide before the Committee, since he had no 
interest, save a scientific one, in the invention. 
Mr. Elwes drew attention to the importance of the discovery in its 
application to the Tea plant, which suffers from blight in the dry season ; 
and on the question being raised as to the paraffin affecting the tea, Prof. 
Church replied that it had been used in greenhouses on scented plants, as 
Pelargoniums, &c., and though the smell was perceptible for forty-eight 
hours it is not permanent. 
Pleurothallus sp. ?—A curious species with striped petals was exhibited by 
M. E. Vervaet from Mount St. Amand, Ghent. It was sent to Kew for 
■identification. 
Scoliapus Bigelowi. —The interesting Californian species was exhibited, 
•the flowers being of rather paler hue than usual. 
Malformed Hawthorn. —Dr. M. T. Masters exhibited branches which had 
been arrested in growth and formed short stunted spurs. Mr. Maclachlan 
remarked that a quickset hedge similarly injured was nearly destroyed. It 
was evidently due to insect agency. 
Crocuses and Sparrows. —Mr. Maclachlan alluded to the periodical injury 
•these birds do to Crocuses by biting off the contracted portion of the perianth 
tube. As the nectar is secreted there, it was probably due to the discovery 
of this fact by the birds. Mr. Henslow observed that he had not ex¬ 
perienced the fact, though both Crocuses and sparrows were abundant in 
his garden. 
Odontoglossum Hossi. —Mr. O’Brien exhibited sprays of different varieties 
of this species, one having white petals and the other mauve. 
Trimorphism in Narcissus triandrus. —Mr. C. Wolley Dod exhibited 
.specimens showing three different lengths in the pistils—a short, medium, 
and long-styled form, as in Lythrum Salicaria, the short-styled form 
occurring 20 per cent, of flowers examined ; the mid-styled form 10 percent- 
while the more usual condition is to be long-styled. In the var. N. t. 
pulchellus the style is always longer than the stamens, and the tube of the 
perianth is also longer than usual. The short-styled form was received from 
Oporto. In all cases the flowers appeared to be protandrous. 
N. Henriquesi. —He also showed a specimen of this plant with no tube to 
the perianth, probably due to tbe arrest of the receptacular tube. In reply 
to Mr. Elwes, he remarked that the bulbs were scarcely hardy, and die if the 
plants be allowed to seed ; and that they must therefore be raised from 
eeed, when they will flower in the second year. 
Camellias and Frost. —Hon. and Rev. J. T. BoscaweD exhibited single 
Camellias which had lately blossomed in the open, and leafy branches, 
showing how the leaves of 1885 were perfectly green and untouched by the 
frost, while those of 1884 and 1883 were browned to various degrees ; but 
those of 1882 on the same branch were perfectly green. The branch was 
from a bush that had never received direct sunlight. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
TRAINED SPECIMEN PLANTS. 
Never before were the Chrysanthemums so well or widely cultivated 
as at the present time, and it would be almost impossible to write any¬ 
thing that is really new in their culture, yet I find many amateurs need 
information, hence I give a few brief remarks on a system I have practised 
with very good results. 
Supposing that large trained plants are wanted for exhibition or home 
decoration, I advise those who have plants that were last year grown for 
specimen blooms— i e., with an upright stem—to cut them down to 
within 6 inches of the surface, and place them where the temperature 
did not fall below 50 c at night, and keep them syringed once or twice a 
day until they break into side shoots half an inch long. Then they 
require to be shaken out of their pots, the roots shortened, any 
suckers removed and placed into well drained 6-inch pots. Employ a 
mixture of light sandy soil composed of two parts loam, or the top spit 
of a pasture, to one of well-decayed manure, one part half-decayed leaf 
soil, and sufficient coarse sand to make the whole porous. They would 
then make rapid growth, and when the side shoots are a few inches long 
tike out the points and peg out the shoots like Verbenas are treated ; but 
this must be done very carefully or the shoots are liable to break off. At 
the end of March transfer them to a cold frame, paying particular 
attention to watering, and admitting air at all favourable times. 
At the end of April they will require to be shifted into 8-inch pots, 
keeping the frame rather close for a few days, when air should again be 
admitted freely yet gradually, hardening them sufficiently to be placed 
out of doors by the end of May or the beginning of June. The plants 
should have the points stopped, so that they will form many shoots ; but 
never pinch and pot at the same time, or they will break weakly. They 
would also require a few sticks to secure the plants against damage by 
winds. 
About the first week in June they Deed the final shift into 10 or 
11-inch pots, the drainage being carefully placed with small crocks to the 
depth of 1^ inch, and over this a layer of half-decayed turf, grass side down¬ 
wards, which prevents the soil getting down amongst the crocks, and over 
this give a sprinkling of soot. The compost for this potting, also the 
shifting into the 8-inch pots before named, would be composed of two parts 
and a half good loam, one part decayed manure, and little half-decayed 
leaf soil and coarse sand. To this I would add a 6-inch potful of Clay’s 
fertiliser, and the same quantity of soot to each barrow of the soil, the 
whole to be well mixed Pot the plants very firmly, ramming the soil with 
a blunt stick as the work proceeds, leaving about 1| inch from the rims for 
a future top-dressing. Place the plants on a thick bed of cinder ashes in 
some good open position, yet sufficiently screened from high winds 
season of growth. The final pinching should not be later than 
the last week in June ; and if they have been regularly pinched they 
would now be forming from sixty to eighty shoots on each plant, each to 
have one good flower. The watering will require regular attention, and 
weak liquid manure may be given all through August two or three times a 
week. Sheep droppings tied in an old sack and soaked in a tub of soft 
water form a good liquid. The plants are also benefited by syringing with 
very weak soot water made in the same way as the above every evening if 
very hot weather should intervene. Let the shoots run in a trailing 
manner amongst the sticks, and keep them tied in places, so as to protect 
them against any sudden gales. 
At tbe beginning of September the crown buds appear— i.e., a bud 
would show with about three growths nestling round it. If this bud is 
plump and not damaged, or in any other way deformed, the growths 
round it can be removed, leaving the bud only for a future bloom on each. 
A similar bud to the one described appears earlier in the season; that is 
called a July bud, but that is useless, and better be promptly removed and 
let all the growths remain. As soon as the bud is fairly set top-dress the 
soil with half-decayed sheep droppings two parts, with one part loam, and 
a sprinkling of Clay’s fertiliser, pressed firmly so as to leave sufficient 
space to hold the water when using it. From the 1st to tbe lOtb of 
October the plants requiring housing, the most suitable place would be a 
good airy greenhouse, Peach house, or vinery, giving them all the air 
possible for a few days, and never apply fire heat unless to expel damp or 
frost. The plants would require a sprinkling of Clay’s or Standen’s 
manures about the middle of October, but soon as the flowers begin to 
show colour use nothing but clear soft water. By the end of October they 
would require their training ; neat sticks about 2 feet long and evenly 
placed, the outer ones pitching onwards so as to form heads 3 feet or more 
through, according to the size of the plants, bringing each shoot round, so 
that the blooms may come to the right height. Should mildew appear 
well dust with flowers of sulphur ; and while the blooms are expanding 
keep a free circulation of air amongst them upon all favourable occasions. 
From the foregoing I would sum up the chief points in this way. 
Keep the plants growing as fast as possible, stopping the shoots at every 
third or fourth leaf, never allowing them to suffer for want of water ; in 
fact, carryipg out the full details herein described, and good results may 
be anticipated. 
The following varieties I have found good for this mode of training :— 
Mrs. Rundle, Geo. Glenny, Mrs. Dixon, White and Pink Venus, Lord 
Derby, Princess Teck, Hero Stoke NewingtOD, Lady Hardinge, Mrs. Ship- 
man, Prince of Wales, and Mrs. Haliburton.—W. A. Walter, Lil- 
lingstone House. 
At a general meeting of the Royal Horticultur4l Society, held 
last Tuesday, Colonel R. Trevor Clarke in the chair, the following candi¬ 
dates were unanimously elected Fellows—viz , Sir Philip Currie, K.C.B., 
II. R. Darlington, George Hansen, Mrs. R. L. Hatton, Henry Kruse 
Frank Miles, Miss D. Wemyss. 
- The attention of the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society 
having been called to the fact that in the Report of the Orchid Conference 
the name of Messrs. W. Thomson Sc Son of Clovenfords, N.B., as 
exhibitors of cut specimens of Orchids has inadvertently been omitted, the 
Council express their regret at this omission. 
- Every year the display of Amaryllises at Chelsea appears 
to increase in magnitude, diversity, and richness. Messrs. Veitch and 
Sons have for years past devoted special attention to this gorgeous race of 
plants, and their annual exhibitions of them show the wonderful progress 
that has been made in the improvement of the flowers. The central bed 
in a spacious span-roofed house is now occupied with plants plunged 
closely together that are throwing up some 1500 flower stems. Many 
flowers are open, including some beautiful new varieties, and others are 
daily expanding. The Exhibition may be said to have fairly commenced, 
and for the next fortnight will form one of the mcst brilliant floral 
spectacles of the year. Visitors to the nursery will also enjoy a glance at 
the cool Orchids, of which hundreds are now flowering in charming con¬ 
trast with the more massive and gorgeous Amaryllids. A series of ex¬ 
hibitions will be arranged by Messrs. Veitch during the season, and their 
nurseries are open free to visitors during the whole of each week day. 
- On Friday, the 26th inst., Mr. B. S. Williams will open an Ex. 
hibition of Spring Flowers and Orchids in the Victoria and 
Paradise Nursery, Upper Holloway, and a very beautiful display 
will be provided. There are over 200 well-grown Hyacinths of the best 
varieties, with Tulips, Narcissi, Lilies of the Valley, and similar forced 
plants. The superb plants of Imantophyllums will be employed in 
