334 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 29, 1888. 
in the middle of the hedge. This I find is the best way to get weakly 
places and gaps filled, Nor do I think wide or square top hedges look 
well, especially for a farm. We have our hedges trimmed as at fig. 53, C, 
on page 297, and only trim them once a year—that is, the farm hedges. 
We generally commence cutting the end of September or the beginning of 
Oc'ober, and have them done by piece work—that is 4d. a chain of 22 
yards, including cleaning up the rubbish and leaving it in heaps. 
Should the hedge he full of grass at the bottom, we give Id. more per 
chain—that is, 5d. per chain. We have our hedges sided up with ihe 
hedge knife, or, as some call it, hedge-topper, and always have all the 
hedges cut upwards. A good workman will cut through at every stroke 
and make his work look as even as many will with the shears.— Bailiff 
and Gardener. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
( Continued from page 287.) 
SINGLE VARIETIES. 
Single Chrysanthemums are not grown nearly so much as their 
merits deserve, seeing how useful the dowers are for the decoration 
of vases, mixing so well as they do with Fern or other greenery. 
Now that the varieties are becoming numerous and the colours 
more varied a larger demand for plants is sure to take place. They 
bloom very profusely, and the dowers last a long time either on 
the plants or in a cut state. They do not require so much space 
or pot room as those of the larger sections. They have not been 
much seen at exhibitions owing to a want of variety in colour 
perhaps, and to the fact that the general style of growing Chrys¬ 
anthemums for exhibition—viz., a few dowers on a plant to obtain 
size, is not the best suited for the growth of single varieties. Bloom¬ 
ing in masses is the way they show to the best advantage. They 
are extremely useful when grown to dower later than the ordinary 
kinds, and are well adapted for growing in a dwarf state for 
room-decoration in vases ; or even as dinner-table plants they 
are appreciated by some, and the bright-coloured varieties make an 
agreeable change during the dull season of winter. 
The most effective method of cultivating them is growing the 
plants in bush form similar to that previously described, the cultural 
notes given under that heading applying equally well to the single 
varieties. Long spikes branching freely in a natural manner pro¬ 
duce dowers in abundance ; but where large individual blooms are 
required the system of growing Pompons for large blooms is specially 
recommended. 
For the production of small plants suitable for vases the fol¬ 
lowing details should be observed. Plant old or young plants on 
an open space of ground, putting out those struck in January about 
the middle of May, tying the stems firmly as they grow to stakes 
to prevent breakage by wind or other accident. Do not top the 
shoots, but allow them to grow uninterruptedly, but in the case of 
the old plants thin the stems to say six on each ; if more spring 
from the base remove them. Early in September, when the bloom 
buds are forming, take off the points of the shoots about 8 inches 
long, insert them in pots, say five cuttings in a 4i-inch, and nine in 
a 6-inch pot, using sandy soil with a free admixture of leaf mould, 
and give a good watering to settle them firmly in the soil. If the 
cuttings are not taken off the plants till the dower buds attain a 
good size they do not root so quickly, and consequently the leaves 
dag more when they are taken from the hotbed, for they require 
a gentle heat with shade to prevent loss of foliage. Sprinkle with 
tepid water every day in fine weather until they are rooted, then 
gradually harden off and place in a cool house as near to the glass 
as possible to keep them sturdy. Each plant will produce several 
dower buds ; if the side ones are removed, retaining only the one at 
the extreme point of the shoot, this dower will be much larger 
than if all were allowed to grow. Appended is a list of some 
varieties to be recommended for growing :—Terra Cotta, Patience, 
Oscar Wilde, Charley Davis, Mary Anderson, Canariensis Improved, 
Mrs. Langtry, Mrs. J. Wills, Elsie Maud, Grace Darling, Miss Lulu 
Martin, Miss Davis, White Perfection, Orifiamme, Mrs. Deane, 
Gus Harris, Miss Ellen Terry. 
SUMMER CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
With the advent of what are termed summer Chrysanthemums 
the season has been prolonged to a large extent; still it must be 
admitted that varieties which bloom so early in the season are not 
so much appreciated as those which are in season later when other 
dowers are scarce. Good blooms of some of the best sorts are 
desirable and well repay any trouble bestowed upon them. Parti¬ 
cularly are they appreciated for the decoration of churches, for 
harvest thanksgivings where white dowers are always in demand. 
For conservatory decoration there is still a want of that variety of 
colour which is found in the larger sections. For herbaceous and 
shrubbery decoration they are extremely useful, their habit of 
growth being in most cases compact, and as they bloom freely they 
render the borders where they are employed attractive at a season 
when many occupants of herbaceous borders are past their best. 
Good varieties for planting in the borders are Nanum, blush white, 
very free ; La Petite Marie, white with yellow tint, very dwarf ; 
Lyon, purple ; Flora, yellow ; Madame Jolivart, white ; Mr. W. 
Piercy, red changing to bronze brown ; Anastasio, magenta, very 
free; Fiberta, yellow ; Frederick Marronet, bronze ; Mons.Pynaert 
Van Geert, Japanese, yellow striped bright red ; Isidore Feral, rosy 
lilac and golden centre ; Madame Piccol, rosy purple ; and Salter’s 
Early Blush, tender rose. Cuttings should be struck in February, 
topped twice, potted in 4^-inch pots, grown in a cold frame, kept 
sturdy, and planted out in May, when no danger of frost need be 
apprehended. Water the plants freely during dry weather in 
summer, tie the branches neatly to stakes as growth proceeds to 
prevent them being broken by wind, and allow them to bloom as 
freely as they will. The following are some of the best sorts for 
blooming in pots in September and early in October :—Madame 
Desgrange, large white ; La Yierge, white ; Mrs. Cullingford, white : 
C. Wermig, a primrose yellow s$ort from Madame Desgrange. 
Cuttings should be rooted in January in the ordinary way, topped 
once when 4 inches high, and allowed to grow with three stems, 
when they will branch again, this time selecting three additional 
branches for Madame Desgrange and its sport. The other sorts 
may have about ten branches in all. If these are allowed to pro¬ 
duce one bloom each the quality of the flowers will be good, pro¬ 
viding other wants have been attended to, such as potting as re¬ 
quired, at last into 9-inch pots, careful watering and disbudding 
the flowers ; but if more flowers in number are preferred allow extra 
branches to grow from the natural break. 
VARIETIES FOR WALLS AND BORDERS. 
By following out a few simple cultural instructions many spaces 
of otherwise bleak walls may be made to look gay, and provided 
the weather is not too wet or frosty blooms can be cut that would 
put to shame not a few that are grown under more favourable 
circumstances, and staged at some of the leading shows. The main 
point is to grow suitable varieties. The reflexed section are best 
adapted for walls, for owing to the imbrication of their florets the 
water does not lodge among them so much. Next in merit come the 
reflexed varieties of Japanese and Pompons, which on account of 
their floriferous habit make a good show. Single varieties are also 
suitable, blooming freely and lasting in good condition a long time. 
A southern aspect is the best position for the plants, and if there 
is a wide coping on the wall so much the better, as this in a measure 
prevents the blooms becoming so wet as they otherwise would be 
owing to drip from the wall. If the wall is 5 or 7 feet high it will 
be an advantage, as larger flowers and more in quantity can be pro¬ 
duced than on a wall not so high. We will presume then that the 
wall is 7 feet high, and large blooms and a quantity of smaller ones 
are wished for. Procure early in April a sufficient number of 
plants which have bloomed in pots the year previously ; these are 
better than young ones from cuttings of the current year owing to 
the extra number of shoots produced at the base, and are better 
furnished with branches to begin with. Remove part of the old 
soil from the roots and plant them close to the wall at a distance 
of 3 feet apart. If the soil is fairly good add some manure. Should 
the soil be of a poor character it is better to replace it with some 
composed of loam three parts, and two parts of manure. Between 
each two large-flowered varieties plant one Pompon, which will 
cover the bottom part of the wall ; tread the soil firmly about the 
plants, and when they begin to grow water them freely. If the 
plants were of good size the previous year they will start into 
growth with many shoots. Select four of the strongest on each 
plant, removing all the others except the Pompons, which may 
have six growths. When the branches are long enough spread 
them out thinly and fasten to the wall with shreds and nails, 
continually securing them as growth proceeds. Do not top the 
branches. When the first break takes place select two of the 
strongest shoots on each original stem, or more if space will allow, 
some kinds requiring less space than others owing to the length 
of their foliage, taking off the remainder. From 4 to 6 inches apart 
is a suitable distance to train them from each other. Buds will 
be formed at the point of each shoot toward the end of August. 
The number required must now be determined, as one flower to 
each stem is all that can be depended upon when size is the leading 
question. It is wise to allow about three stems on each plant to 
produce a single bud. and from all other shoots remove the flower 
buds, allowing the plants to make another natural break. The 
result of this will be an increase of the branches and a production 
of a large number of blooms, as these new shoots will not require 
disbudding. 
As soon as the roots have taken possession of the new soil apply 
liquid manure in a weak state. The drainings from the manure 
yard are very good for the purpose, increasing the strength when 
