536 
[ Dce;mber 19,1889. 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
seen before. The influence which civilisation has exerted on the vege¬ 
table kingdom has not always been a beneficent one, yet by working in 
harmony with the great law of evolution it has showered untold blessings 
on the whole human race. 
The Chairman said that the destruction of timber in various ways in 
Switzerland was having an effect on the climate, and in time some steps 
might have to be taken to counteract the effect. Mr. Baker, of Kew, 
deplored the great harm that had been done by man to the most 
beautiful parts of the earth. The results of man’s care and attention to 
certain kinds of plants was illustrated in the numerous varieties of the 
Chrysanthemum, and also in the many kinds of Apples which were 
widely different from the wild species. Mr. Miller spoke of the 
influence which animals exerted on plant life, and amusingly traced 
the effect of the existence of old maids on the supply of Clover. Clover, 
he said, was fertilised to a great extent by humble bees ; the number of 
humble bees w T as affected by the number of field mice, the number of 
field mice by the number of cats, and the number of cats by the number 
of old maids. (Great laughter.) Mr. Morris, of Kew, said that much 
harm was done to the productiveness of soil by the destruction of forests 
in tropical countries. The ground was exposed to the heat of the sun, 
and this led to great evaporation and aridness. In this country many 
more trees were cut down than were planted, and in time, if this went 
on, it might produce a change of climate. Not only might the growth 
of necessary products be affected, but the beauty of the scenery and the 
health of the climate, for both of which it was necessary that there 
should be -trees growing wherever possible. Mr. Wakefield thought that 
in the Thames Valley a few trees could be spared, as it might have the 
effect of making the atmosphere less humid and relaxing. Mr. Jackson 
pointed out that besides the large amount of timber that was cut down 
in order to clear the ground for cultivation, much was also used up in 
the making of indiarubber and turpentine. Dr. Wilson said that in 
New Zealand he found that the European grasses were driving out the 
native grasses, to as great an extent as the Europeans were shouldering 
out the Maories. A hearty vote of thanks having been accorded to Mr. 
Rolfe for his paper, he briefly replied. 
THE NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. 
The last Floral Committee meeting of the year was held at the 
Royal Aquarium, Westminster, on Wednesday, December 11th, at 
2 P.M., when Mr. R. Ballantine took the chair, and the following 
members were present :—Messrs. E Sanderson, G. Gordon, L. Castle, R. 
Dean, H. Cannell, F. P. Kendell, J. Wright, C. Gibson, R. Owen, G. S. 
Addison, J. Mardlin, C. Swift, T. W. Boyce, and T. Bevan. 
For so late a date there was a good number of exhibits, Mr. R. Owen 
contributing a number of new varieties, amongst which were the fol¬ 
lowing :—White Elephant, a Japanese, somewhat like James Salter, of a 
purplish tint, but whether this was due to the age of the blooms or the 
late period conld not be determined. The Japanese W. W. Cowles was 
again shown, but though the colour is good the blooms were not suffi¬ 
ciently developed in the centre to merit an award ; the Committee, 
however, desired to see it again. The variety is evidently a promising 
one, for we have seen fine examples in the north of England this season, 
but a committee can only judge of a variety by the specimens sub¬ 
mitted, not by its reputation. This point has been frequently discussed, 
and exhibitors should bear in mind that the condition of the flowers 
shown is all there is to guide the members to a decision. Mr. Owen also 
had a Japanese named Mrs. J. Wannamaker, to be seen again, and Mrs. 
J. Clarke, regarded by some as much like Volunteer. A vote of thanks 
was accorded for the collection. Mr. Taylor, gardener to Sir J. Lub¬ 
bock, High Elms, Down, Kent, also had a collection of fresh Japanese 
and incurved flowers (vote of thanks). 
At the conclusion of the ordinary business, the Committees had some 
other duties to perform, upon which they entered with considerable zest. 
It was decided at a general meeting earlier in the season that it would 
be more convenient if the Floral Committee were entertained at a 
luncheon on the conclusion of the year’s work than at the Judges’ 
luncheon on the day of the November Show, when the bustle and con¬ 
fusion render attention to such matters a rather painful duty. Accord¬ 
ingly the full force of fifteen elected members assembled to prove the 
wisdom of the decision, and they evidently accomplished the very easy 
task entirely to their own satisfaction and that of the projector. Several 
eloquent speeches were delivered by horticultural orators of repute, 
graceful compliments were showered down upon the officials, and Mr. 
Cannell discoursed fluently and instructively upon the present high 
position of the Chrysanthemum, the work of the National, the wide ex¬ 
tension of interest in the plant, and cognate matters, treated, of course, 
in his usual trenchant manner. The Hon. Secretary was “ toasted,” 
the Chairman was similarly treated, both responding in touching terms. 
The venerable and venerated past President expressed a wish that the 
Committee would continue its useful work, and a neat piece of Gordonian 
oratory in reply, admirably rendered the best intentions of the members 
to justify all the good things said of them. Then, as they say in the 
daily papers, “ the proceedings terminated,” for the Chairman and Secre¬ 
tary are busy men, and it was not until a late hour that they were 
enabled to cast aside the cares of office.—M. N. C. S. 
PROBLEMS IN CHRYSANTHEMUM CULTURE. 
[A Paper read by Mr. J. Wright at Hull, Nov. 21st, 1889.J 
(Continued from page 5/J.) 
Potting, Watering, and Feeding. 
These are factors of the highest importance in contributing to- 
success in the cultivation of Chrysanthemums. The triune subject can 
only be treated in general terms, and concisely, as to go fully into the 
matter would absorb time that can be better occupied by others in 
discussion. Briefly, then, I think the tendency amongst persons who 
have not been trained by masters in the art of plant culture is to err in 
overwatering in the earl}- stages of growth, and again when the blooms 
are opening and during their period of beauty ; and to err in the under- 
watering during the bright, dry, sultry days of summer, when the pots 
are crowded with roots and the sun extracting moisture from the foliage 
faster than it is supplied from the soil.' I do not suggest that all 
amateurs make these mistakes, but I know they are common ; and I am 
not able to say that all gardeners avoid them, but I know that some do, 
and these are they who score the greatest triumphs in public competition. 
A valuable prize was never yet won in keen competition that was not 
the result of close attention to small details in routine rather than by- 
the adoption of some new method, or the use of some fertiliser unknown 
to the rest of the world. Many a mistake has been made in repotting 
when the ball of soil containing the roots was either too dry or too wet. 
If too dry no amount of after watering can make amends for the error, 
and it is impossible to give enough for moistening the central lump of 
old soil without spoiling the new ; while if the old is too wet, a stagnant 
mass, the new soil will in all probability become stagnant too. At any 
rate, the sluggish roots cannot take free possession of the new compost 
and imbibe what it may contain for the support of the plants. I desire 
to impress on all who are inexperienced, be they amateurs or gardeners- 
who are employed in shifting the p’ants, the absolute necessity of 
avoiding the serious mistakes alluded to. 
The ball of soil when turned out of a pot for placing in a larger 
should be decidedly moist, yet not distinctly wet, and the soil to be 
used must be damp enough for compression, while it does not adhere 
unpleasantly to the hands. When in the right condition it can and 
should be pressed down as firmly as the old, for two reasons. First, 
because firmness causes, by the force of resistance, a multiplication of 
roots ; and, secondly, because the greater the bulk of soil in a pot the 
greater the quantity of food it contains. The character of the growth, 
resulting from those provisions of great root subdivision and adequate 
nutriment in the soil directly promotes firm short-jointed growth under 
favourable conditions of watering and position, in contradistinction to 
the frothy growth that follows when a few strong roots strike through a 
comparatively loose bulk of soil. These remarks have a direct bearing 
on watering and feeding, as I will show in a moment. By firm potting 
the soil does not become dry nearly so soon as when the soil is loose, 
and consequently water in the former case is not needed nearly so often. 
Therefore, and this is a point worth remembering, much food is retained 
under the first practice, and appropriated by the plants, that is washed 
out by the second with the oft recurring drenchings. 
“ But surely,” some may be mentally remarking, “ the soil can be 
made too firm, especially for young plants.” It can, and for large 
plants too, but not if it is in the right mechanical condition. Nothing 
incites the multiplication of roots in young plants more than sweet leaf 
soil, not made from fermented but unfermented leaves, and nothing 
better retains moisture for those roots. Add to it an equal bulk of loam 
with a suitable admixture of sand and crushed charcoal, also a slight 
dredging of powdered superphosphate or steamed bone flour, and it will 
not be easy to pot too firmly, while the food will be suitable for the in¬ 
fantile plants. Phosphatic, or bone manures, are good all through 
the season, and their quickness of action depends on their fineness ; 
for wearing well in larger pots they should be coarser, and they thus- 
exercise a good mechanical as well as chemical effect. In all cases it is 
desirable to incorporate the manure in the soil, which should be damp, 
at least a month before using. Potash is essentia], but if Clover abounds 
in the turf that is cut for storing, the soil will contain sufficient of that 
material. If there is no Clover, give an occasional light dredging of 
crushed saltpetre, or mix a 5-inch potful in a bushel of the compost 
with the same quantity of bone meal. Some special manures contain 
those important ingredients in due proportion, with the addition of a 
more active stimulant, and those who have found the preparations 
satisfactory cannot do better than adhere to them. Lime is a necessity, 
as is sulphur, and both are combined in sulphate of lime or gypsum, and 
this may be used similarly to the other ingredients. Observe all those 
mentioned are foods, not merely stimulants. They are the bread and 
beef, so to say, of plants, whi’e the nitrogenous manures, such as nitrate 
of soda and sulphate of ammonia, are more analogous to wine and 
whisky. I think some doctors recommend these to Chrysanthemum 
growers that are low, while they are sometimes believed to do good if 
not ordered, and are taken accordingly, but moderation is a golden rule, 
to remember, and so it is in giving active stimulants to Chrys¬ 
anthemums. 
Reverting to watering. It is too much the custom to drench the- 
soil as soon as plants have been shifted. Much better is it to syringe 
