January 9, is'^o j 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
81 
in boxes or small pots till they are badly root-bound, the 
former should be early potted off singly into 3-inch pots, and 
the latter shifted into 5-inch pots, all being kept growing in a 
moist heat, such for instance as a Cucumber, Melon, or Tomato 
house. On no account should these plants be allowed to flower 
while being prepared for late autumn and winter flowering, 
the wisest plan being to pinch out the buds whenever they 
show ; also carefully keep them clear of dry hot shelves and the 
hot-water pipes, otherwise red spider may effect a lodgment and 
quickly ruin the plants. When the houses are becoming overgrown 
with Cucumber and Melons, or say about the middle of May, room 
ought to be found for the young Tea Eoses on a light staging in a 
moderately warm greenhouse, where they must be kept clear of the 
other occupants, syringed once or twice in a day, and otherwise 
well attended. By this time they will have become established in 
their pots, and before they are root-bound should be given another 
shift, this time into 8-inch pots, or slightly larger if extra strong. 
Thus liberally treated they ■will soon throw up strong shoots or 
suckers from the base of the stems, and it is these suckers that give 
own-root plants such a decided advantage over any worked on 
stocks. We have frequently succeeded in raising plants that need 
yet another shift by midsummer, and this is always given. In each 
and every case clean well-drained pots should be used, and if there 
is but little fibre in the loam add more leaf soil and old Mushroom 
bed manure as well as charcoal freely. 
Innumerable Tea Roses in pots, both old and young plants, 
are ruined by being too much exposed to all weathers in the open 
air. Only during the hottest and driest portion of the year, or 
say July, August, and the early part of September, should they be 
stood in a sunny sheltered spot, being housed before the pots 
become saturated and the plants badly mildewed. In reality, they 
are best kept under glass altogether, especially in the colder 
districts and where the rainfall is heavy. The greatest pains 
should be taken to keep worms out of the pots, the latter being 
set on a hard ash bottom, ashes also being the best material for 
covering the pots. 
During the winter a light warm house, the temperature of 
which seldom falls below 50° during the night, and is maintained 
from 55° to G0° in the daytime, is the best position for Tea Roses 
in pots during the flowering period, cold currents of air being 
excluded as much as possible. They will succeed fairly well in a 
higher temperature, but the blooms are much smaller and the 
plants are liable to fail more quickly than is the case when less 
hard forced. Plants in a vigorous state may well be allowed to 
flower late in the autumn and any time during the winter, but as a 
rule the best supplies will be cut during the spring months and till 
open air Eoses are available. Quite young plants are most given 
to push up strong branching suckers, and it is the latter that 
produce the greatest profusion of fine buds or blooms. They 
ought never to be kept dry at the roots, and if the pots 
are well filled with roots liquid manure of some kind, though 
not too strong, should be given frequently. When once a good 
stock of plants is raised abundance of good cuttings will be avail¬ 
able every spring, and it is advisable to raise a number of fresh 
plants annually, the more weakly or exhausted old plants being 
either planted out against a sunny ■wall or thrown away. 
All old plants after their serviceable period is over, or say early 
in July, may well be attended to at the roots. In some cases 
much of the unoccupied soil may be picked away and the plants 
returned to pots of much the same size they previously occupied, 
while others much root-bound should be given a shift. At the 
same time most of them ought to be lightly pruned, the aim being 
to cause the plants to push out strong growths early in the sum¬ 
mer, and this if kept from flowering will be of good service during 
the forcing season. Varieties that do well in pots are Catherine 
Mermet, The Bride, Niphetos, Madame Falcot, Souvenir d’un Ami, 
Rubens, Isabella Sprunt, Marie Van Houtte, Alba Rosea, Com- 
tesse de NadaUlac, Anna Ollivier, Madame Lambard, and Hon. 
Edith Gifford. The relative values of these will be given shortly, 
and also additional remarks upon Tea Roses trained over roofs and 
otherwise.—M. H. 
POESiSETTIAS AT MARSTON. 
At the present time time these make a fine display in the Marston 
Gardens, represented as they are by large numbers of well-grown plants, 
crowned with their bright-coloured showy bracts, far above the average 
in size. The somewhat low-roofed stove, a compartment of which is 
occupied with them, does not display them to the best advantage for 
inspection ; but a portion of the stock, arranged in the most roomy 
fernery, lends a brightness unknown to this structure at any other 
period of the year. They look surprisingly well among the Ferns, their 
bold heads being better displayed than any other arrangement can 
afford. Two distinct varieties are noticed, the one at its best at the 
time of my visit being much earlier than the deep scarlet form generally 
growm ; the eaidier one, too forms much the neatest break, and is the 
most effective. In 'growing the two an advantage is gained in the 
length of time the display can be maintained, and their value is greatly 
enhanced where they are used largely for room and dinner-table decora¬ 
tion, as is the case at Marston at this season. No flowers create greater 
admiration than well-grown Poinsettias when judiciously used on the 
dinner table for evening parties, and if care is taken to place them in 
warm water they can be used for two or three consecutive terms by 
change of design without becoming monotonous. 
The whole of the plants are alike healthy and vigorous, though not 
possessing a great length of stem, and ■w'ere furnished almost to the pots 
with leaves, a sufficient indication of perfect health. The summer- 
struck stock bears single stems and bracts, older plants being represented 
by several, and on one in particular I noticed a single stem carrying two 
fine heads. Their late summer and autumn treatment this year was 
cool, for I am told that for some time previous to being housed they had 
no protection from the elements, or rather only what little the walls of 
the pit wherein they stood provided, until the beginning of October. 
After they were taken indoors they were subjected to a dry airy 
atmosphere, and their present condition bears ample testimony to the 
suitable treatment bestowed upon them.— Visitor. 
The National Cheysanthemijm Society. 
A MEETING of the General Committee of the above Society was 
held in Anderton’s Hotel, Fleet Street, on Monday, January 6th, at 
7 P.M., R. Ballantine, Esq., in the chair, a good number of members 
being present. The minutes of the last meeting having been duly read 
and confirmed, Mr. Holmes stated, with regard to the Judges appointed 
for the Centennary Exhibition next November, that Mr. J. Douglas 
having a prior engagement could not accept the appointment, and 
Messrs. Barron and Roberts were also unable to attend ; the following 
reserve Judges were therefore invited, and had accepted—namely, Messrs. 
Harry Turner, W. Wildsmith, and G. Miles. The Hon. Secretary also 
announced with deep regret the death of a respected member of the 
Committee, Mr. W. Blake, jvhich took place on December 2fith. For a 
number of years he was a regular attendant at the meetings, and had 
taken considerable interest in the proceedings. Mr. Holmes proposed, 
and Mr. Addison seconded, a vote of sympathy with the widow and 
family, which was supported by several members, and carried unani¬ 
mously. 
The dates of the early and late shows for the next season ■were then 
fixed for September 10th and 11th, 1890, and January 7th and 8th, 1891, 
Messrs. G. Gordon and R. Allan being appointed the Judges for Chrys¬ 
anthemums. A schedule was prepared for the classes to be provided at 
the Royal Aquarium Show on October 15th and 16th, 1890, and the 
Hon. Secretary was authorised to expend £20 in prizes arranged on the 
same basis as at the November Show, the classes being as follow :— 
Twenty-four Japanese in not less than twelve varieties ; twelve Japanese 
distinct; six Japanese, distinct CsmiRteurs) ; six blooms, white, one 
variety ; six blooms, yellow, one variety ; six blooms of any colour 
except yellow and white, one variety ; twelve Pompons, not less than 
eight varieties, in bunches, three trusses to form a bunch ; and six 
Pompons, distinct (amateurs). A hearty vote of thanks was accorded 
to the members who acted as Stewards at the recent successful annual 
dinner. A resolution was adopted with regard to the medals. Eighteen 
Fellows and members were elected, making a total of 691. The Guild¬ 
ford, Stamford, Isle of Thanet, and Auckland (New Zealand) Societies 
were admitted into affiliation ; and Mr. Drain was elected on the General 
Committee in the place of the late Mr. Blake. It was announced that 
Messrs. Castle and Gordon had made some arrangements for a Confer¬ 
ence at the Show on January 8th, when Mr. Kipling had promised to 
read a paper on “ Are Chrysanthemums Wanted at Midwinter ? ” and 
several questions would also be proposed for discussion. 
The Ne^w Catalogue. —Mr. Holmes stated that it was proposed 
to issue a new edition of the Catalogue during the present year, and it 
was desirable that the Committee, Messrs. Lewis Castle, George Gordon, 
and C. Harman Payne, should proceed with, the work. As a permanent 
Committee he did not think they required any special authorisation, but 
as it would necessitate the expenditure of a large sum of money it was 
perhaps desirable to bring the matter before the General Committee. 
He remarked that the 1888 Catalogue had sold well, and would yield a 
profit; he therefore supposed there would not be two opinions respect¬ 
ing the desirability of continuing the work. It was then proposed, 
seconded, and carried, that the matter be referred to the Catalogue 
Committee to proceed with as rapidly as convenient. 
Chrysanthemum Lady Blanche. 
Under this name Mr. Stevens of Putney has grown a number of 
plants this year, the blooms of which were of the greatest value and in 
large demand for wreath-making and decorative purposes at Christmas 
and subsequently. Other late sorts were grown, but not one of them 
