JANUARY. 
27 
the Grapes fresh. Nothing tends so much to keep the leaves green 
through December and January as the application of a slight heat to 
the border; for this purpose I cover my borders in October, or as soon 
as I can get them, with about 18 inches of fresh leaves ; these are well 
trodden down, and thatched with straw to give them a tidy appearance. 
They impart a slight warmth to the border, and I have no doubt assist 
very materially—by keeping up the action of the roots—to preserve the 
leaves in a fresh state to a period long after they otherwise would have 
ripened and fallen off. This covering is removed when the Grapes are 
cut, at which time the sashes are removed, the Vines pruned and tied 
down, so as to be shaded and kept from breaking till May, except 
the Muscats, which are placed under glass again in April—both kinds, 
while wintering, are kept as cool as we can. 
G. P. S. 
NEW CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
The past season will long be remembered for the number and bril¬ 
liancy of its Chrysanthemum fetes. Well may we boast of 1857 as 
the finest Chrysanthemum season ever known. We have had a 
splendid summer and a congenial autumn, without a single injurious 
frost. Whoever saw our gardens so gay in November and December 
before ; not merely with a profusion of flowers, but with so large and 
perfect ones, in many cases as beautifully incurved as those cultivated 
under glass. It is not my intention to say anything about the best 
mode of cultivating the Chrysanthemum—that has been done over and 
over again; nor to give an opinion whether an autumn plant is any 
better than a spring cutting—that will enlist the best growers on oppo¬ 
site sides ; neither will I use any argument to prove the great value of 
the Chrysanthemum for winter decorative purposes—that is universally 
admitted. My object will be to say something about new flowers, and, 
from personal observation, give the peculiar characteristics of the most 
desirable varieties, and thus render some little service to those who are 
upon the outlook for next season. It should ever be kept in mind that 
the Chrysanthemum may be adapted to three distinct purposes. 
•These are :—1st. Incurved flowers, hitherto the beau-ideal of perfec¬ 
tion for cut blooms; such as Plutus, Vesta, Alfred Salter, Dupont 
de l’Eure, Pio Nono, Queen of England, Themis, Hermione, Non¬ 
pareil, Etoile Polaire, Two-coloured Incurved, Christopher Columbus, 
&c., &c. But for next season one, if not two societies, have decided 
upon another class of cut bloom, with recurved flowers, such as Annie 
Salter, Madame Domage, Cardinal, Christine, Phidias (new), Poudre 
d’Or, Chevalier Domage, Beaute du Nord, Le Prophete, &c., &c. 
2nd. Plants of compact habit, free-blooming, and brilliant colours for 
specimens or conservatories. Among these may be numbered such as 
Vesta, Pilot, Madame Poggi, Annie Salter, Cassy, Trilby, Madame 
Camerson, Zephyr, Auguste Mie, Chevalier Domage, Golden Cluster, 
Pygmalion, and many others. 
3rd. Early and free-blooming varieties for gardens; as Queen of 
