May t>. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
85 
received a fair share of attention. Tiioso best suited for 
in door and out-door decoration were duly specified, and 
the methods of management. If I mistake not, lists of 
the best, and the treatment most suited for the small 
I’ompone varieties, have also been given by those who 
have had more acquaintance with that section than I 
as yet can boast of. In this article, therefore, I propose 
chiefly to consider it first as a calendarial addenda, and, 
secondly, as a medium for introducing part of a confi¬ 
dential communication from a first-rate gardener, whose 
chrysanthemums last season, taking flowers and plants 
together, were second to none I had seen,—the leaves 
being as large and green, hanging over the pot, as the 
flowers were massive and abundant; the plants appear¬ 
ing bushy from this cause, though each plant seldom 
had more than three or four stout stems. 
In the north of the island, if propagation has not been 
proceeded with, the cuttings may be inserted in a little 
heat (the points of the suckers are generally used), 
about four inches in length, cut clean across at a bud, 
and two or three of the leaves removed, with the buds 
in their axils. This prevents many suckers rising when 
growing. To expedite the process, the cuttings may be 
placed round the sides of small pots, in light, sandy 
soil, and then plunged. In the south of the island this 
may also be done, though, in a warm place, they would 
do in a south border, under hand-glasses. We have 
had as fine plants by propagating in the end of April 
and the beginning of May as at an earlier period, but 
then the plant must have no lingering resting time of 
it. As soon as the cuttiugs are rooted, which will not 
take long, the plants should be stopped, and in a few 
days afterwards potted into three-inch pots, kept close 
and warm until rooted, and then transplanted out-of- 
doors, to be raised and potted in autumn. Twenty years 
ago, I noticed a peculiarity in cultivating fine plants, 
which, I presume, few would think of imitating now, 
though some curious people might do so and report the 
issue. The plants, until far on in the autumn, never 
were completely exposed, and, consequently, neither 
from the heavens nor the water-pot had they ever a 
drop of water on the foliage, and yet they were strong 
and robust, and of a beautiful green. After the second 
j shifting, they were placed into a box frame, with glass 
j sashes; that frame was raised from the ground all round 
; to admit air freely after the middle or end of June, and 
| the sashes were tilted to admit air also, but never slided. 
Thus treated, the bloom buds set strong and early. The 
i pots stood upon coal-ashes; the shoots received their 
i last stopping in June; and the roots were watered 
alternately with clear water and a good thick mixture 
| of two-year-old cow-dung and water from a barrel, where 
it was allowed to remain several weeks before being 
| used. Little brewing of clear manure-water in those 
j days ! 
After this first potting, I have tried continuing in 
pots, planting out in small pots, planting out altogether 
in a rich open piece of ground, and then taking the 
plants up again in September, and in all these modes I 
have had a fair portion of success; but in these latter 
modes I have found that a shady situation must be 
given to the plants after potting, but not a close one— 
that is, a place with air all round, except on the south 
side, will be better than a close pit, for in the latter, 
unless great care is taken, some of the finest lower 
leaves will go. In such cases, perspiration must be 
I checked by moist standing ground, and the use of the 
syringe over the foliage, until, by fresh rooting, the 
plaut will stand more sunshine without feeling it. I 
: have also found, when planting out entirely and 
! then ropotting afterwards, that if the flower buds were 
any size, they were apt to be so checked that the smaller 
j buds brought ultimately the best flowers; while, if potted 
just when they were forming, they occasionally started 
off altogether. The time of final potting, as regards 
these matters, &c., 1 therefore inquired of my friend, 
whose words I will take the liberty of transcribing, 
confident that those who will be equally successful 
will have no reason to grumble. 
“ With regard to Chrysanthemums,” ho says, “I can 
say but little. I have been very successful with them 
these two years, though I cannot claim any superior 
way of treating them. However, as you wish it, I will 
give you my mode of treatment. 1 take oil' the cut¬ 
tings in April, and plant them under hand-glasses on a 
border. 1 shade in strong sunshine, but only then. 
As soon as they show signs of rooting, air is given; a 
little at first, and more by degrees, until the glasses are 
left off at night. As soon as they grow a little their 
tops are pinched off, and shortly afterwards they are 
potted into 00’s, placed in a cold frame, and the lights 
kept close, with an occasional shading, till they have 
taken with their pots. Air is then given, and the lights 
soon wholly removed: they soon grow strong, and fill 
their pots. I then shift them into offs, using a very 
rich soil. They are then plunged in beds in the open 
ground, to obviate the necessity of frequent waterings 
during summer, as you know 1 am very scarce of that 
element. They receive no further attention, beyond an 
occasional watering when they seem to require it, till 
towards autumn, when they have a few sticks put to 
them to prevent them being broken with the wind; about 
the end of September, when they are well knotted for 
bloom, they are taken up. They are, of course, rooted 
through the pots, but seldom to such an extent as to 
cause any material check. I then shift them into 24 s, 
using about two parts loam, and one of rotten dung; 
they are then properly tied up, and made ready for 
housing on the appearance of frost. A slight frost will 
not injure them if the flowers are not expanded. By 
allowing them plenty of air, when first put under cover, 
they will retain their leaves, which adds greatly to their 
beauty. The fresh soil added at the last potting seems 
to strengthen them amazingly. When they have again 
filled their pots, and begin to expand their blossoms, 
they are treated to a little manure-water about twice 
a-week. I take off a few of the buds when they are very 
thick, but I do not thin much, as 1 look more to the 
general beauty of the plants than to the size of indi¬ 
vidual flowers. I may, however, safely say that I had 
hundreds of blooms measuring 4| and 5 inches in 
diameter. I never stop but once, as some of the late 
kinds will not flower at all, if stopped too late in the 
season.” Whatever I may get from my friend for thus 
putting his practice into print, our readers will have no 
reason to complain if they approach his success. 
It. Fish. 
PROPAGATION OF ORCHIDS. 
(Continued from page 52.) 
ScHOMnuRGCiii a.—A genus of large-growing, hand¬ 
some plants, which may be propagated in the same 
manner as the stronger-growing Cattleyas. 
Scuticakia. —This is a fine plant, somewhat difficult 
to increase. A safe way is, to divide a tolerably-sized 
plant in two—fix the parts so divided to short blocks— 
fasten the blocks into a basket with strong wire, packing 
them lightly in with rough peat and moss—and suspend 
the basket sideways, so that the top of the basket will 
hang vertically instead of horizontally, the leaves of the 
plants will then hang gracefully downward, and the 
plants will never become saturated with moisture. Keep 
them in the warmest part of the Indian house, and 
syringe frequently; they will soon make fresh growth, 
and will, if properly managed, flower the second year. 
Sobralia. —The roots of these splendid plants are thick, 
