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THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION— June 10, 1850. 
180 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM.* 
We know that the Chrysanthemum was the Chinese 
gardener's most favoured flower two centuries ago, and we 
have the testimony of Mr. Fortune that it is “ the Chinese 
gardener’s favourite flower” still. “There is no other with 
which he takes so much pains, or which he cultivates so 
, well.” “ The soil used in potting is of a very rich descrip 
tion. About Canton it is generally obtained, in the first 
instance, from the bottoms of lakes or ponds, where the 
Nelumbium or Water Lily grows. It is then laid up to dry 
and pulverize for some months, when it is mixed with old 
nightsoil taken from the manure tanks found in every 
garden. A heap of this kind, after being laid up for some 
time, and frequently turned over, is in a fit state for potting 
the Chrysanthemum. Manure-water, taken also from the 
tanks already noticed, is liberally supplied during the grow¬ 
ing season, and its effects are visible in the luxuriant dark 
green leaves which cover the plants.” 
The first author who mentions the Chrysanthemum’s 
cultivation in Europe is Breynius, who, in the second part 
of his “ Prodromus Plantarum Rariormn," published in 1689, 
describes it as “ Matricaria Japonica maxima (Largest Japan 
Matricaria), with most elegant double, rosy, or light red 
flower.’’ He adds, however, an enumeration of five varieties, 
namely, the white, purple, dull-yellow, flesh-coloured, and 
crimson. He and Plukenet say that it was called Kychono- 
phane by the Japanese, which further identifies the flower 
with the Chrysanthemum; for Thunberg, in his “ Flora 
Japonica,” says, that in Japan this flower is called Kiko no 
fauna. It seems to have been lost by the Dutch gardeners 
soon after Breynius wrote, for no other account could be 
found when the plant was re-introduced to Europe. This 
was in the year 178!), when a living plant of the purple 
variety was brought from China to France, and described by 
M. llamatuelle in the “Journal Histoire Naturelle,” ii. 233. 
From France it was sent by M. Cels, in 1730, to the Royal 
Gardens at Kew; but it flowered first at Mr. Colvill’s nur 
sery, in the King's Road, in the November of 1795, and was 
figured in the “ Botanical Magazine,” t. 327. It is the 
variety e, or Purple Quilled, of the “ Hortus Kewensis” (2nd 
edition, published in 1810, where eight varieties are enume¬ 
rated), and is the earliest parent of those numerous varieties 
wc t now possess. The history of the introduction of others 
o. ' first-known varieties may be read in Mr. Sabine’s 
paper, published in the fourth volume of the Horticultural 
Society's Transactions. 
The Pompone Chrysanthemum we are clearly of opinion is 
Lhe Txjctti-Pu, represented by Rlieede on the forty-fourth plate 
of the tenth volume of his “ Hortus Malabaricus,” published 
in 1699, and under various specific names of Matricaria in 
Ray’s “ Historia Plantarum,” iii. 225. It was still more 
clearly represented by Rumphius, in 1751, in his “Herba¬ 
rium Amboinense,” v. t. 01, fig. 1. This dwarf variety of the 
Chrysanthemum was first introduced into our gardens from 
Ghusan by Mr. R. Fortune, and was distributed by the 
Horticultural Society, being popularly known, at first, as the 
“ Chusan Daisy.” 
The little pamphlet which has led us to publish these 
historical notes is from the pen of Mr. Dale, who so success¬ 
fully cultivates the Chrysanthemum amid the smoke of 
London, in the Temple Gardens. The amateur may glean 
from the pamphlet some useful hints; but we will only 
j extract from its pages the arrangement Mr. Dale recom¬ 
mends for the open borders. The front row, he says, must 
be of Pompones, and then, 
FOR THE SECOND ROW, AVERAGE HEIGHT THREE FEET. 
Annie Suiter —Golden yellow ; beautifully reflexed. 
Australie —Golden yellow ; a very pretty, small, free flower. 
Bossuet —Rosy carmine. 
Changeable Yellow —Buds tinged with red, changing to yellow ; charm¬ 
ing border flower. 
Fortune— Rosy red and orange ; very pretty, but rather shy. 
Lucidum —White; very early, free, and beautiful foliage. 
Madame Comerson— Crimson, tipped with gold; pretty, small, and 
free. 
Plutus —Bright gold ; a beautiful flower. 
Princess Royal— Rose. 
* The Chrysanthemum, with particular reference to its Cultivation in 
or near Large Towns. By J. Dale, Gardener of the Middle Temple. 
1856. 
Queen Victoria —Delicate peach; very free, blooms best from old plants. 
Racine —Gold and brown points. 
Surprise —White ; early and free. 
FOR THIRD ROW, AVERAGE HEIGHT FOUR-AND-A-HALF FEET. 
Astrolobe —Orange nankeen ; a very fine border flower. 
Cloth of Gold —Yellow ; fine reflexed flower. 
Cassy— Orange and rose ; pretty border variety. 
Comte de Rantzau— Crimson ; early; the best border flower of this 
colour. 
Gipsy Queen— Orange ; very free, early, and good. 
Incomparable —Buff; very free. 
Jenny Lind— Rosy sulphur; very pretty. 
Mincrve— Creamy rose ; quilled; singular in appearance. 
Madame Poggi —Crimson ; rather late. 
Nell GWynne —Rosy peach ; beautifully reflexed. 
Princess Marie —Rose ; early and fine. 
Wecb's Queen— Light rose; early and good. 
FOR FOURTH ROW, HEIGHT ABOUT FIVE-AND-A-HALF FEET. 
Chevalier Dumagc —Bright gold ; splendid border flower. 
Gluck— Golden orange ; Anemone form. 
Ilermine — Blush ; petals striped up the back with purple. 
Leon Lequuy —Lilac. 
Pio Nono— Indian red and gold tipped. 
Poudre d’Or —Reddish orange; early and free. 
Queen of England —Blush ; a splendid, free, early, border flower. 
Queen of Yellows —Brassy yellow ; a pretty reflexed flower. 
Sydenham— Carmine red ; a pretty border flower. 
Themis —Rose; beautiful, but rather late. 
Trilby —Blush ; free and full. 
Versailles Defiance —Bright rosy lilac ; very pretty. 
FOR FIFTH ROW, HEIGHT SIX FEET. 
Annxo —Red orange ; very handsome in border. 
Arigena —Amaranth; fine, but rather late. 
Decreque —Red ; very free, blooming in clusters ; beautiful for borders. 
Formosum— Pale sulphur; very free and pretty. 
Gem —White, tipped with rose; very free. 
Lysias— Red orange ; early and free. 
Le Prophete— Golden fawn ; a fine, free, full, border flower. 
Prince of Wales —Fiery red ; small and free. 
Temple de Salomon —Bright yellow; free and Rplcndid for borders. 
Vesta —Ivory white ; one of the oldest and best, very free, and splendid. 
Wceb’s Delight— Very rich canary. 
Warden— Orange. 
FOR SIXTH AND BACK ROW. 
Beauty —Peach. 
Christine —Peach ; very free and full. 
Due de Conigliania— Fiery red; very free. 
Duke —Blush. 
Dona —Orange ; large, free flower. 
General Marceati —Large dark buff; very bold. 
Goliath —Large white. 
Marchioness —Large loose white ; very free. 
Madame Boucharlet —White ; free. 
Norfolk Rival —Light lilac; free. 
Orlando —Rosy hurt”. 
Tassel— Yellow ; an old loose variety, capital for back row. 
BITTER CUCUMBERS. 
In a recent number of The Cottage Gardener, one of 
your correspondents complains of bitterness in his Cucum¬ 
bers, and wishes to know the cause. We have, in our time, 
bad complaints too, and the only conclusion we could satis¬ 
factorily arrive at is, that it is entirely owing to the want of 
sufficient moisture, at the same time being exposed to the 
full influence of hot sunshine. Cucumbers, being of a very 
succulent nature, delight in plenty of moisture, both at the 
roots and in the surrounding atmosphere, and we have always 
found that by paying proper attention to this there has been 
no cause to complain, or, in fact, anything said about our Cu¬ 
cumbers being hitter. We grow them winter aud summer, 
and have had ample experience to confirm what we have 
stated.— Progress and Protection. 
[We have not changed our opinion upon the subject to 
which you refer in your P.S., hut the dispute is fruitless; 
and be assured that no gardener will ever be remunerated 
for the expense of a patent for any improvement in the 
structures, implements, or practices of his art.—E d. C. G.] 
