322 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[August 21. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS CULTURE. 
Chrysanthemums. —Our greenhouses would be sadly 
deficient of bloom in the autumnal months if this tribe 
of plants were unknown, or not cultivated. When they 
are properly grown and well-bloomed, there are few 
families of plants that can surpass them in beauty; and 
yet they are, comparatively speaking, either thought so 
little of, or so mismanaged, that they are not valued as 
they deserve. We trust, now that there are so many 
improved varieties with well-formed flowers and clear 
bright colours, that they will become as fashionable as 
the Pelargonium, or any other tribe of florists’ flowers. 
This result would be more certain to follow, if encourage¬ 
ment to cultivate the chrysanthemum were more liberally 
given, by having exhibitions of it when in bloom. 
There are Tulip Societies, Pelargonium Societies, &c., 
&c., and we know no reason why there should not be a 
“ Chrysanthemum Society.” There are one or two 
Chrysanthemum Shows near London, but they are not 
enough; the large provincial towns should take this 
fine flower into protection and fosterage, and have ex¬ 
hibitions of it, and thus raise a spirit of emulation 
amongst the cultivators that would, in a very few years, 
bring this flower to a higher standard of perfection, both 
in quality of bloom and skill displayed in cultivation. 
At this time of the year the chrysanthemums will 
have attained a considerable size, and should have their 
last potting. As they are such free growing plants, 
they require a proportionate amount of strong food to 
enable them to produce fine, bold, highly-coloured flowers. 
The ordinary soil, or compost, is composed of good loam 
and well-decomposed dung, in the proportion of two 
parts of the former and one of the latter. We have, 
when we desired to obtain extraordinary specimens, 
used the following :—We procured from a rich meadow 
or pasture, some green turf about two or three inches 
thick, this was taken home and chopped up pretty small ; 
then there was added about one-third of two years old 
cow-dung, and a small quantity of sand. The plants, 
having been properly attended to, were bushy and 
strong; they were turned out of their pots, and put into 
11-incli pots, in this rich soil. They quickly showed 
that they were at home, by growing with a vigour 
perfectly astonishing, compared with those cultivated in 
the ordinary way. This growth was kept up by liberal 
supplies of water, both at the root and overhead. They 
were never allowed to flag, but at the same time care 
was taken that there was no stagnant water in the pots. 
Though a gross feeder, this plant is not an aquatic. 
In potting it, then, attention must be given that there 
is proper drainage, so that the superflous water may find 
a ready escape. When the plants have nearly filled 
their pots with roots, it will be desirable to give them a 
further stimulant by watering with liquid manure. 
This must neither be too strong, nor too often applied. 
Water twice with clear soft water, and once with liquid 
manure water. The plants should be placed in such a 
position as to allow to each a due share of light. To 
keep them steady, it is advisable to plunge the pots 
about half their depth in coal-ashes, or even soil or 
: gravel. The best position to arrange them in is a single 
! row, with a foot of space between each plant; the 
| common way of huddling them together in some by- 
| corner is bad both in principle and taste, and the usual 
results are the consequence—long drawn up plants with 
a few starved flowers at the top. Healthy, blooming, 
‘ bushy plants, can only be produced by a regular course 
I of preparation and culture, and there need not be any 
! hiding of the plants when well managed; a young, 
| healthy, thriving set of plants, are always pleasing ob¬ 
jects, even when not in bloom. It is only ill-managed, 
scrubby, long-legged, unsightly plants, that need to be 
j set behind some hedge or wall, or any other obscure 
place, to hide bad culture and its effects. We never see 
plants in such places without a considerable amount of 
mental torture. They remind one of the back slums of 
large populous cities, where the poor inhabitants are 
sickly, pallid, and dirty, and present an appearance too 
frequently disgusting. So with plants; if they are placed 
in analogous circumstances, the same results will be the 
certain consequence. Let, then, every plant have a 
position likely to keep it in health and constant super¬ 
vision. 
Chrysanthemums will require a certain amount of care 
in training so as to form handsome bushes. Short 
sticks must be thrust into the pots, and a certain number 
of branches selected to tie to them ; these should neither 
be too many or too few. It is difficult to give precise 
instructions on this point; let it suffice to state that each 
shoot, and all its leaves, should stand clear of its 
neighbours, so as to let every leaf have light. If one 
stick only is thrust into the pot, and the branches are 
tied to it in the bundle-fasbion, the consequence will be, 
all the inside leaves will, for want of light, soon turn 
yellow, drop off, and so spoil the appearance ol the 
plants. Let the shoots, then, bejudiciously thinned out, 
and those that are left be trained outwards in part, so as 
to allow a due admission of light and air to the centre 
leaves and shoots. 
Insects will be troublesome, especially in long- 
continued dry weather; the green-fly especially. Whilst 
the plants are in the open air it will be difficult to apply 
tobacco smoke; the next best remedy is tobacco water. 
This may either be procured from the manufactory, or 
made by steeping tobacco in water, squeezing it occa¬ 
sionally to extract the juice. Dilute it with water again 
when used. The way to apply it, where the number of 
plants is large, is with the syringe; but where there are 
not many plants, have the diluted water in a wide 
shallow vessel, and bend the tops of the shoots down, so 
as to dip them into the juice; this will destroy all that it 
comes in contact with. T. Appleby. 
(To be continued.) 
THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 
Routine Work. —Persevere in thorough cleanliness 
and order; keep up a loose open surface about every 
crop; clean alleys, walks, and edgings, and allow no 
weed to appear, or slug to brood. Continue to plant 
Cabbage and Coleivorts pretty freely, and, also, Savoys, 
at close distances, say a foot apart, for winter and spring 
greens. The Celery season being now fully in, plenty ol 
water, if dry weather prevails, should be applied to this 
wholesome vegetable, and a late crop planted out some 
time this month; a few plants of a good variety should 
also be selected and planted for seed. The tops ol 
Summer Onions should now be bent down, and an 
autumn sowing of these, and also of Horn Carrots, 
should be made on a warm border. 
Cucumbers should now ,b e sown for autumn produce; 
the linings of late planted out Cucumbers and Melons 
should be occasionally tossed up ; and, as the nights 
get colder, a little covering should be applied. 
Mushroom beds should now be made, and materials 
collected for making beds of a good substance for winter 
crops. Well-made stable dung, that is to say, well 
saturated with urine and a good portion of droppings, 
with a sufficient quantity of good holding loam inter¬ 
mixed, to prevent any strong burning heat; it does not 
matter how strong or fresh the stable dung is for making 
mushroom beds, the principle to keep in mind is, that a 
moderate, uniform, kindly heat and moisture is required, 
and the strength of the dung must never be allowed to 
steam and evaporate away. Bidloclc, sheep, and deer 
droppings, are all very good materials for mixing with 
