358 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[September 4 
April to the beginning of June; P. alius being an 
exception, because its flowers appear at the summits of 
the present year’s shoots. Phaius grandifolius may be 
so managed, by starting it into growth at various pe¬ 
riods, as to greatly prolong the season of its blooming. 
We have bad it in flower from January to June, by 
starting a plant or two at a time, at intervals of a month 
between each period. 
Season of Rest. —Like their epiphytal compeers, the 
terrestrial orchid must have a season of rest; and as 
light is necessary to grow and mature the growth, it 
follows that the best season for repose is when there is 
the least amount of light in our climate, therefore, the 
winter months are the best for placing these plants to 
rest. T. Appleby. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
MR. GLENNY ON FLORISTS’ FLOWERS. 
G. Brittle. —The flower was so knocked to pieces 
that it would be impossible to do justice without seeing 
it again. We observe that the base of every petal is 
j yellow, but not so far as to show us part of the bloom. 
The centre and face appear very good ; and, as far as it 
is possible to judge, the flower will be an acquisition. 
Bloom of the King of the Dahlias arrived safe 
and well. When the trade think proper to cry a thing 
down, as they did Princess Radzville because it reflexes, 
it may pretty safely be depended on; if that be the only 
point deficient, it cannot be second-rate. It is the 
fashion to cry up cupped petals, because they bear 
dressing; and the best dresser stands higher than the 
best grower, according to modern showing, 
Nil Desperandum, a fuchsia of Mr. George Smith’s, 
is a pretty reflexing red and purple variety, of good 
habit, and appears to hold its colour a good while, that 
is, the purple stands well; it reminds one of Exoniensis , 
but greatly surpasses it, with a habit fully as good. 
Duke of Wellington, Hollyhock, one of the best 
guard petals of the whole family, remarkably thick; hut 
being a Scotch flower, the English cultivators like their 
own better. It is a rough flower, but the petals are like 
leather; and it will be grown most by the very people 
who find fault with it. We noticed it at the Surrey 
| Gardens, and since that at the National. 
A curiously speckled-and-striped Dahlia, purple with 
| white marks, neither name nor address, a better than 
| average form; but I query if the centre will continue 
good. The flower was showable, but in the last stage ; 
outline better than average, symmetry fine, petals well 
j cupped, and the edge gracefully turned over. We must 
I see it again; perhaps we may know where to see it 
j growing. 
Picotee (.7. O., Mansfield ), very clean, and likely to 
be useful; the principal fault is, the guard petals are not 
! so bold as they ought to be, and the petals generally too 
narrow; still it makes a good useful variety, and has 
one great advantage—a good pod that scarcely needs 
tying, which is a great desideratum. 
The single flower of Fuchsia does not exhibit any 
| advance upon several we already possess; somehow the 
i raiser contrives to send them in very bad condition. 
The first was shrivelled up altogether, the last was nearly 
so ; perhaps the blooms are gathered too old. 
FLORISTS’ FLOWERS CULTURE. 
the chrysanthemum —( continued from page 322). 
Propagation: bg Guttings —There is no plant that 
strikes root more readily, or more quickly, by cuttings, 
1 than this. The best are made of the young tops an inch 
j l° n g; and the best time to do this is in March. They 
j may be managed two ways, either put them singly into 
two-inch pots, or place a number round the inside of a | 
five-inch pot. Use sandy loam to strike them in. Place 
them in a frame heated slightly, and shade from the sun 
for a few days. They will quickly root, and should be 
then potted off, and replaced in the frame, if in five-incli 
pots ; but if singly in small pots, they may be placed in 
a cool frame as soon as they are rooted, and repotted 
when the pots are filled with roots. 
By layers. —This is a good method to obtain very 
dwarf plants, which are useful for the front of the stage 
or the side platforms of a greenhouse. Here, again, the 
facility with which the Chrysanthemum roots renders 
this an easy and certain successful operation. Plant a 
few old plants out of doors, in a row, or otherwise, as 
you please; let them grow as wild as they choose till 
the month of July; then take as many pots as plants 
are required, and plunge them, filled with some rich 
soil, into the ground, at such a distance from the plants 
growing in the ground, as will allow the tops only, when j 
bent down, to reach the pots; bring them carefully 
down, and lay a small stone upon each branch to keep 
it steady in its position in the pot. Leave about two 
inches of the top out of the soil. If the shoot is branched 
it is well, but if not it must not be topped, because there 
is some danger that the layer may continue to grow and 
not flower, if lopped so late in the season. In truth, 
the success, end, and aim of this way of propagation, is 
to get them to flow r er very dwarf; and, therefore, there 
would be no objection, indeed it would be desirable, that 
the layer should have buds upon it just visible at the time 
when the layering is performed. Keep the soil in the 
pots moderately moist till roots are formed, and after that 
water more freely. When it is certain that the layers 
have made plenty of roots, cut them off from the parent 
plant, and remove them into a frame or pit deep enough 
to receive them. Should they flag during the day, give 
a sprinkling of water, and shade for a day or two till 
they recover; then give air and water freely. They will 
be then nice plants, about a foot high, with, perhaps, 
six or ten flowers on each, and they are really pretty 
useful things. 
By Seed. — The grand secret of raising improved 
florists’ flowers, is choosing the sorts to save seed from. 
Now, if in Chrysanthemums we desire to improve a 
quilled variety, like Fleur de Marie, it would be a folly 
to expect it if the seed was saved from a flat-petalled 
variety, or vice versa; if an improved cup-shaped or flat- 
petalled variety is desired to be improved, the seed must 
be saved from a flower possessing these properties in 
the highest and best degree, and not from a quilled or 
tasselled variety. (There is beauty and elegance in both 
varieties, and the flowers should be divided in two 
classes at exhibitions, and receive awards, not together 
or in opposition, but in separate stands. The quilled 
varieties to form one class, and the flat-petalled varieties | 
another, both to be considered equal). This being duly 
considered, and the flowers determined upon to save j 
seed from, they should be protected from wind, rain, 
and insects; their own pollen should be dusted upon i 
the stigma; and the seeds gathered as soon as they are I 
ripe, and sown in the February following in a gentle 
hotbed, in shallow pots, and light sandy loam. When 1 
the seedlings are high enough to be handled, transplant 
them into the smallest pots, and repot as soon as the 
pots are moderately filled with roots. They will make 
great progress during the summer if treated exactly in j 
the same manner as described for the cuttings, and 
many of them will flower the same year. In the northern | 
counties Chrysanthemums will not bloom quite satis¬ 
factorily in the open air; it is necessary to give them 
greenhouse shelter early in October. There they should 
have plenty of moisture, both at the root and over the ! 
branches, especially when first placed there from out 
of the cool, moist evenings of autumn. Abundance of 1 
