EARLY-FLOWEBrNO CIIRYSANTHEMUMS.-YILLA GARDEXIXG. 
1S7 
EAHLY-ELOWEEING CIIRYSAN- 
TIIEMUMS, 
FOR SUMMER AND AUTUMN BEDDING. 
« IIE past season has been unsatisfactoiy 
in a variety of ways, and flower garden¬ 
ing, amongst other matters, has not 
escaped, for many plants have not come up to 
the expectation formed concerning them at 
planting time. 
We have had hei'e about the borders for 
several years a few of the early-flowering race 
of Chiysanthemnms, and have observed how 
precociously and profusely they bloomed, con¬ 
tinuing, moreover, until cut by sharp frost. This 
last spring, when they had started, and had made 
from two to three inches of growth, we lifted 
the old stools, and broke them up, potting all 
the pieces that had roots into small pots singlj', 
while those not rooted were made into cuttings. 
They soon formed roots, and were potted into 
free soil, and kept close for a few days till they 
got established. They were then allowed plenty" 
of air, and were kept growing on steadily, being 
at the same time pinched-in freel 3 ^, in order to 
make good bushy plants bj' planting-out time, 
which should be early in May, if they have 
been properljr hardened-off. We have several 
large beds of them, which at present (November 
5th) are in full bloom, and have been so for 
the last three months ; they are still studded 
with buds in all stages of development, and 
will go on blooming until cut by sharp frosts. 
The few sorts we have tried are ;—Frederic 
Pele, Chromatella, Madame Pecoul, Precocite, 
and Scarlet Gem.—A. II., Tkoresb//. 
VILLA GARDENING. 
Dfffmlirr. 
ava^UTEP, we have done with the fogs of 
November, December days will often 
be grey and cold, and tree and field. 
hill and stream will look desolate and bare 
against the wintry sky. It is a month of 
pause in nature, but though there is little that 
is active in the garden, except in warmed 
glass structures, it is, nevertheless, a time of 
preparation for the growing season that will 
surel}' follow on the heels of winter. 
Greenhouse. — C/nu/santhemums are blooming 
very late this j^ear generally, and so the villa 
gardener may reasonably expect, if he has 
suflicient warmth to keep frost at ba}', that 
he will be able to enjoy his head of bloom up 
to Christmas at least. Happy is the villa 
gardener who has his greenhouse heated, for 
all through the winter—even such a winter as 
that of 1878-79—he can have something in 
bloom, pleasant to the sight, and satisfying to 
the heart. CJtriisanthemuuis in pots will be 
helped by applying a little stimulus, such as 
liquid manure. Clay’s Fertiliser, or any com¬ 
pound of that character. Chinese Primroses 
are now coming into flower, and will be very 
pretty all through the winter, when the pots 
in which they are growing are filled with 
roots, and they are so well drained that water 
passes away from the roots freel 3 ^ This is a 
matter of great importance in the case of the 
Chinese Primrose, as when the plants are in 
ill-drained soil they soon get sickl 3 '-, and are of 
little value from a decorative point of view. 
Abutilon Boule de jVeige, and some of the other 
varieties, are very useful and pretty plants for 
flowering in a greenhouse at this season of the 
3 'ear; even in a cold house with only the solar 
warmth by day to heat it, Boule de Neige 
is flowering on very niceR', though it cannot 
last much longer, when cold moist weather 
comes. Zonal Pelargoniums are holding on in 
flower; so are BouiKirdias and the young plants 
of Fuchsias., Salvia splendens^ and subjects of a 
similar character. All decaying leaves should 
be removed, as they create damp, which soon 
spreads, and if unchecked does much harm. 
What watering is required should be done be¬ 
fore mid-da 3 q and when the sun is shining, if 
jiossible, so that the shelves can diy before 
night, and frost (if imminent) sets in. It is 
all the more necessaiy in the case of a cold 
house that this precaution be taken; and in 
arranging the plants so that the injurious 
effects of frost should be minimised as much 
as possible, the tenderest plants should have 
the warmest places, and the hardiest plants the 
coldest. 
Cold Frames.—Christmas Boses should now 
be coming into flower, and as soon as the 3 ' 
show signs of throwing up the flower-stems, 
should be removed to the greenhouse, to assist 
in the production of the blossoms. The best 
plan to get Christmas Roses early is to pot up 
some clumps in July, and place them out of 
doors in the shade till October, and then 
place them in a cold frame and keep them 
a little close, to excite them to growth. Any 
plants in pots that are going to rest and casting 
their leaves should be looked over, and the de¬ 
caying leaves removed. It is a good plan to 
occasionally stir the surface soil, as it benefits 
the plants, as well as gives them a neat appear¬ 
ance. The pretty blue ^^gosoti.s is an excellent 
subject to pot up for flowering in earl 3 r spring, 
and it does well in a cold frame ; some strong 
plants potted up in August are already begin¬ 
ning to flower. During this and the following 
month, much bloom cannot be looked for in 
