520 
THE HARDENING WORLD. 
ipril 16, 1887= 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
Seasonable Notes. —Chrysanthemums potted as 
directed in The Gardening World, p. 424, will now 
require further attention. Plants that were potted 
singly, as there directed, will now be ready for another 
shift, this time into 4J-in. pots ; but the strongest 
may be put into 6-in. pots. Care should be taken 
that they are well crocked to ensure perfect drainage. 
Turn the roots out of the pots with the ball of earth 
intact, and place the plants into those of a larger size, 
having previously filled them sufficiently to bring the 
roots to within 1 in. of the rim. Then fill up with 
soil to within J in. of the rim, press down -firmly, and 
place the plants in a frame for a few days, after which 
they can be placed outdoors if the weather be favour¬ 
able, merely sheltering them for a few nights. 
Our plan is to put a temporary framework around 
the plants, over which mats are thrown at night to 
protect them from injury through slight frosts that 
might occur. Recently-struck cuttings should be duly 
potted on when well rooted, and those inserted now 
will make very useful plants for conservatory decoration. 
Chrysanthemums intended to be planted in the 
borders should be grown on in pots or boxes, and be 
well hardened off before being planted ; and as soon 
as the weather permits they may be planted. The 
varieties most suitable for this purpose are the early 
and medium early-flowering ones. "Where these have 
been struck and potted 'singly they should be looked 
over, and shoots requiring stopping seen to at once, as 
it is advisable to get the number of breaks required as 
early in the season as possible. The plants will then 
have a longer interval in which to ripen the wood. 
Cuttings of these varieties may still be inserted, es¬ 
pecially those that bloom very early, such as La Bien 
Aimee, La Petite Marie, and its yellow sport, MM. 
Paul et Son (much preferable to the last-named variety), 
and Surprise (which latter has already given us blooms 
this month). They will make very useful plants for 
blooming in 6-in. pots.— TV. E. Boyce, Archway Road, 
HiyJujate, JS T . 
-- 
ANEMONES. 
I have just been reading an interesting sketch of 
the Anemone, translated from a treatise published in 
France in the early part of the present century ; therein 
it is stated that the fine and striking Anemone coro- 
naria came originally from the Indies. That it is a 
flower of great antiquity cannot be denied, for does 
not curious traditions concerning its origin find a place 
in Grecian mythology? It is said that Yenus turned 
her lover, the dying Adonis, into an Anemone or Wind¬ 
flower, in order that he might live for ever ; but 
whether our Anemone represents that of the ancients, 
or that known by them as the Wind-flower, is, perhaps, 
open to doubt. 
Referring to the translation I have mentioned, I may 
state that M. Bachelier, a celebrated French florist, is 
credited with having introduced the Anemone into 
France about 1770, importing at the same time the 
Chestnut. A connoisseurvisiting his garden found there, 
when his Anemones were in flower, an astonishing 
quantity of very fine sorts, both double and single. It 
would appear that M. Bachelier raised a great number 
of very fine forms from seed, and so jealously guarded 
his possessions that he would give away neither plants 
nor seeds until he had secured a large stock of them. 
Money having failed to purchase, stratagem was resorted 
to in order to get some of the coveted spoil, and the 
successful effort made by an ingenious councillor of the 
French Parliament deserves a record. The Chronicler 
states :—“Theseed very much resembles down, and is 
indeed called by that name, and when it is quite ripe it 
easily attaches itself to worsted stuff. This councillor 
went to see M. Bachelier’s flowers when the seed was 
quite ripe, dressed in his robe of office, and he ordered 
his lacquey to allow it to trail. When they were near 
the Anemones he turned the conversation upon a plant 
which diverted their sight another way, and then with 
a flourish of his gown he passed it over the heads of 
the seed pods, and, of course, some seeds were left upon 
it. The lacquey, duly instructed, folded up the tail of 
the gown, the seeds attaching to it were hidden within 
the folds, and M. Bachelier, not suspecting anything, 
of course, knew nothing of the ruse, and fine Anemones 
soon ceased to be his exclusive possession. ” 
The Anemone is a flower that was very popular years 
ago, and select collections were grown for exhibition 
purposes, much as Dahlias, Roses and Auriculas are at 
the present. But beautiful and useful as it is, it 
appeared to lose its hold upon the public ; though 
there are signs that it is again rising in the popular 
estimation. Now, many fine varieties of Anemones 
are raised from seeds, and in order to call public at¬ 
tention to them, they are designated “Poppy” or 
“French,” or Empress Anemones, but by whatever 
name they are known they are as beautiful as they are 
useful, and hardy in character. 
Great quantities of Anemones are grown by the bulb- 
growers of Holland, and the dried roots are sent to 
this country in August and September, when good 
varieties can be purchased at a small cost. The roots, 
when they come into contact with moisture, soon swell 
out, and when potted or planted in the open ground 
throw up a vigorous growth. 
Seedlings are easily obtained from seed, which can be 
sown in a shallow box or pan, and the same placed in 
a cold frame, or in any quarter where it can be shaded 
from the sun by day and kept fairly moist. The seeds 
will soon germinate, and when the plants are strong 
enough they can be planted out in a prepared bed, and 
the majority of them will flower the following spring; 
any inferior ones can be thrown away. Seed should be 
taken from a few fine varieties, and in this way a 
remarkable strain can be secured. 
The roots of choice sorts can be taken up when the 
leaves have died down, and put away carefully for 
planting another season ; but a renewal by means of 
seedlings every year is an excellent practice. As to 
soil, a good deep sandy loam suits it well. Provided 
the soil be at all holding, the Anemone is not very 
fastidious as to its character ; but it is not likely to 
succeed in a stiff retentive clay. — R. D. 
-- 
CARNATIONS AND PICOTEES. 
Growers of Carnations and Picotees for show 
purposes are now busy potting their plants into 
their flowering pots. As to the size of the pots in 
which the plants are flowered, Mr. E. S. Dodwell in 
his excellent book on the Carnation and Picotce re¬ 
marks :—“Y r e use three sizes of pots for blooming, 
viz., 9-in., 8-in. and 7-in., respectively ; for a few, 
indeed, of weakly habit, or small late struck cuttings, 
6-in. pots are ample. In the larger size we place three, 
or if very robust, two plants ; in the 8-in. two plants, 
if of medium growth ; and in the 7-in., one or two if of 
very weakly habit,” and he adds with significant 
emphasis, “ the cultivator will find it useful to study 
these little matters, and use a pot in accordance with 
the strength of the plant, for fine flowers may not be 
looked for until the soil has been ivell occupied, and 
the roots are in full contact with the sides of the pot. 
As a matter of course, the compost in which the 
plants are potted is prepared beforehand. It should 
be got together in the autumn, and it is far more im¬ 
portant it should be sweet and pure than highly 
stimulating. Anyone not having taken time by the 
forelock will do well to get some good loam from just 
below a rich pasture, say three parts, and make a fourth 
part of well-decomposed manure and good leaf-soil. 
Having previously examined the ingredients, to pick 
out such insects, worms, &c., as the eye can discover, 
it should be well turned over two or three times, and 
thoroughly mixed ; some rough sand may be added 
with advantage. 
Firm potting is a matter of the first importance. 
Mr. Dodwell points out the advantages derived from 
the practice in the following way. “ It saves from the 
great injury of extreme saturation by heavy rain, and 
its correlative evil, drought; and further, as soil well 
firmed is not subject to the excessive fluctuations of 
heat and cold which follow that of a loose texture, and 
as experience and theory alike teach that successful 
cultivation depends upon the nearest realisation of an 
equable temperature, gradually increasing according to 
the necessities of the plants, and the avoidance of 
sudden changes from heat to cold, and drought to 
moisture. Firm potting goes far to produce for us 
these conditions, therefore, I prescribe it. ” 
The soil at the time of potting should be nicely 
moist ; not dry on the one hand or sticky on the 
other. At the bottom of the pots should be put 2 ins. 
of clean crocks, then some rough fibrous soil, and then 
the potting can be proceeded -with. After potting, a 
covering of clean oyster shells is recommended, as it 
keeps the soil cool and moist. "When potted, the pots 
should be placed on strips of wood or slates to prevent 
the ingress of worms, and a little shelter given to the 
plants if cold winds follow. Any plants having made 
leading shoots should be tied to tall sticks to prevent 
them being broken off by wind.— Quo. 
-- 
EARLY WHITE AURICULAS. 
A few years ago I saw an advertisement offering 
early white Auriculas, and I wrote for some plants, 
and when they came to hand I found they were 
that most delightful of the early-flowering Primulas, 
P. nivea or nivalis, as it is frequently termed—the 
Snowy Primrose of the Alps. I think that anyone who 
received this charming subject under the name of white 
Auricula would not be disappointed. The plants 
during the past two years have grown into good size, 
and they are now blooming in the most pleasing 
manner. Of all the species of Primulas I grow, P. nivea 
is the earliest, and I wonder it has never been grown as 
a market plant. When grown in pots it should be 
frequently divided, for it has a tendency, in common 
with other choice Primulas, to get somewhat naked 
about the base of the shoots, and as these protrude 
rootlets, the whole plant is likely to go off if not taken 
up and divided into as many pieces as possible. 
Every shoot will form a plant, inasmuch as each is 
usually furnished with little rootlets, and take hold of 
fresh soil immediately. It is a plant that everyone 
should grow who can. I find it does best in a gritty 
soil, and if a few stones be laid upon the surface of the 
pots the plant derive benefit from them ; they help to 
keep the surface soil cool and moist.— R. D. 
--> 3 :<-- 
THE ERICA. 
At the recent meeting of the Birmingham Gardeners’ 
Society, a good practical paper on the Erica and its 
culture was read by Mr. Walter Jones, gardener to 
C. E. Mathews, Esq. Mr. Jones is a successful culti¬ 
vator of specimen Ericas and other plants, and his 
remarks were therefore listened to as a known practical 
grower. Starting with the introduction of Cape Heaths 
by Mr. Masson in the time of George III., who sent 
home many fine sorts from the Cape when it became a 
British possession, he went on to treat of the culture 
of plants purchased from the nurseries, and recom¬ 
mended special attention to the ball of the plant 
being in a moist state before re-potting—certainly not 
dry—and not over-watering after potting. Details of 
treatment throughout to the specimen state were given, 
with plan of a suitable house, and the avoidance of a 
direct draught from ventilators on to the plants. 
Another point urged was not allowing the sun’s rays to 
act upon the pots, and keeping them syringed in hot 
weather. 
Very clean sweet drainage was urged, sifting through 
a fine riddle the dust-like portion, to be used as 
follows :—The soil to consist of good sound peat—not 
too spongy or too adhesive—broken up, but the fine 
soil used with it, not riddling it, and adding one-sixth 
of silver-sand, a little broken-up charcoal, and the 
dusty crock-siftings already alluded to, as this keeps 
the soil open, and the roots soon fasten on to it. The 
stimulant used by Mr. Jones, and recommended by him, 
is soot only, placed in a bag in a barrel of water, using 
the water in a clear state. In the discussion which 
followed, one member stated that he used artificial 
manures, especially Standen’s ; but the use of such 
manures was generally condemned during the debate 
as dangerous and not needed. 
This meeting was the closing one of the winter 
session, and all the meetings have been well attended, 
over 300 members now forming the society. At this 
meeting it was resolved that the papers read before the 
society during the session should be printed for cir¬ 
culation ; also that a respectful congratulatory letter 
should be written to the Mayor, Sir Thomas Martineau. 
who presided at the first meeting of the society, 
and has always taken an interest in its doings. 
-—- 
RHODODENDRON PINK BEAUTY. 
A Lancashire correspondent sends us a fine truss of 
this variety bearing thirteen flowers, and this number 
is sometimes exceeded. It is described as one of the 
finest and freest-flowering of its class, with an extremely 
dwarf and sturdy habit. The flowers are about 2J ins. 
in length, with a slender pinkish tube becoming almost 
white at the base, while the limb deepens to a beautiful 
rosy pink, The leathery evergreen leaves that terminate 
