180 
FHE GARDENING WORLD 
November 21, 1891. 
NEW EARLY FLOWER¬ 
ING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
The capital illustration of one of the new varieties 
belonging to the early section which appeared in last 
week’s issue of The Gardening World, reminds us 
that the contest for supremacy between French and 
American Chrysanthemum raisers is likely to be¬ 
come keener in succeeding years. After not a little 
conversation with friends specially interested in the 
early flowering section there seems to be no doubt 
that they anticipate a very brilliant future in store 
for these novelties, and that there is some probability 
of a complete revolution taking place in the annals of 
this popular flower. 
Among the large number of Earlies distributed in 
the spring of the present year it is unquestionable that 
there is a fair average proportion of flowers of ster¬ 
ling merit, and that they only require a further 
season’s treatment in the hands of competent English 
cultivators to do justice to their flowering capabili¬ 
ties either as pot plants or as subjects for the open 
border. For the past ten years Chrysanthemums 
of continental origin particularly have shown signs 
of continual advance in their time of flowering, and 
now we have the important addition of 125 varieties 
all reputedly early and beginning to bloom from about 
the end of June, and lasting far away into the ordinary 
Chrysanthemum season. 
There only remains one more item in the pro¬ 
gramme to ensure this unqualified success, and it is 
a consignment from Japan, where we are told sum¬ 
mer-flowering Chrysanthemums have been known 
and grown almost as long as the November-blooming 
kinds. Those of us who have stood aghast at the 
immense additions to the lists of all kinds in past 
years need indulge in no hope for smaller quantities. 
The exhibits at the Aquarium last week show quite 
plainly that the novelty-dealers are keenly alive to 
the interest the new flowers create, and notwithstand¬ 
ing that we are utterly unable to keep pace with the 
times, seem determined to inundate us with larger 
accessions. 
There is one grain of satisfaction about the whole 
business. Nobody in particular seems to lose much 
by the “ boom,” but unquestionably there must be 
a somebody or somebodies who profit materially by 
the increase, and whose pockets must have been 
liberally and plentifully lined with that most attrac¬ 
tive of metals, British gold. We do not grudge them 
their gains in these days of keen competition ; the man 
who can discover a means of acquiring wealth is to 
be congratulated, and is deserving of full commen¬ 
dation when that means affords pleasure of so innocent 
a kind as growing Chrysanthemums. 
Our friends who delight in Queen Mum need be 
under no apprehension that the charm of novelty 
will be allowed to wear away. From information of 
a private nature we venture to predict that there will 
be next year another substantial collection of early 
Chrysanthemums placed before the eyes of the ad¬ 
miring Chrysanthemum world.— Chrysantli. 
THE AUTUMN TREAT¬ 
MENT OF VINE BORDERS. 
From many years’ experience and great success I can 
say that November is the best month for dressing 
Vine borders and applying manurial stimulants. My 
practice is to first examine the roots to see that they 
are in a healthy condition ; then to look to the drain¬ 
age ; and subsequently to lightly fork over the surface 
of the border, and apply a dressing of manure made 
up as follows :—twenty bushels of wood ashes, six 
bushels of lime, four bushels of soot, one bushel of 
the best guano, and eighteen bushels of dry, old 
night soil. The materials are put into a dry, open 
shed, well mixed together, turned some six times, and 
allowed to stand for four or five days, before being 
sown on the border. This quantity will suffice for a 
border 40 ft. long, and if the Vines are planted inside 
I treat them in a similar way, only adding some fresh 
loam to make up for what is previously scraped off 
the top. 
I find this mixture a first class manure, as it keeps 
the borders clean and sweet, and the Vines healthy 
and vigorous, so that they regularly give us good 
crops of well-coloured fruit. After applying the 
mixture I have the borders covered with long stable 
litter, about a foot deep, which protects the surface 
loots from frost, and this is left on until the end of 
May, when the greater part is removed, sufficient 
being left to mulch the border, and prevent too rapid 
evaporation in dry weather. The long litter removed 
from the Vine borders I find most useful for mulch¬ 
ing Strawberries, as it is clean, and is available just 
at the time it is wanted. The best time to dress the 
inside borders is just after the Grapes are cut, or 
when the Vines are pruned. It is advisable to remove 
all other plants from the house, arid throw it open 
for a few days after applying the dressing.— William 
Smythe, The Gardens, Basing Park, Alton. 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 
IN HOLLAND. 
The culture of the Chrysanthemum is making 
rapid strides in Holland, and Dutch horticulturists 
are taking all possible measures to master its culti¬ 
vation in the hope that in time they will attain 
the high standard of excellence which obtains in 
England. The great success of the first show held 
in Amsterdam, in November, 1890, has given an 
immense impetus to the movement, and the second 
show organised by the Dutch Horticultural Society 
was held on the 12th inst., when a plebiscite was 
taken on the following questions —i. The ten most 
elegant and distinct varieties. 2. The six largest 
varieties. 3. The six most compact growing and 
free-flowering varieties. 4. The best six tall-grow¬ 
ing varieties. 5. The six best Pompons. 6. 
The four best Anemone-flowered sorts. 7. The 
best white variety for cutting. 8. The best six 
yellow varieties for cutting. 9. The ten best 
coloured varieties for cutting. 
The result is to be announced in Sempervirens, the 
Dutch Horticultural Journal, so ably edited by Mr. 
H. Witte, of the Botanical Gardens, Leyden, who is 
the most popular writer on flowers Holland has ever 
possessed.— Haidcntair. 
+ ^ 
PLANTING YOUNG 
VINES. 
Amateurs are often at a loss to understand the cause 
of their recently planted Vines making a halt in their 
growth after starting with apparently a good promise. 
In most cases the young Vines are planted with their 
roots in an outside border, and their stems taken at 
once inside and forced into growth, with the result 
that their roots are in a damp cold soil, while their 
stems are receiving the temperature of a forcing 
house. Such treatment could not be worse if they 
were old-established Vines. The young canes start 
into a premature growth which they are not able to 
maintain, because there is nc reciprocity of action 
going on between the leaves and the roots. And the 
consequence is that as soon as the young canes have 
used up the reserve storeof sap in the stems and roots 
gathered from the previous year's growth, there is a 
sudden falling off in growth, and a struggle for life 
take place. 
Early in March is a good time to plant young Vines, 
and the roots and stems should be kept as near as 
possible in the same temperature ; and this is not a 
difficult matter if both the stems and roots are kept 
in a state of rest by the plants being kept cool, and 
in a moderately dry condition at the roots. When 
planted in outside borders, the stems ought not to be 
taken at once into the house, but be protected out¬ 
side until the eyes are pushing out; they may then be 
put into their positions, and have all the air it is 
possible to give them in favourable weather. As the 
border becomes warmer, both stems and roots will 
be making equal progress, so that no check will be 
given as they advance in growth, but, as the leaves 
and young branches develop themselves the roots 
will increase in proportion. The following year, 
about the end of February, 2 ft. of hot fermenting 
manure should be laid all o/er the border, and the 
internal air of the house kept cool. This warming 
of the roots will throw them into an active state, so 
that they will be able to supply an abundance of 
nourishment by the time the young leaves begin to 
develop, and as each gains strength there will be 
signs of increased vigour. 
With inside borders the case is different, as the 
Vines can be planted at any time. I would not, 
however, advise amateurs to have their borders 
entirely inside the house unless very early Grapes 
are required, but where it can be done, to have them 
part in the house and part outside. The front wall 
of the vinery should be supported on pillars or 
grebes, so that the roots can pass inside or out as 
they like, the outside border being protected in the 
early part of the year with a covering of fermenting 
manure, as recommended above, and the inside bor¬ 
der should be kept moist, or the unequal root action 
will cause the Grapes to shank, and so prove 
worthless. 
I hope I have been able to make it sufficiently 
clear that the cause of recently-planted Vines ceasing 
to grow after starting so satisfactorily is, in my 
opinion, the result of the stems being in advance of 
the roots, which ought to be kept at a more uniform 
temperature, for who can expect young Vines to con¬ 
tinue to thrice when there is a difference of twenty 
or more degrees of heat between the stems and their 
roots.— A. W., Chetton. 
BULLACES. 
On the evening of the first day of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society’s Great Show at the Royal 
Aquarium, on the 10th, nth, and 12th inst., there 
came to me at the Royal Aquarium, from 
Mr. A. J. Harwood, fruit grower, Colchester, 
a basket of fruiting sprays of the Colchester 
Black Bullace—branchlets a foot or so in length, 
laden with dense clusters of large round shin- 
ing black fruit, reminding one of the manner in 
which the Crittenden Damson fruits. Examples of 
this Bullace were sent to the Manchester Fruit 
Show last month, and no fruit grower who saw it 
recognised in it a variety already grown, and on 
account of its distinct appearances fine flavour, and 
great fruitfulness, it was awarded a Certificate of 
Merit. The fruit sent to the Royal Aquarium 
seemed to me to be even finer in appearance than 
that shown at Manchester, and I ventured to get 
together a scratch Fruit Committee in the absence 
of the judges of the show—a committee of men who 
knew their business, and the Bullace was unani¬ 
mously awarded a Certificate of Merit. Its lateness is 
shown from the fact that the fruit was gathered 
from the trees on the 10th inst. So that not only is 
it late but it hangs well, and to be subjected to the 
action of frost is, according to Dr. Hogg, a means of 
adding tenderness to the flesh and sweetness to the 
flavour. I took home with me the fruit which had 
lain at the Aquarium for two days, and they were 
excellent in tarts as well as preserved ; and uncooked 
much superior in flavour to a Damson. But 
perhaps this could be traced to being influenced by 
weather, though the fruit bore no appearance of 
being in any way over-ripe. 
It is generally regarded that there are three types 
of the Plum, viz., P. spinosa, the Sloe or Black 
Thorn, which is found abundant in country hedge¬ 
rows ; the Bullace, P. insititia; and the garden Plum. 
P. domestica ; but probably no one would venture to 
say they are absolutely distinct species, although 
they rank as such. The late Mr. George Bentham 
considered the Bullace and garden Plum to be simply 
varieties of the Sloe produced by long cultivation, 
and in reference to this statement Mr. Leo Grindon 
adds: “ If so, the common Sloe will have been the 
parent of everything of the Plum kind. The Sloe, 
however, is not a plant that seems likely ever to have 
invited cultivation. It is also very different from the 
others in its root habits. The probability is that all our 
modern garden Plums began with the insititia and 
the domestica, and this either independently or by 
connection. The garden forms have in every case 
much larger leaves and stronger shoots.” 
The Damsons are classed with the Plums, but the 
Farleigh Prolific, or Kent Crittenden, appears so dis¬ 
tinct from some others that I am disposed to regard 
it as an oval Bullace rather than a true Damson. 
The Bullace is a term supposed to have been given 
from its hard round fruit. In the “ Grete Herball ” it 
is rendered belays ; in the Spanish, boldi, bullets ; in 
the Latin, bullas, bosses or bridles. 
Of Bullaces now in cultivation there are three or 
four; the best known are the Black, very late, of 
which the Colchester Black is perhaps a superior 
variety ; Shepherds, a large, greenish, round variety 
which makes excellent tarts in autumn; and the 
White Bullace, or White Damson, which is a pro¬ 
fuse bearer, and is perhaps best known under the 
latter name. 
Damsons and Bullaces can be planted round 
plantations of standard fruit trees for shelter, the 
Farleigh Damson especially : the close short growths 
of the branches make it very useful for this pur¬ 
pose, — R. D, 
