January 18, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
313 
Most individuals have a taste—sentimental if you 
will—or hobby for pursuing some particular object, 
and as taste is not arbitrary, they have a perfect right 
to follow the bent of their tastes and inclinations, so 
long as they do not interfere with other people. 
Well, the Chrysanthemum enthusiast has a taste and 
hobby for the cultivation of this particular dower in its 
many phases, and I have no doubt, were he asked the 
question, Are Chrysanthemums wanted at mid-winter ? 
he would promptly reply, Yes, and add, perhaps, at any 
other time that they can be had. He would, I venture 
to say, be perfectly justified in his answer and opinion, 
notwithstanding what a few individuals may say about 
Chrysanthemums not being wanted at this season or 
that season. 
For my part, I can say that their flowers are appre¬ 
ciated at all seasons of the year, even to all the year 
round, which I have in my practice more than abun¬ 
dantly proved to be possible, but, perhaps, not 
generally quite desirable. However, at no season of 
the year do we find them so acceptable, so useful, and 
to fill so great a void as from the beginning of December 
to the end of January, or even later—a period of the 
year when there is a great dearth of other flowers, and 
those available are mostly forced, which are produced 
at considerable cost, and last but a little time in good 
condition in a cut state, 
It is here, then, that the usefulness of the mid¬ 
winter Chrysanthemums is clearly apparent. They 
step into the breach, as it were, and supply a felt want, 
and I claim consideration for them on grounds other 
than those of a sentimental character. They, indeed, 
fill a unique and useful position amongst winter¬ 
blooming plants, and from them a general demand for 
flowers can be met and supplied. The mid-winter 
Chrysanthemums have another, and not the least, 
claim to our attention. Their cultivation, as compared 
with those grown for autumn decoration and for exhi¬ 
bition, is very simple, very inexpensive, and requires 
from the grower only a tithe of the labour and watchful 
care the others demand from him. The cuttings are 
struck late, are a very little time on hand before they 
can be finally potted off, and the pots plunged to their 
rims in some cool half-shaded spot for the summer, and 
where in the hottest and driest of weather they require 
water only once a day, and on dull days none whatever. 
As ordinary decorative bloom only is the object soqght, 
there is no anxiety about the time the buds shall be 
taken, no thinning out of buds and shoots, and no 
feeding up with liquid manures, as in the production 
of a few fat blooms. They will stand out of doors to 
the latest date possible without being injured even by 
a degree or two of frost, and when housed the accom¬ 
modation of the coolest structures meets their require¬ 
ments. Indeed, the Peach houses or the latest vineries, 
where low temperatures are necessary for resting the 
Vines and Peach trees, are the best places for housing 
and retarding late Chrysanthemums up to the time it 
is necessary to push them into bloom. When this 
period arrives, a little warmth becomes necessary, and 
to this they respond gratefully. Lastly, I know of no 
class of plants that give so large a return for the labour 
bestowed, the space occupied while under glass, and 
the little fuel needed in their production, as these mid¬ 
winter Chrysanthemums. 
Not the least point in the favour of the late-blooming 
Chrysanthemums, is the long-keeping qualities of the 
blooms, and their capability of enduring close packing 
and long journeys. With ordinary care in packing 
they will, on reaching their destination, come out of 
the box as bright and fresh as could possibly bo 
desired. Of course, the long-keeping quality of the 
blooms is to a certain degree common to all the 
sections, and under all phases of their cultivation. 
But I find this quality in the flower greatly 
emphasised in the mid-winter blooms, and this, no 
doubt, is due to the plants having been grown under a 
natural system, and under the hardiest conditions 
possible, thus giving to the flowers a toughness and 
greater substance of petal. Damping of the blooms is 
hardly known among them, and we are, therefore, 
saved from the annoying and tantalising heartaches 
experienced by the exhibition bloom-grower at seeing 
his brightest and fondest hopes, which are centred in 
his biggest and fattest of blooms, crumbling away day 
by day. With reference to the long keeping of the 
blooms, I may mention that my noble employer writes 
me to send her nothing but Chrysanthemums, as no 
other flowers come to hand in so fresh and bright a 
condition or last so long. They invariably retain their 
freshness from a fortnight to three weeks after being 
sent, and I would like to ask what other cut flower, 
except the Christmas Rose, will endure a two days’ 
confinement and transit across the Channel, and yet 
come out fresh and bright and last for a fortnight or 
longer? 
So much for the usefulness, and I might say the 
importance of the mid-winter Chrysanthemums. A 
few remarks on the varieties that I have found to be 
the best to grow for the production of flowers at that 
season may not be uninteresting. There are three 
points or qualities essential in a mid-winter or late 
Chrysanthemum. The first point is its lateness to 
bloom, which should be natural to and inherent in the 
variety. Secondly, it should have a free habit of 
growth, and be a very free bloomer, as labour would 
be thrown away on a variety that would not yield 
liberal and adequate returns in the shape of flowers. 
Thirdly, the colour of the flower should show up well 
under both natural and artificial lights. Most of our 
floral decorations at this season of the year have to be 
seen under artificial light ; colour in the flowers is 
therefore of some importance, and those colours which 
come out well under that light are the most valuable. 
Whites, reds of different shades, and yellows, including 
deep bronzy oranges, are the best colours, while purples, 
lilacs, and their several shades are the worst for the 
purpose. 
The varieties which I have found to fulfil the several 
conditions herein enumerated are Etoile du Midi, 
Krempfer, M. C. Hubert, Meg Merrilies and its sports 
Ralph Brocklebank and Countess of Lytton, Ceres, 
Mrs. C. Carey, Ethel, Yellow Ethel, Thunberg, Boule 
d’Or, Moonlight, Gloriosum, Mrs. H. Canned, and 
Golden Gem among the Japs ; Boule de Neige, Snow¬ 
drop, Madame Sentir, and one or two others among the 
reflexed and Pompon sections. In the section of the 
single varieties will be found some that are admirable 
for the supply of flowers at mid-winter. Hitherto, 
this section has not made much advance in general 
favour, possibly because the Japanese varieties have 
been more attractive and have elbowed them out 
of the way at a time when blooms are so very plentiful 
early in the season. I believe, however, the single 
Chrysanthemum’s most useful and proper position will 
be found as a mid-winter flower. Their free blooming 
and the long-lasting qualities of the flowers are not 
surpassed by any others, and they have in a cut state, 
and when arranged in vases, an elegance and grace all 
their own. They can be looked upon at the winter 
season, not as Chrysanthemums, but as various-coloured' 
Marguerites. Some years since I bought the set of 
twelve, the first I believe Mr. Cannell sent out, and 
each year has proved more and more their value for 
mid-winter blooming. This season they did not com¬ 
mence to bloom till the beginning of December, and 
they have been a perfect mass of flower up to the present 
A Mid-winter Chrysanthemum: Golden Gem. 
