December 24, 1892. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
261 
CHRYSANTHEMUM BARON HIRSCH. 
We are now in a position to give an illustration of this 
bold and striking new incurved variety of Chrysanthe¬ 
mum. Owing to the small amount of improvement 
that has been made in the incurved class during the 
past twenty or thirty years, they as a class have 
fallen behind the Japanese varieties in popularity. 
The improvements during that period consisted 
chiefly of sports from already existing sorts. A new 
variety, especially a seedling, should therefore be 
hailed by the Chrysanthemum-growing public, as it 
hardly to be recognisable. Altogether the variety 
promises well. The illustration was prepared from 
a bloom sent us by its raiser, Mr. Robert Owen, 
Castle Hill, Maidenhead. 
-- 
GUMMING IN PEACH TREES. 
I notice an answer to a correspondent in last week’s 
issue anent galvanised wire and the gumming of 
Peach trees. Now this is a subject which I have 
taken an interest in for some years, and would be 
anything striking in it, has almost entirely done 
away with gumming, and may be briefly summed up 
in a few words. During the summer months when 
growth is active, we make it a point, when tying in 
the young shoots, to hold the latter close to the wire 
with the back of the forefinger of the left hand, and 
run the knot of Raffia or other tying material up to 
the shoot, leaving sufficient room for growth ; in¬ 
stead of, as the uninitiated sometimes do, run shoot 
and knot up to the wire together, thereby bruising 
the bark of the soft wood, which bruise eventually 
Chrysanthemum Baron Hirsch. 
is another step towards enabling them to make up a 
stand of twenty-four distinct varieties, and all of 
large, or at least respectable size. Many of the old 
kinds are pretty enough, but they are too small to 
command attention at the present day. Baron 
Hirsch measures about 5J in. in diameter, and 2J in. 
to 3 in. in depth. No doubt some growers would be 
able to make it larger. The bloom is perfectly full, 
and high in the centre, with broad and regularly in¬ 
curved florets of great substance. The bloom is of 
a beautiful golden bronze, darkest in the centre and 
becoming paler towards the base. This is the case 
with the early developed blooms, say those produced 
in October ; but towards the middle and the latter 
part of November the late blooms are of a deep 
chestnut red, and so different from the early ones as 
pleased to learn the opinions of other horticulturists 
on the matter, as it is one which affects a great many 
of the craft in a greater or less degree. From my 
own personal observation, I have come to the con¬ 
clusion that the galvanised wire, painted or un¬ 
painted (although we prefer to have it painted with 
white lead), has got little if anything to do with the 
evil which so soon disfigures our Peach and Nec¬ 
tarine trees under glass, and that the operator or 
attendant is almost solely to blame, owing to care¬ 
lessness or ignorance in the manipulation of the young 
shoots in the growing season, and again in the winter 
season, when tying up the branches after the usual 
washing and dressing, preparatory to starting for 
another season s crop. 
Our own plan, which is by no means new, or has 
develops into what is usually termed gumming. I 
do not say this is the only cause, but it is a most 
common one. 
Perhaps some gardeners may differ from me in 
this respect, and they are entitled to their opinions. 
I do not mean to pose as an authority on the subject; 
I only stake my own experience, and I beg respect¬ 
fully to say that this seemingly trifling point is too 
often overlooked, especially by beginners, in whose 
interest this is penned, and that if more attention 
was paid to it we should hear less of gumming so 
called, which is a natural process of decay consequent 
upon a bruise or rupture of the bark and cellular 
tissue of the branches of the tree. 
The same diagnosis, reasoning by analogy, may be 
applied to gumming on Cherry and Plum trees, etc.. 
