292 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 7, 1893 
DOUBLE CHINESE 
PRIMULAS 
It is possible that the award of which “ Redacre" 
complains at p. 279, was due to a prejudice on the 
part of the judges in favour of the old Double White, 
or because the plants of the true double forms were 
not so well grown. “ Redacre ” rather complicates 
the matter by writing about " semi-doubles.” These 
here in the south are those varieties that are raised 
from seed, and having in the tube or throat of each 
flower a small cluster of other petals, are of much 
greater endurance than are the single flowers, and 
are invariably called semi-double. Whether your 
correspondent refers to these or to the poor flowers 
of the old Double White, it is not easy to understand. 
But that it is very possible to obtain very fine 
flowered plants of the superior double varieties that 
have been referred to in the paragraph is certain. 
What can be done not by one gardener only, but 
by several, it is evident can be done as well 
anywhere else. The first thing is to obtain stock, 
and if no one else have good sorts, at least Messrs. 
Cannell & Sons have, and I mention this firm 
because some gardeners may say, " well, I should 
like tc obtain some of the finest double varieties, but 
do not know where to apply for them.” That 
excuse is no longer tenable. Once plants are 
obtained, the next thing is to grow them on all 
through the summer in either north houses or 
frames, so as to induce free rooting and ample 
leafage. 
Chinese Primroses do not want over potting, that 
practice is always a great mistake. What they rather 
like is to have the roots rather restricted, so that 
plants shall be obtained fully 18 in. across early the 
following winter, and blooming profusely in 6-in. 
pots, When the plants are got into a w'armer house 
or frame about the middle of September, they 
should be kept near the glass to keep them dw T arf 
and sturdy. The best compost is composed of three 
parts good turfy loam, the other part being of well 
decayed manure and sharp white sand. In no case 
should the plants be potted deep.— A. D. 
-- 
DWARF CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
When looking up a few days ago one of the Scottish 
horticultural publications of thirty years ago, I 
found the Chrysanthemum spoken of as " coarse and 
long-legged.” It was true to a considerable extent 
of the Chrysanthemum in those days, but since 
then much has been learned and accomplished. I 
can very well remember the late Mr. John Salter's 
exhibitions of those days, and especially what were 
then the newly introduced Japanese varieties, how 
very tall they were, and it was only by Mr. Salter 
bending down a plant, when I used to inspect his 
newer varieties, that I was able to inspect them at all. 
Since then we have become accustomed not only to 
much dwarfer plants, but to dwarfer growing 
varieties. All our earliest Japs, were tall growers, 
and very late in flowering. 
But, it may be asked, how can dwarf plants, with 
strong healthy green foliage and flowers of fine 
substance, be obtained ? It is accomplished by 
what is known as the cutting-down system. I am 
unable to say who originated it, but it appears to 
have been first practised in the Liverpool district; 
but the credit of having introduced it in the south 
belongs to Mr. C. Orchard, formerly of Kingston, 
but now of Bembridge, Isle of Wight. 
At first Mr. Orchard used to head his plants back 
a little when they were showing their mid-summer 
growth, and by this means he secured plants of 
medium height. But he found they would frequently 
send up a strong shoot from the bottom, and so 
he determined to attempt a bolder stroke, and he 
headed a few down altogether. “ The only way,” 
says Mr. Orchard, “ to get the plants dwarf is to 
cut them hard back from three to six inches the first 
fortnight in June, beginning with the later flowering 
varieties early in the month, and finishing with the 
early flowering varieties, doing a few every day. It 
requires a bold nerve to do it at first. It seems such 
a sacrifice, for up to that time they should have had 
the care and attention of plants required to be 
grown on. To be successful it is necessary the 
plants should be then strong, healthy, and well 
established in 48 or 32-sized pots, with plenty of 
good healthy roots. There will be some bleeding of 
sap where the cut is made, but by being kept rather 
dry for a day or two beforehand, and having only a 
slight sprinkling afterwards, the loss will not be 
great. Care is necessary to thin the shoots to the 
required number the plants should carry, and they 
should be carefully supported with thin sticks. " 
As soon as the growths have fairly started, say 
when from four to six inches long, they are potted 
into the largest pots they are to occupy, and as soon 
as the roots reach the sides of the pots and they are 
well established, feedings of liquid or artificial 
manures are given. The first bud that shows is 
taken, and the height of the plants then corresponds 
with the natural growth from break to break. Some 
varieties, such as Val d’Andorre, Triomphe du Nord, 
Cullingfordi, and others of like growth would not 
reach more than eighteen to twenty-four inches, and 
others of tall growth, such as Mad. C. Audiguier, 
Thunberg, Belle Paule, etc., would go from four to 
five feet, and other varieties in proportion to their 
habit. 
But any one who has to fill up bays in conserva¬ 
tories, or in plant houses, or who exhibits groups of 
plants at flower shows, would not of course cut all 
his plants back. Tall plants, as a matter of course, 
are required at the back, if an objectionable flatness 
is to be avoided—a defect which characterises some 
groups at country shows, where through all cut 
down plants being employed the flatness almost of a 
table is produced ; and it is better in forming a back¬ 
ground to a group to be able to make it up with 
naturally grownplants than to have to raise some up 
to a greater height by the use of pots, &c., which will 
sometimes give way to the great annoyance of the 
arranger. 
It is gratifying to find that at many provincial 
shows groups are now largely formed of cut back 
plants. Nothing seems in worse taste than to see 
a group of plants arranged for effect, the shortest 
four feet in height and showing quite two feet of 
naked pots and stems. At the November exhibition 
at the Royal Aquarium, Mr. Norman Davis and 
Messrs. Reid & Bornemann gave excellent object 
lessons in the arrangement of their groups by finish¬ 
ing off with dwarf plants of eighteen inches or so in 
height, with healthy foliage feathering down to the 
surface of the soil in the pots, and carrying flowers 
of large size and excellent quality .—R D. 
-- 
LIFTING ROSES. 
In northern parts Roses often grow with such 
luxuriance that they remain soft and so spongy in 
the substance of their wood, that they cease to 
flower abundantly, and the flowers become coarse 
and unshapely. For many years past I have culti¬ 
vated Roses extensively, and like a free growth, 
always provided that it is equal all over the plant; 
and when undue grossness takes place (as it often 
does in strong rich soils) the plants are lifted during 
October or November, the ground well broken up, 
and the plants replaced in the ground with some 
fresh kindly soil about their roots, and then care¬ 
fully mulched with good manure, which is carefully 
covered with soil to harvest the virtues it contains. 
We have lifted a long line of pillar Roses this 
season and replanted them, but any roots which 
were inclined to become gross were shortened. Like 
the lifting of fruit trees to improve the quality of 
the fruit and increase the quantity, Roses also 
reward the cultivator for cultural attention such as 
here indicated. We always plant Roses so that the 
junction of stock and graft, or bud, is well covered, 
as in due time roots are emitted therefrom, and 
suckers are almost entirely prevented from showing 
themselves. We often get hundreds of Roses from 
layers, after a season or longer, from free growing 
Roses which have been pegged down. These grow 
freely and flower generally profusely, and no suckers 
ever give any trouble. If frost is severe it is well to 
place a spadeful of fine soil round the collars of 
Roses as protection.— Stirling. 
-- 
CROTONS FOR CUTTING. 
I read some time ago that to keep Crotons compact 
in growth and to have the foliage of fine colour they 
should be “ headed down,” but to do work of this 
sort at the end of the year, as recommended, must be 
attended by considerable loss of the best part of 
decorative foliage in plant stoves when such material 
is most needed and admired more than at any other 
period of the year. I know that all Crotons do well 
"headed down,” and will break out as freely as a 
privet bush, Holfordii and Etna being two of the 
most accommodating, but I do not know any plants 
which are more serviceable than Crotons for cutting 
to mix with flowers. Indeed there are few flowers 
which can compare with them for decorative 
purposes ; and several times a week we cut quantities 
of the most showy species for using as indicated. 
They last well and can be used alone or among other 
foliage, and the crimson and bronze classes show off 
beautifully light coloured flowers, such as Erica 
hymalis, double Azaleas, Deutzias, and others. 
After the plants are cut back they should be kept 
somewhat dry at the roots; they will break freely and 
when the young growths are an inch or two long, 
the old inert soil can be removed carefully from the 
roots, repotted into sandy loam and after a season's 
growth they become dense in foliage which attains a 
fine colour when light is admitted freely among the 
plants.— Stirling. 
PRIMULAS AT READING. 
When Chinese Primulas are grown expressly for 
the production of seed, they are sown late in the 
summer with the view of getting them to flower 
some time in spring, w T hen the weather is favourable 
to the setting of the flowers and the production of 
seed. It is the custom, however, of Messrs. Sutton 
& Sons, Reading, to have their plants in flower from 
Christmas onwards. They have nine houses 
occupied with them ; all were sown six months ago, 
and a long succession is assured by the Primulas 
themselves. Some are early, others medium, and a 
third set very late, blooming up till March. The 
proof of this may be seen at present by the early 
ones which are in full bloom now ; the more vigorous 
of the second set, which are mostly of the Giant 
strain, are in bloom, and the rest merely throwing 
up their flower scapes. The very late varieties 
seldom show anything more than leaves. The 
plants take longer time to develop their large leaves 
and flowers, and being very' steady in their growth 
are practically more durable and handsome in 
appearance. 
Single Varieties. 
The finest of the white varieties now in bloom is 
Pearl, with pale green petioles, plain leaves and 
large, pure white flowers, ultimately deepening to 
blush. A large quantity of this is grown, and 
although some of the other varieties are always 
pure white, they do not equal the Pearl in vigour, 
and which is certainly handsome. Brilliant-Rose is 
very floriferous and useful for decorative purposes; the 
name indicates the colour, and the finest hue is always 
kept up by selection. One of the earliest to bloom 
is Reading Pink, a soft blush pink of great delicacy 
and beauty. There are two selections of this, the 
finest having the largest trusses, but does not pro¬ 
duce seed very freely. The other has equally fine 
flowers, but fewer of them open at a time, and seeds 
are more abundantly produced. One of the late 
varieties is Terra Cotta, with deep rosy salmon 
flowers, deep red petioles and vigorous constitution. 
The old Ruby King, raised in 1872, is still true to 
character, and is so dwarf, compact and floriferous 
as to resemble a hemispherical mass of leaves and 
flowers, resembling a natural bouquet. The flowers 
are described as rich ruby or crimson magenta with 
a crimson zone round the eye. It is likely to remain 
a favourite for many years, and is early. Reading 
Scarlet is considered one of the first earlies, and is 
notable for the richness and intensity of its colour, 
as well as the substance of its flowers. The petioles 
are red, a fact which indicates the vigour of the 
plant. The main batch, an extensive one, was sown 
late, and consequently will not be in bloom for some 
time to come. Very interesting is a good-sized 
batch of the original and wild type of P. sinensis, 
with five-lobed, lilac flowers, the segments of which 
are not much broader than those of P. obconica. 
The small leaves are pale and dark green in different 
individuals, and some of them are elongated, show 7 - 
ing an approach towards the fern-leaved type. It is 
somewhat remarkable that although Messrs. Sutton 
have had it for two years, they have not yet 
succeeded in crossing it with any of its greatly 
improved progeny. Although dwarf, the vigour of 
the plants leaves nothing to be desired. 
Single Fern-leafed Ki#ds. 
The earliest of all the varieties is Snowdrift, because 
if sown in J une it will flower in September in the 
same temperature as the late varieties. The leaves 
including the petioles are pale green, and the flowers 
pure white and most abundantly produced, keeping 
