•294 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 9, 1897. 
A PERFECT SPECIMEN PLANT OF 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 
In trying to define what a perfect specimen plant of 
the Chrysanthemum should be, a good many things 
have to be considered. Extreme height is not con¬ 
sidered a good quality by anyone ; it is ungainly and 
most inconvenient at housing time. Again, diameter 
cannot be considered a good quality if more than one 
plant is allowed in a pot (which most societies allow) 
because it then merely becomes a plantation, the 
breadth of which can be extended indefinitely. That 
brings us down to the form of the plant, the 
foliage, the flowers, neatness, and general effect. 
The natural form of the plant and the prettiest 
is the bush form. The foliage should be deep green 
and well developed, with not the slightest trace of 
mildew or aphis, and covering the stems of the plant 
down to the pot. The flowers are very seldom up to 
the standard that we see on the show boards, but 
they should be as near as possible to that standard ; 
they should at least be fresh aod the colour clear, 
with petals of good substance, and free from aphis. 
The centre flowers should be the highest on the 
plant, gradually getting lower towards the outside, 
giving it a nice rounded appearance. It should be 
neatly trained, having no obtruding stakes or clumsy 
ties; the height should not be more than 3 ft. 9 in., 
and the diameter 3 ft. Some authorities give less 
dimensions than these, but I give them as the maxi¬ 
mum, beyond which the plant begins to look 
ungainly. When finished, the plant should look as if 
naturally grown, giving the mind a pleasing sense of 
symmetry and beauty.— 'Mum. 
HINTS FOR EMIGRANTS. 
The Emigrants’ Information Office has supplied us 
with particulars concerning various British colonies 
from which we excerpt a few notes which may be of 
interest to our readers. It is too early in the year 
for the ordinary emigrant to go to Canada; the 
beginning of April is the best time to start. 
In New South Wales the demand for labour 
in town and country is improving, although 
it has been in a bad way for some time past. The 
selection of land by small settlers is proceeding very 
satisfactorily throughout the colony, especially in 
the Riverina district, and the demand for men skilled 
in shearing, fencing, clearing, or saw-milling, has iu 
consequence greatly improved. A report from the 
rich valley of the Hunter states that there is a 
demand for skilled farm labourers and dairymen, 
but none for mechanics or miners. Another report 
from the valuable dairying district of Kiama, south 
of Sidney, states that there is no demand for labour; 
land there is selling at £24 an acre, and renting at 
30s., so that farmers going there require some amount 
of capital. 
Victoria.— The commission appointed to inquire 
into the financial failure of the Mildura Irrigation 
Colony has reported that it was mainly due to the 
insufficiency of the irrigation works, and that the 
Government contributed to this result by their 
neglect. They recommend that a loan of £30,000 
should be advanced by the Government on security 
of the land, and that the original concession to 
Messrs. Chaffey should be cancelled. General 
female servants are in good demand throughout the 
colony. There are excellent openings for farmers, 
dairy farmers, fruit growers, and wine growers, if 
they have a little capital, and some experience of the 
country. 
South Australia. —Owing to the want of rain, 
especially in the north, farmers have greatly suffered, 
and the demand for agricultural labour, for shearers, 
and general hands throughout the colony has been 
small. There is a scarcity of useful female domestic 
servants. 
Queensland. —General female servants are in 
great request here as elsewhere. In the pastoral 
country, 200 miles west of Rockhampton, there has 
lately been a good demand for married couples at 
£60 to £ico a year, and at Bundaberg for men able 
to work in the sugar mills, and to cut cane in the 
fields. Throughout Queensland at the present time 
there appears to be a fair amount of work, but the 
demand for labour is mostly supplied by those on the 
spot. There is a good demand for land suitable for 
sugar cane growing, along the north coast at Mackay, 
&c., the sugar industry being in a prosperous 
condition. 
Western Australia.— Emigrants to this part 
should be prepared to turn their hands to all kinds of 
farm and station work, to cut down timber, to use 
the pick and shovel, and to rough it generally. The 
Government is spending large sums of money on 
public works and buildings. 
Tasmania and New Zealand. —The mining 
industry is, apparently, the most thriving one in 
Tasmania, and the prospects generally are good, the 
mines relieving the depression in trade. In New 
Zealand there has been an increase of the demand 
for skilled and unskilled labour. At this season of 
the year unskilled labour is fully employed at shear¬ 
ing, farm work, bush felling, &c. 
Cape Colony and Natal. —A correspondent at 
Burghersdorp, north of Queenstown, Cape Colony, 
writes:—"Immigrants would find the railway the 
most likely sphere of labour ; in these small up- 
country towns and districts there is little demand 
for outside labour, but a good man who could turn 
his hand to several trades would get on.” Large 
numbers of persons continue to arrive in the colony 
from England and Australia, and many find much 
difficulty in getting work. The local supply of 
labour is quite sufficient in Natal. 
* 
The principal work in this department at present is 
in making preparations for a more busy season. All 
ground when cleared of crops should be ridged up 
at once to expose it to the mellowing influence of 
frost and wind. Calculations should be made of the 
amount of ground it is possible to trench deeply, and 
the remainder should be ridged as advised above. 
Ground intended for early crops such as Parsnips 
and Onions, and which has been trenched, may, with 
advantage, have the surface loosened with a fork, to 
get it thoroughly pulverised by the time of sow¬ 
ing. Where it is intended to form new Asparagus 
beds—and a new one should be formed annually— 
the present is a good season to get the proper 
materials together. The nature of the land must be 
the guide of the additions necessary to make a good 
bed. If the ground i3 of a retentive character a 
large addition of road or river sand with thoroughly 
rotted manure will effect a great and permanent 
improvement. Good drainage and a deep root run 
are essential in obtaining fine heads of Asparagus. 
The surface for a depth of 6 in. may, with advantage, 
be composed of sand entirely. On the contrary, if 
the ground is light and sandy, little will be needed 
beyond deep trenching; and a very liberal allowance 
of cool dung, and fish manure or sea weed—if obtain¬ 
able—will form good additions. If the ground is pre¬ 
pared early, a crop of Spinach may be taken from 
it before the time for planting the Asparagus 
arrives. 
Broccoli. —One of the most useful vegetables at 
this season is Snow's Broccoli, coming in as it does 
directly after the autumn Cauliflowers. This and any 
other Broccolis just turning into use must be carefully 
protected from frost, by lifting them under the pro¬ 
tection of glass if possible, or in a cool shed, or tem¬ 
porary structure,made frost proof. The plants should 
be lifted entire, with as little damage to the leaves as 
possible, and if a nice ball of earth is kept around 
the roots the heads of flower will receive but little 
check, and will give a supply for several weeks, to 
be followed by later successions. 
A Sowing of Early Cauliflowers may be made 
at the present time ; but avoid using undue heat in 
bringing up the seedlings. Dean’s Early Snowball is 
a model little Cauliflower when properly handled 
and well cultivated. For turning into use quickly it 
is the best; but the young plants must not receive 
any check after the seedling stage, otherwise dis¬ 
appointment may result. For frame culture it is 
one of the best. 
Growing Crops. —These include Spinach, 
Onions, Cabbages, and other autumn sown crops; 
and will require frequent hoeing to keep the 
surface of the beds sweet and friable. This will 
give a healthy impetus to the roots, which will be 
reflected in the healthy growth of the plants. 
Crops under glass will need great attention during 
such changeable weather as we have lately 
experienced. Free ventilation on all favourable 
occasions must be given, to prevent damping, and 
the surface of the beds should be raked over 
occasionally to prevent mouldiness or other fungoid 
growths from spreading.— J. R. 
TIE ORCHID HOUSES. 
Cattleya House—Laelia anceps. —This fine 
winter-flowering Orchid with us is somewhat late 
this season in coming into flower, but the blooms 
that have expanded are exceptionally highly coloured. 
To show them off to advantage, they should be 
arranged, if possible, together at the end, or along 
the side of the division in which they are grown. A 
few Ferns or Palms dotted in here and there shows 
them off to good effect. 
L. a. Willi am si an a is about the first of the white 
forms to flower, and is one of the easiest and most 
satisfactory of the albinos that we have; for it rarely, 
if ever, fails to produce a crop of flowers, which can 
hardly be said of some of the white forms. 
As the plants go out of flower, they should receive 
a good clean up, and a thorough soaking to enable 
them to plump up preparatory to their being 
repotted or rebasketed, as the case may be, always, 
of course, allowing them to become moderately dry 
before the repotting process is attempted. 
Fog. —The effect of fog on Laelia anceps even in 
this district, which is twenty miles from London, is 
most disastrous, making the sepals and petals curl 
up as if the flower had been fertilised. What it 
must be in and near London, I do not know. 
Vanda amesiana. —This is a great favourite with 
the ladies on account of its sweet perfume, and being 
a dwarf habited plant, and one that requires cool 
treatment, is easily managed, When grown with 
the Cattleyas it is apt to become affected with a 
little white scale, which is difficult to dislodge, as it 
gets down in the axils of the leaves; but when 
grown quite cool, that is with the Odontoglossums, it 
does not become affected. Last year I recommended 
the temperature of the Cattleya house for this 
species, also for V. kimballiana. We find those 
grown quite cool have done much the best in respect 
to V. amesiana, but with V. kimballiana the extra 
warmth of the Cattleya house seemed to be most 
appreciated. 
Cockroaches. —-These are troublesome customers 
to the Orchid grower when once they get into the 
warm divisions, for if not trapped they soon increase 
with the extra warmth, and will not only eat the 
flowers, but the new roots, which is, of course, the 
life and soul of the plants. Ferry’s beetle paste is 
very good, but the safest and most easy trap that has 
come under our notice is the “Acme trap”; it is 
always set, and once the beetles get in, escape is 
impossible, and this method of catching them does 
away with all risk of your tabby getting poisoned. 
‘The Weather. —Here it is very mild, which 
makes it difficult to keep things from starting into 
growth too soon. A dry airy atmosphere must be 
maintained, with the temperature as low as possible, 
without exceeding the limits as advised in a recent 
calendar.— C. 
-» ■ — ■■ ~ 
THE FLOWER GARDEN. 
As a result of the mild autumn and early part of the' 
winter the work in the majority of gardens is pretty 
well forward. In ordinary gardens the yearly 
amount of planting does not occupy any very great 
length of time, and every opportunity has presented 
itself for getting it out of hand. 
Tidiness must still be preserved as far as possible, 
even although there is not very much in the way of 
floral beauty out of doors just now. The Christmas 
Roses are having it all to themselves, although it 
will not be long before the Snowdrops put in an 
appearance. 
The rains have left the gravel paths in a very 
sodden condition, and it is at such times as the 
present that we are able to appreciate a well-made 
path at its full value. The roller must be set to 
work at every opportunity. 
Anemones. —The commoner kinds of these pretty 
flowers may be planted at any time, weather and soil 
of course permitting, between September and March. 
By planting in several batches a succession of bloom 
is secured. Planted under trees they should not be 
subjected to the indignity of an arrangement in a 
formal pattern. All they want is to be buried about 
3 in. deep and left to take care of themselves. 
The finer and more valuable varieties ought not 
to be treated so cavalierly. In order to do them 
well they need to have a considerable amount of 
