96 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 30. 1904. 
Chrysanthemum Selection for Beginners at 
Exhibiting. 
The present is a, good time for growers who, contemplate 
showing to start, to revise their list of varieties for competition 
at the autumn shows. That, thisi is not anything like so 
rigorously done as, it ought to be we have ample proof by the 
kinds we see staged by some beginners at most of our shows. 
It, is certainly not so necessary for those who do not show to 
weed out, but for those who intend exhibiting “large cut 
blooms ” it is, absolutely essential that, the process" he judi¬ 
ciously, but, sever ely carried out, for no grower, “ however good 
he may be,” can make a high-class bloom from a secondary 
or behind-the-time variety, so out with them. Do not "allow 
sentiment to debate the subject whether you will grew this or 
that kind if it is not of the highest."merit, "a,s it is just, possible 
you might do, by thinking or even, saying to' yourself: “ Well, 
that is a, fine old kind, the very best a few years ago; I’ll 
give it another trial; I might just get a good bloom from it.” 
No, no; this is bad reasoning, and will never assist you to take 
a first prize. 
Do not stop even at throwing out secondary kinds; but, all 
the uncertain first-class should go. Likewise, to grow either 
is -a great waste of time and material, specially so when any 
quantity of constant, first-quality kinds can be got to fill any 
of the classes at even our largest shows. 
Growers are led to suspect that trade specialists are, to ai 
considerable extent, responsible for the large quantity of 
secondary kinds; just note the number of varieties they send 
out yearly, and compare them with the number that become 
popular show varieties. 
Last year I grew twenty-four new kinds. Of that number I 
am t o grow six this year, and that was only a small number 
of the new kindsi that were offered by the different trade 
specialists. In one catalogue I counted a,s many as forty- 
eight,. Really, one b inclined to think the trade is simply 
taking the advantage of making capital out of the gardeners’ 
mad rush after novelties. 
But, even suppose you were induced to pay 7s. 6d., or still 
more, 10s. for a. kind, if it does, not turn out, a, success after a, 
fair trial, do not, sacrifice more on it—away with it. I paid 
the latter price for a, variety in the spring of 1902, but, I do 
not grow it, now. By giving a plant a, fair trial, I mean a 
good, healthy, sitrong, finely-grown plant, well-timed bud and 
favourable conditions for proper development. 
Most intending competitors will have an idea, of the classes 
they would be most likely to enter for at the shows, conse¬ 
quently they will have an idea, of the number of varieties re¬ 
quired to fill them, which again, will determine the n,umber of 
kinds to he grown. Always leave a, good margin, say, as many 
varieties again! as you expect to exhibit. Still, at the same 
time, remember it, is always safer to grow more plants of a, 
first-class variety “ and timing them a, week or so between ” 
than, it is to grow a, great many varieties, for this reason, that 
you soon drop into secondary kinds and' allow quantity to 
replace, quality. 
The above is not the only way of weeding out I wish to 
advise, if good prizes are to be taken. Remember, the com¬ 
petition does not begin, at the show; it start® now, so begin 
at once in earnest. 
Pot on at your first potting double the quantity you intend 
ultimately to grow. By doing this you can afford to throw 
out, at the next two; or three subsequent, pottings 1 , 15 to 1 25 per¬ 
cent,. of your poorest plants. I have no, respect at this time 
for any variety ; if it is not such a>si you think has a reasonable 
chance of growing into a, grand plant, away with it- (unless you 
wish it for stock. In such case it does not necessarily require 
so good cultivation). 
Chrysanthemum culture for the production of big blooms at 
the present time will not even admit of a moderately well- 
grown, plant being retained in a collection ; hence the value of 
the very severe weeding-out process up to the time of the last 
'potting, P R0 - 
Wild Rhododendrons in California. 
Among the most beautiful of our native flowering plants is 
the California, Azalea. It is a, wonder that more of them are 
not, used by our landscape gardeners. During the latter part 
of May and during June and July our mountainous country 
from Oregon on, the north to 1 southern California, on the south, 
especially along the hanks or mountain streams, is covered for 
miles with the hushes, the rich green foliage of which is often 
obscured from view by the magnificent clusters of white and 
yellow, or sometimes pinkish, flower's. Tire shrubs, grow from 
2 ft>. to 10 ft. high, and flower’s and leaves cluster at the ends 
of the branches,, as is the case with all the Azalea family. 
They are very easily handled in the winter season. Last, 
year I transplanted about two dozen of them from the Santa 
Cruz mountains and planted them in the neighbourhood of San 
Francisco. They commenced to bloom early in June, and 
during that month and through July they were the wonder and 
admiration of the neighbourhood. 
Farther north we have the California, Rose Bay, Rhododen¬ 
dron californicum, also a, gorgeous native flower. Unlike the 
Azalea, to> which it is closely related, it inhabits the higher 
lands and is often found on bleak mountain sides. It is also 
an evergreen, and grows from 3 ft,, to 15 ft. in height. The 
leaves are from 6 in. to 8 in. long, resembling somewhat those 
of the Magnolia, gran,diflora. The flowers are rosy-pink in 
colour and are, borne in very large clusters. 
To' see a. mountain, sidei covered with this gorgeous mass of 
flowers is a, sight never to be forgotten, and I doubt if it, can 
be rivalled anywhere else in America,. I do not, find them 
quite 'So easy to transplant as the Azaleas, but they are such 
a grand shrub' that it is well worth the trouble to' try to use 
them as a, garden flower. These Azaleas and Rhododendrons 
are not, fragrant, but they have the odour of the woods around, 
the flowers and foliage that is very suggestive of our beautiful 
California mountains.—“ G.,” in “ The Weekly Florists’ 
Review.” 
Two Good Stove Plants. 
Two good plants that, are very showy and pay for more 
extended growing are Tliryscanthus ruffians and Euphorbia 
jacquiniaeflora. They require nearly the same treatment. 
When flowering is over rest the plants in an ordinary green¬ 
house; withholding water till the middle of April. Then intro¬ 
duce to stove heat of about, 65 deg. at night, syringing and 
giving a, good soaking of water. When the cuttings are about 
2 in. in length, take off and place them singly in thumb-pots 
in equal parts peat, loam, and sand, with a, good dash of sand 
on the top to' be carried down by the dibber. Settle them 
well in with a rose, and plunge in a brisk bottom heat in a 
propagating case, keeping shaded from strong sun. When 
rooted inure gradually to the temperature of the house, and 
grow on till properly established. Gradually harden off to a 
temperature of 55 dear. of a, night. When the pots are full 
of roots transfer the Euphorbias to a 5-in. pot, as I find that 
is plenty big enough, and the Tliryscanthus to a little bigger, a,s 
they are stronger growing, using a compost of equal parts 
loam, leaf-mould, sand, and peat, with a good sprinkling of 
bone meal. The same compost would suit the Euphorbia,, with 
a little more peat added. When, potted keep a, little closer 
for a few days- till the roots begin to run ; then gradually 
harden off to a cold frame, using the syringe when the weather 
is hot of an evening. House' the plants about the first week 
in September in a temperature of 60 deg. at night-, with a rise 
of. 5 deg. to 10 deg. in the day. Give the plants weak manure 
when the pots are full of roots, withholding same when plants 
are in bloom. J. H. 
Sea,ford. 
Roses in January.— The other week Mr. George Jarvis, of 
Norfolk House, had a beautiful Rose tree in bloom in front of 
his residence in Spring Gardens, and we hear of other flowers in 
different parts of the town, 
