97 S 
THE O ARDEN IN Q WOULD, 
December 3, 1904. 
when a continuity of young shoots will develop in, matured 
fronds or trails' for use. Sufficient moisture must surround the 
Asparagus at all periods. With dryness overhead' or at the 
roots you will have yellow foliage, the sign of red spider and 
thrip-, also the neglect of the workman. A weekly syringe of 
soft, soap and water will dislodge these insects so guilty of dis¬ 
figuring our plants. 
I will now allude to Asparagus temuissiniuis, if that he its 
correct, definition. The names of Asparagus indoors are rather 
confounding; head authorities do not seem to he accurate in, 
that branch either, so that I send you a plant rooted from a, 
cutting this spring for 1 your 1 classification. I find this the' only 
one to root from cuttings or fronds;, and it, has another advan¬ 
tage!, of being suitable to shift from a thumb-pot to an 8-in. pot. 
Heel off a few fronds of medium growth, insert them in drained 
pan,si of sand alone, and plunge in, the stove propagating case. 
Kept moist, roots will show in six weeks. Pot in a sandy 
mixt ure and plunge again,, to, be gradually inured for their space 
amongst, other inmates of the stove. Propagation may pro¬ 
ceed from early spring to the end of summer. They are; grace¬ 
ful in thumb-pots for house work. Do 1 not despair should you 
fail to root, these a.t first; it is not easy to, arrive at a suitable 
cutting. Good’ plants can, be got, in 6-in. pots a second season, 
with 8-in,, specimens in a third. They are equivalent to. Palms 
anid more suitable for rough treatment. 
The cultural directions are similar to the first mentioned. 
No plant seems to respond so rapidly to, manupal waterings 
as these. A. Sprengeri and A. deoumbens are basket 
decorators. The former is much patronised ; it seeds freely 
on old plants for stock. With good culture! and strong liquid 
manure (for it is a gross feeder) trails may attain 6 ft. to 8 it. 
Baskets lined with sphagnum, with a, compost of loam, cow- 
dung, sooti and sand, and not stinting the feeding properties 
when root,bound, will meet its requirements. 
Wish aw. A. V. Main. 
Chrysanthemums for Exhibition. 
Now that the exhibitions: for the autumn queen are almost 
drawn to a close exhibitors and growers have, made their lists 
therefrom. New varieties have been noted and included in 
their lists for the ensuing year, whilst less meritorious varieties 
have been cast aside to make room for those varieties possess¬ 
ing better qualities than those of earlier introduction. It isi 
a, well-known, fact that, as little as half a point, is able, to win 
or lose a prize in even a large class, so that, no, obstacle should 
be left, urn,moved that might possibly spoil our chance. I do 
not mean to say that a good variety should be cast, aside, asi 
some varieties are more suited' toi each particular season, and 
at some times are absolute failures. The last, two seasons give 
us a, good illustration asi regards wet and sunshine, and I hope 
what varieties have done well these last two seasons we shall 
be able to depend upon as suitable for any one season we are 
likely to get. 
To, have blooms of high quality a long season of growth isi 
absolutely necessary, and I always 1 make it a. practice to put, in 
the cuttings early in, December from the bulk of the varieties. 
Good sturdy cuttings from the base of the old plants, from 
rested stock, if possible, should be taken,, as those grown from 
highly fed plants! will never grow away so satisfactorily, which 
is so, essential to success. When grown side by side the differ¬ 
ence can easily be detected. Some varieties are known to give 
the best results; when propagated the first week in; January, 
whilst a few will be more satisfactory if struck ini February. 
Tlie< compost for the cuttings should consist of one, part loam, 
one part leaf-mould, and enough silver sand to, keep the whole 
g'cil open, run through a Trim, sieve. Pots should be care¬ 
fully crocked; either thumbs or 60’s may be used. Fill the 
pots with the soil, press lightly, with a dash of sand on top 
of soil, to be carried down with a, blunt dibber for the; base 
of cutting to rest, upon. Insert singly in thumbs, whilst three; 
or four will do round the edge of 60-sized pots. Make firm 
and settle with a, fine-rosed can previous to putting into, a 
frame. 
The best position for such is in a bouse where beat will only 
be used to exclude frost, and a temperature of 40 deg. to 
50 deg. obtained. Keep* up near the roof-glass to prevent cut¬ 
tings; becoming drawn, the lights to be removed each morning 
to dissipate moisture, and a, slight, dewing given overhead when 
inclined to Hag; but should damping take place, a picking off 
of the affected parts will be necessary, and a slightly drier 
atmosphere obtained. In about three; weeks the cuttings will 
commence to root,; some varieties take longer. They should, 
when! rooted, be taken out of the propagating frame and be 
put into another frame, the conditions about the same, only 
that they should be gradually given more air, and finally given 
full ail" and sunshine,. 
About, February the young plants will be ready for a shift 
into 60-sized pots. If several have been inserted into a. pot 
they will need careful division, as the tender roots are easily 
broken, whereby the plants; will he checked and time will he 
lost. The compost for this potting should consist of three 
parts fibrous loam, one part, half-decayed leaf-mould, one part 
sweetened horse-droppings, one part, silver land, a, sprinkling 
of borne superphosphate, wood ashes and soot, thoroughly 
mixed, and the soil should be lightly pressed around the small 
ball of soil when potting. When potted plants should be kept 
close for a. few days and syringed when bright, weather exists. 
Afterwards 1 ventilate on all favourable 'Occasions;, but cold, cut¬ 
ting winds should be guarded against-. Early in March plants 
may be transferred to cold frames; standing on an ash bottom, 
where they will catch all the sun possible. Keep close; for a 
few days; when air 1 may be given on all favourable occasions. 
It is; here that we can; see that strong and sturdy look come 
over the young plants which should be our whole aim at all 
season's; of their growth. Work will now be coming sharp and 
fast. A few varieties may need stopping. Green fly and 
slug's; may attack the tender shoots, and the leaf miner may 
begin operations'. All these should be dealt with accordingly. 
As soon, as the young roots are circulating around the edges 
of the pots; and before they are; pot-bound; a larger shift- will 
be necessary, and the compost- for this potting should be 
naturally a better' mixture. The size of pot for this- [lotting 
will depend upon the tastes of the grower. But-1 pe-rfer to use 
a- 48-sdzed for the weak doers and! a, 32 pot for 1 the strongest. 
As; the larger pot- we now us-ei, the larger p-ot will be required: 
for the. final shift, and over-pot ting is; not to be recommended 
at, any time. Com,post- for this potting should, be four parts 
best- fibrous; loam, one part, half-decayed leaf-mould, one part 
sweetened horse dro-ppings; -one part silver sand, a, good sprink¬ 
ling - of bone superphosphate, kainib, soot, and lime; o-i finely 
crushed oyster-shells'. These should be pulled up roughly and 
thoroughly mixed a- few weeks- before using, and a firmer pot¬ 
ting will be necessary -at this operation. A. G. S. 
Mummy Seeds from Egypt. —Mr. John Notton has been dis¬ 
cussing the, vitality of seeds in the “ Southport \ isitor, and, 
while reviewing the subject generally, says that wheat is not tl e 
most likely subject to test for the vitality of its seeds owing to 
the thinness of the .covering. He thunks that the seeds of 
Lemminosae are those most likely to retain their vitality, ou mg 
to their hard nature and the thickness of the skin, and that diy 
conditions, with a moderately high temperature would be most 
conducive to their longevity. He brings forward the- old story or 
plants, coming up in deep railway cuttings where they were liei er 
known before. The questions that remain unproved are: \> lieie 
did the seeds come from, and how long did they lie there- before 
germination) took place ? They might have dropped from a goods 
train carrying foreign hay. Mr. Notton lias been m the habit 
of sending mummy seeds to his friends to test their germination, 
and Mr. Cowen, principal of the Lurgan. College; Belfast, lias 
germinated a seed and grown a plant from it which has bloomei 
and in-ay prove to be Lentil, as it is some kind of \ etch, ilia 
plant was, exhibited at a meeting of the Southport Society ot 
Natural Science on the 10th ult. The seed was brought from 
the Fayoum; tombs,, and was reckoned to-be. about 1,500 years old. j 
We think it remains to be proved how long the seeds had lain m 
+V . 0 (rants a* thev might have been placed there quite recently. 
