July n, i9° 8 - 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
455 
Chrysanthemums. 
By R. BARNES. 
Work for July. 
A writer in the London “Evening 
lews” suggests that England should have 
national Rose Day. 
Notable Dundee Landmark. 
An ancient house about two hundred 
ears old nestling under the Law at Dun- 
ee is about to be destroyed. It has an 
iterest for gardeners, especially in by- 
one times when Mr. James Nicoll made 
nursery there for the sale of plants, 
:eds ancl seedlings. Mr. Nicoll lived 
rer one hundred years, and was well 
nown to the inhabitants throughout the 
>untry side as the old man of the Law. 
n the cottage itself is a large Fuchsia, 
dw quite a tree, for it has lived there for 
■venty years under the mild influence of 
e Firth of Tay. The plant is, indeed, 
gher than the cottage itself. It is said 
be one of the first introduced to Scot- 
nd. Mr. Nicoll made a plough out of 
;o old spades, and this is still in exis- 
nce. The Law, we may state, is a little 
rnical hill situated on the rising ground 
jove the Firth of Tay. While the first 
ay Bridge was still standing, the Law 
as at some distance from Dundee—now 
ie town has overtaken it. 
-- 
Rhododendron 
Feeding Plants for Specimen Flowers. 
Plants that are intended to produce 
large specimen flowers will not requiie 
much extra feeding in the way of manure- 
water until the roots have fully occupied 
the soil added at the final potting. This 
latter, being of a rich nature, will under 
proper management, keep the plants 
growing in a robust healthy way for five 
or six weeks, but as much depends on the 
habit of growth of varieties, the grower 
must judge by the appearance of the 
plants when and where to apply a little 
extra manure. A plant that looks too 
small for the pot it is in should not have 
manure-water, and to such even clear 
water must be given only when abso¬ 
lutely necessary. On the other hand, 
some plants may have made good growth, 
and be showing firm woody stems, plainly 
indicating that the application of a little 
extra root-food would not be amiss. This 
is best given in the way of a clear liquid, 
stable drainings, or liquid made by soak¬ 
ing sheep or cow manure in water. The 
different methods of preparing this are 
shown on page 412 of The Gardening 
WORLD, of June 20th, and whichever 
method is adopted, care must be taken 
that only the dear liquid is used for 
watering, and this should be thinned down 
to about the colour of weak tea to start 
with, increasing the strength a little as 
the season advances, especially if the 
weather is fine and sunny, but never using 
too strong a mixture. The applications of 
ordinary manure-water should be varied 
by light top-dressings of artificial ferti¬ 
lisers mixed with soil, subsequent water¬ 
ings being given through a rose water-pot, 
using only clear water for a few days. 
Change of food is undoubtedly good for 
Chrysanthemums, but as it seldom occurs 
that all the plants require water on the 
W. B. ELLIOTT. 
The capabilities of the camera are 
aited in the case of the particular 
auty of flowers which must appear 
:rely in black and white. The illus- 
i.tion, however, of the variety W. B. 
Iliott shows not merely the form of the 
hver, but the arrangement of the mark- 
:;s. The flowers are of a clear Rose 
' ’h a large blotch made up of crimson 
• )ts on the upper segment of the flower. 
ese markings have been largely, if not 
cirely, derived from the North American 
1 catawbiense. 
1. large bush covered with these flowers 
L a fine .effect, and we may state that 
t re are two ways of displaying the 
huty of a Rhododendron. No doubt, 
t bush is the natural form of a Rhodo- 
cidron, but it may be grown in the form 
c ( a standard with a stem 4 ft. high or 
r:e, and on the top of this it may be 
d de to develop a broad, rounded, bushy 
h d much in the same way as a stan- 
dd Rose, though the Rhododendron in 
tl course of a few years becomes more 
b ky because the stems are not cut back 
a ually. 
: is a mistake to cut back Rhododen- 
d as, except in cases where it is desired 
tceep them in a regular shape, when it 
till becomes a necessity. Branches that 
ai cut back will not bloom in the fol- 
lding year. Very often, however, those 
b aes which are overladen with blossom 
it my one year may make a very poor 
d lay in the following one. It is always 
b< to have a good many shoots upon the 
phts bearing no flowers, so as to ensure 
a >od display in the following year. Our 
pltograph was taken at Regent’s Park 
wl n the annual exhibit of Rhododen- 
dns was made there by Messrs. John 
^ erer and Sons, American Nursery, 
B: shot, Surrey. 
Rhododendron B. W. Elliott. 
Maclaren and Sons. 
