650 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 10, 1908. 
Chrysanthemums. 
By fit, BARNES. 
Work for October- 
J> 
Watering- and Manuring. 
Having arranged the plants in the 
houses already 'cleansed and prepared 
for their reception, doors and ventilators 
must be fixed wide open for the first 
week, during which time very few of the 
plants will require watering, unless the 
weather should be exceptionally bright 
and breezy; nevertheless, each plant 
should be tested every day before noon 
by giving the pot a sharp rap on the 
side when a ringing sound will indicate 
that water is required, otherwise it must 
be withheld. Onlv clean water should be 
used for a time after the plants are first 
placed indoors, liquid manure not being 
required until the roots are seen to be 
pushing through the surface soil in 
search of food, but even then the manure 
water must only be given in a weak 
form; strong, soluble artificials being 
seldom required, and over-manuring of 
the plants at this time leading to irre¬ 
parable disaster. Weak lime-water pre¬ 
pared as advised in the Chrysanthemum 
Manual and given to the plants once a 
week for the first three weeks after hous¬ 
ing will be found to do a great deal of 
good. Soot-water, too, is a useful stimu¬ 
lant, but should not be given immedi¬ 
ately before or after the lime-water, other 
wholesome manures- free from sourness 
—being used in a weak form to provide 
a change of diet. 
Ventilating and Vaporising. 
After the first week ventilating may be 
gradually reduced, giving an abundance 
of air every fine day', but lowering the 
ventilators at night, choosing a suitable 
evening to close the house altogether and 
vaporise for the destruction of insect 
pests. This vaporising process should 
be repeated in a few days time, after 
which the plants should be thoroughly 
rid of green and black fly until the 
flowers are fully expanded. 
Specimen Blooms. 
Where large specimen blooms are un¬ 
folding their petals the house requires 
careful management, and as soon as it 
is found necessary to reduce the supply 
of air fire-heat will be required to keep 
the air moving and exnel damp; th'is 
must be done even though the tempera¬ 
ture may be high enough without arti¬ 
ficial heat,'damp weather being gener¬ 
ally close and warm at this time of the 
year. As the weather becomes cold- 
artificial heat must be supplied to ke< 
up a minimum temperature of 50 degre 
for large Japanese varieties, always kee 
ing the top ventilators open more or le 
according to the weather. Incurved va: 
eties do well with a lower temperatur 
requiring only sufficient fire-heat to ke< 
the air of the house fairly dry and buo 
ant and prevent rusting of the florets. 
Decorative Varieties. 
Decorative varieties seldom requi 
fire-heat at this time, careful waterin 
judicious feeding, and free ventilation 
the houses being the chief cultural poir 
at this season. It will, however, 
found advantageous—where the time c, 
be spared — to do a little “ disbuddin; 
to .the plants in this latter section whi 
are to flower for the most part on w! 
are known as 11 terminals,” that is 
cluster of flower-buds on every shoot 
every spray; these should be thinned 
soon as they can be safely hand! 
leaving the topmost — which is also t 
largest- bud on each shoot. 
Japanese Varieties. 
Large blooms of Japanese variet 
sometimes require a little assistance 
unfolding their florets, especially w 
early buds of coarse varieties, when hr 
portions have sometimes to be taken 1 
with the tweezers and florets thinned 
removing the smaller and crooked on 
Single-flowering varieties, too, if 
quired for exhibition must have the sti 
petals removed from the central disc 
each flower. Even when not requi) 
for show this process will be found 
enhance the appearance of these m 
useful decorative kinds. R. Barnes 
- BEST KEPT- 
Cottage Garden. 
The Thorp Perrow Tenants’ Horticul¬ 
tural Society organised a competition for 
the best kept cottage garden; and with a 
prospective reward of £ 2 , in the back¬ 
ground, no further incentive was neces¬ 
sary to the local residents to stimulate 
healthy rivalry, and to cultivate a taste 
for proficiency' in the art of landscape 
gardening. . 
A brief review of the successful exhibit 
in this unique competition may doubtless 
prove of interest to the many readers of 
The Gardening World. 
Under the proviso that no competitor 
-hall be entitled to the prize for more than 
two successive years (this being one of 
the conditions enforced) the present win¬ 
ner became entitled to the prize, after 
being placed second. That the award 
was well merited is fully endorsed by r all 
who have had the privilege of inspecting 
this artistic garden. The successful com¬ 
petitor has, of course, devoted much of 
his leisure during the spring and sum¬ 
mer months to his garden. This, how¬ 
ever, has by no means interfered with his 
dailv vocation. By dint of perseverance, 
and with a spirit worthy of emulation, he 
has performed his duties, which has 
gained for him encomiums, and the ad¬ 
miration of all true lovers of floricultuie. 
The artistic arrangement and general 
effect of display has been the keynote to 
success in this exhibit. A lawn of ample 
proportions, with a verdant surface of 
velvety softness, furnished the ground 
work for the production of the finished 
picture. 
The ground plan of neatly designed 
beds rendered the in-laying of the colours 
a matter for the artist to display his 
talent in the effective arrangement of his 
colours. His neatly trimmed edges of 
lawn and beds, together with his well- 
kept paths, brought into prominence 
angles and proportions of a well delii 
outline, whilst a background of ornann 
tal trees and shrubs added a contrast 0 
lent an air of dignity to the scene. 
For scheme of colouring he rel 
chiefly on the popular Henry Jacoby ; 
Vesuvius . amongst the Geraniums, Ti 
week Stocks, Asters, Calceolarias ; 
Violas, and for bordering blue Lob< 
and Pyrethrums. The central feature 1 
a large circular bed, surrounded by snl 
