320 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
May n, 1907. 
eS® 
Chrysanthemums 
. . . . Work for May. 
The final re-potting of such plants as 
have well filled the 5 or 6 inch pots with 
roots should now be undertaken, using 
the compost as recommended last month. 
Fine weather should be chosen for this 
work, as the plants have now to be stood 
out in the open, and coid rains im¬ 
mediately after the re-potting would tend 
to sodden the- soil and give the roots a 
check. Varieties of a vigorous habit of 
growth do we'll in pots 10 inches in dia¬ 
meter. the less robust kinds being better 
in 8 or 0 inch pots, while 6 or 7 inch pots 
are most suitable for single-stem plants 
from late struck cuttings. 
The plants that most require re-potting 
must be picked out a day beforehand, 
avoiding any that have just been pinched, 
it being an important point to have them 
in full, unrestrained growth at the time 
the re-potting is done. Every plant that 
is likely to be on the dry side must have 
a soaking of water, so that it will be in the 
right condition for handling on the mor¬ 
row. The potting soil, too, must be in 
the right condition, neither too wet or 
too dry, so that the potting may be done 
very firmly, always leaving sufficient space 
above the ball of soil for watering and 
future top dressings. Bamboo canes of 
a size suitable to the growth of each 
variety should be put in one to each 
shoot — as the work proceeds, afterwards 
standing the plants close together in 
batches and svringing them overhead fre¬ 
quently in fine weather until they appear 
to be recovering from the slight check 
caused by the shift into the larger pots. 
This will be in about four or five days, 
when they should have their first good 
soaking of water at the roots, and a few 
days later be stood in their permanent 
quarters, preferably in an open situation, 
and in rows running north and south. 
Green and black fly are often trouble¬ 
some in the points of the growths at this 
time, and the best way of dealing with 
them is to dust, the growths with tobacco 
powder . overnight, syringing this off 
again early next morning. 
Surplus plants of desirable varieties may 
now be planted out, and if kept staked, 
and not allowed too much head-growth, 
the stools will be good for producing cut¬ 
tings in the autumn, although the idea 
that cuttings from vigorous plants that' 
have produced large blooms are them¬ 
selves deficient in constitutional vigour, 
is a wrong one. Growers should aim at 
keeping their plants in a perfect state of 
health from first to last, and presuming 
they succeed in doing this, they will pro¬ 
bably get as good, or even better, blooms 
from the same stock the following season. 
On the other hand, where an indiscrimin¬ 
ate use is made of the much favoured 
soluble chemical fertilisers, really good 
blooms will not be obtained, and a change 
of stock will be desirable. 
The majority of the single-flowering 
and other decorative varieties will, if 
planted out on a well-cultivated plot of 
ground, kept pinched and tied, and care¬ 
fully potted up in September, provide 
flowers for cutting little, if any, inferior 
to those grown in pots all through the 
season. 
R. Barnes. 
May, like a maiden soft and fair, 
With pink-white blossoms in her hair, 
Came tripping thro" the verdant mead, 
With lightsome heart and frolic tread. 
Charles Whitworth Wynne. 
(Songs and Lyrics). 
■ May is equally loved by poets. and by 
people, and its right to the epithet of 
u flow’ry” no one will deny. To the 
rosarian, however, it is a month full of 
work and anxiety, and if he is anxious 
to have a really good display of blooms 
he must now rise betimes in the morning 
as well as be prepared in the case of a 
frost to forego his night’s repose. There 
is no need for me to emphasise, the havoc 
wrought by a sharp frost during the latter 
part of this month, and it is to be hoped 
that this year we shall be spared such a 
visitation. But as it is always best to be 
prepared for an eventuality like this, I 
will briefly discuss the subject. Most 
gardeners possess a little weather know¬ 
ledge, and a careful study of the baro¬ 
meter and thermometer during the day 
will quickly warn them of the fact that 
there is a danger of frost. A supply of 
garden netting, newspapers, old muslin 
curtains,' and any other light protecting 
material should be kept handy, and as 
frosty nights are generally free from wind, 
it is not so difficult to rig up some contri¬ 
vances to protect the plants—or, at any 
rate, the most precious of them. I have 
heard of the owner of a small garden who 
was an enthusiastic fruit grower saving 
his crop by lighting a smoky bonfire in 
the midst of his garden, but whether this 
scheme could be successfully adopted by 
any of my readers is doubtful. In subur¬ 
ban districts one hesitates to become a 
nuisance to one’s neighbours! If a May 
frost does catch one napping, the only 
thing to remember is not to touch the 
plants until growth has re-commenced. 
The better plan is to hoe the soil aroum 
each plant and give a little weak stimulan 
in the shape of Clay’s fertiliser, soo 
water, etc., so as to assist the power 0 
recovery. In a few weeks it will be ear 
to tell which of the shoots are utter! 
spoilt and which are only singed, and wii 
consequently grow out of the injury 
Those shoots that have been actual! 
stopped by the frost may then be entire! 
removed; they are, of course, usually tin 
leading ones, but fortunately the recu 
perative power of the Rose is very con 
siderable, and the younger shoot; wj] 
quickly take their place. I am a ver 
staunch believer in the value of liquit 
manures for Roses, esnecially if appliec 
during this and the following month 
The best liquid manure that I have triei 
is compounded by mixing half a bushel 0 
sheep manure, half a bushel of poultr 1 
(or pigeon) dung, and a peck of soo 
together in a bag, and sinking it in ; 
thirty-six gallon tub of rain water. I 
makes a most potent manure and is quit 
safe to give to all save newly plantet 
plants. Pig manure is excellent vhei 
used as a liquid manure, while horse ahc 
cow manure are not nearly of such valui 
as those I have already named. So fa: 
this season we have had a great amoun 
of wind, and now that the shoots 0 
maiden plants are growing well, the} 
should be firmly secured to a bambot 
stake before there is the slightest risk 0: 
them being broken or blown right out 0: 
the stock. Caterpillars are proving 
troublesome and require a watchful ev< 
to check their depredations, and aphis is 
also making its appearance, and must bf 
got rid of. 
Worcestershire. A. R. Goodwin. 
-- 
Horticultural Societies’ 
Diary 
of Forthcoming Meetings. 
Abbreviations used. 
A.—Association 
Am.—Amateurs 
Ohy.—Chrysanthemum 
c.m.—Committee meeting 
Oott.—Cottage or Cottagers 
D.—District 
G.—Gardening or gardener 
Thus :—The Templeton G. Am. and Cott. M.I.H.S 
Gardeners, Amateurs’ and Cottagers’ Mutual Improve 
rnent Horticultural Society. 
NOTICE TO SECRETARIES. 
H.—Horticultural 
M.I.—Mutual Improve 
ment 
m.m.—Monthly meeting 
S.—Society 
w.m.—Weekly meeting 
Will secretaries of horticultural societia 
kindly send us at their earliest convenienct 
dates of shows and meetings to he held 
during /Q07 ? 
MAY. 
13th. — Horsforth G.M.I.S. (w.m.); Sutton- 
in-Ashfield H.S. (m.m.); Hastings, 
St. Leonards and D.H.M.I.S. 
(m.m.). 
14th. — R.H.S. (Exhibition of flowers and 
fruit, 1 to 6 p.m. Lecture at 3 
p.m. by Mr. Hy. Stevens, on the 
’’ Photographing of Flowers, Ani¬ 
mals,” etc.); Croydon and 
D.H.M.I.S. (m.m.); Milton and 
Sittingbourne H.S. (m.m.); Society 
of Jersey Gardeners (m.m.); Bid- 
denden Cott. G.M.I.S. (m.m.). 
15th. Ide Hill G.S. (m.m.); Margrave 
and D.G.A. (m.m.). 
16th. -Brighton and Sussex H.S. (nr- 
exhibition); Paignton and D.G.A. 
fm.m.); Lamberhurst H.S. (m.m.); 
Wimbledon and D.H.S. (m.m.). 
iSth. — Leeds Paxton S. (w.m.). 
