34 
THE GARDEN ALBUM AND REVIEW. 
care and no help from us, they will soon be 
worth little more than the weeds. Nature left 
to herself is beautiful, but it is the beauty 
of wildness—a garden on the contrary should 
be a civilized and well ordered community, in 
which nothing is left to chance. There should 
be no struggle for existence, that would soon 
result in the survival, not of the fittest, but of 
the strongest. See a neglected shrubbery, and 
what do you find ? Chiefly the rampant, 
pushing, self-asserting laurel. See a neglected 
mixed border, and what will you find there ? 
Large clumps of the commonest perennial 
sunflowers and Michaelmas daisies—not the 
best of their kind, but the strongest, which 
have overgrown and perhaps killed, ail the 
more delicate and better plants. Nowhere do 
we want more of Carlyle’s definition of genius 
“ an infinite capacity of taking pains ” than in 
mixed flower borders. We may plant closely 
(flowers are gregarious, and like each other’s 
company), but we must constantly watch that 
each has a place of its own, and enough food 
and water. The guardian of the mixed border 
should of course know the position, and habit 
of growth, of every single plant, and should 
always be on the look-out for any encroachment 
of one on the rights of another : or of any 
trampling of the stronger on the weak. Not 
much expense is required, but a good deal of 
watchful care, and nothing should be left to 
chance. Half-an-hour a day would be ample 
attention for most large mixed borders, but 
that should be given almost every day, and a 
great deal more about three times a year. 
E. M. Hill, F.R.H.S. 
(To be Continued ) . 
EARLY CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
In speaking of the early-flowering Chrysan¬ 
themum it must be understood that I apply 
the term to those plants that are adapted to 
outdoor culture and which bloom in the open 
air. The early-flowering Chrysanthemums 
create brilliant effects in the autumn, thus 
prolonging the brightness of the garden. 
They are, too, fast becoming general favourites 
both as border flowers and for all purposes 
of decoration, and this is not to be wondered 
at, considering the quantity of blooms which 
each plant produces, the great variety of 
colours, and the long time the flowers last 
when cut. There are several types of the 
early-flowering Chrysanthemum, the principal 
being the Japanese. We must not, however, 
forget the Pompons, for although progress has 
been somewhat slow in this section, there are 
many varieties which deserve more extended 
culture — for example, Early Blush, a pretty 
blush-pink; Mme. E. Lefort, bronze; Flora 
and White Flora ; Mrs. Selby, pink ; Blushing 
Bride, a fine rosy-lilac ; and Piercy’s Seedling, 
orange-yellow. Mme. Jollivart and Anastasio 
are also excellent sorts. The early single 
varieties are at present but few; they are, 
however, likely to become exceedingly popular 
owing to the general liking for single flowers. 
An effort should be made to improve this 
section, and increase the number of sorts. 
The ease with which the plants may be 
cultivated has helped to make them universally 
popular ; they flourish in the town as well as 
in the country ; they may be planted in the 
kitchen garden to make their growth in the 
summer, and be afterwards lifted and potted or 
planted in the border just before they flower, 
or they may even be lifted while they are in 
full bloom. 
Cuttings.— Cuttings of the early-flowering 
Chrysanthemums should be inserted during 
February and March. This is quite soon 
enough for general purposes ; in fact, plants 
that are rooted at this time do better than 
those rooted earlier and allowed to become 
leggy and stunted ; such make good plants for 
putting out in April and May. 
Planting out.— In preparing the ground 
for the plants, it is desirable to have it dug 
as deeply as possible, but in doing this I 
would not advise bringing the bottom spit to 
the top if it be of a clayey nature. The soil 
should be enriched with a iittle well-decayed 
manure, but too liberal treatment tends to 
develop coarse growth. May is undoubtedly 
the best time to plant, although exception 
may be taken to this, for much depends on 
the constitution of the varieties and the con¬ 
dition and position of the ground in which the 
plants are to be placed. A late April planting 
in a warm and less open position answers 
admirably when an early batch of plants, well 
hardened off, can be had for the purpose, and 
by these means plants of splendid proportions 
may be developed by the flowering period, and 
their season of blooming may also be somewhat 
extended. In cold and exposed situations 
planting should be deferred until the third 
week of May. By this time the weather is, as 
a rule, very genial, and the risk of damage by 
frost small. The varieties differ very consider¬ 
ably in vigour and hardiness. Take plants of 
the Marie Masse group ; here we have true 
representations of what a border Chrysanthe¬ 
mum should be. The plants are robust, 
branching in growth, rarely, if ever, exceeding 
a height of 3 feet, and are remarkably profuse. 
Numerous instances could be given as a 
contrast to the variety already described. But 
what one could successfully do with plants of 
the vigour and hardiness of the Masse group 
and other stong growers it would be unwise 
to do with varieties of weaker constitution. 
Take Market White, one of the most beautiful 
of the early white Japanese varieties, and 
there is Yellow Fitzwygram—neither of these 
would thrive with the same treatment as 
would suit the Masse varieties, Mrs. J. R. 
Pitcher or Carrie, therefore the planting of 
the weaker varieties is best put off until the 
middle or third week of May. The stronger¬ 
growing varieties should be planted 3 feet 
apart either way, because long before the 
