2 THE FLORIST. 
Should I go there, or should I pay a visit to the Chrysanthe-_ 
mum King at Hammersmith. In the former I should be sure 
to see, what I have never yet beheld—those marvellous sized 
plants one reads of continually at the shows, plants trained in 
all ways, standards, pompones, on single stems, 4 feet through, 
and all such wonderful things; and in cut blooms, their flowers 
so dressed out, their garments so arranged, that even their 
own parents wouldn't know them; on the other hand, I should 
see at Hammersmith all that was novel and good, should have 
an opportunity of comparing the new and the old blooms, 
learn which to weed out and which to look forward for; and 
so, after a while the argument came to a conclusion that I 
should try Hammersmith. I had not been there for some 
years, but I knew that a kind and courteous welcome would 
await me from Mr. Salter, and not only me, but anyone who ~ 
pays him a visit. AsI entered his nursery I saw that he had 
fared no better than his neighbours; and that, as far as out- 
of-doors blooms are concerned, there was nothing to be seen— 
all blackened and destroyed by frost and wet; in fact, utterly 
gone. Had the season been favourable, his long border would 
have been a fine sight; as it was, it only seemed to say, the 
“killing frost ” has come, and robbed me of all my glory. 
But this was amply compensated for by the display in what 
Mr. 8. calls his winter garden. The stages of a greenhouse 
of some considerable size (and which has this year been 
enlarged) had all been removed, and their places supplied 
with beds edged with Box and gracefully curved; the paths 
well made, with gravel, and a few ornaments, in the shape of 
figures, &c., scattered up and dowm ‘The beds were filled with 
Chrysanthemums of all colours, which had been taken up 
from the borders, before the frost came, while here and there 
were some which had been grown as specimen plants. The 
addition ran across the other at right angles; and as the wall 
of it was covered with large-flowering Chrysanthemums, the 
effect was exceedingly good; and one’ could not but acknow- 
ledge how much we are indebted to this charming autumnal 
flower for prolonging our enjoyment in blooming plants. 
Formerly, when the first frost came, and Dahlias fell beneath 
it, we shut up for the season ; while now they come in to cheer 
us on till Christmas; and as late-flowering ones are being 
introduced, it may be for a month after Christmas. We had 
an opportunity of going over some of the best of the old kinds 
and comparing them with the new ones. I took notes of them 
then, and Mr. 8. kindly sent me some blooms afterwards, so 
that I was enabled to examine them more minutely. The 
impression that I derived from a general survey of the new 
flowers was that the greatest novelties will be found this season 
