112 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  1,  1895. 
that  desirable  result,  but  when  either  semi-starved  or  grossly  fed  Vines 
are  planted  it  is  matter  for  surprise  when  they  immediately  produce 
splendid  results.  “  Grower’s  ”  method  is  a  rational  and  feasible  one, 
but  the  other  two  methods  are  not  to  be  commended. 
“Grower,”  from  his  own  statement,  not  only  commands  success,  but 
he  deserves  it,  seeing  that  he  gives  his  young  Vines  every  chance  and 
plants  them  in  the  best  possible  condition.  Nothing  but  success  could 
be  looked  for  in  connection  with  Vines  grown  under  the  rational  treat¬ 
ment  described  by  “  Grower.”  I  think  all  will  agree  on  that  at  least. 
—John  Thomson,  Clovenfords. 
fCHR 
UMS 
- 
CHRYSANTHEMUM  CULTURE. 
[A  paper  read  by  Mr.  W.  G.  Gilbert,  The  Gardens,  Sennowe  Hall,  Guist,  to  the 
members  of  the  East  Anglian  Horticultural  Olub  at  Norwich,  June  12th.] 
Any  man  starting  to  make  a  name  for  himself  in  the  Chrysanthemum 
world  must  be  prepared  to  forfeit  most  of  his  leisure  time  and  to  make 
up  his  mind  for  hard  work.  The  cutting  is  the  commencement  of  labours 
for  the  season,  but  the  stools  should  have  had  attention  before  this.  One 
cannot  expect  to  get  good  cuttings  from  plants  packed  away  pot  thick, 
as  many  of  us  have  to  do.  I  generally  pick  out  one  of  each  variety,  give 
them  a  light  place,  thin  the  growths,  and  by  this  method  a  good  stock  of 
cuttings  is  obtained.  With  varieties  that  are  shy  in  throwing  up,  I  put 
one  or  two  cuttings  in  late  with  excellent  results. 
I  commence  propagating  the  second  week  in  December,  starting  with 
the  Teck  family  and  late  Japanese,  following  on  with  the  Queens  for 
terminals  or  second  crowns  ;  the  remainder  I  proceed  with  as  soon  as  I 
can  get  good  cuttings,  which  is  not  always  an  easy  matter. 
Opinions  differ  as  to  the  mode  of  rooting.  The  simple  plan  I  adopt, 
and  have  found  to  answer  well,  is  to  place  a  portable  propagating  case 
OE  the  stage  of  a  cool  house  or  in  a  vinery  just  started,  or  in  the  absence 
of  such  a  case,  then  three  or  four  boxes  made  airtight,  with  a  strip  of 
wood  nailed  on  the  inside  to  form  a  ledge  front  and  back  to  lodge  the 
glass  on.  Other  boxes  will  be  required  when  the  cuttings  are  rooted,  to 
harden  them,  by  tilting  the  glass  at  the  back  for  the  admission  of  air  for 
a  few  days  before  standing  them  in  the  open  house. 
Almost  any  light  soil  will  do  for  rooting  purposes,  more  especially 
if  placed  three  in  a  60-size  pot.  Sand  will  help  them  to  root  quickly.  I 
usually  have  one  stopper,  with  a  little  rough  stuff  placed  on  it,  fill  the 
pots  level  with  soil  and  cover  with  sand,  which  will  run  down  into  the 
hole  made  by  the  dibber  for  the  cuttings  to  rest  on.  Make  firm,  giving 
them  two  waterings,  but  allowing  them  to  get  dry  before  placing  them 
in  the  box,  as  they  are  not  then  so  likely  to  damp  off.  Most  varieties 
will  root  without  requiring  any  more  water  till  they  are  taken  from  the 
close  box.  As  soon  as  the  roots  show  through,  place  them  in  the  harden¬ 
ing  boxes,  which  should  have  the  air  increased  as  they  get  stronger, 
when  they  will  soon  be  ready  for  the  first  potting.  For  this  I  use  the 
soil  in  which  I  have  grown  my  Melons  in  the  previous  season,  with  a 
little  leaf  mould,  decayed  manure,  and  a  sprinkling  of  wood  ashes,  with 
a  little  sand  added.  Now  we  have  all  the  soil  ready  for  the  first  potting, 
but  there  are  still  other  cuttings  to  put  in,  for  I  do  not  believe  in 
taking  all  at  one  time.  For  instacce,  the  cutting  of  the  finest  Stanstead 
'White  I  ever  grew  was  not  inserted  till  February  13th.  Viviand  Morel, 
Charles  Davis,  and  several  others  come  best  on  late-rooted  plants. 
For  the  first  potting  1  use  a  size  not  larger  than  2^  inches,  as  thereby 
another  shift  is  obtained  before  finally  placing  them  in  the  6-inch.  As 
the  plants  take  hold  of  the  soil  they  will  require  more  airy  quarters — 
a  brick  pit  with  a  little  heat  to  turn  on  in  case  of  severe  weather  is  the 
best  place  for  them.  I  do  not  like  to  trust  my  plants  thus  early  to 
frames.  Some  may  not  have  pits  ;  well,  then,  keep  them  in  a  cool  house 
near  the  glass.  Now  we  come  to  the  second  potting.  For  this  I  use  a 
sprinkling  of  bone  dust,  with  the  soil  rougher  than  for  the  previous 
one.  A  top  spit  which  has  been  stacked  for  some  time,  with  leaf 
■mould  and  manure  added,  is  the  best. 
Before  potting  make  sure  that  the  balls  are  moist,  as  after  potting 
they  will  not  require  any  water  for  two  or  three  days.  Place  in  cool 
frames  and  keep  close,  spraying  them  occasionally  ;  the  weather  will  be 
•the  best  guide  for  the  latter.  In  bright  periods  three  or  four  times  a 
day  will  assist  them  to  take  to  the  new  soil.  When  the  roots  are  to  be 
seen  at  the  sides  of  the  pots  harden  them  off,  giving  all  the  room 
possible.  If  there  are  a  few  extra  good  plants  that  have  filled  the  pots 
speedily  I  give  them  an  extra  shift,  say  into  a  24-8ize  pot,  for  which 
trouble  they  will  well  repay.  Some  of  the  Queens  will  make  very  fine 
plants  in  this  way,  and  I  would  rather  give  them  the  extra  potting  than 
the  wood  become  ripened  in  a  32,  Presuming  we  are  in  the  first  week  of 
April,  some  of  the  Queens  should  be  stopped  ;  some  of  them  come  much 
better  on  the  second  bud.  John  Doughty  comes  very  rough  on  the 
crown  bud,  but  by  stopping  the  plant  at  this  date  it  will  bring  second 
crowns  in  good  time  and  much  better  blooms. 
Another  good  method  is  to  select  the  best  growth  from  the  topped 
plants,  taking  the  other  growths  away.  By  this  plan  you  will  have  a 
crown  bud  in  good  time.  Care  should  be  taken  to  put  a  stake  to  the 
growth,  for  if  you  lose  it  the  plant  is  lost  entirely.  About  the  first 
week  in  May  is  usually  as  early  as  they  can  be  trusted  outside,  and  even 
at  this  date  they  must  not  be  without  some  protection.  My  plan  is  to 
stand  them  in  beds  of  seven  or  eight  plants  wide,  so  that  they  can  more 
easily  be  protected  if  the  weather  should  turn  cold.  I  have  found 
hurdles  very  convenient  by  placing  them  round  the  plants  in  the  same 
manner  that  sheep  are  folded  ;  they  can  be  easily  matted  if  necessary. 
At  this  stage  of  the  plants’  growth  black  fly  is  often  very  trouble¬ 
some.  Tobacco  powder  is  the  usual  remedy,  but  they  take  a  lot  of 
killing.  I  have  found  dipping  them  in  a  solution  of  carbolic  soap  and 
sulphur,  scalded  in  a  small  quantity,  mixed  into  about  40  gallons  (which 
will  admit  of  a  fairly  tall  plant  being  dipped  in  it),  to  be  very  effective. 
This  solution  will  afterwards  come  in  for  Cherry  trees.  From  this 
point  the  plants  will  want  well  looking  after,  as  they  are  getting  larger 
and  filling  the  pots  with  roots,  and  will  get  dry  enough  for  watering 
twice  a  day.  If  the  weather  is  at  all  hot  syringing  a  little  before  eight 
in  the  morning  and  again  before  the  sun  goes  off  them  in  the  afternoon 
will  be  desirable. 
It  is  now  time  to  think  of  the  final  potting.  Have  all  pots  well 
washed,  crocks  ready,  bones,  oysters,  or  whatever  you  intend  to  crock 
with ;  the  plants  will  feed  off  either  when  they  have  filled  their  pots 
with  roots.  An  oystershell  makes  the  best  stopper,  and  an  8-inch  pot 
should  not  have  less  than  1  inch  of  bones  or  pounded  shells,  with  the 
fine  portion  sifted  and  saved  for  the  soil.  There  is  nothing  better  than 
pulled-up  turf  for  placing  over  the  crocks.  If  possible  this  should  have 
been  soaked  with  liquid  manure.  For  the  final  potting  I  do  not  think 
there  is  anything  to  beat  fresh  cut  turves  from  a  pasture  which  has  been 
fed  by  sheep,  cut  up  into  about  IJ-inch  pieces,  chopped  or  broken  to  the 
size  of  small  eggs  ;  it  will  get  smaller  before  it  reaches  the  pots.  To  five 
barrowloads  of  this  add  one  load  of  dried  horse  droppings  with  the  straw 
shaken  out,  one  load  of  coarse  leaf  mould,  half  a  bushel  of  charcoal  the 
size  of  nuts,  half  a  bushel  of  wood  ashes  from  green  wood,  half  a  bushel 
of  bone  dust,  a  sprinkling  of  fish  guano,  and  this  quantity  will  pot 
about  240  plants. 
Pot  firmly  with  a  wedge  stick,  making  sure  that  the  ball  of  the 
plant  is  moist,  but  not  wet.  As  the  plants  are  potted  stand  them  pot 
thick  in  beds,  and  if  at  all  windy  protect  with  hurdles  and  mats.  All 
they  will  require  for  two  or  three  days  will  be  frequent  syringing. 
When  watering  for  the  first  time  after  potting  make  sure  that  the  water 
runs  through  ;  and  during  the  time  the  plants  are  standing  in  the  beds 
their  next  move  must  be  thought  of.  Have  all  sticks  ready  in  lengths, 
and  boards  to  stand  them  on.  Thus  time  will  be  saved,  which  is  a  most 
important  item  just  now. 
When  staking  the  plants  be  careful  to  do  so  outside  the  balls,  other¬ 
wise  the  roots  will  be  injured.  Many  growers  use  three  sticks — I  prefer 
one — and  loop  them.  By  this  plan  the  growths  will  get  the  sun  all 
round  some  time  during  the  day,  whereas  if  tied  to  a  stick  one  side  is 
bound  to  lose  the  sun.  I  do  not  think  many  growers  could  have  a  more 
exposed  situation  than  mine,  which  is  quite  open  to  the  west  winds. 
If  the  weather  is  fine  they  will  be  benefited  by  a  dewing  over  as 
often  as  the  time  can  be  spared  ;  but  great  care  is  required  in  watering, 
for  if  too  much  is  given  the  soil  will  turn  sour.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
not  enough  the  ball  will  get  dry  and  take  a  deal  of  moistening, 
and  the  plant  will  have  suffered.  Keep  a  sharp  eye  on  all  growths 
requiring  a  tie,  and  have  the  powder  box  in  readiness  for  the  first  signs 
of  fly.  Earwigs  will  also  begin  to  be  troublesome,  so  look  out  some 
beanstalks  to  hang  on  the  plants.  About  1  foot  or  18  inches  is  the  most 
useful  length  to  use,  and  these  will  generally  be  found  full  in  the  morn¬ 
ing,  and  may  then  be  blown  out. 
Nothing  but  soft  water  will  be  required  till  the  pots  are  full  of  roots  ; 
but  it  is,  I  know,  not  always  possible  to  have  rain  water.  In  this  case 
it  should  be  made  as  near  as  possible  to  the  real  liquid  by  letting  it 
stand  in  the  sun  and  a  small  bag  of  soot  applied.  If  the  plants  have 
been  well  cared  for  they  will  now  (say  this  is  the  first  or  second  week 
in  July)  begin  to  show  their  roots  on  the  surface.  Apply  then  a  little 
top-dressing,  say  half  an  inch.  This  cannot  be  used  so  coarse  as  advised 
for  potting,  though  it  should  not  be  too  fine  or  fresh  laid  up  or  it  will 
soon  grow.  Some  chemical  manure  is  best  for  mixing  with  top-dressings. 
Most  gardeners  have  a  fancy  for  one  of  the  many  kinds  of  patent 
manures.  Clay’s  is  still  one  of  the  best,  and  I  have  found  Icthemic 
guano  very  good.  The  end  of  July  is  a  good  time  to  begin  to  feed. 
Start  with  a  little  cow  manure  liquid,  quite  clear,  or  it  will  block  up 
the  air  passages.  Two  or  three  times  a  week  is  sufficient  thus  early. 
Keep  a  sharp  look  out  for  tying,  or  a  plant  may  soon  be  reduced  to  one 
or  two  growths.  Sometimes  plants  will  show  buds  in  July. 
Some  of  the  best  blooms  I  have  grown  have  been  terminals  or  second 
crowns.  Some  growers  advise  terminals  for  Sianstead  White,  but  with 
this  variety  I  prefer  crowns  from  late-rooted  plants.  As  the  plants  fill 
their  pots  the  strength  of  liquids  should  be  increased,  and  changes 
constant ;  alternately,  with  a  liquid,  give  a  sprinkling  of  manure.  Clay’s, 
Thomson’s,  or  Icthemic.  Always  be  on  the  safe  side,  under  rather  than 
overdo  it,  or  the  wood  will  get  thick  and  will  not  ripen.  About  the 
16th  of  August  is  a  good  time  to  take  the  buds  of  the  late  varieties  of 
Japs,  although  it  would  be  much  too  early  to  take  some  of  them.  Many 
of  the  incurved  give  the  best  blooms  from  buds  taken  the  first  week  in 
Septemben. 
I  have  always  found  the  Queen  family  come  best  taken  at  this  date. 
There  is  no  time  like  the  early  morning  for  this  operation,  as  soon  after 
six  as  possible.  About  the  end  of  August  is  a  good  time  to  give  the  other 
top-dressing.  This  time  it  should  be  packed  up  round  the  rims  of  the 
pots,  so  as  to  still  allow  room  enough  for  water  to  run  through  the  ball. 
Mildew  is  often  very  troublesome  about  this  time,  and  1  do  not  know 
