174 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Angnist  3S,  1895. 
while  five  medium  sized  can  usually  be  packed  in  the  same  size. 
Drain  the  pots  effectively  with  clean  crocks,  and  cover  with 
fibrous  pieces  of  turf  slightly  sprinkled  with  soot,  this  assisting 
to  exclude  worms.  Fill  the  pots  about  half  full  of  soil,  pressing  it 
down  firmly  but  not  hard.  The  size  of  the  bulbs  must  be  some 
guide  as  to  the  requisite  depth  allowed.  It  is  only  necessary  when 
the  potting  is  completed  for  the  tips  to  be  visible.  Press  the  soil 
level  about  them,  leaving  it  half  an  inch  below  the  rim. 
Boxes  may  be  drained  by  placing  a  layer  of  the  rougher  parts 
of  the  compost  on  the  bottom,  then  place  in  the  bulbs  closely 
together,  and  fill  in  with  soil  between  and  over,  just  level  with  the 
tips  of  the  bulbs. 
Potting  or  boxing  being  completed,  the  next  most  important 
detail  is  the  placing  of  the  receptacles  closely  together  on  a  hard 
surface  either  outdoors  or  in  a  frame,  covering  them  completely 
over  with  clean,  fine  ashes,  or  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse,  to  the  depth 
of  6  inches.  The  bulbs  will  here  make  roots  without  danger  of 
first  making  top  growth.  This  is  necessary  to  their  successful 
forcing  and  flowering.  It  simplifies  the  management  and  is 
altogether  more  satisfactory  than  any  other  method.  The  time 
necessary  for  the  bulbs  to  stay  under  the  plunging  material  is  six 
to  eight  weeks.  When  an  inch  of  top  growth  has  been  made 
sufficient  indication  is  given  that  roots  are  freely  formed,  and  the 
plants  may  be  taken  out. 
The  growths  will  be  blanched,  so  the  first  thing  necessary  is  to 
gradually  expose  them  to  the  full  light.  A  cold  frame  is  the  best 
place  to  stand  the  pots  or  boxes,  shading  with  a  sheet  of  paper 
inside  or  inverted  pots.  Exposure  to  air  and  light  eventually  dries 
the  soil.  When  this  happens  give  each  pot  a  good  watering,  always 
keeping  the  soil  moist  afterwards. 
Forcing  may  commence  after  a  few  weeks’  frame  treatment, 
proceeding  gently,  a  temperature  of  50°,  rising  gradually  to  55°  or 
60°,  usually  being  ample.  If  further  acceleration  of  the  blooms  is 
needed  a  gentle  bot:Om  heat  at  the  later  stages  of  growth  will  bring 
them  on  quickly.  As  soon  as  tbe  flowers  are  well  advanced  give 
cooler  treatmenc.  which  will  avoid  undue  lengthening  or  weakening 
of  the  stems.  Forcing  may  commence  about  a  fortnight  before  the 
plants  or  blooms  are  wanted.  The  weather  prevailing  at  the  time 
influences  the  growth  to  some  extent ;  therefore,  if  extremely  cold, 
more  forcing  heat  must  be  given  to  counteract  it.  On  favourable 
occasions  in  the  winter  the  plants  develop  well  into  bloom  with 
only  warm  greenhouse  treatment,  being  accorded  abundance  of  light 
with  judicious  w.atering  at  tbe  roots,  a  little  weak  stimulant  being 
also  given. — E.  D.  IS. 
RIPENED  WOOD. 
“  D.,  Beal  ”  (page  IGO),  presumes  to  put  to  the  readers  of  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture,  and  specially,  of  course,  to  its  practical  students,  a  query 
that  baffles  his  usually  keen  intellect.  How  is  it,  he  asks,  that  aher  such 
a  wet  autumn  as  was  found  last  year,  producing  very  sappy  growth  on 
fruit  trees,  that  we  see  this  season  such  a  magnificent  crop  of  fruit  ? 
AVhere,  then,  is  the  ripened  wood  theory  ? 
Well,  in  the  first  place,  the  sappy  growth  suggestion  is  altogether 
wrong.  There  was  no  sappy  growth  last  year,  indeed  it  was  a  matter 
for  common  observation  that  in  spite  of  the  considerable  rain  of  last 
summer  and  autumn  wood  growth  was  neither  abnormal  nor  sappy. 
Why  was  that  ?  It  was  because  the  exceeding  and  prolonged  drought 
of  1893  had  so  absorbed  moisture,  that  so  far  as  trees  and  bushes  were 
concerned  only  about  an  equilibrium  of  moisture  in  the  soil  was  restored 
by  the  abundant  1891  rains.  Thus,  in  spite  of  the  intense  frost  of  the 
following  winter,  no  harm  whatever  was  done  to  any  trees  or  bushes 
ordinarily  hardy  and  deciduous.  It  was  only  semi-tender  things,  such 
as  Figs,  or  evergreens  such  as  some  Pinuses  or  Bays,  or  immature 
annual  growths,  such  as  Raspberry  canes,  that  did  suffer.  When  we 
regard  the  intensity  of  frost  Apple  trees,  for  instance,  have  to  endure  in 
Canada,  it  seems  absurd  to  look  for^any  particular  harm  being  done  to 
them  in  Britain,  even  when  frosts  are  unusually  severe. 
But  then  it  seems  to  have  escaped  “  D.,  Deal's,"  attention  that  with 
very  few  exceptions  fruit — Apples,  for  instance,  of  which  we  have  such 
a  splendid  crop — is  chiefly  produced  on  wood  two  years  old.  Of  course 
I  am  referring  to  naturally  grown  trees.  Therefore  the  wood  which  is 
producing  the.  grand  crop  of  to-day  was  practically  made  and  ripened 
during  the  hot  dry  summer  and  autumn  of  1893.  Thus  a  simple  solution 
of  this  profound  problem  of  “  D.’s  ”  is  furnished.  It  is  not  only  needful, 
if  we  would  be  thoroughly  enlightened,  that  we  should  see  a  hedge,  but 
that  we  should  look  over  it  to  see  what  is  beyond  before  hastening  too 
rapidly  to  conclusions. — Another  D. 
May  I  inquire  how  the  ripe  wood  men  have  felt  this  summer?  Very 
small,  I  should  imagine,  when  they  beheld  the  prodigious  crops  of  every 
kind  of  fruit  already  gathered  or  to  be  gathered,  and  then  recollected 
their  own  gloomy  forebodings  of  twelve  months  ago. — The  SCEPTIC. 
In  answer  to  “  D.,  Deal,"  it  seems  to  me  that  the  simple  fact  of  a 
very  light  crop  of  Apples  last  year  accounts  for  the  present  general 
good  display.  Last  year  I  was  almost  alone  in  this  neighbourhood  in 
having  a  heavy  crop,  with  the  result,  as  I  expected  after  such  a  sunless 
autumn,  that  I  had  scarcely  any  bloom  this  spring.  Good  culture  could 
not  atone  for  the  double  strain,  but  a  light  crop  would  probably  have 
made  up  for  the  absence  of  autumn  sun,  and  rice  versa.  However,  I 
need  not  complain.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  be  “  out  of  the  beaten 
track,”  for  one  can  then  sell  in  a  dear  market  and  buy  in  a  cheap  one. 
— W.  R.  Raillem. 
Chrysanthemums  at  Heywood, 
The  customary  notes  on  Chrysanthemums  respecting  their  present 
state  and  the  future  prospects  will  now  be  a  prominent  topic  among 
growers  generally,  and  particularly  to  those  who  grow  them  for  exhi¬ 
bition  purposes,  and  these  notes  from  now  onward  will  be  anticipated  in 
the  Chrysanthemum  columns  of  the  Journal  week  by  week  by  many 
readers.  The  West  of  England  can  boast  of  some  very  good  growers, 
and  at  least  two  good  old-established  societies  where  Chrysanthemum 
growers  are  well  represented — namely,  at  Devizes  and  Bristol.  For 
many  years  a  good  show  has  been  held  at  Bath,  but  for  want  of  more 
substantial  patronage  this  has  been  allowed  to  lapse,  which  is  very  much 
to  be  regretted. 
At  each  of  these  fixtures  tbe  Heywood  Chrysanthemums  have  figured 
successfully,  and  Mr.  Robinson,  Lord  Justice  Lopes’  gardener,  is  now 
looked  on  as  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  his  district  for  the  excellence 
of  his  productions.  About  400  plants  are  grown  for  large  blooms,  and 
some  fifty  or  more  for  very  early  and  late  cutting  as  bush  plants,  and 
this  number  being  found  to  fill  the  available  space  devoted  to  them 
without  crowding,  no  attempt  is  made  to  grow  more.  For  this  reason  a 
rather  severe  analysis  has  to  be  made  each  winter  of  the  sorts  grown,  so 
as  to  discard  a  sufficient  number  for  admitting  new  introductions,  of 
which  Lord  Justice  Lppes  is  a  good  patron. 
It  has  been  my  privilege  for  the  past  three  years  to  make  an  inspection 
of  Mr.  Robinson’s  plants  during  the  growing  and  flowering  periods,  and 
the  prospect  this  year,  to  me,  seems  very  encouraging,  the  vigour  of 
the  many  new  and  old  varieties  being  alike  excellent ;  the  bottom 
leaves,  considering  the  tropical  weather  experienced  in  the  early 
part  of  the  summer,  remains  fresh,  but  coloured,  as  would  be  naturally 
expected. 
Among  the  newer  kinds  I  noticed  the  following  as  doing  exceptionally 
well; — Mrs.  C.  B.  Shea,  Mrs.  W.  J.  Godfrey,  Duchess  of  York,  Miss 
Dulcie  Schroeter,  La  Neige,  Mons.  Gruyer,  Madame  Carnot,  President 
Armande,  Philadelphia,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Lees,  Pallanza,  Hairy  Wonder,  Frank 
Wells,  Commandant  Blussett,  Mutual  Friend,  H.  L.  Sunderbruck,  Thos. 
Davidson,  Mrs.  E.  S.  Trafford,  Madame  Ricord,  Madame  Chas.  Capitant, 
Mons.  Chas.  Molin,  Souvenir  de  Toulon,  Mons.  Panckouke,  and  Madame 
J.  de  Beylie  in  the  Japanese  section.  Some  of  the  older  ones,  such  as 
Edwin  Molyneux,  Sunflower,  W.  H,  Lincoln,  Mdlle.  Th^i&se  Rey, 
Vi  viand  Morel,  Chas.  Davis,  J.  S.  Dibben,  Robert  Owen,  and  Duke  of 
York  are  in  fine  condition. 
Incurved  varieties  are  grown  largely  and  well,  Mr.  Robinson’s  blooms 
being  always  characterised  by  symmetry  and  freshness  rather  than  large 
coarse  petals,  thus  showing  that  the  buds  are  well  timed  by  spring  or 
summer  stopping  as  required  by  individual  varieties,  and  a  selection  of 
the  best  buds  at  the  present  time.  The  Queens  and  Princesses  are  all 
in  the  best  form  ;  the  last  named  has  been  stopped  this  season  to  reduce 
their  height  at  the  flowering  time,  and  of  the  Queens,  Mr.  Robinson  con¬ 
siders  the  25th  of  this  month  quite  soon  enough  to  “  take  ”  the  buds. 
The  newer  sorts — J.  Agate,  Chas.  H.  Curtis,  Owen’s  Crimson,  Globe  d’Or, 
and  Mrs.  R.  C.  Kingston — have  been  added  to  the  collection.  Anemones 
and  reflexed  are  each  represented  in  most  of  the  best  kinds.  The  first 
named  are  always  an  interesting  feature  from  a  conservatory  or  exhibition 
point  of  view,  and  only  the  very  best  sorts  are  allowed  a  place.  Owen’s 
Perfection,  Descartes,  Surprise,  and  Caledonia  are  this  year’s  additions 
to  the  already  choice  assortment  of  Anemones. 
The  plants  are  always  singularly  free  from  mildew,  which  to  some 
extent,  I  think,  is  attributable  to  the  presence  of  lime  in  the  water  used 
freely  for  syringing  in  bright  weather.  Pots  9  inches  in  diameter  are 
mostly  employed,  but  where  larger  than  these  are  used  they  are  occupied 
by  plants  in  duplicate.  Pots  beyond  this  size  are  not  considered  favour¬ 
able  to  moderate  growth,  followed  by  thorough  maturity  in  leaf  and  stem  ; 
and  smaller  ones  are  not  used  at  all.  The  plants  during  summer  form  an 
imposing  avenue,  being  situate  on  either  side  of  the  path,  extending  the 
whole  length  of  the  garden.  Boards  are  used  for  standing  the  pots  on, 
to  prevent  the  ingress  of  worms  and  the  roots  from  trespassing  beyond 
their  proper  limits.  A  neat  wire  trellis  supports  them,  and  with  bamboo 
stakes,  frequent  attention  to  tying  and  disbudding,  their  summer 
quarters  forms  a  strictly  neat  and  interesting  promenade.  They 
undoubtedly  reflect  much  credit  on  their  grower,  who  personally  attends 
to  their  daily  requirements,  and  unless  some  unforeseen  accident 
intervene  Mr.  Robinson  will  render  a  good  account  of  himself  in  due 
course. — \V.  S, 
