February  17,  1898. 
151 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTTCULTURF 
Chrysanthemum  Notes. 
Much  has  been  written  in  the  Journal  of  late  as  to  the  “best” 
selection  of  varieties  for  various  purposes.  No  doubt  valuable  informa¬ 
tion  is  thereby  obtained  by  those  who  have  not  the  personal  know¬ 
ledge  requisite  or  the  opportunity  of  jmlging  for  themselves.  Ol' 
course  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  “  best  ”  selection  ;  the  choosing  of 
varieties  is  purely  a  matter  of  personal  taste.  I  note,  however,  and  with 
pleasure,  that  there  is  a  strong  tendency  towards  selecting  varieties 
possessing  points  of  “quality.”  Some  writers  may  feel  inclined  to  join 
issue,  and  inquire,  What  is  “  quality  ”  in  a  Chrysanthemum  bloom  ? 
My  definition  of  “  quality  ”  is  somewhat  after  this  style.  A  bloom  of 
the  Japanese  section  should  not  measure  less  than  7  inches  in  diameter  ; 
if  it  were  2  more  it  would  be  all  the  more  desirable.  A  proportionate 
depth  should  be  present  of,  say,  5  or  6  inches.  The  florets  ought  to 
be  flat,  ribbon-shaped,"  or  slightly  turned  under  at  the  edges.  There  must 
be  no  sign  of  an  “eye,”  neither  must  it  be  possible  to  see  between 
the  florets  on  to  the  board  when  staged.  The  colour  should  be  as  decided 
as  possible,  and  as  pleasing  as  one  would  wish  to  see.  Such  is  my  ideal 
of  a  .fapanese  Chrysanthemum.  Some  persons  will  differ,  no  doubt. 
New  varieties  undoubtedly  are  the  life  of  the  interest  in  the  Chrys¬ 
anthemums.  If  the  introduction  of  new  forms  were  to  cease  for  a  time 
interest  in  the  flower  would  decrease  also.  There  is  an  innate  craving  in 
the  mind  of  man  for  something  fresh,  new,  or  what  we  do  not  already 
possess.  Now  that  Knglish  cultivators  have  taken  up  the  raising  ol  new 
varieties  we  hope  to  see  them  produced  on  some  defined  basis.  The  inter¬ 
crossing  of  varieties  will  perhaps  be  done  on  some  scientific  basis  for  the 
production  of  fixed  and  desirable  colours.  At  present  the  hybridisation 
is  done  on  haphazard  lines. 
Societies  might  do  much  to  encourage  the  introduction  of  new  and 
improved  varieties  by  the  offering  of  prizes  for  those  introduced  within  a 
given  date.  It  is  surprising  what  a  stimulating  effect  the  prospect  of 
winning  a  prize  has  upon  intending  exhibitors.  In  support  of  this  sug¬ 
gested  idea  I  need  only  allude  to  the  magnificent  results  obtained  at  some 
shows  by  the  offering  of  handsome  prizes  for  cut  blooms  staged  in  other 
than  the  orthodox  plan  of  cups,  tubes,  and  stands.  Only  a  few  years 
since  any  other  idea  was  out  of  the  question  ;  yet  see  how  much  has  been 
done  at  Edinburgh,  Hull,  the  Royal  Aouarium,  not  to  mention  smaller 
show’s,  the  committees  of  which  have  been  bold  enough  to  strike  out  a 
new  line  for  themselves. 
The  question  of  “  sports  ”  in  Chrysanthemums  appears  to  be  on  the 
wane  amongst  cultivators,  writers,  and  “scientists”  generally.  The 
reason  for  this  is  apparent.  While  we  can  procure  all  that  is  required  on 
such  easy  terms  —1  allude  to  seedling-raised  plants — it  seems  too  much  to 
expect  the  “ordinary”  gardener  or  Chrysanthemum  expert  to  trouble 
with  the  origin  of  “  sports.”  There  is,  however,  no  denying  the  fact  that 
in  certain  sections  the  best  varieties  have  been  obtained  as  the  result 
of  “  sports.”  Certainly,  amongst  the  incurved,  seedling  forms  are  seldom 
so  consistent  as  the  freaks  of  Nature.  If  we  could  have  some  light 
thrown  upon  the  origin,  cause,  and  effect  of  “  sports,”  who  knows  but 
that  we  might  improve  considerably  upon  Nature's  endowments  ? 
To  the  true  lover  of  Chrysanthemums  in  all  its  phases  and  forms  the 
free  and  ever  reckless  manner  in  which  new  varieties  are  added  to  the 
incurved  (?)  section  is  anything  but  pleasing.  It  cannot  be  disputed  that 
of  late  years  varieties  have  been  most  liberally  added  that  ought  not  to  be 
classed  as  typical  forms  of  the  section  so  much  prized  twenty  years  ago 
It  is  quite  true  that  in  a  few  more  years  there  will  be  fewer  specimens 
seen  at  shows  than  even  now.  Introducers  are  not  blameless  for  this 
falling  off.  Too  many  sorts  have  been  added  to  attempt  to  increase  the 
waning  popularity  of  a  section  at  one  time  so  desirable. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  the  cultivation  of  Chrysanthemums  for  purely 
decorative  purposes  during  the  last  two  or  three  years  has  greatly 
increased.  Especially  are  the  late-fiowering  varieties  appreciated.  This 
phase  of  the  subject  might  well  and  profitably  be  attended  to  yet. 
The  Queen,  recently  alluded  to  in  the  Journal,  is  decidedly  an  acquisition 
for  late  use.  At  the  time  I  write,  February  12th,  we  have  really 
attractive  blooms  of  this  on  plants  that  were  flowering  freely  at 
Christmas. 
The  out-of-door  flowering  varieties  of  Japanese,  such  as  Roi  de 
Prdcoces,  Comtesse  Fouchier  de  Careil,  Ryecroft  Glory,  and  numerous 
others,  are  desirable,  and  might  well  be  added  to.  These  varieties  open 
during  October  and  the  early’  part  of  November  out  of  doors,  at  a  time 
when  the  bulk  of  the  ordinary  border  plants  are  over.  This  is  just  the 
class  for  the  amateur  to  cultivate  who  is  desirous  of  having  a  supply  of 
bloom',  and  has  not  the  means  of  cultivating  the  ordinary  November 
flowering  sorts. 
Just  one  sentence  about  single-flowered  varieties.  Many  times  I  have 
written  in  favour  of  this  delightful  section.  I  am  pleased  to  find  such 
writings  have  had  the  desired  end.  For  the  decoration  of  the  dinner 
table,  vases  in  rooms,  as  well  as  the  conservatory  in  a  growing  state,  no 
class  can  put  them  in  the  shade.  The  variety,  too,  is  almost  inexhaustible, 
both  in  colour  and  form.  Especially  bright  are  some,  rendering  them  all 
the  more  desirable. 
1  do  not  think  the  most  exacting  critic  of  the  Chrysanthemum  as  an 
exhibition  flower  can  maintain  that  there  is  any  decline  in  popularity  of 
the  autumn  queen.  True,  we  now  and  again  hear  of  a  society  compelled 
to  aliandon  its  exhibition  ;  on  the  other  hand,  though,  accessions  are 
made.  Several  horticultural  societies  within  my  knowledge  have  had  to 
discontinue  summer  exhibitions,  and  rely  exclusively  upon  the  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  as  a  means  of  filling  their  coffers.  It  is  to  be  expected  that 
extensive  shows  like  Birmingham,  Hull,  and  Edinburgh  will  attract  huge 
crowds.  'When,  however,  we  consider  a  quiet  city  like  Winchester,  for 
AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
example,  that  struggled  hard  to  make  summer  meetings  a  success,  and 
failed,  then  confining  their  energies  to  the  establishment  of  an  autumn 
exhibition,  it  says  much  for  the  Chrysanthemum  as^  an  allurement  of 
thousands  of  persons  who  now  annually  flock  to  see  the  fine  show  annually 
held  in  the  Guildhall. — E.  Molyneux. 
Leaf  Rust  Fungu.s. 
I  TAKE  the  liberty  to  send  you  herewith  in  a  box  some  leaves  from 
freshly  rooted  Chrysanthemum  cuttings  taken  from  several  different 
varieties,  which  are  all  more  or  less  affected,  as  you  may  see,  bv’  the 
Trichobasis  chrysanthemi,  or  “fungus  rust,”  so  fully  described ’by  your 
contributor.  Air.  Abbey,  in  last  October's  issues  of  your  Journal.  It 
might  be  useful  to  submit  these  leaves  to  Air.  Abbey,  and  I  am  sure  many 
of  3  our  readers  would,  like  myself,  be  interested  to  hear  from  him  whether 
between  last  autumn  and  the  present  time  he  has  been  able  to  come  to 
any  definite  conclusions  as  to  the  character  and  mode  of  propagation  of 
this  plague  aiwl  as  to  the  cause  of  it,  as  well  as  the  best  way  to  prevent 
its  appearance  ;  further,  whether  the  present  examples  present  any 
dilferent  churacteristics  to  thos©  submitted  to  him  last  autumn. 
For  Mr.  Abbey  s  information  I  may  add  that  out  of  over  200  cuttings 
rooted  separately  in  2-rnch  pots,  and  all  placed  together  in  shallow  boxes 
in  a  greenhouse,  only  some  twenty-five  have,  so  far,  been  seen  to  be 
affected  by  the  “rust.”  These  twenty-five  are  all  new  varieties,  and 
come  from  two  nurseries  which  are  admitted  to  have  been  affected  last 
season,  but  the  rest  ot  ny<'  batch,  though  all  placed  close  together  (and 
coming  mostly  from  my  own  plants  and  a  few  from  friends)  are  quite 
clean.  The  cuttings,  even  those  worst  attacked,  are  otherwise  growing 
strongly  and  sturdily. 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  cause  of  the  disease  is  to  be  found  in 
the  fact  of  new  varieties  being  forced  on  to  supply  cuttings  to  meet  the 
demand  — in  other  words,  that  it  is  constitutional,  and  it  would  be  useful 
in  this  regard  if  it  could  be  ascertained  whether  the  varieties  most  attacked 
in  the  different  parts  of  England,  in  New  Jersey,  Italy,  France,  or  else¬ 
where,  did  or  did  not  all  emanate  originally  from  one  or  two  sources, 
and  whether  the  said  varieties  were  mostly  new.  If  yes,  this  would  tend 
to  confirm  my  view. 
I  think  you  will  agree  with  me  that  this  is  a  subject  which  deserves 
serious  study  and  consideration  from  all  horticultural  authorities,  especi¬ 
ally  those  having  the  means  and  facilities  for  collecting  reliable  data  on 
the  matter,  and  subjecting  the  disease  to  scientific  and  chemical  examina¬ 
tion.— J.  G.  Mills. 
P.S. — I  would  like  to  make  one  other  suggestion — i.e.,  that  you  should 
invite  through  your  columns  information  from  the  best  known  amateur 
growers  of  show  plants  on  the  one  hand,  and  from  large  growers  of 
cut  flowers  for  market  on  the  other,  as  to  whether  they  have,  last  season 
or  this,  seen  the  rust  amongst  their  plants,  and,  if  so,  on  what  varieties. 
Since  writing  my  letter  I  have  been  told  by  a  market  gardener  that  some 
years  ago  the  same  or  a  similar  disease  appeared  on  Pelargoniums  after 
several  seasons  of  craze  after  new  varieties,  and  that  the  plants  had  all  to 
be  thrown  away,  and  it  was  only  after  some  considerable  interval  that 
more  new  varieties  could  lie  raised. — ,T.  G.  M. 
[Both  amateurs  and  growers  of  Chrysanthemums  for  market  are 
perfectly  at  liberty  to  communicate  information  of  the  nature  above 
indicated,  but  as  a  rule  the  last  named  do  not  seem  to  have  much  time  for 
pen  exercise.  They  are  about  the  busiest  men  wo  know,  and  as  a  body 
rank  among  the  ablest  cultivators  in  the  world.  Air.  Abbey’s  observations 
on  the  leaves  that  were  sent  to  him  are  appended.] 
The  leaves  submitted  by  Mr.  .1.  G.  Alills  are  all  infested  by  the 
Chrysanthemum  leaf  rust  fungus.  Since  last  summer  I  have  gone  into 
the  allied  forms  of  rusts,  the  nearest  being  that  found  in  this  country 
on  the  “  Hardhead  ”  or  Knapw’eed  (Centaurea  nigra),  which  produces 
teleuto  or  resting  spores  in  abundance  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  to  take  to 
the  Chrysanthemum.  Of  the  common  Tansy  (Tanacetum  vulgare)  leaf 
rust  fungus  (Puccinia  tanaceti)  I  have  not  been  able  to  secure  fresh 
specimens  to  test  its  effect  on  the  Chrysanthemum.  I  should  like 
specimens  of  Tansy  leaf  rust  for  experimental  purposes.  I  believe  the 
Chrysanthemum  leaf  rust  fungus  (Uredo  chr^’santhemi)  to  be  a  new 
species  of  American  origin.  Both  in  the  United  States,  in  England,  and 
in  Italy  it  first  appeared  on  the  variety  Niveum,  raised  in  America,  and 
from  this  it  spread  to  others. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  the  disease  being  distributed  on  cuttings  or 
young  plants  before  the  spring  of  1897,  or  of  its  general  prevalence  before 
the  late  summer  and  autumn  of  last  year  in  either  the  Old  or  New  World. 
The  forcing  system,  both  as  regards  raising  new  varieties  and  getting  up 
stock,  may  have  something  to  do  with  the  breaking  out  of  the  disease,  as 
whatever  weakens  the  plant  lays  it  open  to  readier  breach  by  the  enemy. 
Some  varieties  have  naturally  hardy  constitutions,  and  hence  are  better 
able  to  resist  the  inroads  of  parasites  ;  and  even  these  resistant  varieties 
may  be  so  weakened  by  cultural  treatment,  such  as  the  undue  forcing  of 
growth  for  stock,  close  and  dull  conditions  for  rooting  and  forwarding 
young  plants  in  over-rich  soil,  as  to  produce  unresistant  growth. 
The  study  of  “  rusts  ”  is  another  question,  and  I  regret  to  say  one  of 
the  least  understood,  as  regards  preventive  and  remedial  measures,  of  all 
fungoid  diseases  ;  but  they  all  lead  very  practical  and  definite  lives. 
That  of  the  Chrysanthemum  leaf  rust  is  from  a  spore  (not  having  a 
butterfly  existence,  as  commonly  supposed,  but  capable  of  hardening  or 
being  hardened  in  integument,  so  as  to  exist  for  a  considerable  time),  to 
put  forth  its  germ  tube  in  presence  of  a  soft  glow  of  moisture  and  nutri¬ 
tive  medium,  not  on  anything,  but  upon  a  Chrysanthemum  leaf,  mostly 
failing  if  on  the  upper  side  to  effect  an  entrance,  as  the  cuticle  is  too  hard  ; 
