448 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURL  AND  COTTAGF  GARDENER. 
May  26,  1898. 
Chrysanthemums  in  May. 
Is  it  not  a  very  extraordinary  thing  that  the  Chrysanthemum  Mutual 
Friend  should  be  in  flower  now,  and  quite  a  rarity  ?  I  should  be  gla<l 
to  know  if  any  of  your  readers  have  experience  of  a  midseason  variety 
flowering  at  this  time  of  year.  The  old  plant  was  cut  down  in  late 
autumn  after  flowering,  and  threw  up  two  stems,  which  each  now  bears  a 
bloom  equal  to  any  midseason  flower. — Charles  Futcher,  Amateur 
Grower. 
Dwarf  Chrysanthemums. 
There  are  two  methods  of  producing  dwarf  Chrysanthemums  which 
will  give  fair-sized  flowers  in  November.  Dwarf  plants  are  of  great 
utility,  not  only  to  the  exhibitor  constructing  a  group,  but  to  those 
who  have  to  furnish  an  attractive  display  for  the  conservatory,  and 
to  the  amateur  having  only  a  low-roofed  house  in  which  to  flower  his 
plants. 
The  method  of  securing  dwarf  plants  most  commonly  adopted  is  to 
grow  a  number  of  suitable  varieties  in  the  ordinary  way  from  cuttings 
rooted  during  the  winter  months,  confining  them  to  a  single  stem  without 
any  pinching  or  stopping  whatever.  Encourage  a  strong,  stnrdy  growth 
until  the  middle  or  end  of  May,  when  preparations  must  be  made  for 
propagation.  Prepare  the  2^-inch  pots  and  soil  before  taking  the 
cuttings,  which  require  to  be  inserted  as  fresh  as  possible.  Place  one 
crock  at  the  bottom  of  each,  and  over  that  some  rough  material  riddled 
from  the  compost.  The  latter  should  bo  equal  parts  of  turfy  loam  and 
leaf  soil,  with  a  fair  proportion  of  silver  sand  and  a  little  crushed  char¬ 
coal,  well  mixed  together.  Use  it  moist,  filling  the  pots  to  the  rim,  then 
shake  or  press  it  down  firmly,  surfacing  with  fine  sand.  The  upper 
3  inches  of  a  strong  plant  makes  the  best  cutting,  but  it  is  desirable 
in  most  cases  to  cut  lower,  and  form  the  cutting  to  the  most  convenient 
length  afterwards.  The  cut-down  plant  will,  properly  treated,  break 
into  growth,  forming  several  strong  growths  at  the  upper  part  of  the 
stem,  from  which,  when  advanced  enough,  a  selection  of  not  more  than 
four  to  be  retained  should  be  made. 
In  preparing  the  cuttings,  cut  transversely  below  a  joint,  removing  the 
bottom  pair  of  leaves.  Insert  firmly  in  the  middle  of  the  pots,  give  a 
good  watering,  and  stand  them  in  a  frame  that  has  a  slight  bottom  heat. 
Keep  the  cuttings  close  and  shaded  from  the  sun  until  rooted.  Imme¬ 
diately  this  has  taken  place,  which  will  be  seen  by  the  cuttings  extending 
in  length,  take  them  out  into  a  cooler  frame,  where  they  can  be  close  to 
the  glass  and  have  more  air.  All  may  not  be  ready  for  this  treatment  at 
one  time,  but  it  is  important  that  those  which  are  be  taken  out  before 
lengthening  too  much.  If  afforded  judicious  airing  and  watering  the  pots 
will  soon  become  full  of  roots,  when  a  shift  will  be  necessary  into  3^inch 
pots,  and  finally  into  5  and  6-inch  pots. 
Another  excellent  method  of  obtaining  good  dwarf  plants  differs  from 
the  last,  inasmuch  as  the  cuttings  are  secured  from  old  stock  plants 
retained  for  the  purpose.  They  are  wintered  in  as  cool  a  temperature  as 
possible,  the  growths  being  thinned  to  a  few  of  the  best.  The  plants 
after  severe  frosts  are  past  have  sheltered  outdoor  treatment,  which 
maintains  the  growths  stocky  and  strong,  and  cuttings  may  be  obtained 
better  than  from  young  plants.  Propagate  at  the  same  time,  affording 
the  treatment  throughout  recommended  for  the  others. 
The  beheaded  young  plants,  after  they  have  started  into  growth, 
require  to  be  put  into  their  flowering  pots.  These  plants  will  form 
dwarf,  bushy  specimens,  capable  of  carrying  from  four  to  twelve  flowers, 
the  latter  when  terminals  are  allowed. 
Many  cultivators  depend  alone  on  this  latter  method  of  producing 
comparatively  dwarf  plants,  but  it  follows  that  the  dwarfest  must  be  pro¬ 
duced  by  late-rooted  cuttings  ;  but  these  cannot  perfect  satisfactorily 
more  than  one  flower.  Constant  and  unremitting  attention  is  necessary 
in  the  cultivation  of  Chrysanthemixms  generally,  but  more  especially  so  in 
the  ease  of  vigorous-rooted  plants,  such  as  even  the  dwarfest  ought  to  be, 
growing  in  small  pots.  Successful  results  are  not  achieved  unless  the 
plants  are  grown  in  the  full  sun,  which  necessitates  constant  attention  to 
watering,  never  allowing  the  plants  to  flag  if  possible.  In  very  hot 
weather  it  is  a  good  plan  to  protect  the  pots  from  the  sun  by  leaning 
a  board  against  them.  The  plants  should  stand  on  moisture-retaining 
materials.  When  the  pots  are  filled  with  roots  a  regular  system  of  feeding 
must  be  adopted.  Manurial  applications,  however,  ought  not  to  be  given 
when  the  soil  is  dry.  Well  moisten  the  soil  first  with  clean  water,  then 
any  nourishment  applied  will  be  better  absorbed,  readily  assimilated,  and 
not  so  easily  lost. 
It  is  chiefly  the  Japanese  varieties  which  give  the  best  results  as 
dwarf  plants.  A  selection  of  all  or  some  of  the  following  varieties  may 
be  cultivated,  as  most  of  them  are  free  growers,  and  produce  large  blooms. 
C.  Davis,  C.  H.  Payne,  Etoile  de  Lyon,  Golden  Gate,  Lady  Hanham, 
Lady  E.  Saunders,  L,  Brooke,  Madame  Carnot,  Madame  Gustave  Henry, 
Mdlle.  Lacroix,  Mons.  Chenon  de  Lech6,  Niveus,  Pallanza,  Pride  of 
Maidenhead,  Rose  Wynne,  Souvenir  de  Petite  Amie,  -Viviand  Morel, 
Col.  Smith,  W.  H.  Lincoln,  and  W^.  Holmes. — E.  D.  S. 
VENTILATING  VINERIES. 
On  page  404,  May  12th,  of  the  Journal  of  Horticulture,  Mr.  Wm. 
Taylor  of  Bath  gives  some  interesting  notes  on  the  temperatures  of' 
one  of  his  vineries  and  his  mode  of  ventilating  the  same  on  a  given 
day  (May  9th  last),  and  asks  me  how  the  top  ventilation  theory  would 
work  in  such  a  case,  and  what  I  would  have  done  had  I  been  in  his 
place.  Well,  the  first  thing  I  am  certain  I  ought  to  have  done  was  to 
thank  the  Lord  for  such  a  fine  warm  May  day,  and  that  my  lines  were 
cast  in  such  a  favoured  place  as  Bath. 
Here  in  the  north  we  have  recently  had  quite  a  little  May  blizzard. 
On  Wednesday  morning.  May  11th,  the  hills  were  white  with  snow.. 
The  following  morning  we  had  some  frost.  Friday  morning  5®, 
Saturday  morning  10°,  with  ice  as  thick  as  a  penny,  a  bitter  cold 
wind  varying  from  the  N.E.  to  N.W.  blowing  from  hills  from  2000  to 
3000  feet  high  about  ten  miles  off.  The  outside  shade  temperature 
has  seldom  risen  to  50°  up  to  the  16th  inst.,  even  with  strong  sunshine,, 
of  which  we  have  had  a  good  deal.  Add  this  to  coals  up  2s.  6d.  per 
ton  lately,  could  you  blame  me  envying  Mr.  Taylor  in  his  “  warm 
Bath  ?” 
In  fairness  to  the  weather,  however,  I  must  admit  that  with  the 
exception  of  the  cold  snap  alluded  to,  we  have  had  a  very  fine  spring, 
and  the  country  and  crops  are  looking  exceptionally  well  and  pro¬ 
mising.  From  this  Mr.  I'aylor  might  conclude  that  my  remarks  on 
top  ventilation  applied  only  to  Scotland.  As  he  has  had  no  practical 
experience  further  north  than  Liverpool,  I  have  had  none  further 
south  than  county  Durham ;  but  over  that  area  I  know  that  front 
ventilation  is  a  standard  rule  of  practice,  and  believe  that  were  it  the 
exception  and  not  the  rule,  it  would  be  to  the  benefit  of  the  Vines  and 
plants  grown  ;  and  I  cannot  see  why  this  should  not  also  apply  to  all 
England.  There  might  be  some  exceptions,  such  as  the  position  oF 
the  houses,  their  construction,  or  an  exceptionally  warm  locality  such 
as  Mr.  Taylor  evidently  enjoys  at  Bath,  but  even  in  his  case  less  front 
ventilation  than  he  has  been  using  might  be  an  advantage. 
No  one  could  find  fault  with  his  method  of  ventilating  on  the  day 
stated.  He  did  not  open  the  front  sashes  until  12  noon,  and  the 
temperature  86°.  This,  he  tells  us,  was  a  departure  from  his  usual 
practice,  which  evidently  is  to  admit  more  front  air  at  an  earlier 
period  of  the  day,  and  before  the  temperature  rises  so  high.  Had  he 
done  th:s  on  the  day  in  question,  the  practice,  to  my  mind,  would 
have  been  faulty ;  and  though  I  would  not  say  it  would  have  done 
harm  on  such  a  fine  day,  it  was  not  necessary,  and  its  non-use,  even 
for  a  limited  time,  was  a  step  in  the  right  direction.  We  cannot 
always  rely  on  a  thermometer  for  the  correct  shade  temperature,  either 
out  of  doors  or  inside  a  vinery.  It  depends  very  much  when,  and 
how  it  is  placed,  and  whether  the  roof  is  wholly  or  only  partly  covered 
with  foliage. 
It  might  not  be  advisable  in  all  cases  to  suddenly  change  the 
conditions  a  plant  has  been  grown  in,  even  in  the  matter  of  air.  It  is 
best  to  begin  new  practice  with  new  growth.  Plants,  like  individuals, 
have  a  knack  of  adapting  themselves  to  circumstances.  I  regret  that 
at  this  busy  season  I  cannot  go  more  fully  into  this  subject.  It  is  one 
that  might  be  discussed  with  profit  to  all  concerned.  I  trust  others 
may  give  their  opinions  and  practice.  It  would  be  interesting  to  hear 
from  some  who  grow  Grapes  in  the  sunny  south  without  the  use  of 
front  air. 
I  have  long  known  Mr.  Taylor  through  the  pages  of  the  Journal  as 
one  of  our  foremost  Grape-growers,  and  more  than  once  have  admired 
his  fine  exhibits  of  Grapes.  His  remark,  “  That  he  is  not  too  old  to 
learn,”  shows  the  right  spirit.  It  is  the  spirit  we  all — old  and  young — 
should  have  in  seeking  to  add  to  our  knowledge  in  anything  pertaining 
to  our  profession. 
Mr.  Taylor  would  like  to  know  the  construction  and  angle  of  our 
vineries.  When  building  we  are  not  particular  to  have  them  at  a 
certain  pitch.  What  little  knowledge  I  ever  had  of  geometry  has 
got  rather  rusty.  With  the  aid  of  a  riddle  to  draw  a  circle  on  a 
potting  bench,  and  a  bevelled  square,  I  find  the  angle  to  be  much  tho 
same  as  Mr.  Taylor’s  house,  about  35°.  One  lean-to  with  a  short 
4  feet  hip  at  the  back  is  much  flatter  than  this.  This  house  is  285  feet 
long  by  20  feet  wide,  facing  S.S.E.  Ventilation  is  by  a  continuous 
board  on  one  side  of  the  ridge  only,  which,  when  open  to  its  full 
extent,  is  only  12  inches.  It  lifts  in  six  sections.  This  house  has  a 
considerable  rise,  16  feet  in  the  whole  length.  The  ventilator  at  the 
top  end  is  opened  much  earlier,  and  freer  than  those  further  down. 
The  bottom  one  has  only  been  opened  on  three  occasions  this  season,, 
and  that  only  about  an  inch.  The  roof  runs  to  1  foot  from  the  ground 
at  the  front. 
Another  house  is  span-roofed,  running  north  and  south,  300  feet 
long  and  20  feet  wide,  depth  of  sides  2  feet,  ventilated  with  a  continuous 
board  on  one  side  of  the  ridge  only.  Being  built  on  the  level  ground  it 
requires  even  airing  all  over.  Up  to  the  first  week  in  May  the  venti¬ 
lators  were  not  once  opened  in  this  house,  and  since,  with  the 
exception  of  one  day,  have  not  been  more  than  3  inches  up.  This 
house  has  a  more  airy  and  exposed  position  than  the  others.  The 
