October  8,  1896. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
349 
'has  done  noble  things  in  supplying  ns  with  abundance  of  wholesome 
food,  and  making  us  more  comfortable  than  ever  before;  All  ought  to 
rejoice  at  the  progress  made  ;  therefore  I  say,  Let  one  and  all  give  three 
hearty  cheers  for  Qaeen  Victoria,  may  she  continue  to  reign  over  her 
millions  of  subjects  for  many  years  to  come. — H.  Cannell,  Swardey. 
[Always  the  same  loyal  subject,  the  same  enthusiastic  florist,  the  same 
ardent,  happy,  prosperous  man,  in  fact,  the  same  Henry  Cannell — to 
?Temaia  so  we  hope  till  he  stamps  the  velvety  lustre  of  the  old  Tom 
Thumb  on  some  of  the  giants  that  he  grows  so  well,  and  then  live  long 
•to  enjoy  them.] 
Chrysanthemums  at  Exmouth. 
Mr.  W.  J.  Godfrey  sends  us  a  photograph  of  Chrysanthemums  taken 
in  his  nurseries  before  the  plants  were  housed.  They  are  evidently 
•  splendidly  grown,  and  should  produce  grand  blooms.  The  illustration 
I  from  the  photograph,  which  would  have  to  be  much  reduced,  could  not 
■adequately  pourtray  the  robust  leafage  of  the  sturdy  plants. 
Chrysanthemums  at  Baglan  Hall  Gardens. 
Hating  paid  a  visit  to  these  gardens  in  the  vale  of  Swansea  I  was 
very  much  impressed  by  the  splendid  condition  of  the  Chrysanthemums. 
Mr.  Gilbert,  the  gardener,  has  not  had  charge  long,  and  on  learning  that 
he  had  served’under  Mr.  Lees  of  Trent  Park,  as  foreman  for  over  four 
years,  I  wondered  little  at  his  fine  display.  About  300  plants  are  grown 
in  9  and  10-inch  pots,  three  blooms  to  a  plant.  Every  plant  without 
exception  had  its  foliage  hanging  down  over  the  pot.  The  buds  were 
large  and  solid,  promising  to  develop  into  fine  exhibition  blooms.  Should 
Mr.  Gilbert  declare  war  this  autumn  he  will  prove  a  formidable 
antagonist  at  the  South  Wales  shows. — T.  F.  J. 
N.C.S.  Boards  for  Japanese  Blooms. 
Is  it  a  fact  that  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  passed  a 
resolution  this  year  that  all  Japanese  blooms  should  be  shown  on  boards 
28  by  21  inches,  and  7  inches  from  hole  to  hole  ?  An  answer  in  the 
Journal  will  interest  many  besides  myself. — G.  0. 
[At  a  General  Committee  meeting  in  December,  1895,  we  believe  that 
a  resolution  was  passed  to  the  following  effect :  “  In  future  in  all  classes 
in  which  Japanese  blooms  are  required  to  be  shown  on  boards,  the  boards 
for  twelve  shall  be  28  inches  by  21  inches,  the  holes  to  be  7  inches 
apart.”  The  substance  of  the  resolution  is  incorporated  with  rule  2  of 
special  regulations  for  each  show,”  and  is  as  follows ; — 
“  Exhibitors  are  required  to  have  their  stands  made  in  accordance 
with  the  Metropolitan  plan — viz.,  stands  for  twelve  incurved  blooms  to 
be  24  inches  long  and  18  inches  wide,  with  holes  6  inches  apart  from 
centre  to  centre,  to  stand  6  inches  high  at  back,  and  3  inches  in  front. 
Two  ‘twelve-boards’  may  be  used  for  twenty-four  blooms,  three  for 
thirty-six  blooms,  and  so  on.  The  six  stands  to  be  18  inches  long  by  12. 
Btands  for  twelve  Japanese  blooms  to  be  28  inches  long  and  21  inches 
wide,  the  holes  7  inches  apart  from  centre  to  centre.  Stands  for  six 
blooms,  14  inches  long  and  21  inches  wide.  The  height  at  the  back  to 
be  7  inches  and  4  inches  in  front.  All  stands  to  be  painted  green,  and  to 
have  the  supports  secure.’’] 
Housing  Chrysanthemums. 
Numbers  of  valuable  exhibition  plants  will  have  been  securely 
housed  ere  this,  and  probably  others,  as  well  as  large  contingents  of 
useful  decorative  plants  are  ready  for  transferring  to  convenient  positions 
under  glass,  where  they  can  in  safety  develop  a  promising  and  abundant 
display  of  well  nourished  healthy  buds. 
Few  growers  like  to  trust  the  plants  upon  which  they  have  bestowed 
unremitting  attention  out  to  the  mercy  of  the  weather  longer  than  the 
first  week  in  October.  Experience  tells  them  that  the  first  autumn 
frosts  are  perilously  near  after  the  eighth  day  of  the  month,  for  between 
the  9th  and  the  20th  we  are  liable  to  stinging  frosts  that  may  not  kill, 
but  yet  are  sure  to  cause  injury  to  plants  with  advanced  buds.  Those 
showing  colour  in  the  slightest  degree  ought  to  be  placed  under  glass 
without  delay.  The  dampness  inevitable  throughout  the  night  at  this 
season  so  saturates  the  buds  with  moisture  that  decay  is  probable,  and 
becomes  conspicuous  later  on  when  under  the  impetus  of  drier  air  and 
consequently  more  warmth,  the  buds  swell  and  the  petals  begin  to  unfold. 
It  is,  therefore,  best  to  anticipate  this  period,  and  house  the  plants  in 
time. 
The  varieties  which  are  expected  to  bloom  later  may  with  advantage 
be  kept  outside  as  long  as  possible,  affording  them  temporary  protection 
when  frosts  are  imminent.  Before  plants  can  be  taken  into  the  houses, 
and  to  the  positions  assigned  them,  the  structures  should  receive  consider¬ 
able  attention  in  the  matter  of  allowing  plenty  of  room,  whereby  the 
plants  can  not  only  be  placed  to  the  best  advantage,  but  so  arranged 
that  they  are  not  crowded  or  labour  under  a  deficiency  of  light 
^nd  air. 
The  glass  both  outside  and  in  ought  to  be  quite  clean,  also  the  wood¬ 
work,  including  the  stages  if  there  are  any,  as  well  as  the  walls  and 
floor.  In  some  structures  there  may  be  walls  to  limewash.  If  so 
sweetness  and  light  will  be  better  insured.  Trivial  details  all  assist  in 
reducing  to  a  minimum  the  possibility  of  damping  in  the  flowers,  and 
the  larger  these  are  grown  the  more  reason  there  is  to  avoid  all  causes 
which  may  lead  to  the  evil.  These  indicated  may  be  but  minor  causes. 
There  are  others  which  will  be  noted,  and  advice  given  to  guard  against 
them. 
As  Chrysanthemums  must  necessarily  be  accommodated,  but  perhaps 
temporarily  in  various  structures,  yet  one  house  at  least  ought  to  be 
regarded  as  the  place  where  the  best  plants  and  blooms  are  focussed 
together. 
Fruiting  plants  of  Tomatoes  have  frequently  to  be  removed  for 
Chrysanthemums,  but  as  the  majority  of  the  former  have  ceased  to 
develop  fresh  bunches  of  fruit,  the  plants  may  occupy  a  less  favourable 
position  than  they  have  hitherto,  but  where  a  little  heat  is  available  to 
assist  the  ripening  of  the  fruits  developed. 
Climbers  in  some  structures  require  regulating.  Some  might  be  tied 
in  compactly  without  much  detriment,  but  any  which  it  is  not  advisable 
to  bundle  together  may  probably  be  thinned  and  regulated  on  the. 
position  they  occupy,  positively  to  their  own  advantage  as  well  as  to 
the  plants  intended  to  be  placed  beneath  them. 
In  commencing  to  house  the  Chrysanthemums  untie  the  plants  from 
the  wires  just  at  the  time  of  removal,  so  that  they  run  no  risk  of 
blowing  about.  Examine  the  base  of  each  pot,  removing  dirt  from  the 
drainage  holes,  and  cutting  off  smoothly  any  roots  that  may  have 
protruded.  Pick  off  dead  leaves,  also  useless  sucker  growth  and  weeds, 
though  the  latter  ought  not  to  be  much  in  evidence. 
There  are  few,  if  any,  crown  buds  to  secure  now,  the  majority  having 
been  previously  selected.  Numerous  terminals  have  also  had  the  neces¬ 
sary  removals  effected  around  them  by  rubbing  out  the  side  buds,  and 
there  will  be  others  still  to  be  manipulated  upon,  as  it  is  in  all  cases  best 
for  one  bud  only  to  develop  on  a  shoot,  though  some  of  the  small- 
flowered  varieties  and  Pompons  may  have  three  left.  Besides  the  dis¬ 
budding  round  the  terminals,  many  varieties  produce  small  buds  freely 
in  the  axils  of  the  principal  leaves  for  many  nodes  below.  These  also 
should  be  rubbed  out.  Others  form  small  shoots,  with  or  without  a  bud 
at  the  apex.  Dispense  with  them  also.  If  there  are  any  weak  shoots 
not  likely  to  produce  a  flower  such  had  better  be  cut  out,  as  well  as  any 
with  deformed  tips  owing  to  insect  attack,  or  which  may  have  missed 
developing  a  proper  bud.  The  requisite  tying  and  regulating  can  then 
be  proceeded  with,  nothing  being  dealt  with  but  legitimate  growth, 
capped  with  crown  or  terminal  buds. 
Mildew  affecting  the  under  side  of  the  leaves  is  a  great  scourge  to 
several  varieties  of  Chrysanthemums,  and  some  attempt  should  be  made 
to  destroy  it.  Flowers  of  sulphur  dusted  upon  the  affected  parts  is  the 
best  and  most  frequently  applied  remedy.  It  can  be  the  most  readily 
applied  by  forming  it  into  a  paste  with  a  little  water,  when  it  will  easily 
mix  with  more,  and  is  distributed  upon  the  leaves  with  a  syringe, 
laying  the  plants  down  on  a  clean  base  to  enable  the  mixture  to  be 
effectively  applied.  When  removing  the  plants  for  housing  is  a  most 
convenient  time  to  apply  sulphur,  and  even  if  plants  bear  no  traces  of 
the  ffungus,  an  application  of  the  remedy  against  it  may  act  as  a 
deterrent  to  its  appearance  after  housing. 
If  water  is  or  likely  to  be  soon  required  give  the  plants  a  sufficiency, 
including  something  nourishing  and  stimulating  to  those  that  require  i  ', 
allowing  the  pots  to  drain  before  carrying  in  the  plants.  When  the 
plants  have  stood  inside  several  days  water  will  mostly  be  needed  by  all, 
but  the  plants  ought  previously  to  be  strictly  watched,  a8certa.ining 
their  real  condition  regarding  moisture  at  the  root,  so  that  a  liberal 
application  may  not  be  deferred  too  long.  Watering  depends  largely 
on  the  weather.  With  bright  sunny  weather  and  rapid  evaporation 
transpiration  from  the  leaves  is  active,  and  the  demands  on  the  roots  more 
constant  than  when  dull  weather  prevails  ;  consequently  the  necessities 
of  the  plants  must  be  carefully  attended  to.  The  morning  is  the  best 
time  to  afford  water  or  to  give  liquid  manure,  but  on  the  brightest  days 
an  examination  should  be  given  at  noon. 
Try  to  give  water  before  the  soil  becomes  very  dry,  but  if  it  should 
be  dry  thoroughly  moisten  with  clear  water  before  applying  liquid 
manure  or  any  dissolved  stimulating  artificial  manure.  Feeding  can 
be  judiciously  carried  on  during  the  period  after  the  plants  are  housed 
until  the  buds  show  colour.  After  that  strong  feeding  should  cease, 
clear  water  only  being  given. 
The  arrangement  of  the  plants  is  a  matter  which  growers  are  best 
able  to  decide  upon  according  to  the  convenience  they  may  have.  Very 
tall  plants  may  be  trained  under  the  roof  on  wires,  but  they  are  usually 
placed  at  the  back  of  sloping  groups,  dwarfer  plants  in  front.  Trained 
specimen  plants  for  exhibition  must  have  plenty  of  air  or  the  lower 
leaves  will  suffer.  Plants  to  afford  specimen  cut  flowers  ought  not  to  be 
crowded  in  the  first  stages,  and  the  same  applies  to  the  number  required 
for  furnishing  a  group  of  plants  in  flower.  It  is  important  to  preserve 
the  foliage  as  well  as  develop  the  flowers. 
When  developed  the  blooms  ought  not  to  occupy  a  position 
too  close  to  the  glass.  It  hanpens  that  there  we  find  the  greatest 
variations  of  temperature  and  deposits  of  moisture,  giving  the  blooms  a 
predisposition  to  damping  later  on.  The  tendency,  however,  may  be 
modified  by  a  free  circulation  of  warm  air  afforded  by  constant  ventila¬ 
tion  and  the  beneficial  effects  of  fire  beat  securing  a  genial  condition  of 
the  atmosphere  and  surroundings.  Fire  heat  should  not  be  employed  to 
the  extent  of  making  the  pipes  so  hot  that  a  parching  condition  of  the 
atmosphere  is  induced.  The  happy  medium  will  commend  itself  best. — 
E,  D.  S. 
