February  27,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
185 
New  Incurved  Varieties. 
By  the  addition  of  several  new  vai-ieties  of  a  superior  order  of 
merit,  and  by  a  general  improvement  in  methods  of  culture  and 
staging,  it  cannot  be  doul)ted  that  there  has  been  a  distinct  advance 
made  in  the  incurved  section  of  Chrysanthemums,  during  the  last  two 
years  especially.  Borne  of  the  recent  additions  may  not  be  so  near  to 
the  standard  defined  by  the  National  Chrysanthemum  Society  as  is 
Lord  Alcester  or  Princess  of  Wales  when  seen  at  their  best,  but  with 
care  in  the  selection  of  correct  buds,  perfect  development  of  the 
flowers,  and  an  advance  in  methods  of  staging,  I  think  there  is  still  a 
distinct  future  for  this  section  of  the  Chrysanthemum.  The  raising  of 
new  varieties  is  almost  confined  now  to  English  cultivators,  and  these 
depend  much  more  upon  hybridisation  and  the  raising  of  seedlings 
than  they  do  upon  •' sports,”  which  at  one  period  was  the  only  way  we 
had  of  obtaining  a  new  variety. 
If  raisers  wei’e  a  little  more  careful  of  the  manner  of  manipulation 
in  cross  fertilisation  even  at  the  present  day  we  should  see  an  even 
better  type  of  flowej- ;  there  is  too  much  .Japanese  blood  imported  into 
the  work,  with  a  view,  no  doubt,  of  obtaining  brighter  colours  and  size 
also.  Unfortunately,  there  seems  to  be  no  fixity  of  pui'pose  ;  it  is  all 
very  much  a  lottery,  like  “sports.”  No  one  can  command  a  sport, 
neither  can  they  control  sulficiently  the  seed  pod.  In  time  we  may, 
perhaps,  see  better  results.  What  I  term  the  recovery  to  form  of  such 
varieties  as  Queen  of  England  and  its  sports  is  quite  outside  the 
possible  ;  in  that  case  we  must  look  to  the  newer  varieties  to  maintain 
an  interest  in  this,  at  one  time,  very  popular  section. 
The  following  varieties  are  certainly  an  acquisition  if  cultivated 
properly : — 
Mrs.  F.  R.  Judson  is  best  described  as  a  pure  white  Curtis, 
possessing  as  it  does  all  the  characteristics  of  that  charming  variety, 
differing  only  in  colour. 
Mrs.  C.  Crooks  is  a  pure  white  flowered  variety  with  pointed  petals; 
here  and  there  s  ime  are  notched  and  covered  at  the  tip  with  short 
hairs,  which,  perhaps,,  detracts  somewhat  from  its  appearance.  In 
spite  of  this  defect  it  should  become  a  popular  variety. 
Pearl  Palace. — I  do  not  know  the  origin  of  this  variety,  but  its 
fine  quality  easily  commends  itself.  Full  sized  blooms  are  easily 
produced  ;  the  floi’ets  are  of  medium  width,  forming  a  full  handsome 
flower,  white  deeply  shaded  pink. 
Frank  Hammond  is,  perhaps,  the  greatest  acquisition  of  recent 
years  ;  full  sized  blooms  measure  fully  figin.  in  diameter,  and  con¬ 
sistently  deep.  The  broad  petals  incurve  thoroughly,  building  up  a 
typical  flower.  The  colour  is  pleasing.  Young  blooms  have  a  dull  red 
centre,  the  florets  are  edged  with  gold ;  older  flowers  show  a  little 
less  colour,  yet  are  especially  pleasing. 
Fred  Palmer  is  pure  white  of  medium  size,  very  neatly  formed. 
Mr.  F.  King  is  a  promising  variety,  with  rosy  lilac  florets,  which 
are  strijied  with  a  deeper  tint. 
Henry  Ellis  is  best  described  as  an  improved  Venus,  which  it 
partakes  of  in  habit  of  growth  and  its  foliage  also.  It  is  a  pure  white 
flowered  variety. 
(iOLDEN  Madame  Ferlat  is  an  exact  counterpart  of  its  parent, 
Madame  Ferlat,  which  was  a  French  raised  variety  in  the  year  1900. 
The  new-comer  may  be  a  “  sport,”  it  certainly  is  an  acquisition,  and 
should  be  secured  by  all. 
Comtesse  d’Etoile  is  of  a  rosy  lilac  pink  colour,  very  promising. 
Frank  Pay'NE  has  just  the  kind  of  petals  required  to  build  up  a  full 
handsome  bloom.  The  colour  is  pleasing,  bright  red  inside,  with  a 
reverse  of  cinnamon  shaded  gold. 
Nellie  Stevens  produces  blooms  fully  7in.  in  diameter;  these,  if 
neat,  full,  and  fresh,  would  be  a  grand  addition  as  a  back  line  flower. 
The  colour  is  quite  pleasing  deep  amber.  With  care  in  selecting 
suitable  buds  this  should  be  a  distinct  acquisition. 
Mrs.  W.  Howe,  rich  golden  amber  or  cinnamon,  a  full  deep  bloom. 
Mrs.  W.  Harvey  has  creamy  white  florets  which  are,  perhaps,  a  trifle 
too  pointed  to  please  some,  still  it  is  an  acquisition  which  all  culti¬ 
vators  of  this  section  should  secure.  Mr.  E.  Bennett  has  broad 
florets,  rose  lilac  in  colour. 
Mdme.  Vernieul  belongs  to  the  slightly  hirsute  section  of  rosy 
lilac  colour.  Creole  reminds  one  much  of  Refulgence,  with  its  claret 
or  maroon  coloured  florets. 
Thomas  Lockie  is  not,  perhaps,  quite  new,  but  it  deserves 
extended  notice  ;  it  produces  deep  and  good  blooms,  white  flushed  rose 
lilac  in  colour. 
Wm.  Higgs  is  a  massive  flower  with  broad  florets  of  a  gold  buff 
tint  of  colour.  E.  Hunt  has  long,  broad,  and  neatly  incurving  florets 
possessing  much  substance,  colour  deep  lilac  pink  suffused  with  white. 
C.  Blick  produces  blooms  after  the  style  of  Lady  Isabel,  in  colour 
white  tinted  rosy  violet. — E.  Molyneux. 
Planting  Potatoes. 
A  commencement  may  be  made  in  planting  main  crop  and 
late  varieties  of  Potatoes.  Well  pulverised  ground  that  is  not  in 
a  wet  condition  may  be  considered  suitable  for  present  planting. 
The  work  is  rendered  easier  when  the  ground  is  fairly  dry, 
because  then  the  drills  can  be  drawn  out  in  a  clean  state.  A 
depth  of  din  is  suitable.  The  distance  between  them  must  varx^ 
according  to  whether  the  varieties  produce  strong  or  weak  haulm. 
Two  feet  a.sunder  will  do  for  ordinary  varieties,  and  2ft  6in  for 
the  strong-haulmed  sorts.  The  distance  between  the  sets  may 
run  from  I2in  to  I8in,  the  latter  for  the  very  strong  growers. 
Reliable  varieties  of  Potatoes  to  grow  are  Sharpe’s  Victor,  an 
early  Potato  of  excellent  quality  and  dwarf  habit;  Early  Re¬ 
gent,  a  superior  white-fleshed  variety,  an  excellent  cropper. 
Early  Puritan  is  a  similarly  good  variety,  flattish  round  in  shape, 
and  nroduces  well.  Among  the  second  earlies  Schoolmaster 
stands  in  a  leading  place.  Grown  under  good  conditions  the 
tubers  are  mealy  and  cook  snowy  white.  Windsor  Castle  should 
be  included,  as  it  is  a  good  cropper,  and  the  tubers  are  of 
superior  quality  They  are  white  and  flattish  round  in  shape. 
As  a  red-skinned  variety,  Reading  Russet  is  one  of  the  best. 
Main  crop  Potatoes  should  include  the  Bruce,  which  is  a  heavy 
corpper  and  keeps  well.  The  selected  and  improved  forms  of 
Magnum  Bonum  cannot  be  surpassed  for  flavour,  size,  and  pro¬ 
ductiveness  grown  under  fair  and  liberal  conditions.  XJp-to-Date 
is  a  variety  that  now  takes  high  rank  as  a  choice  main  crop 
variety.  As  a  rule  it  is  an  excellent  cropper,  producing  tubers 
of  liberal  proportions,  which  keep  well.  Imperator  is  a  white 
round  main  crop  variety,  also  a  heavy  cropper,  and  of  superior 
quaht-’.  Satisfaction  is  a  popular  sort,  not  only  for  exhibition, 
but  for  general  use.  The  tubers  are  of  fair  regular  size,  the  skin 
beins:  rough.  It  is  of  good  quality,  and  is  a  free  cropping 
variety. — D.  S. 
Cucumbers:  Plants  in  Bearing. 
These  should  be  examined  onoe  or  twice  a  week  for  the  removal 
of  bad  leaves  and  exhausted  growths,  thinning  the  shoots,  stop¬ 
ping  and  clearing  them  of  old  or  deformed  fruits.  The  thinning 
of  the  shoots  and  encouraging  young  in  place  of  spent  growth  is 
the  way  to  keep  the  plants  in  continuous  bearing.  Stop  the 
growths  a  joint  or  two  beyond  the  show  of  fruit,  but  avoid  over¬ 
crowding.  In  securing  the  shoots  to  the  trellis  do  not  tie  them 
too  tightly,  but  allow  room  for  development.  Plants  that  have 
been  in  bearing  for  some  time  will  be  greatly  benefited  by 
removing  a  portion  of  the  surface  soil  without  injuring  the  roots, 
and  supplying  warmed,  fresh  soil.  Turfy  loam,  with  a  fourth 
of  well  decomposed  manure,  and  a  9-inch  potful  of  wood  ashes,  and 
half  that  quantity  each  of  soot  and  superphosphate  added  to  each 
large  barrowload  (three  heaped  bushels)  of  loam,  will  answer,  and 
is  best  where  the  materials  are  readily  comeatable ;  or  turfy  loam 
alone  may  be.used,  sprinkling  over  it  a  good  handful  (3oz  or  4oz) 
of  the  following  mixture  per  square  yard  :  Bone  superphosphate, 
dry  and  crumbling,  three  parts ;  powdered  saltpetre,  two  parts ; 
and  ground  gypsum,  one  part.  Mix  and  keep  in  a  dry  place. 
Ma  ntain  the  bottom  heat  steadily  at  SOdeg,  the  night  tempera¬ 
ture  at  65deg  to  70deg  (5deg  less  in  severe  weather),  70deg  to 
76deg  by  day,  rising  to  SOdeg  tO'  85deg  or  90deg  from  sun  heat, 
and  closing  early  in  the  afternoon,  so  as  to  run  up  to  90deg, 
95deg,  or  lOOdeg,  damping  the  paths  and  other  surfaces  in  the 
morning  and  early  in  the  afternoon.  If  the  surfaces  are  dry, 
damp  well  before  nightfall. 
Young  Plants  in  Houses. 
For  these  hillocks  or  ridges  should  be  formed,  preferably  the 
latter.  The  whole  length  of  the  bed,  about  2ft  wide  at  the  base, 
with  the  top  flattened,  so  as  to  give  a  depth  of  lOin  to  12in,  the 
soil  being  made  moderately  firm,  and,  when  warmed  through,  the 
plants  may  be  turned  out  about  a  yard  apart,  firming  the  soil 
about  the  balls,  and  raising  it  a  little  over  the  depth  the  plants 
were  before,  but  not  very  much,  as  this  is  liable  to  induce 
canker;  yet  the  sod  may  be  brought  up  as  high  as  roots  show 
on  the  stem.  In  my  experience  I  have  found  good  turfy  loam, 
laid  up  sufficiently  long  to  destroy  the  herbage,  mixing  with  every 
bushel  of  the  chopped  up  turfy  loam  a  quart  of  wood  ashes,  and 
a  part  each  of  air-slaked  lime  and  dry  soot  incorporating.  These 
substances  have  a  good  effect  on  larvae  likely  to  injure  the  plants, 
and  enrich  the  soil.  Plants  for  trellises  should  be  trained  with 
a  single  stem  secured  to  a  stick,  tied  to  the  lowest  wire  of  the 
trellis,  rubbing  off  the  laterals  as  they  appear  until  the  height 
of  the  trellis  as  reached. 
Plants  in  Frames. 
In  these  the  growths  of  the  plants  are  trained  over  the  surface 
of  the  beds,  the  seedlings  being  stopped  at  the  second  rough  leaf, 
and  the  resultant  growths  at  about  every  foot  of  extension.  This 
