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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  November  21,  1901. 
uncouth  Japanese  forms  great  possibilities  of  development, 
and  they  proved  to  be  right.  Some  seed  came  over  from 
Japan,  and  in  favourable  localities  seed  was  obtained  from 
some  of  the  imported  varieties.  The  seedlings  produced 
from  it  were  found  to  show  both  variations  in  form  and 
colour,  but  also  improvements  in  fulness  and  substance. 
Some  of  the  earliest  of  these  were  Hero  of  Magdala,  James 
Salter,  Meteor,  Dr.  Masters,  Regalia,  and  The  Mikado,  and 
most  of  those  named  were  grown  for  some  years. 
If  it  were  possible  to  institute  a  comparison  between  the 
three  first-named  of  these,  which  were  regarded  as  great 
acquisitions  thirty  years  ago,  and  such  leading  present-day 
varieties  as  Madame  Carnot,  Mons.  Chenon  de  Leche, 
Golden  Gate,  Mrs.  H.  Weeks,  Australie,  Western  King, 
and  others,  it  could  at  once  be  seen  how  enormously  the 
Japanese  varieties  have  increased  in  size,  colour,  breadth, 
and  depth,  until  blooms  measure  9  and  10  inches  in 
diameter,  if  not  more.  The  size  of  flowers  and  their  fulness 
and  brilliancy  is  materially  furthered  by  good  cultivation. 
Cultivators  who  vie  with  each  other  in  the  production  of 
highly  developed  blooms  are  on  the  alert  to  adopt  new 
methods  of  culture,  so  that  the  utmost  possibilities  of  the 
flower  may  be  brought  forth.  Exhibition  blooms  must  in¬ 
crease,  and  are  increasing,  in  size,  and  we  can  only  imagine 
the  dimensions  to  which  they  may  have  attained  ten  years 
hence. 
The  introduction  of  the  Japanese  form,  and  the  popular 
appreciation  of  it,  not  only  gave  a  powerful  impetus  to  the 
cultivation  of  the  Chrysanthemum,  but  also  operated  to 
revive  the  interest  in  the  other  sections  which  had  at  the 
time  commenced  seriously  to  decline.  It  was  complained 
that  the  incurved  varieties  were  very  small  in  size,  while 
not  a  few  of  them  were  of  weakly  constitution.  This  led 
to  the  cross  fertilisation  of  some  of  the  incurved  varieties 
and  the  more  formally  incurved  Japanese  forms.  This 
mixed  parentage,  while  it  produced  large  true  incurved 
varieties  of  vigorous  growth,  also  gave  birth  to  a  mixed 
progeny,  and  among  them  reflexed  Anemone-flowered  and 
single  varieties.  Thus  all  sections  benefited  by  the  action 
of  the  florist,  and  the  votaries  of  each  found  something 
added  calculated  to  revive  their  flagging  interest  in  the 
flower. 
All  the  early  introduced  Japanese  were  tall  in  growth 
and  late  in  blooming.  It  was  said  of  them  at  the  time  that 
they  bloom  later  than  the  English-raised  varieties  in  culti¬ 
vation  and  remain  longer  in  bloom,  so  that  the  greenhouse 
continues  10  be  bright  with  blossoms  all  through  the  dull 
winter  months  when  flowers  are  scarce  ;  so  that  the  green¬ 
house  can  be  made  gay  with  them  well  into  the  middle  and 
end  of  February.  Indeed,  the  flowering  season  of  the 
Chrysanthemum  may  be  said  to  commence  in  July  with 
some  of  the  early  pompons  and  following  on  with  the 
October  varieties,  then  the  great  rush  of  the  November 
bloom,  finishing  up  with  the  very  late  varieties,  thus  cover¬ 
ing  some  eight  months  of  the  year.  “  There  are  few  persons 
among  the  lovers  of  flowers,”  wrote  John  Salter,  half  a 
century  ago,  “  who  have  not  admired  the  Chrysanthemum, 
and  when  Geraniums,  Verbenas,  and  other  beauties  of  the 
parterre  are  withered,  and  the  ‘  last  Rose  of  Summer ’ 
faded  and  gone,  then  it  shines  forth  in  all  its  glory  and 
takes  its  place,  par  excellence,  as  chief  among  autumn  and 
early  winter  flowers.” — R.  Dean,  V.M.H. 
- «  « - 
Yeronicas. 
Veronicas  appear  in  so  many  diverse  forms  of  foliage  that  a 
collection  of  them  presents  many  interesting  features.  Especially  so 
are  the  shrubby  New  Zealand  kinds,  which  are  so  useful  where  hardy 
shrubs  in  green  and  golden  tints  are  required  for  winter  outdoor  use. 
Among  the  prostrate  creeping  species  are  several  used  for  covering 
rockwork,  while  others  are  but  wee  weeds,  both  in  leaf  and  flower. 
Veronicas  are  mentioned,  that  the  claims  of  V.  longifolia  with  blue 
flowers,  and  its  variety  alba,  as  good  hardy  perennials,  maybe  pointed 
out.  The  flower  spikes  are  upwards  of  a  foot  in  length,  and  the  plants 
continue  in  bloom  from  July  into  autumn,  at  a  time  when  mixed 
borders  need  all  possible  flowers,  big  and  small,  to  keep  them  bright. 
Veronica  longifolia  is  sweetly  scented,  having  a  perfume  characteristic 
of  several  species  of  this  genus. — David  B.  Fish. 
Forcing  Bulbs. 
Chrysanthemums  under  glass  at  present  make  a  brave 
show,  being  in  the  full  flush  of  their  brilliant  beauty,  and 
onward  till  Christmas  successional  batches  of  plants  will 
supply  the  bulk  of  flowers  needed  for  use  in  a  cut  state.  We 
want,  however,  some  variety  in  our  flowering  plants  at  all 
seasons,  and  when  November  comes  round,  the  flowers  of 
early  forced  bulbs  have  a  charm  and  freshness  of  their  own, 
which  is  all  the  more  appreciated  because  they  are  com¬ 
paratively  scarce.  The  Paper  White  Narcissus  grandiflora,. 
and  the  double  Roman,  if  potted  up  in  August,  may  with 
gentle  forcing  easily  be  brought  into  flower  by  the  middle  of 
November.  The  chief  point  to  observe  is  to  get  plenty  of 
active  roots  and  at  least  a  couple  of  inches  of  top  growth 
before  they  are  removed  from  their  plunging  material. 
Roman  Hyacinths  may  also  be  easily  flowered  in  November- 
if  potted  up  early,  even  when  ordinary  bulbs  are  used,  and 
by  obtaining  retarded  bulbs  there  need  be  no  lack  of  pure 
white  Roman  Hyacinths  in  any  garden  during  the  autumn 
months.  Thanks  also  to  the  practice  of  retarding  roots, 
grand  potfuls  of  Spiraeas  may  be  had  in  full  flower  during 
October  and  November.  In  these  matters  we  are  much 
more  fav.ourably  placed  than  gardeners  of  a  generation  ago, 
whose  skill  was  put  to  a  severe  test  to  produce  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  forced  flowers  thus  early  in  the  autumn. 
We  have,  however,  even  now  one  period  of  the  year  when 
flowers  are  usually  scarce,  unless  special  efforts  are  made  to- 
bi  idge  over  that  time — I  refer  to  Christmas  and  the  first  two 
or  three  weeks  of  January.  Owing  to  the  many  social  events, 
which  take  place  during  those  few  weeks,  the  demand  for 
flowers  is  great,  and  from  the  present  time  onward  gardeners 
should  bear  that  fact  constantly  in  mind,  and  make  their 
preparation  accordingly.  If  a  commencement  is  made  too* 
late,  the  hard  forcing  attempted  to  make  up  for  lost  time 
often  brings  disaster.  Tulips  and  Daffodils — any  bulbous, 
plants — are  perhaps  more  popular  than  anything  at  the  festive 
season.  And  as  the  former  may  be  flowered  by  the  first 
week  in  December  I  have  always  found  it  an  excellent  plan 
to  place  a  few  Tulips  in  heat  during  the  second  week  in 
November,  and  a  batch  each  succeeding  week.  The  advan¬ 
tages  of  the  practice  are  that  not  only  does  it  give  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  providing  a  few  very  early  Tulips,  but — what  is; 
more  important  still — it  gives  the  forcer  the  opportunity  of 
finding  out  the  exact  conditions  under  which  this  early 
forcing  can  be  successfully  carried  out.  It  is  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world  to  succeed  at  the  first  attempt  one  year, 
and  to  fail  the  next,  through  having  forgotten  or  failed  to- 
notice  a  necessary  condition.  And  in  large  establishments, 
where  changes  are  sometimes  necessarily  made  in  the  staff, 
it  is  not  an  easy  matter  for  the  newcomer  to  find  out  the 
peculiarities  of  various  forcing  houses,  but  a  few  trial' 
batches  point  the  way  to  treating  large  ones  successfully. 
By  the  beginning  of  December  Tulips  intended  for  flower- 
at  Christmas  ought  to  be  placed  in  heat.  The  bulbs  should, 
of  course,  have  been  potted  early,  and  by  that  time  there- 
will  then  be  plenty  of  roots,  and  the  top  growth  will  also- 
have  started.  If  the  pots  or  boxes  containing  the  bulbs  are 
then  stood  in  a  hancllight  or  close  frame  on  cocoanut  fibre, 
where  there  is  a  bottom  heat  of  from  75  degrees  to- 
80  degrees,  and  the  temperature  of  the  house  ranges  from 
60  degrees  to  65  degrees,  there  is  not  usually  much  difficulty 
in  getting  them  to  flower  satisfactorily,  always,  of  course, 
provided  they  are  kept  dark  for  a  time.  Early  forced  Tulips, 
however,  often  come  too  short  in  the  stem.  The  best  means 
I  know  of  lengthening  them  is  to  cover  them  with  a  few 
inches  of  moss  to  draw  them  up.  As  soon  as  the  colour  of 
the  flower  is  vis  ble  light  and  air  must  be  given  to  ensure 
substance,  and  although  it  is  sometimes  wise  to  remove  the 
light  from  the  frames,  it  is  a  risky  proceeding  to  remove 
the  plants  from  the  bottom  heat  till  the  flowers,  or,  rather, 
buds,  have  swelled  to  their  full  size,  as  so  slight  a  check  at 
mid-winter  will  sometimes  cause  the  roots  to  turn  brown 
and  die.  Later  in  the  season  elevating  the  pots  on  a  shelf,  or 
a  stage  close  to  the  glass  is  beneficial,  as  both  leaves  and; 
flowers  gain  in  substance  by  the  practice.  The  scarlet  and? 
rose  varieties  of  the  Due  Van  Thol  Tulips  are  the  best  for- 
providing  flowers  at  Christmas. — Plantsman. 
(To  be  continued.) 
