June  1,  1899. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
453 
Incueved  and  Reflexed  Japanese  Chrysanthemums. 
I  DO  not  at  all  share  in  Mr.  Molyneux’s  fear  (pa,2:e  402)  that  the 
classes  for  twelve  incurved  Ja])aDese  and  twelve  reflexed  Japanese, 
w'hich  are  in  the  present  year’s  schedule  of  the  Kingston  Chrys¬ 
anthemum  Society,  will  be  failures.  So  far  as  the  incurved  one  is 
concerned  it  has  for  several  years  been  a  popular  class  at  Guildford, 
no  difficulty  being  found  in  tilling  it.  But  for  one  incurved  Jap 
there  are  several  of  expanded,  or  reflexed  character,  and  to  till  the 
class  for  twelve  reflexed  flowers  w'ould  be  very  easy.  Why,  the 
Carnots  and  V.  Morels  alone  can  half  fill  the  boxes. 
As  to  incurved,  how  many  fine  flowers  there  are  practically  in  true 
form  incurved,  some  really  more  so  than  are  the  stiff  petalled  ones 
that  are  labelled  as  ordinary  incurved  by  the  N.C.S.,  to  make  up  a 
good  class  with.  Every  grower  knows  them,  and  no  doubt  there  are 
many  who,  not  caring  for  the  ordinary  incurved,  even  though  now 
largely  composed  of  semi- Japanese,  will  be  pleased  to  enter  into  a  class 
that  admits  K.C.S.  Jubilee,  Robert  Owen,  Australie,  and  many  others 
too  numerous  to  mention. 
As  to  determining  whether  a  variety  is  when  shown  an  incurved 
or  a  reflexed,  I  take  it  for  granted  the  judges  will  he  sufficiently 
intelligent  to  determine  that  on  the  merits  of  the  flowers  before  them. 
If  Mr.  Molyneux’s  fine  namesake  throws  a  good  incurved  flower,  let 
it  be  shown  as  such.  If  it  throws  a  fully  expandedjor  reflexed  flower, 
let  it  be  so  staged.  Judges  really  have  to  deal  w  ith  flowers,  and  so 
long  as  the  dozen  in  the  boxes  are  distinct,  I  do  not  .see,  provided  the 
blooms  are  what  are  asked  for,  that  any  trouble  in  making  the  awards 
need  arise. — A.  D. 
The  Final  Potting. 
This,  the  mo.st  important  of  the  many  necessary  operations  in  the 
culture  of  Chrysanthemums,  is  not  always  carried  out  just  at  the 
right  time  or  in  the  best  manner.  Endeavmur,  however,  shoidd  be 
made  to  place  the  plants  in  their  flowering  pots  .as  soon  after  the  pots 
begin  to  be  filled  with  roots  as  possible.  It  is  to  the  advantage  both 
of  the  cultivator  and  the  plants,  which  certainly  appreciate  the 
extended  root  room,  showing  it  by  increased  vigour  of  growth  and 
larger,  more  ruggedly  healthful  leaves. 
There  are  more  causes  th  m  mere  neglect  which  prevent  Chrysan¬ 
themums  being  potted  immediately  they  are  ready,  and  every  cultivator 
does  not  always  find  it  convenient  to  carry  out  the  work  at  the  projier 
time.  The  next  best  thing  must  then  be  done,  and  that  is  give 
increased  attention  to  the  plants  while  they  remain  in  the  small  pots, 
affording  additional  sustenance  for  maintaining  their  vigour.  The 
best  way  to  do  this  is  to  afford  supplies  of  weak  liquid  manure,  or 
slight  dressings  of  some  approved  fertdiser.  This  c.mnot,  however, 
be  carried  on  for  long,  and  will  render  the  final  potting  more  than 
ever  imperative. 
During  the  timo  pl.ants  are  growing  or  waiting  for  the  final 
potting  the  compost  for  them  may  be  prepared,  though  the  longer 
period  beforehand  this  is  done  the  better,  so  that  all  the  materials 
used  may  be  well  incorporated. 
Those  who  have  still  to  jirepare  their  compost  may  do  so  in  the 
following  manner.  Half-decayed  turf  should  be  chopped  up  into 
pieces  the  size  of  Walnuts,  when  in  a  moist  state.  To  four  parts 
of  the  turfy  material  add  one  part  of  decomposed  manure  ;  either  cow 
or  horse  manure  will  suffice.  Very  heavy  or  retentive  soil  m.ay  have 
one  part  leaf  soil  added,  hut  to  light  soil  it  is  better  omitted.  Half  a 
part  of  sand,  charcoal,  and  wood  ashes,  and  a  similar  quantity  of  bone 
meal  might  be  mixed  in.  Turn  the  whole  over  several  times,  and  to 
every  bushel  add  a  pound  of  Clay’s,  Standen’s,  or  Thomson’s  manu’e. 
These  are  good  general  fertilisers,  and  either  will  prove  beueficial. 
Turn  the  material  as  often  as  p.ossible  before  potting. 
Clean  pots  ought  to  be  prepared  and  the  sizes  apportioned  to  the 
plants.  From  7-inch  to  10-ioch  are  the  best  sizes,  and  the-e  will 
accommodate  plants  growing  in  4-inch  to  6-inch  pots.  Crock  the  pots 
carefully,  not  u.sing  more  than  absolutely  is  necfssary,  and  cover  with 
rough  parts  of  the  compost.  Take  special  care  that  the  plants  are 
moist  at  the  roots  before  placing  them  in  their  flowering  ])ots,  but 
they  must  not  be  very  wet.  W  here  very  much  root-bound  loosen 
some  of  the  roots  round  the  ball  and  pot  firmly.  In  nearly  every  case 
the  soil  must  be  worked  down  very  firmly  by  ramming,  but  judgment 
must  be  used  in  doing  this,  as  it  is  possible  in  using  some  soils  to  make 
the  compost  too  firm. 
Place  a  long  stick  to  each  plant  as  the  potting  proceeds,  and  stand 
the  plants  close  together  on  a  moist  base  of  ashes.  Water  carefully, 
and  syringe  every  day. — S.,  Carshedton. 
ABOUT  liHUBARB, 
Ha^tno  been  now  for  nearly  thirty  j'ears  experimenting  wit^’ 
Rhubarbs,  and  having  in  that  time  had  through  my  hands  tl  e  bulk  fJ 
the  known  vaiieties,  i'could  but  .admire  the  soundness  of  the  ai.vice  given 
to  a  correspondent  on  page  478  as  to  the  two  varieties  you  recommend 
your  correspondent  to  grow — namely’,  Hawkes’  Champagne  for  early 
work,  and  \’ictoria  for  the  main  market  crop.  “  M  .  B.”  will  not  go 
far  wrong  if  he  has  these  two  varieties. 
In  Rhubarb  growing  as  in  all  other  garden  crops,  the  grower  has  first 
and  foremost  to  ask  himself  the  question,  “  What  do  I  want?  ^  What 
are  my  requirements  as  to  either  market  supply,  or  to  satisfy  the 
demands  of  the  household  that  I  cater  for  ?”  The  settlement  of  that 
question  can  only  be  made  by  the  grower  himself.  He  can,  and  wisely 
does,  get  the  opinions  of  those  capable  of  instructing  him  by  asking 
some  such  question  as  the  one  referred  to,  but  when  he  has  got  that,  it 
is  manifestly  expedient  that  he  not  only  gets  the  varieties  recom¬ 
mended  liim,  and  then  afterwards  to  go  on  to  secure  as  best  he  can 
other  known  vaiieties  in  order  that  he  may  prove  for  himself  whether 
any  of  these  will  give  him  in  a  higher  degree  the  qualities  he  requires 
in  his  Rhubarb  or  other  garden  crops. 
I  w.as  driven  to  my  experiments  in  Rhubarbs  by  three  things.  I 
wanted  the  earliest,  the  reddest  coloured,  and  the  sweetest  flavoured 
Rhubarb  I  coul  1  get-  Maincrop  and  forcing  Rhubarb  did  notenter  my 
experiment,  except  incidentally’,  and  that  I  had  at  the  time  of  my  first 
experiment  in  Victoria  which  I  now  use  only  for  jam  making,  or  for 
vinegar  or  wine,  and  forcing.  For  forcing  there  is  no  Rhubarb 
to  equal  it.  I  therefore  keep  it  chiefly  for  this  purpose,  and  grow  it 
largely  on  a  three-years  course  of  cultivation ;  that  is,  I  make  a 
[ilautation  every  y  ear,  taking  up  ea"h  third-year  plantation  to  put  into 
the  Mushroom  house  in  relays  of  roots  for  the  winter's  supply.  Ihe 
result  of  my  requirements  on  my  experiments  have  caused  me  to 
reduce  ray  stock  to  a  few  varieties  which  so  far  satisfy  my  demands. 
Chiswick  Eirly  Red,  the  very  earliest,  Hawkes’  Chtimpagne,  and 
Listei’s  Cherry  Red  as  the  main  summer  supply.  Hawdies’  in  greatest 
quantity,  though  I  cannot  part  with  Cherry  Red,  bec.ause,  it  a  little  later 
than  Hawkes’,  of  its  cob  ur  and  most  refined  flavour.  Then  there  are 
a  few  roots  of  Salt’s  Crimson  Perfection  by  request  ot  one  of  my 
principals,  for  its  high  colour,  and,  as  I  said,  \  ictoria  lor  late  domestic 
use  and  forcing. 
As,  however,  I  have  not  entirely  lost  my  Rhubarb  enthusiasms, 
I  have  tills  season  enttred  upon  another  trial,  or  experiment,  of 
varietie-i,  which  I  shall  report  cn,  if  all  is  well  with  me,  in  due  time, 
but  not  till  after  a  second  year’s  growuh.  I  have  made  my  experi¬ 
mental  plantation  of  old  and  new  (to  me)  varieties  on  one  border, 
planting  the  v.arieties  in  lines,  side  by  side,  in  the  following  manner: 
1,  Lister’s  Cherry  Red  ; 
2,  Baldry’s  Scarlet  Reliance  (from  our  friend  “N.  X.”) ; 
3,  Hawkes’  Champagne; 
4,  Chiswick  Early  Red  ; 
6,  Seedling  from  Stuart  &  Mein's,  Kelso  ; 
6,  The  Sutton  (direct  from  Reading)  ;  and 
7,  Kehvay's  Crimson  Queen. 
I  shall  watch  the  growth  and  characteristics  of  these  all  through 
the  season,  and  make  notes  for  future  guidance  and  judgment. 
“  A.  U.,”  ]  age  385,  puts  in  a  plea,  in  his  note  on  Rhubarb,  for  the 
more  general  raising  of  plants  from  seed,  “less  dependauce  being 
placed  on  divided  plants  and  old  stocks.”  Personally  I  have  not  done 
any  raising  of  Rhubarb  from  seed,  but  it  was  my  privilege  some  few 
yeiirs  ago  to  have  a  friend  a  market  gardener  and  nurseryman,  who 
for  a  succession  of  years'  raised  his  foicing  stock  from  seed,  lifting 
them,  after  the  second  and  third  year’s  growth,  according  to  their 
strength  and  fitness,  for  forcing.  I  had  the  pleasure  ot  inspecting 
the  crop  year  by  year,  examining  each  line  of  roots  carefully  to  see  if 
I  could  find  one  that  was  worthy  of  preservation  as  a  .standard  variety, 
but  in  all  those  years  I  am  compelled  to  say  that  I  did  not  find  one 
wiih  qualities  superior  to  known  varieties.  There  was  running 
through  each  year's  crop  a  monotonous  level  of  what  I  may  call 
decent  mediocrity.  As  a  rule  they  ran  on  the  lines  of  the  old 
varieties  Linntfius  and  Victoria.  Here  and  there  there  would  be  a 
few  roots  or  stools  which  show’od  some  little  variation,  but  none  of 
conspicuous  excellence,  and  as  my  standard  w'as  high,  and  my  three 
points  of  earliuess,  colour,  and  flavour  not  satisfied,  I  left  them  to 
their  fate -to  be  lifted  for  forcing,  and  then  cast  aside. 
“  A.  D.”  seems  to  think  that  only  at  Chiswdek  is  there  a  good 
collection  of  Rhubarbs.  I  do  not  dispute  this  .absolutely,  because  he 
travels  about  more  than  I  do,  and  sees  more  gardens  in  one  year  than 
I  do  in  ten ;  but  there  are  a  few  gardeners  up  and  down  the  country 
who  take  a  great  interest  in  this  fruity  esculent.  The  late  Mr.  Richard 
Gdhert,  of  Burghley,  w’as  one.  It  was  from  him  I  had  my  true  strain 
of  Hawkes’  Champagne,  and  we  have  had  positive  evidence  lately  that 
our  good  friend  ‘*X,  X.”  is  enthusiastically  interested  in  Baldry  s 
Scarlet  Defiance,  and  it  appears  from  “  A.  D.’s”  note  that  IMr.  G. 
Wythes  is  a  Rhubarb  man,  as  he  showed  at  the  Drill  Hall,  on  the 
2nd  inst.,  a  seedling  variety  of  seme  excellence  from  Victoria.  If  this 
