JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
April  50,  1903. 
3  SO 
Cultural  Notes  for  Pompons. 
If  you  want  to  see  the  Pompon  in  its  best  form  it  will  well 
repay  the  little  additional  care  required  to  obtain  it.  To  do  this, 
select  an  open  spot  in  your  garden  away  from  the  shade  of  any 
trees  or  Vines,  but  protected  somewhat  from  strong  prevailing 
winds.  Plant  out  young  healthy  plants  from  small  pots  as  early 
in  May  as  is  safe.  When  they  have  started  to  grow  fairly  well 
take  a  sharp  knife  and  stop  the  main  leading  shoot  back  to  within 
Tin  or  Sin  of  the  ground.  In  a  short  time  it  will  throw  out  quite 
a  number  of  shoots.  These  should  be  allowed  to  get  6in  or  Sin 
long.  Then  reduce  these  to  seven  or  eight,  leaving,  of  course,  the 
strongest,  and  in  thinning  them  out  leave  them  so  that  the  plants 
have  about  an  even  amount  on  all  sides.  The  shoots  that  are 
left,  and  which  are  to  form  the  main  basis  of  the  plant,  should  in 
turir  be  shortened  back  to  Sin  or  6in.  After  this  the  plant  will 
make  very  rapid  growth.  The  wmak  lateral  shoots  should  be  care¬ 
fully  cut  away,  leaving  the  stronger  ones  to  grow  on  till  the  buds 
are  all  set.  If  these  details  are  w'atched  carefully,  a  large  bush, 
2ft  or  more  through,  will  be  nicely  formed.  At  this  stage  staking 
and  tying  sufficiently  to  prevent  storms  breaking  the  branches 
will  be  necessary.  After  the  buds  are  set  thin  them  out  by  care¬ 
fully  pinching  out  all  except  five  or  six  from  each  shoot  of  the 
larger  flowered  varieties ;  for  the  small  button  flowered  kinds 
eight  to  ten  buds  can  be  left  on  each  shoot.  This  will  allow  the 
individual  flowers  to  develop  to  perfection,  and  be  much  larger 
and  of  better  colour  than  when  all  the  buds  are  left  on  the  plants. 
A  shoot  w’ith  a  stem  from  12in  to  18in  long,  having  from  five  to 
ten  nicely  developed  flowers,  makes  an  exceedingly  attractive 
spray.  For  this  purpose  the  earlier  bloo’ining  varieties  are  espe¬ 
cially  desirable,  as  the  above  treatment  will  generally  bring  them 
into  full  flower  before  there  are  many  of  the  larger  Chrysanthe¬ 
mums  in  bloom,  though  all  the  varietie.s  are  equally  benefited  by 
the  little  additional  care. 
The  above  method  of  culture  is  applicable  to  all  who  do  not 
possess  a  glass  structure  of  any  kind.  For  those  who  are  fortu¬ 
nate  enough  to  have  cold  frames  or  cool  greenhouses  in  which  to 
protect  their  plants  from  storm  and  frost  their  season  can  be 
extended  till  the  end  of  November,  or  later,  by  making  a  selection 
of  both  early  and  late  blooming  varieties.  For  growers  so  situated 
the  best  method  will  be  to  grow"  only  the  very  earliest  varieties, 
planted  out  in  the  open  ground,  and  to  grow  the  later  varieties 
in  pots  or  boxes.  For  this  method  of  culture  take  plants  of  the 
same  class  as  for  the  open  ground  and  pot  them  into  a  larger  size, 
using  a  good  loamy  soil,  with  only  a  small  amount  of  fertiliser 
added  for  this  shift.  Cut  the  leading  shoot  back  to  4in  or  Sin 
above  the  soil.  When  it  has  started  outside  shoots  lin  or  2in 
long,  shift  into  another  pot  tw’o  sizes  larger  than  the  one  it  occu¬ 
pied.  As  soon  as  the  roots  get  a  fair  start  into  the  new"  soil  they 
can  be  stood  outside  on  a  bed  of  coal  ashes  and  grown  on  steadily, 
attending  to  the  thinning  out  of  shoots,  &c.,  as  advised  abgve. 
By  the  first  week  in  July  they  will  be  ready  for  their  last  shift. 
For  this  last  potting  a  somew'ha't  richer  compost  will  be  necessary 
than  for  the  earlier  stage.  The  smaller  or  weaker  growing  varie¬ 
ties  should  not  have  more  than  a  2-inch  larger  pot  than  before, 
while  the  stronger  and  more  robust  growers  can  be  put  into  pots 
3in  or  tin  larger  than  the  size  they  were  occupying.  But  in  each 
case  the  pots  should  be  well  drained  with  broken  potsherds,  or 
similar  material.  After  this  potting  opirsiderable  care  must  be 
exercised  not  to  overwater  them  till  the  roots  have  taken  posses¬ 
sion  of  all  the  new  soil.  In  fact,  they  should  never  be  allowed  to 
get  too  much  water  during  the  entire  season,  or  they  will  lose 
most  of  their  larger  leaves  and  get  a  severe  check.  As  soon  as 
bad  storms  are  due  in  the  fall  thej"  should  all  be  removed  from 
their  open  air  irosition,  either  to  a  cool  greenhouse  or  cold  frame, 
where  they  can  be  protected.  In  all  other  respects  they  should 
be  treated  as  described  for  the  better  class  of  plants  in  the  open 
ground.  Plants  grown  this  w'ay  will  make  nice  ornaments  for  any 
decorative  work. — J.  N.  M. 
Standard  Pompona. 
M  riting  under  this  head  in  the  Journal  nearly  twenty  years 
ago,  Mr.  Edwin  Molyneux  (who  is  still  a  regular  contributor,  and 
may  he  long  continue  to  be)  said  :  “  Pompons  are  well  adapted  for 
standards,  and  are  excellent  for  both  exhibition  and  home  decora¬ 
tions.  The  method  of  training  is  often  too  formal  to  be  agree¬ 
able,  the  growth  being  closely  tied  down,  showing  the  bending 
and  lacing  of  the  stems,  which  should  never  be  visible.  Mr.  J. 
Lyne  made  a  welcome  departure  from  the  lacing  system.  The 
method  he  adopted  in  forming  the  heads  was  to  continue  pinch¬ 
ing  the  shoots  so  soon  as  two  leaves  were  formed,  till  the  31st  of 
July,  then  to  let  them  grow  as  they  liked.  The  result  is  shown 
in  the  annexed  engraving,  the  plant  illustrated  having  been 
grown  from  a  cutting  inserted  early  in  March ;  but,  as  a  rule, 
Mr.  Lyne  recommended  them  being  inserted  in  December.” 
(5avbens  IRounb  SbefRelb. 
Any  lover  of  scenery  can  find  much  of  interest  in  the 
suburbs  of  the  “  Cutlers  ”  City,  and  many  of  the  principal  seats 
are  so  situated  that  it  is  almost  difficult  to  realise  that  they  are 
so  near  the  town.  Probably  the  most  popular,  and  at  -the  same 
tiiTie  picturesque,  locality  is  Ranmoor,  one  of  the  most  pleasantly 
situated  and  beautiful  residences  being 
Oakbrook, 
the  seat  of  W.  S.  Laycock,  Esq.  Standing  on  lovely  grounds  at  an 
altitude  of  over  577ft  above  sea  level,  it  commands  a  grand  view, 
but  is  of  so  private  a  character  in  itself  as  to  form  an  ideal  place  of 
abode.  There  are  three  lodges,  with  two'  principal  or  carriage 
entrances,  and  one  can  here  enjoy  “sweet  solitude”  in  the  wood 
that  skirts  the  grounds  on  one  side,  and  through  which  one  of 
the  carriage  drives  winds.  This  wood  will  soon  be  a  mass  of  Blue¬ 
bells  ;  there  are  now  Daffodils  and  Wood  Anemones,  and  the  song 
of  the  birds  makes  sweet  concord. 
Calling  at  the  gardener’s  house  (which,  by  the  way,  is  a 
pleasant  summer  abode,  not  overlooked  by  undesirable  neigh- 
iDours),  we  find  Mr.  Massey,  courteous  and  ready  to  show  us  over 
the  beautiful  grounds.  A  path  through  the  wood  brings  us  to 
the  kitchen  garden  of  about  one  and  a  half  to  two  acres.  Some 
alterations  are  nearing  completion ;  a  wall  having  been  removed 
and  rebuilt  makes  what  was  previously  two  gardens  into  one,  and 
will  be  a  decided  improvement.  The  new  wall  will  serve  for 
fruit  trees,  for  which  purpose  it  has  been  Avired.  This  garden  is 
conveniently  intersected  Avith  5ft  asphalted  walks,  and  outside  a 
ncAv  Avalk  is  being  formed,  and  a  sloping  border  has  been  banked 
against  the  Avail  and  planted  Avith  Laurels,  Aucubas,  Golden 
Privet,  Rhododendrons,  and  Skimmias,  thus  screening  the  Avail 
from  the  mansion. 
Parsing  towards  the  house,  Ave  notice  another  border  formed 
last  year  in  Avhich  are  some  300  dAvarf  Roses,  in  addition  to  other 
shrubs  which  form  a  background.  From  the  front  of  the  house 
one  sees  the  full  extent  of  the.  laAvn  Avhich  has  recently  been  con¬ 
siderably  extended,  and  is  noAv  about  four  acres,  and  from  here 
the  privacy  of  the  place  is  fully  appreciated.  The  Avood  below 
shuts  out  the  vieAv  of  the  city  and  other  buildings,  AA’hile  over  the 
tops  of  the  trees  one  sees  the  country  beyond.  The  exqiusitely 
undulating  character  of  the  laAvn  is  particularly  pleasing.  At 
the  bottom  end  is  an  ornamental  pond  on  Avhich  Avater  foAvls  dis¬ 
port  themselves,  AA'hile  around  it  are  clumps  of  yelloAV  Iris ;  and 
overlooking  it  is  a  cosy  summer  house.  Very  noticeable  features 
on  the  laAvn  are  tAvo  handsome  specimen  Irish  Ycavs  planted  by 
His  Majesty  the  King  (when  Prince  of  Wales)  on  August  18, 
1875  ;  also  tAvo  planted  by  the  Princess  of  Wales  on  the  same  date. 
These  YeAA’s  are  about  12ft  high,  and  are  items  of  interest  here. 
Near  by  are  tAvo  Oaks,  planted  by  H.R.H.  Prince  Leopold  on 
October  22,  1879 ;  Avhile  further  on,  is  a  fine  specimen  Golden- 
Holly,  planted  by  the  Ci'OAvn  Prince  of  SAveden  on  August  7,  1879. 
A  AA'eeping  Elm,  a  grand  pink  Thorn  and  a  magnificent  Araucaria 
clenijand  attention,  as  does  also  a  grand  jAurple  Beech  of  fine 
shape.  By  the  drive  there  are  some  fine  Laurustinus  in  flower, 
Aucubas,  and  other  shrubs ;  a  fountain  at  the  end  of  the  house 
being  surrounded  by  crescent-shaped  beds.  Near  here  is  one 
range  of 
Glass  Houses. 
The  arrangement  of  this  set  consists  in  a  lean-to,  from 
Avhich  run  several  siAan-roofed  houses.  A  fine  lot  of  Cypripedium 
insignis  Avere  seen,  also  Dendrobium  crassinode  in  floAver,  and  a 
fine  collection  of  Goelogynes.  In  another  house  there  is  a  magni¬ 
ficent  display  of  Dendrobium  nobile  in  variety,  and  a  splendid 
piece  of  Cattleya  Triana?,  Avith  some  nice  table  plants  of 
Pandanus.  Of  other  subjects  there  are  grand  lots  of  Abutilon 
Savitzi,  Ferns,  and  Begonia  Gloire  de  Sceaux,  a  very  free-floAver- 
ing  and  useful  thing.  In  another  house  are  Latanias,  Phoenix, 
Anthurium  Scherzerianum,  &c. 
Then  comes  the  early  vinery,  shoAving  a  very  nice  crop,  and 
here  are  StraAvberries  of  good  size.  A  Niphetos  Rose  on  the 
back  Avail  has  provided  a  nice  lot  of  blooms,  and  in  the  second 
A"inery  are  some  grand  young  canes  planted  three  years  ago,  and 
including  Black  Hamburghs,  Muscats,  Madresfield  Court,  and 
others.  Alternate  Vines  in  tliis  house  Avere  fruited  the  first  year, 
and  subsequently  stripped  of  all  groAvth  at  the  loAver  exti'emity, 
thus  throAving  the  vigour  into  the  upper  groAvths  for  fruiting,  so 
that  there  has  been  no  break  in  the  supply  of  Grapes  from  this 
house.  These  alternate  canes  will  eventually  be  removed  and 
