248 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  September  i3,  i90o. 
CHR 
Odd  Notes. 
To  have  good  blooms  of  Japanese  varieties  the  buds  as  showing 
now  must  be  retained.  The  best  time  of  the  day  to  remove  the  growths 
is  early  in  the  morning,  when  the  dew  is  on  the  leaves  and  shoots, 
rendering  the  growth  more  brittle  and  easier  to  take  oflF  than  it  is  in 
the  middle  of  the  day,  when  the  leaves  are  dry  and  the  shoots  soft, 
as  they  are  with  the  sun  shining.  There  is  a  danger  at  that  time  of 
injury  to  the  flower  buds. 
The  best  way  to  proceed  is  to  hold  the  stem  near  the  top  securely 
in  the  left  hand,  and  with  the  right  give  the  lateral  shoots  which  spring 
from  just  below  the  bud  a  sharp  bend  in  a  downward  direction,  when 
they  easily  snap  off.  If  a  suspicion  exists  that  the  bud  has  been 
damaged  one  growth  should  be  allowed  to  remain  near  the  point  of  the 
branrh  for  a  few  days,  as  the  bud,  if  at  all  disfigured,  cannot  possibly 
develop  into  a  perfect  bloom.  If  it  is  thought  best  to  remove  the  bud 
and  allow  the  shoot  to  grow  it  will  produce  a  bloom  even  if  a  small 
one.  By  the  renaoval  of  all  lateral  growths  at  each  node  which  burst 
out  during  the  temporary  check  given  to  the  plant  by  the  formation 
of  a  flower  bud  the  whole  energy  of  the  plant  is  concentrated  to  the 
flower  bud  at  the  point  of  each  branch.  Three  blooms  to  each  plant 
is  the  orthodox  number  allowed.  Much  better  it  is  to  have  this 
number  of  good  quality  than  to  attempt  more  and  have  them  small. 
When  the  exhibition  table  is  reached  this  will  be  found  to  be  good 
advice. 
The  branches  as  they  extend  should  bo  securely  tied  to  their 
supports.  Neglect  of  this  detail  at  this  season  is  often  attendel  with 
serious  results,  such  as  the  breaking  of  the  shoots  just  below  the  buds, 
which  are  at  that  particular  point  very  soft,  and  in  most  varieties  they 
are  liable  to  bend  ;  added  to  this  the  weight  of  water  lodging  among 
the  leaves  during  showery  weather  often  causes  the  points  to  snap  off. 
Birds  seem  to  be  very  fond  of  alighting  on  these  points,  which  if  at  all 
bent  by  their  own  weight  are  almost  sure  then  to  break.  The  shoots 
grow  so  fast  at  this  stage  that  almost  daily  attention  is  necessary  to 
keep  the  ligatures  in  proper  order.  If  the  stakes  are  rough  through 
the  Dark  being  upon  them  or  knotty  the  ties  do  not  slip  up  as  growth 
proceeds,  consequently  the  shoots  buckle  and  in  time  snap  off.  Thjs 
often  happens  with  the  good  or  scarce  varieties. 
Until  the  buds  are  freely  swelling  it  wilt  not  be  wise  to  give  the 
plants  much  aid  beyond  a  little  soot  water  for  keeping  the  foliage  of  a 
good  colour.  After  the  buds  are  freely  swelling  stimulants  may  be 
given,  varying  the  kind  .as  often  as  circumstances  will  allow.  Liquid 
manure  made  from  sheep  or  cow  manure  is  efficacious.  The  soakage 
from  the  manure  heap,  too,  is  good.  The  various  kinds  of  artificial 
manures  recommended  are  no  doubt  all  good  if  the  directions 
accompanying  each  are  faithfully  carried  out,  but  where  such  is  not 
the  case  it  is  useless  to  blame  the  manures. 
Bush  plants  of  single.  Pompon,  and  Anemone  Pompon  varieties 
grown  for  the  use  of  the  conservatory  to  flower  in  mass  s  will  need 
strict  attention  now  for  keeping  their  foliage  in  good  condition,  this 
very  much  enhancing  their  appearance  as  decorative  plants.  It  often 
happens  that  these  plants  are  grown  in  small  pots  for  the  sake  of 
convenience  as  to  space.  Capital  objects  miy  be  had  in  7-inch  and 
8-inch  p  its  if  the  necessary  attention  be  given  to  the  plants.  The 
principal  part  to  be  considered  is  timely  attention  in  applying  water  to 
the  roots.  Alternate  applications  of  liquid  manure  may  be  given  to 
the  plants  now.  If  larger  blooms  be  wished  for,  only  the  buds  now 
forming  at  the  points  of  the  branches  should  be  retained,  removing  the 
others.  A  few  points  on  each  plant  will  suffice  to  secure  larger  blooms 
of  these  sections,  while  the  remaining  branches  may  be  allowed  to 
flower  profusely. — Felix. 
Feeding. 
In  the  culture  of  the  popular  autumn  flower,  and  especially  that 
system  followed  for  the  production  of  large  exhibition  blooms,  there  is 
one  phase  to  which  attention  cannot  be  too  often  drawn,  that  is  feeding 
with  stimulants.  It  is  so  frequently  overdone,  and  many,  a  great 
many,  failures  are  due  to  a  too  free  hand  in  this  direction.  The  desire 
to  obtain  gigantic  growth,  and  sometimes  a  wish  to  hasten  the  same, 
make  growers  of  perhaps  short  experience  fall  into  this  mistake. 
Yet  a  lair  number  of  what  may  be  termed  “old  hands”  are  constantly 
getting  into  the  same  trap.  This  is  seen  annually  if  one  takes  the 
trouble  to  inspect  a  number  of  collections.  Chrysanthemums  this 
season  have  had  weather  most  favourable  to  their  growth,  but  the 
elements  have  been  too  moist  and  cloudy  for  the  proper  ripening 
of  the  wood.  The  plants  will  have  another  month  outside,  and  it 
will  be  well  to  do  everything  one  can  to  assist  a  firm  and  hardened 
state.  Give  each  plant  more  room  if  possible,  rather  than  feed  with 
stimulants,  and  let  the  night  dews  do  the  rest  in  the  way  of  swelling 
the  flower  buds. 
It  would  hardly  be  wise  not  to  feed  the  plants  at  all,  because  by 
this  time  the  soil  in  the  pots  should  be  exhausted  of  its  nutriment, 
but  I  would  encourage  surface  roots  by  top-dressing  with  the  ordinary 
compost  rather  than  poison  what  roots  there  are  with  manures;  more 
especially  those  known  as  “artificials.”  I  have  seldom  noted  any 
danger  from  the  use  of  liquid  forms,  such  as  that  of  the  farmyard  or 
from  soot.  The  only  mistake  one  msy  make  is  in  using  it  too  strong 
or  not  sufficiently  clear,  in  which  case  the  sediment  cakes  on  the 
surface  and  prevents  the  soil  from  bping  porous. 
A  grower  of  Roses  of  some  note  attempted  Chrysanthemum  culture 
in  pots,  and  heavily  surfaced  the  latter  with  cow  manure  just  as 
collected  from  the  meadow.  The  result  was  not  encouraging.  “  Look,” 
he  said  “  I  feed  them  well  and  water  them  constantly,  but  the  leaves 
will  not  put  on  a  healthy  appearance.”  Another  cultivator  used  as  a 
top  dressing  ordinary  sifted  earth  with  just  a  sprinkling  of  bonemeal. 
This  was  placed  on  the  surface  of  the  soil  every  fortnight  through 
August  and  September  until  it  had  risen  above  the  rim  of  each  pot. 
The  pots  were  enlarged  by  pegging  turf  around,  which  in  itself  was 
splendid  material  for  the  roots  to  cling  to.  That  grower  was  noted  the 
following  autumn  in  ti'-  accounts  of  shows  found  in  horticultural 
journals. 
One  other  acquaintance  a  season  ago  produced  plants  that  were  the 
talk  of  bis  locality.  In  this  instance  the  run  to  nitrate  of  soda  was 
unlimited.  A  few  doses  of  extra  strength,  given  to  produce  the 
“  finishing  touch  to  the  blooms,”  really  did  the  thing  properly,  and  a 
neighbouring  gardener  who  depended  solely  upon  what  he  could 
gather  from  the  fields  to  help  his  favourite  plants  came  off  with 
honours  at  the  local  show.  Dozens  of  illustrations  m’ght  be 
forthcoming  from  the  writer’s  knowledge  during  the  past  twenty  years 
to  prove  that  over-feeding  in  Chrysanthemum  growing  has  dine  not  a 
little  to  moderate  the  joy  of  many  an  otherwise  good  cultivator.  Weak 
and  often  is  a  golden  rule  in  the  case  of  applying  manures  in  a 
liquid  form ;  and  in  respect  to  some  highly  concentrated  and  well  puffed 
manure  in  a  dry  state,  if  a  tablespoonful  is  recommended  to  be  strewn 
over  the  surface  of  the  soil  of  a  plant  in  a  9-inch  pot  I  would  advise 
that  only  half  that  quantity  be  used  at  a  time  for  the  sake  of  safety. 
It  is  too  late  to  alter  things  when  the  damage  is  done  and  the  tender 
rootlets  are  killed. 
Then,  again.  Chrysanthemums  are  not  all  alike  in  their  roots. 
Those  of  white-flowering  varieties  are  more  tender  than  are  the  yellows, 
for  example;  and  the  big,  thick-petalled  incurving  forms  like  Oceana  or 
Australie  will  bear  more  manuring  than  the  delicate  petalled  Viviand 
Morel.  Incurved  or  Chinese  Chrysanthemums  need  a  less  generous 
treatment  than  the  Japanese  sorts  generally.  These  two  classes  may 
be  said  to  monopolise  the  thoughts  of  growers  for  exhibition,  although 
the  pretty  Pomp  ms.  Anemone-flowered  or  single  Chrysanthemums 
require  similar  skill  and  patience  to  produce  them  at  their  best. — 
Specialist. 
Honsing  tbe  Plants. 
The  most  propitious  time  will  soon  be  with  us  for  placing  the 
stock  of  Chrysanthemums  under  cover,  and  it  is  one  of  the  most 
critical  periods  in  the  life  of  the  plants.  Of  course,  one  cannot  give  any 
definite  date  for  the  work  to  be  done,  as  it  is  governed  by  the  weather, 
over  which  we  have  no  control.  Care  is  necessary  in  staging  or 
standing  Chrysanthemums ;  they  must  not  be  too  close,  or  we  shall 
hear  of  leaves  damping,  mildew  increasing,  and  a  variety  of  ills  which 
need  not  occur  if  thought  is  exercised  at  the  time.  I  know  many 
people,  especially  amateurs,  who  are  obliged  to  place  their  plants  as 
thickly  as  possible,  or  they  would  not  get  them  under  glass.  It  is  at 
this  juncture  that  many  plants  get  spoiled.  As  soon  as  they  are 
housed  they  appear  to  stand  still  for  a  few  days.  During  this  period 
it  is  not  advisable  to  use  any  stimulants ;  rather  wait  a  few  more  days, 
and  as  soon  as  you  see  the  buds  moving  again  commence  gradually  to 
help  them  once  more.  If  there  is  no  danger  of  the  frost  getting 
through  the  glass,  keep  them  without  fire  heat,  in  fact  move  them  as 
s'owly  as  possible,  for  when  hurried  we  get  weak  stalks  and  thin 
florets,  as  well  as  pale  colours.  Air  should  be  left  on  the  top 
ventilators  day  and  night. 
If  mildew  put  in  an  appearance  use  the  sulphur  box;  nothing 
is  simpler  or  more  effectual.  Keep  all  the  dead  leaves  picked  off, 
for  they  prevent  the  air  getting  through  the  plants.  Should  we 
experience  any  sunny  wmather  and  the  house  gets  dry,  give  the  pots 
and  floors  a  slight  syringing  early  in  the  morning,  for  Chrysanthemums 
do  not  like  a  dry,  arid  atmosphere.  Green  fly  often  makes  its 
appearance ;  I  find  nothing  better  than  a  little  tobacco  powder 
sprinkled  on  the  pares  affected.  The  powder  can  bo  washed  off 
afterwards.  The  watering  will  also  require  more  attention,  for  the 
plants  will  not  get  so  dry  as  formerly,  and  they  do  not  like  constant 
saturation  ;  nothing  will  make  plants  turn  yellow  sooner,  especially  if 
they  are  not  well  rooted. — E. 
