266 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  20,  1900. 
Early  Flowering. 
This  summer  has  been  especially  favourable  to  the  growth  of 
outdoor  Cbrysanthemums,  and  they  are  coming  into  bloom  at  an 
earlier  date  than  usual.  At  no  time  have  they  suflEered  from  drought, 
consequently  the  plants  have  developed  into  quite  huge  bushes,  which 
are  a  mass  of  colour  in  the  case  of  the  earliest  kinds,  the  later  ones 
beins  studded  w  ith  hundreds  of  fast  opening  flower  buds. 
These  flowers  remind  us  of  autumn  almost  before  we  have  had 
proper  summer  weather,  but  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  their  usefulness 
either  for  cut  t  ng  or  for  garden  decoration.  A  good  point  in  favour 
of  early  Chrysanthemums  is  that  they,  at  least  some  of  the  varieties, 
lift  well,  and  may  be  potted  to  lurnish  conservatories  at  a  time  when 
flowers  are  none  too  plentiful.  If  the  plants  are  lifted  with  care — 
that  is,  with  a  good  ball  of  earth,  and  afterwards  shaded  and  sprinkled 
for  a  few  days,  very  little  seems  to  be  taken  out  of  them;  the  blooms 
open  as  well  as  if  the  roots  had  been  established  by  being  grown  in 
pots  the  whole  season. 
One  of  the  flrst  to  flower  is  Flora,  a  small  yellow  Pompon,  but  the 
habit  of  the  plant  is  so  bushy,  and  it  blossoms  so  freely,  that  the  sort 
is  of  considerable  value.  Mytchett  White  is  eaily  and  the  flowers  are 
cap  tal,  yet  the  sort  will  never  become  popular  on  account  of  a  sparse 
habit  of  growth,  and  it  is  not  an  easy  one  to  propagate.  The  same 
remark  as  to  habit  applies  to  Mons.  Gr.  Grunerwald,  a  variety  always 
spoken  of  highly,  but  we  do  not  favour  it.  Of  a  similar  shade  of 
rose-pink  c  lour,  only  better,  is  Madame  Marie  Ma  se,  which  is 
among  the  best  in  regard  to  growth  and  freedom  of  bloom.  Louis 
Lemaire  and  Henri  Yvon  are  pretty  bronzy  varieties  obtained  as 
“sports”  from  the  former,  but  neither  pleases  me  as  a  growing  plant. 
Harvest  Home  is  one  of  the  first  with  Japanese-shaped  flowers  to 
bloom.  The  plant  is  about  2  feet  high,  and  covered  with  red  and  old  gold 
blossoms.  I  have  not  seen  anything  in  its  way  to  beat  this.  Crimson 
Madame  Marie  Masse,  like  the  type  mentioned  above,  is  a  first-rate 
early  kind.  The  shades  of  colour  may  not,  however,  be  named 
crimson  ;  bronzy-buff  would  describe  them.  The  plant  is  less  than 
2  feet  high,  the  flower  stems  are  stout,  and  well  formed  bush  comes 
naturally.  In  whites  Madame  De^grange  holds  its  own.  There  is  a 
tinge  of  yellow  in  the  flowers  when  they  develop  outside,  but  when 
lifted  and  planned  or  potted  and  put  under  glass  they  become  white 
of  sufficient  purity  for  all  purposes.  This  and  the  yellow  “sport” 
G.  Wermig  are  probably  the  best  early  Chrysanthemums  yet  raised, 
and  considering  that  they  have  now  been  cultivated  for  a  fairly 
lengthy  period,  it  is  strange  that  out  of  the  many  hundreds  of  new 
kinds  of  subsequent  introduc'ion  they  hold  their  place  so  well. 
Various  spoits  from  each  have  now  and  then  come  lorward  as 
improvements,  yet  they  appear  to  differ  so  little  as  to  make  them  not 
particularly  valuable.  For  instance,  I  was  going  through  a  large 
plantat'on  of  these  two  sorts  a  few  days  back,  and  one  could  pick  out 
among  G.  Wermig  the  deep  yellow  which  bears  the  separate  name  of 
Mrs.  Hiwkins,  and  the  light  one  that  is  known  as  Mrs.  Burrell.  Lady 
Filzwygram  is  a  really  good  white  variety,  perhaps  more  flee  to  bloom 
than  is  Madame  Desgrange,  and  I  think  a  purer  white  than  that  variety. 
This  should  be  grown  extensively,  as  it  is  capital  in  every  respect. 
Three  bearing  bronze  coloured  blooms  are  M.  Dupuis,  Comtesse  F.  de 
Cariel,  and  Ivy  Stark.  The  first  is  the  earliest  to  flower,  the  second 
rather  late  but  fine  in  colour  and  also  habit  of  growth,  and  the  last 
named  is  late  too,  but  is  e'pecially  good. 
A  sort  giving  rich  deep  yellow  blooms  is  Lemon  Queen.  This, 
like  all  the  kinds  named  except  where  mentioned  otherwise,  has  rather 
large,  loosely  formed  elegant  flowers.  The  plant  is  dwarf  in  growth 
and  very  free.  A  yellow  disappointing  with  us  is  Mons.  L.  Ligneau. 
It  is  somewhat  tender  and  of  ungainly  growth,  requiring  a  pot;  but 
with  other  varieties  better  it  is  hardly  worth  this  extra  trouble. 
One  of  the  very  best  early  Chrysanthemums  is  Ambrose  Thomas. 
This  gives  a  profusion  of  bronzy-red  flowers,  and  in  regard  to  habit  it 
is  excellent.  A  nice  shade  of  salmon  rose  is  found  in  the  variety  Sam 
Barlow.  This  seems  hardier  than  anotl  er  sort,  with  a  pretty  blossom 
named  Madame  Eulalie  Morel.  0.  J.  Quintus  is  tall  growing,  and 
is  really  an  October  bloomer,  otherwise  its  mauve  tinted  flowers 
are  ch<  ice  in  their  way.  'I’he  variety  Roi  des  Prdcoces  has  deep 
crimson  blooms.  This  too  is  late,  and  oftentimes  gets  cut  by  frost 
just  when  it  is  in  full  beauty  out  of  doors.  Ryecroft  Glory  is  a  fine 
deep  yellow",  busby  habited  plant,  which  is  hardly  a  success  outside  on 
account  of  its  being  late  to  bloom,  but  as  a  pot  plant  few  Chrys¬ 
anthemums  have  better  qualities. 
Neither  Queen  of  the  Earlies  nor  the  yellow  variety  of  it  is  a 
success  in  the  open,  nor  does  the  rather  lanky  habit  lend  to  make  then® 
useful  when  lifted.  I  have  found  it  is  only  those  sorts  with  a  bushy 
growth  that  can  be  taken  from  the  ground  with  a  ball  of  earth,  and 
have  repeatedly  noted  it  in  regard  to  all  Chrysanthemums.  A 
straggly  growth  produces  a  similar  habit  in  the  root  formation,  so  that 
one  may  tell  in  the  case  of  a  new  variety  whether  the  same  will  be  of 
value  to  adapt  itself  to  a  system  of  culture  largely  favoured  by  those 
who  grow  flowers  for  market.  The  above  list  is  by  no  means  a  lengthy 
one,  but  it  includes  the  better  varieties  of  their  shades  of  colour.. 
Jules  Mary  appears  a  promi^ing  new  kind  with  crimson  blooms  ^ 
Mdlle.  Gwyndudeau,  pink,  and  Mytchett  Beauty,  yellow,  aie  also  likely 
to  be  favoured  when  better  known. — H.  S. 
Notes  on  Feeding. 
A  MOST  important  part  in  the  cultivation  of  Chrysanthemums  is 
the  feeding  and  stimulating  of  the  roots.  Up  to  a  certain  pe  iod  the 
soil  in  the  pots  contains  sufficient  fertility,  which,  together  with  the 
water  supplied,  proves  ample  for  the  needs  of  the  plants.  To  give 
rich,  stimulating  manures  at  that  time  would  be  courting  disaster,  aa- 
instead  of  doing  good  it  would  kill  the  young  fibrous  routs.  When 
the  pots,  however,  become  full  of  roots,  and  increased  rooting  power 
demands  more  moisture,  the  time  has  arrived  to  commence  feedii  g, 
but  at  first  it  should  be  done  in  a  light  and  cautious  manner,  never 
using  stimulants  other  than  in  a  weak  state  for  several  weeks  at  first. 
Regularity  in  watering  is  one  good  method  of  keeping  the  plants 
healthy;  indeed  it  is  of  paramount  importance.  By  this  is  meant 
not  watering  at  certain  set  periods  every  plant  indiscriminately,  but 
only  those  plants  which  require  a  supply.  This  care  in  supjilying 
moisture  lays  at  the  foundation  of  achieving  success  by  judicioua 
feeding.  The  plants  at  any  stage  of  growth  must  never  be  allowed 
to  druop  for  want  of  water,  is  a  fundamental  rule  in  Ch  ysanthem  m 
cultivation.  This  may  be  supplemented  at  the  present  perio  1  of  the 
season  by  the  direction  that  the  surface  soil  must  not  r.  main  dry  for 
long.  This  fact  is  explained  by  the  extraordinary  quantity  of  roota 
which  the  plants  possess.  Moisture  is  taken  up  very  quickly  by  them? 
in  bright  sunny  weather,  so  exam  nation  should  be  made  of  the  whole 
stock  several  times  a  day  in  such  weather,  giving  to  those  plants- 
which  are  very  dry  indeed  clear  water  only. 
Stimulants  ought  not  to  be  applied  to  very  dry  sod,  for  it  ia 
possible  injury  may  result  to  the  fine  fibrous  roots  and  root  hairs  at 
the  extreme  tips.  The  same  may  occur  if  the  plants  were  to  remain 
dry  for  a  long  period.  Dry  roots  and  dry  soil  ought,  then,  to  be  ' 
freshened  up  by  clear  water  previous  to  giving  stimulants. 
The  liquid  drainings  of  8*-able.s  and  cowsheds  and  solutions  of  fowl 
and  sheep  manure  make  excellent  feeding  material  to  apply  to  the 
roots  from  the  time  pots  are  full  of  roots  to  the  expansion  of  the 
flowers.  Let  the  liquid  be  of  a  clear  and  not  a  muddy  character,  as 
the  sediment  left  on  the  soil  by  solutions  of  the  la’ ter  nature  closes  the 
pores  of  the  soil  and  proves  unsuitable.  The  various  kinds  of  stimulants 
ought  to  be  given  in  succension,  changing  the  kind  each  week.  Clear 
soot  water  is  excellent,  and  ought  not  to  be  omitted  from  the  list. 
Twice  a  week  is,  as  a  rule,  ample,  but  weak  solutions  may  be  given 
at  more  frequent  intervals. 
These  handy  manures  largely  take  the  place  of  top-dressing,  which 
was  adopted  at  one  time  by  the  best  growers.  It  is  still  good  practice, 
but  is  perhaps  not  so  general  as  formerly.  Its  chief  merit  lies  in 
it  attracting  the  surface  roots  to  multiply,  and  thus  afford  a  larger 
proportion  of  feeding  power  for  the  planis.  Pots  which  are  very  full 
of  soil  must,  if  a  top-dressing  is  auded,  have  some  narrow  strips  of 
turf  laid  round  to  hold  tie  soil.  The  compost  fi  r  this  purpose  may 
be  similar  to  that  used  at  the  final  potting,  adding  a  sprinkling  of 
soot  and  a  dusting  of  superphosphate  to  a  peck  of  soil.  Mix  well,  and 
use  moist.  Water  carelully  Lr  a  lime  with  a  rosed  can,  and  take 
special  precau  ion  that  enough  water  is  given  at  each  watering  to 
moisten  the  whole  ball  of  roots,  and  until  the  new  fibres  are  wo  king 
freely  in  the  compost  do  not  give  liq’jid  manure.  The  aim  of  the 
cultivator  must  be  to  feed  stea  iiiy  and  not  give  large  doses  of  strong 
manure,  which  are  always  risky,  and  may  do  harm. — E.  D.  S. 
In  Ireland. 
Chkysanthemums  may  be  briefly  described  as  up  to  the  usual 
standard,  and  in  some  quarters  they  look  remarkably  healthy.  The 
insidious  rust  fungus  is  prevalent,  and  it  appears  to  make  a  more 
effective  headway  on  the  stronger-itrowing  plants  than  with  their 
weaker  brethren.  The  bush  i  lants  are  going  ahead.  One  significant 
thing  about  the  Chrysanthemum  is  the  immense  quantity  of  plants 
cultivated  and  the  increased  number  of  people  who  stave  to  have  a 
repiesentative  collection.  I  recently  observed  a  disease  which  onlv 
attacks  the  Carnot  family.  It  is  probably  a  fungus,  and  causes  quick 
defoliation.  The  harm,  however,  is  confined  to  the  foliage  about  the 
stem,  as,  so  far,  it  does  not  travel  upwards.  The  appearance  of  such  a 
plant  is  ungainly,  but  if  growers  promptly  burn  the  deciymg  leaves  its 
presence  may  be  averted  or  its  progress  checked. — A.  O’Neill. 
