February  14,  1901. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
Rooting  Chrysanthemum  Cuttings. 
One  would  hardly  imagine  failures  with  so  easy  a  plant  to  form 
roots,  yet  with  the  somewhat  artificial  modes  of  culture  that  prevail 
in  the  desire  to  obtain  big  blooms  there  are  plenty  of  such  each  year. 
We  put  these  failures  down  to  coddling.  It  has  gone  forth  in  so  many 
articles  upon  the  subject  that  b  xe3  covered  with  glass  inside  other 
glass  structures  must  be  prepared  for  the  cuttings.  Each  one  must 
nave  a  separate  pit  ;  no  air  shall  be  allowed  to  reach  them  on  account 
of  the  leaves  being  liable  to  flag,  and  iu  this  air-tight  box  the  cuttings 
shall  remain  until  rooted.  The  glass  must  be  wiped  of  accumulated 
moisture  each  day,  besides  an  occasional  sprinkling  the  leaves  with 
water  being  necessary.  We  have  a  long  time  proved  for  our  own 
satisfaction  that  all  this  trouble  is  not  only  waste  of  labour,  but  is 
wrong  because  it  ends  in  a  goodly  percentage  of  dead  cuttings. 
Chrysanthemum  cuttings  root  as  easily  as  do  the  shoots  of  bedding 
Calceolarias,  and  they  are  as  hardy.  No  more  suitable  place  for  them 
can  be  found  than  a  cool  pit,  where  the  fire  heat  may  be  turned  on 
in  case  of  very  severe  frosty  weather.  Raise  the  soil  so  that  the 
cuttiDgs  may  be  as  near  the  glass  as  possible  to  get  all  available 
light,  then  dibble  them  in  a  couple  of  inches  apart  in  a  light  sandy 
compost.  One  good  watering  in  will,  with  a  sprinkle  in  the  morning 
on  fine  days,  be  sufficient  in  the  way  of  moisture.  No  shade  is 
required,  and  a  little  air  may  also  be  given  to  sweeten  the  surroundings. 
In  about  six  weeks  there  will  be  nice  sturdy  little  plants  with 
abundant  roots  ready  to  put  singly  into  small  pots. 
Another  capital  plan  is  to  root  the  cuttings  in  shallow  boxes. 
These  are  not  more  than  3  inches  deep,  and  are  filled  with  suitable 
soil.  The  cuttiDgs  are  put  in  firmly  2  inches  apart,  and  the  boxes 
stood  on  shelves  or  anywhere  close  to  the  glass.  The  earth  is  well 
watered,  and  then  the  leaves  dewed  over  daily  in  fine  weather,  and 
other  thorough  soakmgs  are  given  as  required.  The  leaves  will  flag 
for  a  time,  but  they  gradually  prick  up,  and  by  the  time  this  is 
accomplished  the  cuttings  will  have  formed  roots.  The  only  drawback  to 
these  modes  is  this—  the  cuttings  should  be  potted  off  singly  directly 
they  are  rooted,  as  otherwise  the  roots  get  into  a  tangled  mass,  and  the 
plants  thereby  get  a  check  when  removed.  The  growth  also  draws 
up  spindly  in  a  very  short,  time  if  pottiDg  is  neglected. 
As  to  choice  of  cuttings.  When  these  are  plentiful  do  not  rely 
upon  the  stout  sappy  ones.  The  handling  of  thousands  each  season 
has  made  us  observe  the  fact  that  firm,  medium  siz  d  cuttings  wdl 
outstrip  the  big  ones,  which  are  considered  so  necessary  to  subsequent 
success  by  many  growers.  December  is  an  excellent  month  to  nut  in 
the  cuttings,  at  least  for  an  exhibitor.  A  long  season  of  growth  is 
important  in  this  case.  If  the  young  plants  do  show  premature 
flower  buds  in  early  spring  these  may  be  taken  away,  and  the  growth 
will  proceed  satisfactorily.  Some  sorts  are  shy  in  giving  cuttings,  and 
mu3t  be  obtained  when  they  appear.  But  there  is  one  item  to  note 
here.  In  instances  of  this  sort  it  is  advisable  not  to  cut  down  the 
t  stems  of  the  old  plant  very  low.  If  left  almost  their  whole  length 
they  “  break  ”  at  the  bottom  more  readily.  The  soil  again  with  such 
plants  should  not  be  kept  too  wet. — Specialist. 
Bush  Chrysanthemums. 
Where  quantities  of  flowers  over  a  protracted  season  are  required 
for  cutting,  the  bush  method  of  cultivation  cannot  be  too  strongly 
recommended,  especially  for  amateurs,  as  a  good  show  of  blooms  can 
be  had  in  a  small  space.  The  plants  not  being  tall  are  also  well 
adapted  for  greenhouses  or  arranging  in  certain  positions  in  large 
conservatories. 
From  the  middle  of  January  to  the  same  time  in  February  is  the 
be^t  time  to  root  the  cuttings.  When  the  plants  are  4  inches  high 
top  them  for  the  production  of  side  branches,  shifting  as  required 
before  they  are  at  all  root-bound  into  larger  pots,  and  keeping  them 
stocky  in  growth.  For  flowering  8-inch  and  10-inch  pots  are  large 
enough,  using  the  largest  pots  for  the  strongest  growing  varieties. 
One  topping  is  enough  for  some  of  the  plants,  but  those  required  to  be 
grown  exceptionally  large  should  be  topped  again  when  the  shoots  are 
5  inches  long.  If  a  later  stock  of  plants  is  required  root  more  cuttiDgs 
in  March.  Great  care  must  be  exercised  at  all  times  in  supplying  them 
with  water,  as  so  much  depends  upon  the  application  of  it  in  obtaining 
and  preserving  the  foliage  in  good  condition,  by  which  the  appearance 
of  the  plants  is  enhanced  or  the  reverse  when  bushes  are  grown.  For 
the  smallest  plants  three  or  four  branches  are  sufficient  to  retain  from 
139 
the  first  topping,  but  in  the  larger  size  about  eight  is  a  fair  number, 
and  sufficient  to  produce  handsome  bushes. 
If  three  shoots  are  produced  from  the  first  topping  a  dozen  will 
spring  from  the  second.  Select  from  these  the  number  required  and 
tie  them  securely  to  stakes.  At  the  natural  break  of  the  plants  in 
August  many  more  shoots  will  be  produced,  from  which  numerous 
side  shoots  will  push  and  produce  bloims  in  quantity.  In  this  way 
st  ff  shoots  from  1  foot  to  2  feet  long,  thickly  clothed  with  shoots  and 
blossoms,  will  be  produced,  and  be  much  appreciated  in  a  cut  state. 
Liquid  manure  givm  often,  and  in  a  weak  state,  is  a  safe  and  efficient 
stimulant,  except  during  a  long  spell  of  wet  weather,  when  a  little  of 
some  approved  chemical  manure  will  assist  the  plants  considerably. 
An  article  of  this  nature  would  not  be  complete  without  the  names 
of  suitable  varieties  as  a  guide  to  intending  cultivators.  The  following 
can  be  well  recommended.  White-flowered  varieties  are  always 
appreciated,  therefore  I  give  this  section  the  first  notice.  Elaine, 
though  superseded  nowadays  in  the  large  bloom  classes,  is  still  one  of 
the  best  where  a  quantity  of  pure  white  flowers  are  required,  as  no 
other  white  can  equal  it  in  purity.  Mrs.  Weeks,  Jane  Molyneux, 
Madame  Carnot,  Simplicity,  Mrs.  J.  Lewis,  Mrs.  M.  Simpson,  Queen 
of  the  EarlieR,  Lady  Selborne,  and  Niveus,  are  all  excellent.  Yellow- 
flowered  varieties  are  well  represented  by  Phoebus,  Sunflower,  W.  H. 
Lincoln,  Miss  Ethel  Pilkington,  Golden  Queen  of  the  Earlies,  Klondike, 
Golden  Gate,  Modesto,  Oceana,  and  Soleil  d’Octobre.  Other  colours 
may  comprise  Edwin  Molyneux,  crimson  and  gold  ;  Prile  of  Madford, 
crimson  cerise  ;  Royal  Standard,  deep  crimson  ;  Source  d’Or,  bronze  ; 
Charles  Davis,  rosy  bronze;  Eva  Knowles,  reddish  apricot;  President 
Borel,  purple  amaranth;  H.  J.  Jones,  rich  crimson;  Yiviand  Morel, 
blush  mauve;  Roi  des  Precoces,  dark  crimson;  Cultingfordi,  rich 
crimson  ;  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Tate,  crimson  and  bronze. — E.  Molyneux. 
- - 
Royal  Horticultural  Society. 
Annual  General  Meeting. 
The  large  room  that  accommodates  the  Lindley  Library  at  117, 
Victoria  Street,  was  decidedly  too  small  for  the  comfort  of  the  body  of 
Fellows  wbo  attended  the  annual  general  meeting  under  the  presidency 
of  Sir  Trevor  Lawrence,  Bart.  The  Chairman  was  supported  by  the 
members  of  the  Council,  and  many  of  the  more  prominent  horticulturists 
were  observed  in  the  body  of  the  meeting.  The  minutes  of  the  annual 
general  and  the  special  general  meetings  held  last  year  were  read  by 
the  Secretary  and  signed.  The  report  and  balance-sheet  having  been 
distributed  to  the  Fellows,  were  taken  as  read. 
•  Report  of  the  Council. 
The  past  year  marks  an  era  in  the  history  of  the  Society.  The 
New  Charter,  the  third  granted  since  the  foundation  of  the  Society, 
having  received  the  assent  of  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty  the  Queen, 
came  into  force  at  the  commencement  of  the  year,  and  the  first 
business  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the  Council  was  the  formulation 
of  new  bye-laws  suitable  for  the  same.  The  work  was  necessarily  a 
long  one;  but  at  a  general  meeting  of  the  Society  held  on  July  3rd, 
the  bye-laws  as  printed  on  pages  423  to  436  of  volume  xxiii.  of  the 
Society’s  Journal  were  formally  adopted. 
A  corrected  list  of  the  awards  made  by  the  Society  to  plants, 
flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables  to  the  end  of  1899  has  been  issued  during 
the  past  year.  It  has  involved  a  great  deal  of  labour  and  research,  and 
the  thanks  of  the  Society  are  due  to  those  gentlemen  who  assisted  in  the 
work,  especially  to  those  who  prepared  the  section  which  deals  with 
Orchids.  The  price  of  the  entire  volume  has  been  fixed  at  5s.  (or  the 
Orchid  section  can  be  obtained  interleaved  at  5s.),  and  the  Council  hope 
that  many  Fellows  will  take  advantage  of  the  information  it  contains 
in  order  to  meet  the  unavoidably  heavy  expense  incurred  in  its 
publication. 
Chiswick  Gardens. 
Under  the  head  of  ordinary  expenditure  at  Chiswick  £1817  has 
been  spent  on  the  general  work  and  maintenance  of  the  gardens.  The 
receipts  by  sale  of  surplus  produce  amount  to  £337,  making  the  net 
ordinary  cost  of  the  gardens  £1480. 
The  Council  wish  to  call  attention  again  to  the  good  work  done  at 
Chiswick  under  Mr.  Wright’s  superintendence,  not  only  in  the  garden  but 
among  the  students.  During  the  last  three  years,  for  example — of  our 
Chiswick  students,  one  has  taken  a  first-class  in  honours  in  science 
and  art,  one  a  first  in  advanced  botany,  two  a'  first  in  elementary 
botany,  at -South  Kensington;  one  has  been  appointed  curator  of  the 
Botanic  Gardens  at  Antigua ;  one  is  a  botanical  collector  for  the 
London  School  Board;  eleven  have  taken  a  first-class  in  the  R. H.S. 
examination  in  horticulture  ;  five  have  set  up  in  business  for  themselves  ; 
four  have  obtained  positions  at  the  Royal  Gardens  Kew ;  one  at 
Kensington  Gardens;  two  at  large  private  gardens;  six  in  large 
nursery  gardens  ;  one  is  studying  at  the  Royal  College  of  Science,  South 
Kensington ;  one  is  editor,  and  another  is  on  the  editorial  staff  of  a 
garden  paper.  Mr.  Wright  reports  to  the  Council,  “  The  demand  for 
