133 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
August  7,  1902. 
Watering,  Feeding,  and  Selecting  Buds. 
The  most  important  items  just  now  connected  with  the 
culture  of  Chrysanthemums  in  pots  for  exhibition  and  decora¬ 
tion  are  watering,  feeding  and  top-dressing,  also  securing 
growths,  selecting  buds,  and  keeping  the  plants  clear  of  insects. 
The  matter  of  watering  is  very  important,  and  claims 
constant  attention,  especially  where  a  large  number  of  plants 
are  grown.  This  attention  must  be  systematic,  examining  the 
plants  thoroughly,  in  order  to  see  whether  water  is  or  not 
needed.  A  superficial  or  casual  glance  at  the  pots  may  often 
be  sufficient  for  the  expert,  but  the  amateur  grower  needs  to 
be  more  particular  to  satisfy  himself  thoroughly.  The  experi¬ 
enced  grower,  however,  is  always  on  the  alert  when  making  a 
regular  round  of  the  plants.:  The  casual  look  will  not  always 
do,  and  he  must  perforce  halt  to  make  a  more  minute  examina¬ 
tion  of  the  soil.  The  soil  might  be  to  all  appearance  moist, 
yet  on  closer  survey  water  is  found  to  be  required.  In  a  batch 
of  plants,  comprising  various  varieties,  there  are  always  some 
of  stronger  growth,  and  ■  having  a  more  powerful  root  system, 
than  others.  It  is  these  which,  need  more  frequent  supplies  of 
water,  while  weaker  growers  do  not  need  it  quite  so  often. 
While  on  the  subject  of  watering,  it  is  as  well  to  empha¬ 
size  the  fact  that  water  when  applied  should  be  given  thorough 
enough  to  moisten  the  whole  ball  of  soil  and  roots,  then  wait 
until  a  similar  application  is  required  again.  The  expert,  culti¬ 
vators  of  course  do  not  need  the  reminder,  as  it  is  an  ingrained 
principle  which  they  seldom  overlook.  During  dry  days  in  the 
present  month  the  supply  cf  moisture  to  the  roots  largely 
governs  the  extent  cf  success  at  the  blooming  period.  Neglect 
will  assuredly  tell  sooner  or  later. 
Though  water  is  of  great  moment,  it  is  not  advisable  if  it 
can  be  avoided,  to  use  it  direct  from  a  cold  well  or  spring  or 
water  tap.  Means  should  be  provided  whereby  a  few  hundred 
gallons  can  be  exposed  to  air  and  sun,  so  as  to  become  warmed 
before  using.  Soft  'water,  if  obtainable,  is  better  than  hard. 
Regular  attention  will  prevent  weeds  establishing  them¬ 
selves  on  the  surface  of  the  pots.  They  necessarily  abstract 
food  from  the  soil  as  well  as  moisture,  impoverishing  the 
material  into  which  a  mass  of  healthy,  sustaining  roots  should 
permeate  fpr  the  welfare  of  buds  shortly  to  form  and  swell. 
The  filling  of  the  pots  with  roots  furnishes  a  good  opportunity 
to  give  the  plants,  a  little  new  rooting  material  in  the  shape 
of  a  mixture  of  rich,  soil,  consisting  of  loam,  decayed  manure, 
bonemeal,  soot,  and  superphosphate.  A  dash  of  each  of  the 
latter  will  suffice.  Apply  a  layer  of  this  half  an  inch  thick,  and 
press  down  firmly.  A  decided  impetus  to  root  action  will  be 
given,  and  a  mass  of  young  fibres  will  ramify  in  the  soil.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  water  the  plants  with  a  rosed  can  for  a 
time,  or  the  soil  is  liable  to  be  washed  into  holes.  '  Plants  thus 
treated  will  not  require  liquid  manure  for  some  time. 
As  regards  general  feeding  with  liquid  manure  and  arti¬ 
ficials,'  it  is  not  desirable  to  stimulate  too  frequently  at  first, 
nor  commence  much  before  buds  appear.  An  occasional  weak  dose 
of  soot  water  or  a  light  dusting  of  an  approved  Chrysanthemum 
manure  may  be  given.  Soot  water  made  clear  by  adding  lime 
to  it  so  as  to  clarify  it  is  useful  for  occasionally  syringing  the 
plants  during  hot  and  dry  weather.  Giving  it  to  the  roots  in 
this  state  is  better  than  when  thick. 
Stimulants  should  be  varied  as  much  as  possible,  thus 
giving  the  plants  a  change  of  food  which  they  will 
appreciate.  Some  manures  are  better  adapted  for  hot 
weather  than  others,  but  no  stimulant  other  than  pure 
water  must  be  applied  when  the  soil  is  very  dry.-  Nitrate  <?f 
soda  is  a  stimulant  that  may  be  used  occasionally  only.  Dissolve 
a  pound  in  a  gallon  of  water,  and  when  watering  use  i  pint 
in  2  gallons  of  water.  It  is  best  used  in  hot  weather.  Thom¬ 
son’s  and 'Clay’s  fertilisers,  however,  cannot  be  bettered. 
A  natural  manure  with  cooling  qualities  is  cow  maniire. 
A  peck  of  this  in  a  tub  containing  25  gallons  of  water  will  make 
a  suitable  stimulant.  Horse  manure  makes  the  best-  liquid 
manure  for  use  in  wet  weather.  ' 
Powerful  liquid  manures  may  be  made  from  sheep  and  fowl 
manure,  using  about  a  peck  to  30  gallons  of  water,  enclosing 
the  manure  in  a  bag,  which  sink  in  the  water.  It  is  best  to 
give  these  strong  manures  later  when  the  plants  have  become 
used  to  receiving  extra  food.  Avoid  the  mistake,  however;  of 
applying  any  manure  too  strong.  . 
A  further  change  of  stimulants  may  be  found  in  the  various 
general  artificial  manures,  using  them  in  solution  or  by  dusting 
lightly  on  the  soil  at  the  rate  of  about  a  tablespoonful  to  an 
8-inch  pot,  watering  in  immediately. 
No  hard  and  fast  rules  can  be. laid  down  as  to  how  often 
to  apply  manures.  During  normal  weather,  when  watering  is 
frequently  necessary,  twice  a  week  ought  to  suffice,  but  some 
varieties  will  require  it  oftener.  It  is  best  to  err.  i n  the  early 
part  of  the  bud-forming  season  on  the  side  of  safety.  Ail 
stimulants  can  be  applied  oftener  when  given  weak. 
The  securing  of  the  growths  to  prevent  damage  must  be 
strictly  carried  out,  removing,  too,  any  shoots  qf  a  superfluous 
character,  such  as  side  growths  on  the  stem,  or  suckers  at  the 
base. 
Selecting  or  taking  the  bud  which  is  to  develop  into  the 
flower  must  be  proceeded  with  as  they  appear,  rubbing  out  the 
side  growths  surrounding  them  gradually.  One  bud  on' a  shoot 
is  enough  where  large  blooms  are  coveted,  hence  select  the  first 
or  second  crown  bud.  These  usually  appear  from  the  present 
time  onwards,  some  being  early,  others  rather  late.  The  last 
buds  of  all  are  the  terminals,  the  majority  of  these  not  showing 
until  the  plants  have  completed  growth  in  September  and 
October.  Good  flowers  are  obtained  from  these,  though  upon 
the  whole,  smaller  in  the  case  of  the  large  Japanese  varieties. 
In  the  Incurved  section,  the  best  flowers  are  usually  grown  on 
the  terminal  bud. 
In  regard  to  the  early  flowering  varieties,  the  plants  are 
for  the  most  part  grown  free,  allowing  them  to  develop 
the  terminal  shoots  with  clusters  of  buds.  Retain  the  central 
one  of  the  cluster,  and  thin  out  all  but  one  on  each  branchlet 
or  side  stem.  This  results  in  bright,  medium  sized  blooms. 
With  this  treatment  the  Pompon  and  small  flowered  varieties 
perfect  excellent  clusters  of  flowers  which -are  much  appreciated 
for  cutting  for  table  and  vase  decoration. — E.  D. 
Specialities  at  Wordsley. 
All  interested  in  the  production  of  new  and  improved  vege¬ 
tables  and  flowers,  and  their  progressive  culture,  will  find  much 
to  interest  them  in  Messrs.  Webbs’  grounds  at  Wordsley  at.  this 
time.'  On  a  visit  there  recently,  I  found  excellent  work  going  on, 
and  I  was  much  gratified  with  many  of  the  results.  Tomatoes 
in  pots  under  glass  are  extremely  fine ;  indeed,  I  never  saw 
better  plants.  They  are  growing  in  lOin  pots,  trained  to  a 
height  of  4ft  or  5ft,  with  a  single  stem,  and  every  one  is 
furnished  with  large  clusters  of  fruit  of  great  weight  and  fine 
form.  There  is  no  trace  of  disease,  and  all  are  most  healthy, 
much  more  so  than  is  usually  seen  when  the  plants  are  planted 
out.  Coronation,  a  new  variety  introduced  this  year,  is  super¬ 
abundantly  prolific  ;  it  is  red  in  colour,  of  medium  size,  and  of 
superseding  quality.’  Regina  is  larger,  and  bears  equally  well. 
The  older  Sensation  is  larger  still,  and  a  splendid  type  for 
exhibition.  Jubilee  and  Chancellor  also  stand  out  conspicuously, 
and  as  a  yellow  fruiting  kind  Sovereign  is  perfect  in  form  and  an 
abundant  bearer,  possessing  a  flavour  which  finds  much  favour 
amongst  growers. 
Peas  are  also  a  leading  crop.  This  year  there  are  120  varieties 
on  trial.  Some  are  excellent,  others  useless;  but  the  result  of 
the  trial  will  be  of  the  utmost  service  in  conclusively  indicating 
what  to  recommend  and  what  to  avoid.  No  special  favours  are 
shown  to  the  firm’s  own  varieties,  but*  some  of  these  come  out 
well.  Senator,  raised  at  Wordsley  some  years  ago,  has  recently 
been  awarded  a  First  Class  Certificate  by  the  Royal  Horticul¬ 
tural  Society  in  the  Chiswick  trials,  a  distinction  it  well  merits. 
It  attains  to  a  height  of  about  3ft,  is  enormously  prolific,  with 
medium  sized,  well-filled  pods,  and  the  seeds  when  cooked  are 
delicious.  Wordsley  Wonder,  an  old  favourite  with  the  public 
and  the  writer,  still  shines  as  a  good  one  amongst  all.  Senator 
and  this  are  two  of  the  best  market  Peas.  As  a  tall  growing  sort, 
Stourbridge  Marrow  is  an  excellent  type,  being  strong  in  the 
haulm  and  an  abundant  bearer.  Masterpiece  eclipses  that  well- 
-known  variety,  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  in  flavour,  which  is  a  strong 
recommendation.  Chancellor,  Royal  Standard,  and  Mainstay 
are  all  main-crop  Varieties  of  great  merit.  A  new  variety,  not 
yet  in  commerce  and  unnamed,  need  not  be  detailed ;  but  having 
seen  it  two  years  running,  I  am  convinced  there  is  a  coming  main- 
crop  Pea  of  inordinate  properties  in  store  for  us. 
Lettuces  have  been  a  speciality  with  me  for  ' long.  Their 
cultivation  and  use  is  on  the  increase,  and  rightly  so,  too.  Few, 
perhaps,  have  tried  them  as  a  boiled  vegetable,  but  they  make 
a  delicious  dish.  A  splendid  batch  of  them  is  now  to  be  seen  at 
Wordsley.  There  are  large  brakes  of  about  a  score  kinds — all 
were  sown  and  planted  at  the  same  time.  Sonic  are  now  running 
to  flower,  others  are  in  perfection,  and  it  is  these  we  want, 
as  a  Lettuce  that  hearts,  and  is  quickly  over,  is  never  service¬ 
able.  Some  of  the  Cos  varieties  fold  nicely ;  others  produce  a 
tuft  of  leaves  which  show  little  disposition  for  this,  unless  tied, 
a  process  that  never  brings  as  good  and  crisp  a  Lettuce  as  the 
