132 TEANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



In another place we see one who has made a specialty of roses, 

 who may have tried for years to grow them without success, but who 

 has at last succeeded and is repaid for labor bestowed. So it is 

 specialties that are attracting attention, such as the rose, the chrysan- 

 themum, the orchid, etc. 



The change is as complete in cut flowers. A few years ago the 

 value of a bouquet was according to the number of flowers it con- 

 tained; now the fewer the better, in fact the more roses the more 

 value. 



The catalogues are not as numerous as a few years ago, and 

 where we find them they are filled with few varieties and more space 

 to these varieties. This is because the more common plants are 

 easily obtained, and then almost every town has its florist, or some 

 one who handles plants. 



The chrysanthemum is now the most popular flower, and it is 

 really the- most easily grown, and is preeminently the people's flower. 

 As chrysanthemums are the most popular plants at present, and be- 

 ing the most easily grown of all plants, I shall give a short method 

 of growing them: 



In the early spring, the earlier the better, small plants should 

 be obtained. The plants should be young, thrifty and free from in- 

 sects. Now, having plants, we prepare a soil, which should be com- 

 posed of a good proportion of well-rotted manure (which should not 

 be light), a small proportion of well-rotted sod (I believe that from 

 clay soil the best), and enough sand to make the soil pack tight and 

 to give good drainage. 



The plants should now be potted in small pots, with good drain- 

 age, shifting them as the roots fill the pots so that they may not be- 

 come pot-bound, keeping this up till planting season, when we may 

 choose one of two methods. 



But we must not forget that these plants must be kept as cool 

 as possible and must have plenty of air. If we allow them to get 

 dry it will very materially injure the plant. We must keep them 

 free from that chrysanthemum pest, the black aphide, for which we 

 use ground pyrethram, otherwise Persian or Dalmation insect pow- 

 der; or we may use tobacco, although not so good, but I think it 

 will do the work if used in sufficient quantity. When planting-out 

 time arrives we may either plant out or keep them in pots. If 

 planted out, we must lift about the first of August, so as not to 

 check the flowering season. They may be planted in a warm, sunny 

 place. If kept in pots we may plunge outside in the sun, and keep 

 them there until frost; but the least frost may seriously injure the 

 flowering of the plants. The plants may be trimmed into any sliape 

 and their season extends from the first of October through the year. 

 When the plants bud they should be kept cool, and should be regu- 

 larly watered with liquid manure. 



