21 



CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM IN POTS EOR 

 EXHIBITION. 



BT BOBEET OUBEIDGE OP STOKE NEWIIf&TOK. 



N" the cultivation and propagation of large-flowered 

 varieties as specimen plants on single stems in eleven- 

 inch pots for exhibition, my practice is as follows : — 



As soon in November as suckers are sufficiently 

 strong, I select the one which is most vigorous from a 

 healthy plant, and remove all eyes with a sharp knife so as to pre- 

 vent the plants from producing suckers till they have completed 

 their flowering season. I then insert in a three-inch pot each 

 sucker singly, using the following compost : — A little rotten dung 

 and some nice mellow loam, with a good sprinkling of sharp silver 

 sand, draining the pots with small clean crocks. They are then 

 placed in a cold frame or on the shelf of a greenhouse, where no 

 cold draughts can affect them while rooting. 



If in the latter part of December you find that they are becom- 

 ing established, admit plenty of air when the weather is mild, in 

 order to prevent weakly growth, and thus cause the plants to be 

 short-jointed. In January choose the strongest of those plants 

 that are well rooted, and pot them into large sized or five-inch pots in 

 the compost just mentioned, and encourage growth as much as the 

 season will permit, but take care that the vigour and sturdiness of the 

 plant are in proportion to its growth. One point in growing plants 

 for exhibition I would impress upon beginners, and that is, do not 

 subject them to bottom or top-heat with the view of pushing on 

 their growth ; if frost is just excluded that is enough. By the 

 middle of February, if all has gone on well, the plants will be suffi- 

 ciently strong to be stopped ; the number of breaks or shoots you 

 desire to insure must depend on the vigour of your plants (and 

 here the operator must use his own judgment), but I would advise 

 from six to seven eyes to be left ; should more be allowed to remain 

 the chances are that the lower eyes will not emit shoots, or if they 

 do they will break weakly. Remember that in proportion to the 

 attention bestowed on training in the earlier stages of growth, so 

 will be the result as regards future growth and perfection of flowers. 

 Some varieties of chrysanthemum diff'er from others in constitution, 

 a knowledge of which can only be acquired by close observation ; 

 some, for instance, will bear several degrees of frost with impunity, 

 while others will not stand frost at all. The wisest plan is, 

 however, not to subject them to it. When giving air observe the 

 quarter from whicJi the wind blows, as an easterly or north- 

 easterly wind, if allowed to have free access to the plants, will prove 

 injurious. 



If in March you find that the plants have emitted shoots freely 

 from all the eyes you left at the period of stopping, you may at 

 once repot them into 32-size pots, but do not do so unless they have 

 pushed shoots regularly from every eye ; sometimes the lower eyes 



