REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 127 



ARTICLE IV. 



REMARKS ON THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



BY CI.BRICUS. 



This being the period of commencing operations with the Chrysan- 

 themums in order to secure a vigorous bloom, and observing some 

 remarks by an inquirer as to the best mode of treatment, I hasten 

 to forward the following, by pursuing which I have succeeded ad- 

 mirably. 



At the end of April I take off suckers or cuttings, the latter soon 

 strike root, and place them, after insertion in pots, in a frame kept 

 close and moist ; as soon as they begin to push I re-pot them into 

 small pots in a rich soil; after the plants have struck again I give 

 them a little air, gradually exposing them as they will bear it, letting 

 them have full exposure as soon as fully re-established. 



The shifting of the plants in the earlier part of the summer is par- 

 ticularly attended to. If this is neglected, no good after management 

 will save them from losing their leaves and looking badly in autumn 

 and winter. As soon as they are fairly starting into growth, the top 

 of each is nipped out with the finger and thumb, which causes several 

 young shoots to spring from the under part of the plant, and thus 

 form it into a compact bush. This is repeated two or three times 

 with advantage in the earlier part of the season with the free flower- 

 ing kinds ; but after the plant is fairly formed it is discontinued, 

 otherwise the flowering would be injured. The size of the pots into 

 which the plants are shifted depends entirely upon the views of the 

 cultivator. Large pots, such as 16's, 12's, and 8's, for the last shift- 

 ing, answer well for fine leafy plants; but where this size is inconve- 

 nient, of course they are grown in smaller pots, and may be flowered 

 well in 32's and 24's. 



The soil for their growth can scarcely be too rich ; about equal 

 \ arts of loam, dung, leaf-mould, and sand, make an excellent com- 

 post. Manure-water is also an excellent material, with which they 

 are watered twice or thrice a-weck during the growing season. Ex- 

 posed as they are fully to the sun, they require a very abundant supply 

 i'f water, which ought never to be neglected, because if it is, the under 

 ! will fall from the plants and make them unsightly. An 

 abundant supply of water, arid particularly manure-water, at certain 



