chap. Yin.] CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 227 



flower the same summer or autumn. These 

 cuttings should be taken from the points of the 

 shoots, taking them off immediately below a 

 joint; and they should be struck in pure white 

 sand or charcoal, as when the cutting is put 

 into earth it is very apt to damp off. The cut- 

 tings when made should not be watered, but 

 should be covered with a bell-glass, and shaded 

 for several days, on account of the succulent 

 nature of the stems, and the great evaporation 

 from the leaves. Heart's-eases are sometimes 

 propagated bv layers, in which case the branch 

 should be only pegged down by a joint, and 

 not slit, on account of its tendency to damp off. 

 Chrysanthemums are principally winter 

 flowers, and they are valuable for affording a 

 brilliant show at a season when there are few 

 other flowers to be seen. In November and 

 December, when no other flowers are in blos- 

 som, these are in full beauty; and the walls even 

 of street gardens are frequently so completely 

 covered with them as to present a most brilliant 

 and dazzling appearance. Chrysanthemums 

 may, therefore, be safely recommended as most 

 valuable flowers for both town and country: 

 and their great number and beauty make them 

 particularly interesting. There are, indeed, 

 numerous varieties of every possible shade of 

 yellow, brown, orange, buff, pink, reddish 

 purple, lilac, and white, but not blue. All the 

 different varieties of chrysanthemums, and 

 there are nearly a hundred named sorts, ma\ 

 be referred to six distinct tribes, and these are 

 the following: 1. Ranunculus-flowered; 2. In- 

 curved; 3. China-Aster, or Daisy, flowered; 



" Q 2 



