228 THE FLOWER-GARDEN. [chap. VIII. 



4. Marigold-flowered; 5, Tassel-flowered, or 

 Quilled; and, 6. Half-double Tassel-flowered. 

 The ranunculus-flowered have generally small 

 flowers, in clusters, like little roses; but the 

 rest have large handsome flowers, particularly 

 the tasseled kinds, the quilled petals of which 

 are verv long, and hano- down like tassels. The 

 culture of the chrysanthemum differs according 

 to the use which it is proposed to make of it. 

 When it is to be flowered in pots, cuttings are 

 taken from the tops of the shoots in April; and, 

 as soon as they have taken root, they are 

 transplanted into very small pots, where they 

 are planted in a compost formed of equal parts 

 of sand, loam, and peat. As soon as they 

 begin to grow, and send out plenty of roots, 

 they are removed into other, rather larger, 

 pots; and this shifting is repeated eight or 

 nine, and sometimes ten or twelve, times. This 

 constant shifting will keep the plants bushy, 

 without the cultivator being under the necessity 

 of pinching off the ends of the shoots: a prac- 

 tice which, though it answers the desired end 

 of keeping the plants of a compact habit of 

 growth, has yet the inconvenience of making 

 them throw out so many shoots and leaves as 

 to weaken the flowers. When the chrysanthe- 

 mums are to be planted in the open border 

 against the wall, their roots should be parted in 

 autumn or early spring, and planted in very 

 rich and highly-manured but light soil, at the 

 foot of a south or west wall, against which 

 they should be trained like a peach tree, and 

 all the superfluous shoots cut ofT. When 

 planted, they should be carefully watered, not 



