PYRETHRUMS. 



and be then dug over or trenched. 

 When the manuring and digging are 

 done immediately before planting, 

 twelve inches will be a sufficient depth 

 to which to stir the soil, but when the 

 work has attention in the autumn or 

 early in the winter the ground may be 

 traversed to a depth not exceeding two 

 feet. In all cases the soil should 

 be well broken up and the manure 

 thoroughly mixed with it. 



When prepared in pots pyrethrums 

 may be planted with the full assurance 

 of the most successful results at any 

 time from early in spring until the 

 autumn, but the months most favorable 

 are March and August. Examples in 

 the open ground can be the most safely 

 lifted, divided and re-planted in the 

 month first mentioned, and in the early 

 part of September. On very heavy 

 soils spring planting is preferable, and 

 in all cases the plants put out at the 

 end of the summer or the beginning of 

 the autumn should be strong, otherwise, 

 it would be advisable to winter them in 

 a cold frame and plant early in the 

 spring. Ihe second row is the most 

 suitable position for them in the mixed 

 border, and to avoid conspicuous blanks 

 when they are not in bloom they should 

 be at least four feet apart. If the plants 

 are comparatively small and an im- 

 mediate effect is required, they may be 

 arranged in twos or threes, but generally 

 speaking, putting them out singly is de- 

 cidedly the best. Those from which 

 exhibition blooms are to be cut should 

 be eighteen inches apart each way, and 

 those intended for the production of 

 flowers for indoor decorations should be 

 planted twelve inches apart in rows, 

 with eighteen inch spaces between them. 

 It is important to avoid deep planting, 

 more particularly on heavy soils, and as 

 far as possible the base of the plant 

 should be on a level with the surface. 



To support the flowers of the tall 

 growing double varieties, and all of 

 dwarf growth will not require supports. 



It is necessary to keep a sharp look- 

 out for slugs early in the season, as they 

 are very partial to the young growth, 

 and will do an immense amount of mis- 

 chief if not held in check. The flower- 

 heads should be cut off as soon as they 

 have lost their freshness and beauty ; 

 but the flower stems ought not to be 

 cut down to within a few inches of the 

 base, as is so frequently done. The 

 stems are furnished throughout the 

 greater part of their length with leaves, 

 and there can be no doubt that the re- 

 moval of so great a portion of their 

 foliage as is done when the flower-stems 

 are cut done is decidedly injurious. 

 Immediately the flowering season is 

 over the soil should be pricked up with 

 a frock to a depth of two or three inches, 

 and a layer of manure be spread over 

 the surface. If the weather is dry at 

 the time, give the plants a thorough 

 soaking of water previous to the appli- 

 cation of the manure. With this assist- 

 ance they will soon commence to make 

 new growth, and produce a second crop 

 of flowers, which, if not equal to those 

 produced early in the season, will pre- 

 sent an attractive appearance and be 

 useful for cutting. Propagation may 

 be effected by division or from seed, 

 but unless the raising of seedlings is 

 carried out in a systematic manner, it 

 will be better to depend wholly upon 

 dividing the plants for the increase of 

 stock, because of the large proportion 

 of the seedlings that will be practically 

 worthless. The plants may be divided 

 early in the spring or at the end of the 

 summer. 



The following varieties comprise the 

 best of the large number now in culti- 

 vation : 



Bauble. — Amphitrite rose, carmine ; 



r,6i 



