CULTURE 11 



All the Chrysanthemum family should now be in 

 healthy growth, and will need all the time and attention 

 that can be given them, in the matter of staking and 

 tying, rubbing or pinching out unnecessary growths, 

 also keeping a sharp watch for all insect pests. 



As the season gets warmer, so the plants may be 

 exposed more and more, until the latter part of May, 

 when they may be left quite unprotected. 



i 



THE FINAL POTTING 



Thoughts will now turn to this, one of the chief 

 events in the life of the plant, and it will be worth one's 

 while to make preparations for the potting in plenty 

 of time. 



It will be an advantage if the soil can be placed under 

 cover, and allowed to lie in heap a few days before 

 using. 



Nearly every exhibitor or grower has his own pet 

 formula or compost for the final potting. 



I will give a good general mixture that should suit 

 most growers. 



Three to four barrow loads of good turfy loam that 

 has been in stack for not any less than six months (this 

 period will ensure the death of the grass roots), broken 

 up to the size of turkey's eggs. About one barrow load 

 of manure from a spent mushroom bed. This should 

 be passed through a very coarse sieve to remove pieces 

 of straw, etc. If mushroom manure cannot be obtained, 

 the same quantity, or rather more, of leaf mould may be 

 used in a fairly decomposed state. Half a barrow load 

 of wood ashes or crushed charcoal, about the same 

 quantity of coarse, clean, river sand, a ten-inch potful of 

 finely crushed bones or bonemeal, and a seven-inch pot 

 of soot should complete it. 



