NOTES OAT WINDOW PLANTS. 



35 



those who wish to try and winter over a 

 chrysanthemum plant. 



After cutting- down the old flower stem to 

 within an inc^i or two of the surface of the 

 soil in the pot, do not put the plant away 

 down in a dark cellar as is often done. 

 As a rule if this is done the plant is either 

 allowed to dry up completely and die, or 

 otherwise it is kept so wet that the plant is 

 rotted away by successive waterings, given 

 at a time when very little water is needed. 



The best place to keep chrysanthemum 

 plants after cutting them down is in a win- 

 dow in a cool room, where the temperature 

 is about 45° or 50°. Plenty of light and 

 sunshine will be beneficial to the plant so 

 long as the room is not too hot to induce a 

 weak premature growth of the young shoots 

 that usually appear on the surface of the 



soil before the plant is cut down. As 



( • 

 much fresh air should be given it as pos- 

 sible on fine warm days, avoiding cold, 

 cutting draughts or winds. By keep- 

 ing the plant in a cool place as described 

 and by giving it all the cool air possible 

 without chilling it, the growth of the young 

 shoots before mentioned will be retarded 

 and hardened. These last two points are 

 the main ones to be considered to attain 

 success, as the tendency and nature of the 

 chrysanthemum is to grow all the time ; un- 

 less given as nearly as possible the same 

 surroundings it receives when growing na- 

 turally out of doors in winter, in the more 

 temperate climates than ours where these 

 plants are natives. 



If kept in a cool place as described the 

 growth of the young shoots can be retarded 

 until well on into winter or perhaps early 

 spring. Sufficient water must be given the 

 plants to keep the soil in the pots only fairly 

 moist. Water the plants so as to moisten 

 all the soil when water is given, then with- 

 hold water until the plants show signs of dry- 

 ness again. The top of the soil usually 

 indicates by its lighter color the time when 



the plants require water. Give the plants 

 air on fine warm days. 



When growth commences pinch off" the tips 

 of the shoots when the latter are three inches 

 in length. This pinching should be repeated 

 as often as required — usually every three or 

 four weeks — until May, when the plants can 

 be placed out of doors on fine days in a 

 sheltered position to harden off the growth. 



In a week or two the plants can be divided 

 'up into two or three pieces, if the size of the 

 plant will warrant this treatment, and each 

 division potted into a small sized pot. Or 

 the whole plant can be potted into a pot one 

 or two sizes larger, or it can be planted out 

 in the open ground to grow on during the 

 summer. The tips of the growth in any 

 case should still be kept pinched off" every 

 three or four weeks as required until July, 

 when they may be allowed to grow on with- 

 out pinching or topping. 



If young plants are required, instead or 

 pinching the young shoots, they should be 



Fig. 2529. Chrvsanthrmum. 



