CHEYSANTHEMUMS 



THE past year made it most evident 

 that there was a great revival of 

 interest in the chrysanthemum, 

 and the interest is b«ing well sustained. 

 Long may it bloom, say I. No flower I 

 ever grew has afforded me more genuine 

 pleasure or brought me in touch with so 

 many enthusiastic worshipers at its shrine. 



In preparing for the future I look upon 

 the probationary period out in the frames 

 as the foundation of the plant. The 

 chrysanthemum is naturally a cool growing, 

 hardy plant, and getting it out in the open 

 air (for the glass should always be entirely 

 removed during the day) is merely getting 

 the plant back to its natural conditions, and 

 the result is seen in a close- jointed sturdy 

 little plant that is started in its way rejoic- 

 ing with a vigorous constitution, and with 

 the glow of health on its shining foliage. 



We generally plant out about the middle 

 of May, and a few days earlier or later, as 

 the young stock may need. As regards the 

 soil, the Mum is not over particular, though 

 a light loam is better than a heavy soil. In 

 heavy soil, unless one is very careful with 

 the watering, the plants are liable to be 

 caught too wet some time when a rainy spell 

 sets in, and leaf spot appears in conse- 

 quence. It will be found a good plan to 

 incorporate about a sixth part of burnt re- 

 fuse from the garden with the soil at plant- 

 ing time. This refuse is rich in potash 

 and lime, both essential for the building up 

 of the plant, and they help to leaven up the 

 cruder loam. 



After the benches are filled, set out your 

 plants ten inches apart each way. and then 

 pound the bed down solid. Don't be afraid 

 of getting it too hard. Make it firm, as 

 your aim should be to keep your plants as 

 short-jointed and dwarf as possible, and 

 this they will not do if they are permitted 

 to run too readily through the mass of new 

 soil. 



Just now I said plant ten inches apart 



each way. This distance is about as little 

 as it is wise to give- if you are looking for 

 the extra quality flowers, though some va- 

 rieties that, like Lunderbruck, droop their 

 foliage down close to the main stem, may 

 be planted an inch closer. It has been aid 

 that the man that makes two blades of grass 

 grow where only one grew before, is a bene- 

 factor. This rule cannot be made to work 

 out in growing exhibition Mums. In this 

 case, the man that tries to grow two flowers 

 where his neighbor is only growing one will 

 always get lost in the shuffle when it comes 

 to the prize-taking. 



The question of when, how and what to 

 feed his plants is often the most difficult 

 problem confronting the novice. When 

 to feed is a question that the condition of 

 the plants themselves will best answer. As 

 long as they are keeping a dark healthy 

 green and making large foliage they will 

 not need feeding to any extent. We gen- 

 erally commence feeding about ten weeks 

 after planting, which is, say, by August i. 

 At this time a top dressing of bone meal 

 and rotten manure is applied, and from then 

 on liquid manure is constantly given. Some 

 growers think it better not to feed before 

 the bud is set, but w^hile, as before stated, 

 you must be guided by your plants, whether 

 the bud is set or not is of little importance 

 if the plants are needing nourishment. We 

 always use a Kenney pump in applying li- 

 quid fertilizers- and find it saves much labor. 

 We use chiefly sheep manure for making 

 liquid, with a change to sulphate of am- 

 monia or nitrate of potash in between, us- 

 ing these last in the proportion of one 

 pound to a 50-gallon barrel of water. 



As each variety shows color, we discon- 

 tinue feeding, as experience has taught us 

 to keep well on the safe side, and feeding 

 too long means a soft, flabby, easily injured 

 flower, if nothing worse. — American Gar- 

 denins- 



