140 On the Cultivation of the Chinese Chysanthemums. 



they vie in richness and magnificence, with the Tuhp and Dahh'a, 

 The season at which they bloom is when all the other production? 

 of the flower garden and pleasure ground, are destroyed by the cold 

 frosts, and chilling blasts of autumn ; their various forms and bril- 

 liant colors, also, excite our admiration ; some are expanded, some 

 quilled, others tasselled, curled and recurved ; the colors of the 

 flowers are of almost every shade, from the purest white to a deep 

 purple. It is only from a prejudice, that the flowers are common, 

 that they are not more highly valued. If a fine collection of twenty 

 or thirty varieties is seen in full beauty, we are confident that noth- 

 ing further need be urged, to recommend them, as amply repaying 

 in their splendor, all the care that may be bestowed on their culti- 

 vation. 



The chysanthemum is perfectly hardy, and will stand our coldest 

 winters when planted in the open garden, without any covering. 

 But as we cultivate our varieties in pots, we prefer to winter them, 

 by placing the pots in a cold frame, or dry cellar, whei-e they are not 

 watered until April ; a warm, moist cellar, will be injurious to the 

 plants I as it would cause them to draw up weak, from want of light 

 and air ; in April we set the pots out in the garden in a warm place^ 

 on a south border, and give the plants water as they require. They 

 soon begin to grow, and make fine vigorous shoots for propagation. 



If large plants are wanted, the method of growing them is, to take 

 the old ones out of the pots, and shake off the soil ; pull off all the 

 suckers but one or two, and re-pot the plants in the fourth size pots, 

 (supposing them to have been in the third,) in a suitable compost, 

 giving water every day after they are well rooted. This was for- 

 merly the method pursued by most gardeners, and was practised for 

 many years with the English growers, until the Chinese method be- 

 came known. This, so superior in all respects, not only saving time 

 in the propagation, but as forming much more beautiful plants, has 

 completely superseded the common modes. 



As soon as the plants have made shoots six or eight inches long, 

 cuttings should be taken off (the latter part of April) about four 

 inches in length, cutting smoothly across at a joint. Strip oft' the 

 lower leaves, and insert them in pots of the third size, (six in each,) 

 in a soil composed of loam, peat or leaf mould, and sand — place the 

 pots in a shady situation for a few days, until rooted, when they 

 should have the sun a few hours in the morning. About the middle 

 of May they should be potted singly into small pots, in the same 

 soil. The latter part of June they should be again potted into the 

 fourth size pots, using a compost of loam and well decomposed ma- 

 nure, in the proportion of one-third of the latter to tw^o-thirds of the 

 former, adding a small quantity of sand. The plants should be 

 topped in the first part of July, and well watered, (using liquid 

 manure occasionally,) every day, throughout the season. This 

 SsAW add greatly to the luxuriance of the plants, which will soon he, 



