48 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 



take a red, yellow, or white, and cross it with another of the 

 same color, but better in constitution or some other quality, 

 rather than to cross indiscriminately. I also believe that the 

 petals farthest from the centre are likely to produce the best 

 and most double blooms. After the pollen is set I withhold 

 water, giving only enough to keep the plants alive, and 

 remove them to a dry place to ripen their seed. When the 

 plant is nearly matured the seed will in most cases ripen, even 

 if cut from the stalk." 



Chrysanthemum seeds germinate freely in from seven to 

 nine days when sown in pots or boxes and placed in a tem- 

 perature of 60 degrees, and if sown early in spring will pro- 

 duce blooming plants in the fall. When sufficiently ad- 

 vanced, pot the plants singly in two-and-a-half-inch pots and 

 move to larger pots as their growth demands it. A six-inch 

 pot is quite large enough to bloom a seedling in the first year. 



The treatment of seedling plants differs from the treatment 

 of those from cuttings in that no pinching or care need be 

 exercised as to the shape of the plant. Mr. Salter used to 

 say that for every chrysanthemum he named and sent out, he 

 destroyed at least two thousand. This may be discouraging 

 to the amateur, but the truth must be told ; yet sometimes a 

 good variety will appear among a few dozen seedlings that 

 may make the grower's name famous. 



The foliage of seedlings is always clean and thrifty and the 

 profusion of blossoms following afford great pleasure to the 

 grower, as no two will be precisely alike. 



The chrysanthemum being so freely propagated by cuttings, 

 hybridizing and the growing of seedlings are only necessary 

 when improvement in either size, form or color is sought for. 

 The principal object of the hybridizer should be to improve 

 upon the vigor and color. Size should not be sought at the 

 expense of these two qualities. A first-class chrysanthemum 

 should be of free growth, with stiff stems, the foliage clean 



