56 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



consecutive days to make sure that each plant gets a little. 

 Once or twice a week will be sufficient at first, increasing it 

 in strength and frequency as the season advances. By the 

 end of July it may also be necessary to apply a very light 

 surface dressing of artificial manure, repeating the applica- 

 tion about once every week or ten days until the flowers are 

 fairly well advanced. There are many special Chrysan- 

 themum manures on the market and most of them produce 

 excellent results. By following the instructions of the 

 vendors it is not easy to go wrong, and unless the cultivator 

 has a special chemical knowledge it is better for him to use 

 one of these carefully compounded manures than to dabble 

 with crude manures, such as nitrate of soda or sulphate of 

 ammonia, although excellent results have followed the use 

 of one or two very light dressings or watering of nitrate of 

 soda when the plants have appeared a little slack, say, 

 during a hot spell in the early part of the season. The 

 stimulus given the plants being noticeable until the 

 flowering period when compared with those not so treated, 

 the flower itself, in most instances, having extra solidity 

 and breadth of floret. When experimenting with manures 

 it is necessary to leave a few plants undressed in order that 

 the actual result can be measured. 



SYRINGING 



For the early stages of growth, and later in the season 

 when the plants are stood out of doors, the use of the syringe 

 has been recommended because it contributes to the cleanli- 

 ness and health of the plants. But I have known syringing 

 carried to excess, for too much moisture tends to produce 

 sappy foliage and wood which seldom matures well. 



