66 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



reduce the strength of the manure water until clear 

 water only is employed. The late plants may be given a 

 few applications after the earlier ones are receiving merely 

 clear water. 



No rule can be laid down as to the temperature of 

 the Chrysanthemum house, but as the flowers begin to 

 unfold their florets fire heat is necessary to maintain a 

 dry atmosphere and to keep it in circulation. A certain 

 amount of ventilation must be given at all times night 

 and day varying this according to the state of the weather, 

 but care must be exercised to prevent cold draughts 

 through the house, these being a fruitful cause of damp- 

 ing. The front ventilators must only be used during bright, 

 dry, and not too cold weather. When the flowers happen 

 to be near the top ventilators, it may be necessary to 

 stretch a piece of light tiffany above them during wet or 

 foggy weather to prevent the moisture blowing in on them, 

 or this again may cause damping of the florets. 



Opinions are divided as to whether the flowers should 

 be shaded or not. When the plants are placed in large 

 houses the need for shading is not so great as in smaller 

 structures, but sudden increases of temperature are apt 

 to cause scalding of the florets even if there is plenty 

 of ventilation, and in such a case shading must be 

 employed ; not a heavy shade, however, but just sufficient 

 to break the full glare of the sun, removing the material 

 immediately the sun loses its power in the afternoon. As 

 the dark coloured varieties are most susceptible to scorch- 

 ing, it is convenient to place them near together where 

 they can be especially looked after in this respect. By 

 careful firing, ventilating, shading, and watering, the most 

 difficult varieties may be induced to open their flowers 



