150 Commercial Gardening 



Celosia cristata (COCKSCOMB). This East Indian annual is still popular 

 in many places, and is grown either for greenhouse decoration or for plant- 

 ing out during the summer months. Seeds are sown in heat in February 

 or March, the young plants being pricked out of the seed pots or pans in 

 due course, grown on, and hardened off if necessary. To secure fine 

 "combs" early the soil should not be too rich, but a certain percentage 

 of ill -formed combs must always be expected. The plume -like in- 

 florescences of the typical plant have now been replaced with thickened 

 masses of velvety tissue, curled and crimped into peculiar shapes. 



The Plumed Cockscomb C. plumosa with feathery plumes of various 

 colours, may be grown in the same way, but requires good rich soil and 

 proper attention to watering, &c., to secure the best results. 



Oestrum (Habrothamnus). A genus with a few species of climbing 

 greenhouse shrubs, easily grown in sandy loam, and raised from cuttings. 

 The best kinds are aurantiacum, with golden-yellow tubular flowers; 

 elegans, with red flowers; fasciculatum, crimson, and Newelli, scarlet. 



Chrysanthemums. These are now grown in such enormous quan- 

 tities for the various markets, that to be successful it is necessary for 

 the grower to keep his selection strictly up to date, and to neglect 

 no detail in his system of culture. To obtain good prices, or to ensure 

 selling at a reasonable rate when markets are glutted, the quality whether 

 of blooms or spray must be good, and the grading and packing above 

 reproach. 



The first and one of the most important considerations in good culti- 

 vation is naturally the soil. Good rich turfy loam is the best, and no 

 trouble should be spared to obtain it. Most nurseries have a meadow 

 of some description to draw on for their potting supplies. It is worth 

 while considering whether the turf from that source is as good as it might 

 be. Practice has proved that the cheapest method of feeding Chrysan- 

 themums is to mix the necessary ingredients with the soil; it is still 

 cheaper and more convenient to apply such manure to the turf a year or 

 two before the soil is wanted. If a plot of ground for a year's supply of 

 Chrysanthemum soil is marked out, samples should be drawn from different 

 spots thoroughly mixed, and a portion sent for analysis to a competent 

 horticultural chemist, who will usually indicate the methods by which the 

 soil may be improved. As an example of what may be done, the following 

 hints may be of use. If nitrogen is deficient, a light sowing of clover will 

 improve matters, the nitrogen-fixing bacteria will enrich the soil from the 

 atmosphere with practically no expense to the grower. As nitrogen is the 

 dearest food we have to buy, this becomes a considerable item. Lime in 

 many cases (especially on alluvial soils) is present in negligible quantities; 

 it is better to apply it in three or four dressings to a growing turf than 

 to have to apply it in quantities at time of using. Phosphates are applied 

 easily and economically on most soils by the use of basic slag, which also 

 supplies lime; as slag is only slowly available, the advantage of applying 

 in advance of requirements is evident. Potash is usually in the soil in 



