CHRYSANTHEMUM 



Marked forms are Laciniatum, Lillian B. Bird, Mill- 

 brook, Mrs. W. H. Rand, A. H. Wood, Shavings, North- 

 ern Lights. 



Kel.^tive Importance and Uses of the Types. — In 

 general, the large-fld. forms are more popular than the 

 small-fld. forms, especially at exhibitions, where great 

 size is often the greatest fartor in prize-winning 

 Types 9, 10 and 11 are the ni..st important in Am. ri.-a, 

 especially the Japanese sei'tiun, Tlie Hs. of typi's ;i and 

 10 are likely to be more conipaot and globular, anil licni'u 

 better for long shipments than the looser and more fan- 

 ciful types. Types 9, 10 and 11 are the ones to which 

 most care is given, especially in disbudding and train- 

 ing. They are the ones most commonly grown by the 

 florists for cut-fis. and whenever one large fi. on a long 

 stem is desired. The anemone-flowered forms are all 

 usually considered as curiosities, especially the Japa- 

 nese Anemones, which are often exhibited as freaks 

 and oddities. The single and anemone-flowered forms 

 are used chiefly for specimens in pots with many small 

 fls., but all th-e other types are used for the same pur- 

 pose. For outdoor culture, the hardy Pompons, with 

 their numerous small fl.s., are usually better than the 

 large-flowering or Japanese kinds. In America, the 

 Chrysanthemum ranks fourth in economic importance, 

 although its season is pi'actically only six weeks, while 

 the season of the florists' roses, carnations and violets 

 is from six to nine months. If one were to put a guess 

 in the form of flgures, it might be said that possibly 

 60 per cent of all American Chrysanthemums are raised 

 for cut-fls., ao per cent for potted plants, while 10 per 

 cent are hardy old-fashioned Pompons cultivated out- 



CHRYSANTHEMUM 



305 



should be moderately soft. If the stock plants are al- 

 lowed to become excessively dry, the cuttings are likely 

 to harden, and thus be very slow in producing roots. 

 Single-eye cuttings may be used of new and scarce va- 

 rieties when necessary. These are fastened to a tooth- 

 pick with tine stemming-wire, allowing half of the tooth- 

 pick to extend below the end of the cutting, and when 

 iusrrti'd in the cutting-bed the end of the cutting should 

 jTsr upon the sand. It requires more time to produce 

 gooil plants by this system than where fair-sized cut- 

 tings can be taken, but it is often of service where stock 

 is limited. The propagating house should be well 

 aired, and it is advisable to change the sand after the 

 second or third batcli (.f .-nttim.'s has liocn rcTnoved, to 

 avoid what is trnu.^l rnili 



should imvrl- 1„. -illour,! I 



rli fl 



Th. 



ttnigs 



doors. 



W. M. 



-The first step 



SECTION I.- CULTURE OP THE LARGE-FLOWERED 

 CHRYSANTHEMUM.S GROWN UNDER GLASS ( C. 

 Indicum x morifolium). 



Introduction and General Principles 

 towards success is good, healthy cut- 

 tings, and as they become established 

 plants they should receive generous cul 

 ture throughout thei 

 season 

 watering, 

 supply 



Chry 

 four ways, 



and grafting. By far the most important 

 is the first, because it is the most rapid 

 It is the method of the florists. In locali 

 ties where the plants can remain out 

 doors over winter without injury, thej 

 may be increased by division. This sys 

 tem is practiced more by amateurs thai 

 florists, being the easiest method for the 

 home garden but not rapid enough for 

 the florist. Propagation by seeds is re 

 sorted to only to produce new varieties 

 and is disi-ussfil at length under subsec 

 tionlV. Grafting is very rare. Skilful 

 gardeners sometimes graft a dozen or 

 more varieties on a large plant, and 

 the sight of many different colored fls 

 on the same plant is always interestin;. 

 at exhibitions. 



Subsection I. — Culture of Chrysan- 

 themums for cut-flowers. 



This is the method chiefly employed 

 by florists, the plants being grown in 

 benches. 



1. Propagation by Cuttings. — Plants 

 of the preceding year afford stock from 

 which to propagate the following season 

 They produce quantities of stools or 

 suckers, which form excellent material 

 for the cuttings. These are generalh 

 taken from 1-2H in. in length, the lower 

 Ivs. removed, also the tips of the broad 

 Ivs., then placed in propagating beds close together, 

 where they are kept continually wet until rooted. To in- 

 sure a large percentage, the condition of the cuttings 



20 



hy 



giving alMiiiilaii f .■iir. an. I wl..-ii th.- tcni]...rature 



readies ^>ver 7(1° fr.nn sun heat, by shading with some 

 material, either cloth or paper. 



2. f/uH^'iif/. — Cuttings should not be allowed to re- 

 main in the cutting-bench after the oots are ^ in. in 

 length, or they will become liai-.hii.-.l, wlii.-li will check 

 the growth. As soon as ro.it. -.1. tli.-y sli.ml.l be potted 

 into 2-in. or 2^-in. pots, using good, mellow .soil with a 

 slight admixture of decomposed manure. Most of the 

 large fls. are produced under glass, and the bench sys- 

 tem is generally employed, which consists of 4 or 5 in. 

 of soil placed upon benches. In these benches the 

 small plants are planted 8-12 in. apart each way, from 

 the latter part of May to the middle of July. Those 

 planted at the first .late L'.'n<-rally give the best results. 

 The soil should h,- ponn.l. .] rather firm either before 

 planting or after tli.' pl^iuis have become established. 



;i. *S'o/^ — There ar.- many id.. as as to what soil is best 

 suited for the Chrj'santhenium, but good blooms may be 

 grown on clay or light, sandy loam, provided the culti- 

 vator is a close observer and considers the condition of 

 the soil in which they are growing. Clay soil, being 

 more retentive of moisture, will require less water and 







452 Type ol Japanese Incurved Chrysanthemum 



feeding than soil of a more porous nature. The Chry- 

 santhemum is a gross feeder, and, therefore, the fertility 

 of the soil is very important in the production of fine 



