THE PARLOR GARDENER. 107 



ful flowers, but to the most beautiful flower, each 

 plant having but one. 



To every country its custom, the proverb says. 

 To ourselves, " outside barbarians " as we are, 

 the chrysanthemum, cultivated in the Chinese 

 fashion, appears, and with reason, completely de- 

 void of grace. You will take care, then, by 

 means of the same pinching process practised 

 upon the pelargoniums, to compel your chrysan- 

 themums to form a head consisting of three or 

 four branches of equal strength, well furnished 

 with flowers, making the plant of such a height 

 from the ground as may be suited to the disposa- 

 ble place on your balcony, and leaving to each 

 branch the number of flowers which it sees fit to 



have. 



The Balcony to the South. 



It is upon the balcony exposed to the south, 

 ladies, that you can practise the most varied hor- 

 ticulture a balcony to the south being the bor- 

 der of a parterre on a reduced scale. There, in 

 pots filled with an equal mixture of earth and 

 manure, you may produce, by sowing, all the 

 annual ornamental plants pansies, Queen Mar- 



