66 MASSACHUSETTS HOKTICULTDRAL SOCIETY. 



The plants as soon as they are through flowering should be 

 placed in the sunniest position possil)le, witli plenty of fresh air, 

 judicious watering, and a temperature of from 50° to 55°. The 

 matter of watering is a very important one at this time as well as 

 through the summer weather. The plants are more likely to get 

 too much water at this season than too little, but still they should 

 never be brought to a wilting condition, especially after they have 

 begun to make fresh growth. 



As soon as the young shoots are three or four inches long, we 

 take them off for cuttings ; and place these in the cutting bench, 

 in good clean rather fine sand. 



Many cultivators advise no bottom heat for chrysanthemum cut- 

 tings ; but we have tried both ways and find that by keeping them 

 in a temperature of about 45° or 50° with a gentle bottom heat of 

 about ten degrees higher, our cuttings will strike root much sooner 

 and will lose nothing in health. Too high a temperature is a very 

 prolific cause of failure in striking cuttings. 



In making the cuttings such shoots should be chosen as have a 

 fresh growing appearance, for those that are at all rust}' or un- 

 healthy, are quite sure to cause disappointment and trouble in the 

 future. 



In trimming the cuttings our practice is to cat off all but about 

 three leaves at the top ; for if more are left they are verj- apt to 

 wilt, and after the cuttings have once become thoroughly wilted 

 it is difficult to revive them, and often they will be a total failure. 



The lower end is cut with a sharp knife, taking no notice what- 

 ever of the position of the leaves or joints ; for the roots start as 

 freely between the joints as they do below them. 



Ample room should be allowed the cuttings while in the sand, 

 for if they are too much crowded they are very apt to gather an 

 excess of moisture, which will cause them to damp oflT; especially 

 if the}' have previously' suffered from dryness. 



If everything goes well the cuttings will be rooted in about two 

 weeks ; and when the roots are from half an incli to an inch in 

 length they are carefully removed from the sand and immediately 

 potted into two and three-quarters inch pots. 



It is quite important that the cuttings should be taken from the 

 sand as soon as they are well rooted, for immediately after the 

 roots are formed the cuttings begin to grow and there being no 

 nourishment, to speak of, in the sand they necessarily become 

 weak and stunted. 



