THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 67 



The soil into which the young plants are potted is composed of 

 good sandy loam and well decayed stable manure in the propor- 

 tion of about three of the former to one of the latter. Avoid a 

 heavy clay soil, as the chrysanthemum seems to delight in one of 

 a rich and rather sandy nature. 



As soon as potted the plants are placed in a quite cool, light, 

 and airy structure, and shaded for a few days from the bright 

 sunshine by throwing a covering of paper over them. They are 

 watered sparingly at first, but as the plants get accustomed to 

 their new condition and begin to grow freely the quantity of 

 water is increased as the condition of the plants may require ; and 

 from this time on to the end they are never allowed to sutfer from 

 want of water. 



For the greater part of our plants that are to flower the coming 

 autumn, the cuttings are put in to r'oot from the first to the third 

 week in March and potted as soon as they are well rooted ; and 

 when thej' have become established the healthiest are selected to 

 be potted up preparatory to being planted out in the ground. 



After the pots become well filled with roots, but before the 

 plants become actually pot-bound, they are shifted from the two 

 and three-quarters inch size to four inch pots and from that to 

 five inch, as the necessity ma}' be ; for the plants should never be 

 allowed to become pot-bound early in the season. 



I should very much prefer an April cutting that had never been 

 checked than one struck in February or earlier and allowed to 

 become pot-bound ; for one great secret of success in chr^-sauthe- 

 mum culture consists in keeping the plants in a healthy growing 

 condition from the time the cuttings are made to the time they 

 come into flower. 



With us pinching begins as soon as the plant is about six inches 

 high. Our practice is to simply pinch out with the thumb and 

 forefinger the smallest amount possible from the growing end, 

 never cutting back to hard wood except in case of ungainly 

 growth. 



This pinching process is best done a few days or a week before 

 the plant is shifted to a larger sized pot, for in this time the new 

 shoots will have begun to start and will be in condition to use the 

 nourishment supplied by the fresh soil. 



Even when the grower has the advantage of a house capable of 

 being ventilated to an unusual degree it is best to place the plants 



