THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 75 



cut away ; and even when this is done the insect is more likely to 

 bring pollen from some single bloom than from a double one. 

 Considering these things I think we have a better prospect of ob- 

 taining good results from carefully hand fertilized seed than from 

 that which has been naturally fertilized. 



As to the future of the chrysanthemum, T think it has come to 

 stay ; for blooming as it does at a season of the year when there 

 is nothing to compete with it there is no reason why it should not 

 hold a permanent place in the estimation of every lover of flowers. 



Discussion. 



E. W. Wood was called on and said that the paper was pre- 

 pared by a cultivator who had given more direct personal attention 

 to the chrysanthemum than almost any other ; and it left little to 

 be said. The chrysanthemum is of easj^ cultivation and comes to 

 perfection in a short time. Nothing surprises visitors to our 

 chrysanthemum shows more than to be told how short a time has 

 elapsed since the plants were started from cuttings. The speaker 

 emphasized the importance of beginning with healthy cuttings ; 

 he had lost some of his best varieties by inattention to this point. 

 If a plant is not vigorous, or of only doubtful vigor, it is of no 

 use to try to grow it ; he had never succeeded in restoring an un- 

 healthy plant. They cannot be grown under the shade of bushes 

 but must have an airy, open place. Mr. Wood said in regard to 

 temperature that one grower kept his plants in a cold grapery 

 where it was almost freezing, so that they were dormant. One 

 grower put in his cuttings the fifteenth of March, which is early 

 enough for house decoration, but for exhibition a large proportion 

 are started in .January. If drawn in a warm greenhouse they are 

 invariably spoiled. With a temperature of from 50° to 55° by 

 night they will spindle and the tops will die and all the care that 

 has been given them will be lost. Shifting before they become 

 pot-bound gives a basis for large health}' plants for exhibition. 



Mr. Wood hoped that some one would be able to tell the cause 

 of the failure in almost every instance of satisfactory bloom from 

 the chrysanthemum last season. There was much wood showing 

 blind. He pinched his plants back as late as the 25th of July 

 when the ground was unusually dry, and they did not make the 

 growth after pinching which is desirable. He had thought this might 



