CHRYSANTHEMUMS CUTTING BACK 

 OLD PLANT 



A, old stem cut back to within seven inches 

 of rim of pot ; B, healthy suckers grow- 

 ing suitable for cuttings. 



THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 299 



dwarf and sturdy, as already hinted. The object of the grower 

 must be to take them off before they have time to "draw." Ex- 

 perienced men will always have an eye 

 to the basal growths, however much 

 engrossed they may be in the flowers ; 

 but amateurs are liable to overlook 

 this all-important matter. The suckers 

 should be removed when they are about 

 three inches above the ground. 



Suppose suckers have not come by 

 the time the plants go out of bloom, 

 what? It is unusual, but it may 

 happen, and the way to meet the case 

 is to cut the plants back to within a 

 few inches of the pot decayed flowers, 

 leaves, stem all going, save a short 

 stump. This procedure will enable the grower to bring the base 



of the plant close to the glass. Let 

 him give water if the soil becomes 

 very dry, just as if the plant were in 

 full growth, and suckers will surely 

 come. 



If there are plenty of small (say 

 3-inch) pots available, each sucker may 

 have a pot to itself; otherwise, several 

 may be put in a larger pot. In the 

 former case one crock, covered with 

 a little clean moss, over the hole will do for drainage ; in the 

 latter the pot may be one-third filled with crocks. Equal parts 

 of loam and leaf-mould, with a tenth part of sand, will make 

 a good compost. Should several suckers be put in one pot, 

 insert them, equidistantly, round the edge, and be careful with 

 the labelling, or all the names will get mixed up. The suckers 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS 

 Pots of suckers or cuttings under a handlight. 



