64 THE CULTURE OF THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 



at night or on foggy days, to prevent the damp air from 

 drawing in at the bottom and going out at the top, 

 resting on the blooms midway. This is what happens if 

 the side ventilators are not closed. It is better to put on 

 a little fire-heat, so that the plants may have a small 

 amount of warmth and plenty of air at the top. A slight 

 shading when the flowers are opening is beneficial, 

 especially to the dark coloured varieties. There should 

 be no danger of damping, or scalding that is, if the 

 watering is done carefully and before mid-day. 



Riicl Manuring. 



The watering should be done by mid-day, and certainly 

 not after three o'clock, so that everything may be dry 

 before dark. The plants want very little water for .a few 

 days after they are housed. In fact, it makes one feel as 

 if something were going wrong with them, so persistently 

 damp do they keep, especially those in large pots ; but 

 patience will bring everything right. Some cultivators 

 say, " Do not use any stimulant for a few days after the 

 plants are taken indoors." This is quite right, since the 

 stimulant is given in water, and, as I have said, they re- 

 quire scarcely any water. From the tiriHe they are housed 

 I use nothing but a little pure Peruvian guano not more 

 than a teaspoonful to two gallons of water. This I use 

 at each watering. It is of a more drying nature than any- 

 thing else I know. Any kind of manure containing salt, 

 or which will create moisture, should be carefully used 

 after housing; and I would advise those who have not a 

 thorough knowledge of the constituents of manures to use 

 guano. This may be applied until the flowers are half 

 expanded. 



Show Blooms* 



If any blooms are required for show, and are likely to be 

 a week too soon, cut them two days before they are fully 

 out. They will come up if they are put in water, and 

 placed in a dry, semi-dark, cool place. They should be 



