Gardening for Amateurs 



459 



An amateur's group of Chrysanthemums. 



Chrysanthemums for Garden and Show 



AS decorative plants, and for the pro- 

 /_% duction of cut flowers from August 

 ^ -^-to January, few others excel the 

 Chrysanthemum. Amateur cultivators, cot- 

 tagers, and others find them equally valu- 

 able as border plants in the garden ; for 

 during the past few years the improve- 

 ment in Border Chrysanthemums, especi- 

 ally as regards their lesser height and 

 the form and varied colouring of the 

 blooms, has been remarkable. 



The Japanese varieties are the chief 

 favourites, the single-flowered sorts come 

 next, followed by the Border varieties. 

 The Incurved section is regaining much of 

 its former popularity, chiefly because there 

 are now so many good sorts that are in- 

 valuable as cut flowers ; the Pompons are 

 also liked by many ; but the Anemone, 



Japanese Anemone, Thread-petalled, and 

 some other fancy kinds find comparatively 

 few admirers. 



The Chrysanthemum is easily raised every 

 year from cuttings. Many thousands of 

 plants of the single-flowered varieties are 

 readily raised from seeds ; the plants grow 

 freely, possess good foliage, which is rare'y 

 subject to disease or insect pest attacks 

 of a serious nature, bloom freely, and have 

 flowers of varied colouring. 



Taking Cuttings for Big Blooms. 

 Some of the very best of the Japanese varieties 

 are late-flowering, and as most shows are 

 held from the last week in October to the 

 third week in November, it behoves the 

 exhibitor to get his blooms perfect during 

 this short period. The work of taking 

 cuttings of these sorts must be commenced 



