4 6o 



Gardening for Amateurs 



Two unsuitable shoots from which to make cuttings. A contains 

 flower bud, and B is too thin and weakly. 



B 



B 



An old plant of Chrysanthemum cut 

 down after flowering. Suitable 

 shoots for cuttings are those 

 marked A ; those marked B 

 should be avoided. 



A sturdy short-jointed growth 

 from which a good cutting 

 may be formed. 



at the end of 

 November or early 

 in December. To 

 secure strong cut- 

 tings the old roots 

 must be well 

 treated the old 

 stems being cut 

 down as soon as 

 the flowers are 

 over, and placed 

 on stages or shelves 

 not far from the 

 roof glass. 



It is usual to re- 

 move any suckers 

 (growths that push 

 through the soil 

 in the pots) during 

 the summer and 

 autumn, but in 

 dealing with late- 

 floweriiig plants, 

 care must be taken 

 not to remove 

 suckers too late in 

 autumn, or there 

 may be a great 

 scarcity just when 

 they are wanted, 

 and it is the 

 sucker growths 

 that form the best 

 cuttings. It is ad- 

 visable to cease 

 removing them 

 when the blooms 

 show a little 

 colour. 



To encourage 

 the growth of 

 suckers on varie- 

 ties that produce 

 few of them care- 

 fully loosen the 

 surface with a 

 pointed stick and 

 put on a lignt 

 top-dressing of 

 gritty compost 

 which should be 

 kept fairly moist. 

 It is advisable to- 



