

THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 359 



for a mushroom bed. To these add a third part of coarse sand or road 

 grit, a third of a part of crushed oyster shells, and, in addition, a liberal 

 sprinkling of bone-meal and any well-known concentrated manure. The 

 heap should be well mixed, turning it over repeatedly until quite satisfied 

 that each of the ingredients is evenly distributed. In this case it will 

 not be necessary to pass the compost through a coarse sieve, but pull 

 the larger pieces of turfy loam into pieces about the size of a walnut. 

 Crock and pot with increasing care, rendering the soil firmer at each re- 

 potting. Cover the crocks as before with the rougher portions of the soil, 

 and when placing the plant in the new pot, keep the surface of the ball of 

 earth well below the rim of the pot. Ram the compost in firmly, other- 

 wise the aftergrowth will be poor. Stand the plants when repotted in 

 a somewhat shady place, allowing them to remain there for a few days, 

 or until they have recovered from the check. When the soil is just moist 

 no water will be needed by the repotted plants for a day or two, unless 

 one is much drier than another. A few hours before repotting the plants 

 water them thoroughly. When watering of the repotted plants is neces- 

 sary give them a copious supply to ensure the whole of the soil becoming 

 thoroughly moistened. In the course of a few days the plants may be 

 placed in the open in double rows, standing them on boards or a very 

 thick layer of ashes or coke breeze. Place a small hazel stake in each 

 pot to support the plant, the latter being lightly looped to the stake, 

 and not tied tightly as is so often the case. They may be left thus until 

 the final potting is necessary. 



Final Potting. Chrysanthemums are usually placed in their flower- 

 ing pots during the early summer, but this operation entirely depends 

 upon the condition of individual plants. This final potting is an im- 

 portant cultural detail, and to achieve success pay special attention to 

 the preparation of the compost. This should be composed as follows : 

 Four parts good fibrous loam, one part leaf-mould, half a part of horse 

 droppings, prepared as for a mushroom bed, and a sixth of a part each 

 of wood ashes, or crushed charcoal, and crushed oyster shells. A free 

 sprinkling each of some good concentrated manure, such as Clay's, and 

 a similar quantity of quarter-inch bones, will promote vigorous growth ; 

 but as the plants are to remain in these pots for five or six months at least, 

 a lasting compost is, of course, essential. The compost must be well 

 mixed, turning the heap over repeatedly each day for a few days, and 

 keep the mixture outdoors. In the meantime the pots for this final shift 

 should be got ready, washed inside as well as outside, and the potsherds 

 cleansed also. Plants at this time, in six-inch pots, should be transferred 

 into those either nine or ten inches in diameter, selecting those of more 

 vigorous growth for pots of larger size. , Those in five-inch pots may go 

 into others eight or nine inches across, observing the same rule regarding 

 the more vigorous sorts as advised for plants just mentioned. Many 

 of the Japanese varieties succeed better in large pots, but for the in- 

 curved Anemones, and other large-flowered types, pots nine inches in 

 diameter are excellent. For the Pompons, singles and early-flowering 

 kinds, choose the eight-inch size, as in these they develop into quite 



