CHAPTER III 



Composts 



Chrysanthemums can be grown in every kind of 

 soil with a certain measure of success, and it often 

 happens that the grower has to do the best he can 

 with what he knows to be an unsuitable medium. But 

 the grower whose aim is to get as near perfection as 

 possible, gives time and thought to the preparation 

 of the soil in which his plants are to be finally planted 

 or potted to grow up to maturity, knowing well that 

 errors in this regard may defeat the best of skill. As 

 the plastic clay is in the hands of the molder, so in 

 much the same manner must the compost be to the 

 grower, capable, as it were, of accelerating or restrain- 

 ing in its effects in accordance with the plant's needs. 



At the start, its adaptability to encourage free, 

 vigorous growth is most essential, with ample food 

 stores to keep / the plant progressing, but large addi- 

 tional food stores both in liquid and solid form must 

 later be added, and this involves attention to the 

 mechanical texture, so that the later applications of 

 plant food may be received into the plant's larder with- 

 out "causing stagnation of the soil or congestion of the 

 plant's root system. In short, the soil selected should 

 have body or consistency to sustain growth, and 

 porosity to permit of the free passage of water. There 

 is nothing better than rotted sod, and if good sod 

 be obtainable, its preparation should begin some time 

 in advance. 



Late in the fall of the previous year a compost 

 heap may be put together by stacking the sod, grass 



