46 THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 



is put on loose and does not pack together, which, in 

 any case, is essential for proper aeration, and when 

 maintained in this condition, careful observation will 

 enable the grower to know when water is needed. 

 This top dressing should carry the plants along nicely 

 for three or four weeks and bring them to the season 

 of maximum feeding, when supplies must be liberal, 

 varied in character and of frequent application. Here 

 again the plants themselves must be the prompters, 

 but, generally speaking, toward the end of August 

 additional fertilizers in liquid form may be given, or 

 an additional top dressing of some concentrated 

 manure, and persistent feeding must be kept up 

 throughout the month of September. In this matter 

 the condition of the plants must be the main guide. 

 Plants overfed may look pleasing to the eye in their 

 vigor of gross growth, but this may be growth that will 

 fail in the final test of finishing a perfect bloom. 

 Vigor must be accompanied with firmness, a harden- 

 ing, or, as growers usually term it, a ripening of the 

 growth as shown in a hard, woody stem having little 

 pith or core in the center. Given this condition, and 

 feeding may be of the most liberal character, but 

 until this condition is attained it is better to go light 

 with feeding. 



Another axiom to guide the beginner in this 

 matter is when all is well with the plants to wait 

 until the buds are taken, which will be during 

 the last part of August and the first few days of 

 September, then when the buds are seen to be swelling 

 nicely to assist them in every possible way, freely and 

 continuously, till the buds begin to open and show 

 color; then to discontinue. The effect of proper feed- 

 ing upon the vigor of plants and the size of flowers 

 is seen in Figs. 14 ancL15. 



