SHOWY FEI'EMFEW. 1,5,, 



of the plants that were disturbed in the autumn, in 

 which ease the potted plants will be ready to take their 

 place. 



In the cultivation of pyre thrums there are one or two 

 points of considerable importance. In the first place, when 

 very young plants are put out in the mixed border they 

 are liable to be injured, if not quite destroyed, by digging 

 or other operations during the winter, as they retain but 

 few leaves fi'om November to February. In the next 

 place, they like a strong rich soil, such as will retain a 

 fair proportion of moisture. They are furnished with 

 innumerable small roots ; therefore the soil should be 

 broken up fine to a good depth. Newly-purchased plants 

 are generally small, and it is much better to plant them in 

 a well-prepared bed in the kitchen garden for a year or 

 two, to give them a good start, than to put them in the 

 flower border. Keep the soil about tiiem free from weeds, 

 and supply frequently with liquid manure. If they are in 

 a well-drained soil they will enjoy a rather large supiply of 

 water, and, so far as growth and the number of flowers 

 produced are concerned, a dripping time thr(jngh the 

 months of May and June is eminently favourable to them. 

 Overcrowding must be avoided, as pyrethrums pniduee so 

 many roots that they exhaust the soil for some distance. 

 Large examples ought to be at least thirty inches apart 

 each way, and when allowed this space they will, if the .soil 

 is in good condition, produce from thirty to fifty flowers of 

 fair average quality. 



Pyrethrums produce seed freely, and very often crowds 

 of seedling plants appear around the old stdols. It is 

 advisable to cut ofl^ the flowers as fast as they fade, and so 

 prevent the growth of seed ; but if seed be wanted it is 



