CHRYSANTHEMUM 



CHRYSANTHEMUM 



305 



-The first step 



Marked forms are Laciniatum, Lillian B. Bird, Mill- 

 brook, Mrs. W. H. Rand, A. H. Wood, Shavings, North- 

 em Lights. 



Relative Impobtanoe and Uses op the Types.— In 

 general, the large-fld. forms are more popular than the 

 small-fld. forms, especially at exhibitions, where great 

 size is often the greatest factor in prize-winning. 

 Types 9, 10 and 11 are the most important in America, 

 especially the Japanese section. The fls. of types 9 and 

 10 are likely to be more compact and globular, and hence 

 better for long shipments than the looser and more fan- 

 ciful types. Types 9, 10 and 11 are the ones to which 

 most care is given, especially in disbudding and train- 

 ing. They are the ones most commonly grown by the 

 florists for cut-fls. and whenever one large fl. on a long 

 stem is desired. The anemone-flowered forms are all 

 usually considered as curiosities, especially the Japa- 

 nese Anemones, which are often exhibited as freaks 

 and oddities. The single and anemone-flowei-ed forms 

 are used chiefly for specimens in pots with many small 

 fls., but all the other types are used for the same pur- 

 pose. For outdoor culture, the hardy Pompons, with 

 their numerous small fls., are usually better than the 

 large-flowering or Japanese kinds. In America, the 

 Chrysanthemum ranks fourth in economic importance, 

 although its season is practically only six weeks, while 

 the season of the florists' roses, carnations and violets 

 is from six to nine months. If one were to put a guess 

 in the form of figures, it might be said that possibly 

 60 per cent of all American Chrysanthemums are raised 

 for cut-fls., 30 per cent for potted plants, while 10 per 

 cent are hardy old-fashioned Pompons cultivated out- 

 doors. Tfjf ]y[_ 



SECTION I.- CULTURE OP THE LARaE-PLOWERED 

 CHRYSANTHEMUMS GROWN UNDER GLASS (0. 

 Indicum x ^norifolium) , 



Introduction and General Principles. 

 towards success is good, healthy cut- 

 tings, and as they become established 

 plants they should receive generous cul 

 ture throughout their entire growing 

 season. This requires close attention to 

 watering, airing, repotting, and a liberal 

 supply of nutriment. 



Chrysanthemums are propagated in 

 four ways,— by cuttings, division, seeds, 

 and grafting. By far the most important 

 is the first, because it is the most rapid. 

 It is the method of the florists. In locali- 

 ties where the plants can remain out- 

 doors over winter without injury, they 

 may be increased by division. This sys- 

 tem is practiced more by amateurs than 

 florists, being the easiest method for the 

 home garden but not rapid enough for 

 the florist. Propagation by seeds is re- 

 sorted to only to produce new varieties, 

 and is discussed at length under subsec- 

 tion IV. Grafting is very rare. Skilful 

 gardeners sometimes graft a dozen or 

 more varieties on a large plant, and 

 the sight of many different colored fls. 

 on the same plant is always interesting 

 at exhibitions. 



Subsection I. — Culture of Chrysan- 

 themums for cut-flowers. 



This is the method chiefly employed 

 by florists, the plants being grown in 

 benches. 



1. Propagation by Cuttings. — Plants 

 of the preceding year afford stock from 

 which to propagate the following season 

 They produce quantities of stools 

 suckers, which form excellent material 

 for the cuttings. These are generally "_ 

 taken from 1-2J^ in. in length, the lower 

 Ivs. removed, also the tips of the broad 

 Ivs., then placed in propagating beds close together, 

 where they are kept continually wet until rooted. To in- 

 sure a large percentage, the condition of the cuttings 



20 



should be moderately soft. If the stock plants are al- 

 lowed to become excessively dry, the cuttings are likely 

 to harden, and thus be very slow in producing roots. 

 Single-eye cuttings may be used of new and scarce va- 

 rieties when necessary. These are fastened to a tooth- 

 pick with fine stemming- wire, allowing half of the tooth- 

 pick to extend below the end of the 'cutting, and when 

 inserted in the cutting-bed the end of the cutting should 

 rest upon the sand. It requires more time to produce 

 good plants by this system than where fair-sized cut- 

 tings can be taken, but it is often of service where stock 

 is limited. The propagating house should be well 

 aired, and it is advisable to change the sand after the 

 second or third batch of cuttings has been removed, to 

 avoid what is termed cutting-bench fungus. The cuttings 

 should never be allowed to wilt, and this is avoided by 

 giving abundance of air, and when the temperature 

 reaches over 70° from sun heat, by shading with some 

 material, either cloth or paper. 



2. Planting. — Cuttings should not be allowed to re- 

 main in the cutting-bench after the roots are K in. in 

 length, or they will become hardened, which will check 

 the growth. As soon as rooted, they should be potted 

 into 2-in. or 2K-in. pots, using good, mellow soil with a 

 slight admixture of decomposed manure. Most of the 

 large fls. are produced under glass, and the bench sys- 

 tem is generally employed, which consists of 4 or 5 in. 

 of soil placed upon benches. In these benches the 

 small plants are planted 8-12 in. apart each way, from 

 the latter part of May to the middle of July. Those 

 planted at the first date generally give the best results. 

 The soil should be pounded rather firm either before 

 planting or after the plants have become established. 



3. Soil. — There are many ideas as to what soil is best 

 suited for the Chrysanthemum, but good blooms may be 

 grown on clay or light, sandy loam, provided the culti- 

 vator is a close observer and considers the condition of 

 the soil in which they are growing. Clay soil, being 

 more retentive of moisture, will require less water and 





'mm 



Type <A Japanese Cncurved Chrysanthemum. 



feeding than soil of a more porous nature. The Chry- 

 santhemum is a gross feeder, and, therefore, the fertility 

 of the soil is very important in the production of fine 



