14 CHRYSANTHEMUMS 



July until the buds begin to show colour 

 I water once a week with liquid sheep 

 manure, which is made by soaking five 

 pounds of sheep manure in forty-five gallons 

 of water, often and weak, rather than seldom 

 and strong, being my guiding principle in 

 the feeding of the plants. The black and 

 green aphides are always troublesome, but 

 they can be held in check by the frequent 

 use of tobacco dust. 



PROTECTION FROM EARLY FROST 



"Though the plants themselves are hardy, 

 the flowers of the large-flowered chrysan- 

 themums are more or less tender, and must 

 ■ be shielded from frost. About the middle 

 of September six-foot stakes, six feet apart, 

 are driven into the bed parallel with, and 

 two feet from, the edge. The stakes are 

 connected by a wire fastened well above 

 the tops of the plants. Over the frame thus 

 formed strips of burlap, long enough to 

 rest on the grass in front and extend well 

 down on the other side of the wire fence 

 at the back of the bed, are thrown whenever 

 frost threatens. The strips are weighted 

 at each end with a stick. Other material, 



