44 * THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [June 



£$&>- ^&m 



ft Soc. by Thos. Meeban, at Bartram's Garden, in November last. — Ed.] ^) 

 Heat with shade would increase the evil of which we complain in the c/ 

 long stems. All that can be done therefore is when they show their \ 

 bloom to hasten the opening or expanding of the buds by increase of 

 temperature. 



The straggling habit of the Chrysanthemum can be counteracted 

 only by the method pursued in the propagation of the new plants, and 

 during the first year of their growth; indeed, they should be renewed 

 each year, rejecting two year old plants. The cuttings should be ta- 

 ken from the end of the shoots or branches, and at as late a part of 

 the season as possible, in order to ensure a more dwarf habit and 

 earlier bloom; cuttings may be taken from the tops of the shoots so 

 long as there is no bloom to be seen ; by this means, the plant being 

 already partially developed, its flower buds will be matured sooner 

 than by taking an offset from the root, having no tendency when cut 

 to form flower buds. Make the cut tings 3 or 4* inches long, cutting 

 or stripping the leaves off half its length ; cut it smoothly across the 

 extremity so as to leave no ragged edges, and to present the least pos- 

 sible amount of surface to heal, callous, or granulate, which must take 

 place before any roots can be made — a rule which should be observed 

 in generarpropagation ; insert the cuttings thus prepared up to the 

 leaves which remain, or about half their length in rich, open or por- 

 ous soil, composed of leaf mould, peat or Jersey soil and loam, in 

 proportions according to the judgment of the operator, which after all 

 is the best regulator in these matters, for we cannot measure a small 

 portion of soil accurately, and long dry tables of component parts be- 

 long rather to the laboratory than the potting shed of the amateur, for 

 whom this simple article is written, as I am not gardener enough to 

 pretend to teach the "working gardeners," and cultivators of Victoria 

 Regia, who know all about Chiswick and Kew, and every thing else 

 — the Crystal Palace and Sir Joseph Paxton not excepted. 



But I have not done with our fall friends, though this is spring, and 

 a six-months must elapse before the Chrysanthema will look around 

 for admirers. Put the cuttings in seed pans (or cutting boxes, accord- 

 ing to old Bisset's plan, with a cover of glass;) never let them wilt; do 

 not shade them too much, but only when absolutely necessary; slight 

 bottom heat hurries them up, for this is a great country to do things 

 right off. Wipe the cover of the box or pan regularly, to prevent 

 damping from moisture. Novices in propagation will be more suc- 

 cessful in early spring, the wood is then soft ; they should however 

 continue putting a few in all through the season — the later the cut- 

 tings are taken however, the more dwarf and pretty the plant will be 

 by observing the proper system of after culture. After being satisfied 

 j^that they have rooted, they should be potted into convenient sized 



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