HERBACEOUS ELOWEES. 



79 



Chrysanthemum — Pyrethrum of modern Botanists. — 

 The garden Chrysanthemums are said to belong to two 

 species ; P. Sinense, the Large-flowered Chrysanthe- 

 mums ; and P. Indicum, the Pompone, or small-flowered 

 varieties. Of both these, there are very many named 

 sorts ; and new varieties are constantly appearing, throw- 

 ing their predecessors into the shade, by the charm of 

 novelty, if not of beauty. Chrysanthemums are of the 

 easiest culture, by root-division in early spring, by cut- 

 tings in April and May, and by layers in July and 

 August, which will strike root, bear transplanting, and 

 flower the same summer. A light rich soil and plenty of 

 moisture, is all they require. To keep them dwarf, for 

 pots, constant shifting into a size larger is a usual mode; 

 but from shoots taken shortly before the formation of the 

 flower-buds, and struck under glass, in heat, very pretty- 

 dwarf plants are often obtained. The Chrysanthemum, 

 which would be admired at any season, is specially valued 

 as being the last showy flower of the year. But out-door 

 plants are at the mercy of the weather, which may allow 

 them to bloom, or may not. A few choice chrysanthe- 

 mums deserve a place against a south or east wall ; there 

 they will bloom a little earlier, and also enjoy a little 

 shelter. Most gardeners, however, bestow their labour 

 on pot- culture, removing the plants into a frame or green- 

 house at the first symptom of frost and snow. Chrysan- 

 themums offer great variety of form as well as of colour : 

 there are the Quilled, the Tasselled, the Incurved, the 

 Clustered, the Eanunculus-flowered, the Marigold-flow- 

 ered, and the Aster-flowered. 



A dozen good Chrysanthemums : the Queen, blush ; 

 Vesta, ivory-white ; Nonpareil, rosy-lilac ; Sulphurea 

 pallida ; Themis, rose ; Defiance, white ; Beauty, peach- 

 blush ; Marguerite d'Anjou, nankin; Madame Andre, 

 rose and white ; King of Crimsons ; Calypso, lilac ; 

 Bolla, purple. 



A dozen good Pompones : Mont Blanc, white ; Ariadne, 

 red ; Beine des Anemones, white ; La Pygmee, yellow ; 

 La Buche, blush ; Biquiqui, plum-coloured ; Cedo 

 nulli, white tipped with buff; Bijou d' Horticulture, 



