40 HENDERSON'S GARDEN GUIDE AND RECORD. 



HOW TO GROW 



Chrysanthemums from Plants. 



TREATMENT OF PLANTS WHEN RECEIVED. If the young plants of Chry- 

 santhemums are received in the winter or spring before the weather is warm enough to 

 plant them in the open groimd, they should be planted in small flower pots, say 3 or 4 inches 

 in width, or in shallow boxes, such as cigar boxes, in any good soil such as is used for any 

 ordinary house plant. It will be necessary to shift the Chrysanthemums into larger pots 

 or boxes at least once during the season, otherwise they would not have sufficient soil in 

 the smaller pot or box to grow the plants in the best manner. 



PLANTING TIME. The time for setting, the plants outdoors is best told by saying 

 that they should be set out about the time corn and tomatoes are planted, which, in the 

 vicinity of New York, is about the middle of May; of course, if you are farther north, it 

 must be later; if farther south, earlier. 



CULTURAL NOTES. After planting give them one good watering, which will 

 usually be sufficient for the first six or eight days; after that, if the surface of the soil 

 appears dry, they may again be watered, but very lightly, as they will not start to grow 

 much for three or four weeks after planting. As soon as they begin to grow freely they 

 will require water oftener and in greater quantity. As the Chrysanthemum is quite a 

 hardy plant, it may be kept in a cool room or greenhouse where the temperature runs from 

 50 to 60 degrees. If desired to be grown for indoor decoration, the plants should be placed 

 in any good, rich soil in flower pots of not less than six inches in diameter and depth; or, 

 if flower pots are not convenient, boxes of about the same capacity will do equally well, 

 and placed outdoors in a good, sunny exposure. It is rather the best plan for amateurs 

 to sink the pot or box containing the plant, so as to be level with the surface; this keeps 

 it cool and prevents it getting too dry in hot weather. The pots or boxes should be moved 

 every two or three weeks, so as to prevent the roots getting through into the groimd, as 

 they must all be kept within the limits of the pot or box, otherwise they would wilt when 

 taken up in the fall. 



PINCHING BACK SHOOTS. Soon after the Chrysanthemums are set in the 

 open ground they will grow rapidly. As soon as the shoots attain a height of nine or ten 

 inches, they should be "pinched back," as it is called, that is, with the finger and thumb 

 pinch out an inch or so of the center of the shoot, that at once stops the upward spindling 

 growth and causes the shoots to branch out from below. If fine, bushy plants are desired, 

 this "pinching back" must be done every two or three weeks up to the middle of August, 

 tout not later; the plants will then have attained a growth of 1 M to 2 feet in width and 

 height. Although when the pots or boxes have been sunk to the level of the surface 

 they are not hkely to require much water, yet, in long continued dry spells, it will be neces- 

 sary to give them a good soaking once a week, but that will usually be sufficient. By 

 October, the plants, if treated as already directed, vnll have attained a height and width 

 of two or three feet, having from fifteen to thirty shoots on each plant. 



DISBUDDING. On each shoot will be fovmd, about the first of October, a cluster 

 of flower buds. If the finest flowers are desired, all the buds except one — the strongest — 

 should be rubbed off. On the next page we give sketches of the two great classes 

 of buds formed by Chrysanthemums known as "Crowns" and "Terminals." Under the 

 system of culture herein described nothing but "terminals" wiU appear. Should the 

 grower get a cutting in February, however, and grow it along to a single stem or to three 

 stems "crown" buds would appear. As shown in the sketch the "crown" bud comes alone 

 the "terminal" always accompanied by others; the latter is the safer bud to leave always. 

 Pinch out where shov\Ti on dotted lines. By the middle of October they should be placed 

 under cover in some plant room or greenhouse, where the temperature ranges from say 

 50 to 70 degrees, and for five or six weeks you will be repaid for your labor by the gorgeous 

 blooms suitable for exhibition purposes. Treated in this way, many kinds give flowers 

 eight inches in diameter. 



