THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



23 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



These are frequently almost forgotten until 

 some morning in October, when we lincl most 

 of our summer pets destroyed or disfigured 

 by the first slight frost. Then, as in war, we 

 await the result and count up our losses, and 

 find amongst the scathless none to come 

 out so bravely as the Chrysanthemums. A 

 frost of six or eight degrees does not harm 

 them in the least, and in sheltered positions 

 even as much as ten or twelve degrees does 

 no material damage to the opening blossoms. 



There is a remarkably wide range of color 

 and shape of flower, stature of plant and size 

 of bloom among the varieties now cultivated. 



Pompones, or Lilliputians, are varieties 

 with very small flowers, from the size of a 

 cent to that of a twenty-five-cent piece, 

 mostly flowering from the first of 

 October to the middle of November. 



Intermediates average the size of 

 a half-dollar, or a trifle larger. To 

 this section belong what are known 

 as Anemone flowered or quilled Pom- 

 pones. Some of these are early- 

 flowering, but the majority do not 

 bloom fully until after the first week 

 in November. Q&i 



Large-flowering. — These are the L/, 

 most symmetrical and compact in 7Z 

 form. Some have petals so com- Lis 

 pletely turned to the center as to form C'ri 

 nearly a circle, and are known as in- 

 curved varieties, in size from two and 

 a half to four and a half inches in 

 diameter ; others, with petals flat and 

 bending outwardly over each other, 

 as in the Victoria Aster, are known 

 as reflexed. These are large, also, but 

 are exceeded in size by the Anemone 

 flowered, a class with flowers of from 

 three to five inches in diameter. 



Japanese. — In these we have the 

 most grotesque shapes and forms 

 imaginable. Some have quite globe- 

 shaped flowers, with the petals finely 

 divided or cut so as to form a ball of 

 fringe ; others have long, wavy petals 

 hanging in the most careless and 

 graceful maimer ; another section has 

 peculiarly twisted, curled, and vari- 

 ously marked flowers, arranged in 

 many different forms, making them 

 appear artificial rather than natural. 



Between their various colors there is a 

 very wide range, from the purest white to 

 the very deepest velvet maroon, through all 

 shades of orange, brown, yellow, pink, bronze, 

 various purples and crimsons, with combina- 

 tions of two or more colors in many varieties. 



The cultivation of the Chrysanthemum is 

 of the easiest and most simple description, 

 and no plant is more grateful for a little at- 

 tention. Procure young plants to begin with, 

 in a dozen or more varieties — a few from 

 each section. This should have been done a 

 few weeks ago, but it is even now not too 

 late. Plant them in good soil, with a fair 

 proportion of rotten manure spaded in to a 

 good depth, and place them so that they are 

 not too crowded, say from two and a half to 

 three feet apart, either in the mixed border 

 or bed by themselves. A north-easterly or 

 south-easterly position, where they can have 

 a slight shade for a few hours during the 

 afternoon of our very hot summer days, is the 

 best. Never allow them to wilt, if possible. 

 A soaking of water once or twice a week 

 will be sufficient to prevent this. 



As the plants grow, place a good strong- 

 stick to each, and tie securely but not too 

 tightly. When the plants are six or seven 

 inches high, pinch out the top ; this will 

 induce lateral growth and bushy plants. 

 Continue pinching the shoots until the mid- 

 dle of July, after which time they should be 

 allowed to grow undisturbed. To produce 

 large plants, add more stakes and tie each 

 shoot horizontally. This induces a bushy and 

 compact growth, and if the plants are en- 

 couraged with frequent doses of liquid ma- 

 nure, each one will grow to from one and 

 a half to two feet in diameter by the first 

 of October. After the buds are of a good 

 size, the plants may be easily lifted and 

 potted into good-sized pots, for removal 

 either to the greenhouse or windows. A week 



ANEMONE FLOWERED CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



"before they are to be taken up, cut with 

 a good sharp spade, garden trowel, or knife, 

 clean around the plant a circle an inch or 

 two larger than the pots to be used, dig 

 away the soil outside the circle to the depth 

 of two or three inches, and give a thorough 

 soaking of water ; if the plants show signs 

 of wilting, sprinkle the whole plant over a 

 few times. Young roots will then form inside 

 the ball. When the plants are' lifted, rub 

 off a little more of the soil, or, what is better, 

 wash it off, place carefully in the pots, soak 

 thoroughly with water, stand in a shady 

 place for a few days, and then, as the nights 

 get colder, remove to a sheltered place where 

 plenty of air and an occasional sprinkling of 

 the whole plant can be given, until the flowers 

 begin to expand, when no more sprinkling is 

 necessary ; but never allow the plant to be 

 dry until through flowering. 



Many of the varieties are perfectly hardy, 

 but all do better with a slight protection, 

 which may consist of a few evergreen 

 branches, a slight covering of old hay, straw, 

 leaves, or any litter, or they may be removed 



and laid under the shelter of any fence or 

 under evergreens. 



To obtain the best results in Chrysanthe- 

 mum culture, new pieces — suckers from the 

 old stems — should be planted in April, and 

 not more than two or three shoots in each 

 place. [For the accompanying illustration 

 we are indebted to < lurrfc/iim/ flhis/nilcil.] 



LARKSPURS. 



It may seem rather bite to write about 

 sowing seeds of annual plants just now ; and 

 so it is to obtain any advantage of them the 

 present year. That is not my object, but to 

 impress upon the amateur the advantage to 

 be obtained next year by attending this year 

 to work too often deferred until spring. 



Among the more ornamental and 

 desirable plants that adorn t he flower- 

 garden in the early summer, none are 

 more so than Rocket and Brandling 

 Larkspurs. They are classed as hardy 

 annuals, and are frequently, as well 

 as others in the same class, sown 

 in the spring. Treated in this way 

 they are commonly failures, as the 

 hot summer sun forces them into 

 premature flowering before they have 

 perfected their growth and gained 

 sufficient strength, and they conse- 

 quently display but a meager appear- 

 ance compared to what they would 

 if properly treated. 



Looking forward to having them 

 as they should be another season, 

 it is well to bear in mind to sow 

 seed at the proper time this year, 

 to obtain that result ; and that is 

 from the first to the middle of Sep- 

 tember, or even later. There is no 

 mystery about sowing, and the direc- 

 tions for doing so are usually found 

 printed on the packages received 

 from the seedsman. The seed germi- 

 nates readily, and should be sown 

 where the plants are to remain. To 

 have a sufficiency of plants for the 

 allotted space, sow rather thickly, 

 and when the plants have attained 

 to a few leaves, thin out by destroy- 

 ing the weaker ones and where they 

 crowd each other, leaving the re- 

 mainder about four inches apart. 

 If in an exposed situation, a slight protection 

 of leaves or straw may be given them when 

 severe weather sets in. It is hardly neces- 

 sary to add that the soil should be enriohed 

 and well pulverized before sowing, as that 

 might be said to be an invariable condition 

 for the successful culture of any plant. The 

 same mode of treatment may be applied with 

 equal advantage to China, and Japan Pinks, 

 Godetias, Erysimum, and in fact to the whole 

 list of hardy annuals. 



PANSIES. 



To insure success, the soil for Pansies 

 must be light, finely sifted, well-drained, and 

 moderately moist ; the seed sca ttered evenly 

 and dusted over with not more than one- 

 eighth of an inch of soil at the utmost ; then 

 pressed down gently with a board. The 

 pots or beds have to be kept completely 

 shaded, and watered with a very tine sprink, 

 lor, enough only to keep the soil from be- 

 coming dry. The seeds germinate in from 

 eight to twelve days, after which the shading 

 should be gradually removed. 



