278 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



" Etoile de Lyon," buds of which taken on or about August 12 

 will yield flowers which are rightly judged coarse, but if not 

 formed until the 25th the blooms will be of good size and 

 colour, and of beautifully reflexed form. A few incurved 

 varieties produce the best blooms from terminal buds, which, as 

 the word implies, are the last ones formed. 



The Final Potting. — When danger of frost is past, the 

 plants are best stood in a sunny position in the open, if possible 

 sheltered from the north and east ; they may be freely syringed 

 overhead morning and afternoon on fine days, and a firm, 

 short-jointed growth encouraged as much as possible. By 

 about the middle of May the pots should be well filled with 

 roots, and re-potting will be needed into the size in which the 

 plants are to flower. A 10-inch pot is most suitable for most 

 varieties, though some few weak growers are best in 8- or 9-inch 

 ones. The soil for this shift should contain more manure, 

 though of course how much depends on the quality of the loam ; 

 if this is of a poor nature, give more than if it is rich and 

 fibrous. An excellent mixture consists of about three parts of a 

 good though heavy loam, broken up roughly, the remaining part 

 leaf- soil and horse- manure ; to this may be added a small propor- 

 tion of finely ground bones, and old lime rubble and ashes from 

 burnt garden refuse to keep it porous. 



It is a common mistake to mix too great a quantity of strong 

 manures in the soil ; soot in particular I cannot recommend, 

 except in very small quantities. It is much better given in a 

 liquid state later in the season, or sprinkled on the soil as a 

 top-dressing to be watered in. 



In potting make the soil evenly firm throughout ; keep the 

 ball of roots low enough to ensure about half an inch of new 

 soil covering it, and fill the pots to within 1J inch of the rim. 



The summer position of the plants will of course be governed 

 by circumstances. It is best to arrange them in rows, about 5 feet 

 apart and 2 feet from each other in the rows, running north and 

 south. The object is to give them as much exposure as possible, 

 in order to obtain a well-matured growth : this is quite as 

 important in cultivating Chrysanthemums as in the case of fruit 

 crops. Stakes calculated to suit the ultimate height of the 

 plants must be given and secured to wires strained from stout 

 uprights. Syringing overhead may be continued with advantage 



