' S. diii\r\ell 
exhibitors to victory. Of course, as the plants make vigorous growfli, from April to the 1st of July , 
the longest shoots must have their points taken out, to make them bushy ; and, in the course of time, 
all will begin to show their flower buds. 
To secure these being of the finest quality, the conditions which we have laid down must be strictly 
observed — there must be perfect maturation of the wood ; for without ripe wood there can he no fine 
flowers. Nothing is more common than to hear people exclaim, “ IJeur me ! what splendid flowers 
you have ; my plants are much larger than yours, but the flowers are comparatively small.” This 
arises out of that little wonl “ maturation ” during August — well ripened wood and large leathery 
leaves — from this the flowers are built up. All Chrysanthemums, however, j)roduce many more flower 
buds than they can bring to good form and proper size ; and hence it is necessary to reduce the number, 
so as to concentrate the energies of the plant in the few retained. To obtain fine blooms, strong 
growth is indispensable, and from these strong shoots at the time they are formed all side growth must 
be pinched off to throw all strength into two or three buds. No insect or mildew must be allowed to 
touch it. About the middle or end of August, if closely tvatched, in the axle of the shoot a small 
bud will be observed, and if the season is late, and the show early, it will be wise to nip out all side 
shoots gradually and force all the growth into those buds ; thus, if monster blooms are desired, one 
should be left on each shoot of the large-flowering kinds, two or even more on the hybrid and 
])ompons. Select those favourably situated for display, and then remove the others as soon as you 
can get at them with a penknife or a pair of fine-pointed scissors. The sooner the wood buds are 
removed after the flower buds are formed, the finer those retained will become. As the flowers 
expand or show colour, the supidy of m.anure water must be decreased in strength and quantity ; the 
])lants must not on any account know the want of water, us the loss of sujtply for a single day will 
undo the work of the whole season. The best place to bloom the Chrysanthemum is in a light and 
airy greenhouse. The plants should be taken in upon the approach of frost ; but beyond protecting 
them from it or cold cutting winds, should be kept as cool as possible through their blooming, which 
will prolong the season as well as add to the beauty of the flowers. The Chrysanthemum is not much 
affected by disease; sometimes the mildew may attack it and also the green fly audthrips. The latter 
may be removed by fumigation, and the former by dusting with sulphur ; brown or black is the best 
and cheapest. Follow these directions, and fine flowers must be the result, such as arc seldom seen. 
To grotv Standards, a strong offset with a good root must be got early in the season, and the side eyes 
at the base of each leaf must bo taken out, until it attains the reipiired height, then bent down, and 
the side shoot trained to a wire frame 12 inches in diameter ; should any of the petals become loose 
and disarranged or otherwise different from the engraving, they must be ]>laced gently in position by 
means of a pair of ivory or wood tweezers, and the flowers on the plant should be made perfect and 
like those for cut blooms. 
For the best treatise, “ How to grow the Chrysanthemum to perfection,” sec Molynenx’s Book, 
sent post free, 1.?. 2rf. 
ARRANGING PETALS IN CHRYSANTHEMUMS FOR EXHIBITION 
(CALLED DRESSING). 
Those who dread and despair of the trouble, and fancy they cannot learn, will rail against the 
practice and its fairness, yet it has become the general and a chief merit that all iucurved flowers 
should be presented as even and as regular in shape and size, and as widely distinct in colour as 
possible — for shape see engraving. Some blooms do not require manipulation, such as Mrs. Rundle and 
her sports, Mr. G. Ghnny and Mrs. Dixon, Princess of Wales and her sport, Mrs. lleale, and several 
others; but to get 24 distinct varieties there is occasionally some deformity in petals, and a little 
irregularity, occasionally rcfle.xed, and when so, one little bend with the tweezers guides it into the 
shape retjuired. It sometimes occurs that more petals are produced than required, or a decayed one 
makes the whole confused or dirty, and when so, surely there can he no more hanu removing them than 
there would a troublesome tooth or combing and brushing one’s hair, for the process is virtually the same, 
and so long as there is no addition to the flower, surely a little grooming in flowers may be bestowed, 
which is done to every well harnessed horse. This little process, called dressing, has been so 
mystified as to appear unlcarnable, whereas it can be pretty well mastered in a day ; and if a culti- 
vator has any pluck and brain of bis own, he will become efficient in a season. The first lesson is to 
clip off a strip of paper 3 inches long, i wide, knife in hand, pass the thumb on one side of it and the 
knife on it tightly and bring it upwards, and three strokes will give you the incurve required ; then 
practise on a rough old bloom, first cupping and plugging up the flowers, pulling out the green eye 
or centre, ns per engraving, to the required degree of tightness to bring the petals up so as to fill in 
the centre, and nearly all the dressing is done that is required. Some varieties, to get their centre 
high or well up, require to have their flowers suspended when developing their blooms ; flat flowers 
are very objectionable, and if this regulating and the tact and skill in growing flowers to nearly 
approach perfection at our exhibitions is not adopted, many would say, “ I have flowers in my back 
( 52 ) 
