50 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
Manures in the Potting Compost. — Assuming that the 
grower is able to secure for the final potting compost some 
good, well-decayed, fibrous loam, neither too light nor 
too heavy, also some well-rotted stable manure, good oak 
or beech leaf-mould, and some coarse silver sand, he will 
have secured the ideal foundation for a good potting com- 
post. The proportions of each should be : Loam, eight 
parts; leaf-mould and manure, one part each; and sand, 
say, half a part. To every three barrowdoads of this 
mixture should be added alb. of bone-meal, to supply phos- 
phoric acid; ilb. of hoof and horn parings from a smithy, 
to supply nitrogen ; Jib. of sulphate of potash, or 81 b. of 
wood ashes, to supply potash ; and 3rlb. of ground lime, to 
act as a soil sweetener. The whole should be thoroughly 
mixed together, and turned over about twice at intervals 
of a week for three weeks before potting-time. It has 
previously been pointed out that magnesia is an essential 
fertiliser, but as loamy soils usually contain all that is 
needful, it is not necessary to apply this element in the 
compost. Now a compost so prepared contains all the 
food essential for the production of a healthy, firm, and 
sturdy growth. As soon as the roots begin to ramify in 
this compost they will absorb the food gradually and 
supply all the nourishment the plant needs until the flower 
buds begin to form,, and so no liquid or other fertilisers 
will be needed in the interim. 
Subsequent Feeding. — So soon as the buds can be 
detected forming, then the process of feeding may com- 
mence. By that time the plant has developed an abund- 
ance of healthy roots, and these are able to absorb and 
send forth to the stems and leaves, and, finally, the buds, 
just the kind of essential additional food that they require to 
enable them to develop to a large size, and attain the acme 
of perfection in the substance and colour of petal. Here 
again, nitrogen, phosphates, and potash are essential feed- 
ing factors. A complete feeding fertiliser, therefore, 
should consist of two parts of sulphate of ammonia, one 
