MANURES AND FERTILISERS. 
51 
part of dried blcod, four parts of superphosphate, and one 
part of sulphate of potash. If the latter fertiliser be 
unobtainable, then add eight parts of wood ashes. Mix 
all together and keep in a dry place, adding one ounce of 
the mixture to every three gallons of water. Apply this 
twice a week. A month before the flowers become fully 
open, give one ounce to every two gallons of water. Once 
they are fully developed no fertilisers should be given ; the 
soil will then contain all the nutriment needed. 
Other Fertilisers. — So far we have dealt with the ideal 
complete food that chemists and experience tell us is essen- 
tial for the production of perfect growth and flowers. Not 
everyone, however, may be able to get the ingredients 
readily. In such a case, recourse must be bad to the 
sp>ecially-prepared chrysanthemum fertilisers advertised, or 
to one of the general fertilisers sold in tins, etc. These 
are all good in their way, but,, of course, not quite so 
complete in their ingredients as the one described in the 
previous paragraph. 
Guano is a very good general fertiliser because it con- 
tains nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash. Use it at the 
rate of half-an-ounce per gallon of water twice a week 
from the time the buds begin to form until the flowers are 
fully developed. Soot, too, is a good nitrogenous fertiliser 
which may be given occasionally in liquid form. Place a 
peck of it in a coarse sack, and immerse it for a week or 
so in thirty gallons of water, then apply the liquor un- 
diluted. Soot intensifies the colour of the leaves and 
flowers. 
Sulphate of ammonia is a very powerful nitrogenous 
fertiliser, which must be used with caution. It is of a 
forcing nature, and hence, when applied to plants with 
slow developing buds, will accelerate their increase in 
size, and give greater substance to the petals, as well as 
increase the brilliancy of the colour of the flowers. Use 
it at the rate of half-an-ounce per gallon of water, and 
apply it at intervals of a week from the time the buds form 
