CHRYSANTHEMUMS 
^54 
the garden, and yet to do it without complaining. 
They are free and fearless, and remind me of birds 
that have lived outside of a cage. 
In the spring, when Timothy was dividing his 
own chrysanthemums, he brought these to the Six 
Spruces. He set them out, putting three or four 
sprouts together, and since then they have been 
scarcely any trouble. In early July, and again dur- 
ing the first week of September, Joseph dug in 
about the roots of each plant a small trowelful of 
manure, because chrysanthemums, like roses, need 
a very rich soil. Then he kept the new shoots and 
the buds pinched back until September, sO' that they 
should grow bushy and not bloom before the au- 
tumn call for them came clearly. 
Next spring, when these plants begin to sprout, 
we shall divide them as Timothy did his this last 
season. Looking into the future, therefore, I see 
an increased number of these late visitors at the 
Six Spruces. We have learned that they do best 
when planted in rich soil where the sun. can linger 
upon them. Also, they like a wall. Some day, 
when we make our wide border about the house, 
we may plant them against its sunny side. During 
the long weeks before they bloom their foliage is 
always pretty, the leaves being a soft, ashen green. 
I like them much better than the phloxes, which 
are so prim before they bloom and become so un- 
attractive after their heads are cut off. 
While I was thinking of our chrysanthemums. 
