The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-22
Cultivation of the Chrysan tl.emum.

John Thorpe, IN Harper's Magazine.
The cultivation of the chrysanthemum as com
pared with the cultivation of the rose is of the
most simple description, requiring only rich
soil, a sunny orla partially sunny positions and
occasional ,waterirlgs in extreme drOughts.
Young plants set in the ground during April
and May will, with some little attention, make
specimens of twofeet in diameter. The tops
,of.the leading or strongest growths should be
removed by pinchipg, after the shoots have
grown'four or five inches long and this should
be continued until the endedf July, after which
the entire plant should lbe allowed to grow
The flower buds begin to form about the end
of August or beginning of September. If it is
desirable to haverthem flower IN the house or
conservatory-sa yIaan which us ,highly rse0m-
mended-they should be dug Ut. carefully about
the LIST of October, and placed in pots according
to the size of each plant. For the very largest
plants pots ten or twelve inches in diameter are
required. The plants should be'wel drenched
with water at once, and Setin some shady place
for a few days, after which they can DO exposed
TO the full sun. They must be protected before
the appearance offrost, but should not be sub
jected to Artificial heat temperature of as to so
degrees Fahrenheit being quite high enough.
Where they are intended to flower out Of doors,
it is best either toplant them first in some shell
tered position. or to dig carefully and remove to
such a place Hfter the Iniddle>Of October. With
this simpiecare they are among 1.-THE most salts
factory of all flowers With such popularity, of
course, the chrysanthsmnm is an exhibition
flower, and for this purpose many very large
specimens are grown in comparatively small
pots in various shapes. Some, grown as
bushes, are to be seen from four to six
feet in diameter others, grown as small
trees, on stems four Or five feet high, are sur
mounted with heads twoor more feet in diam
eter, literally covered with flowers. Others,
again, are trained in severe pyramidal and seen-
vex forms. The flowers are also grown individ
luay for, exhibition and attain very large size,
the plant being allowed to carry but few buds,
which are removed from time to time during
September, until the largest plants have only a
half dozen flowers to support. These are Job
tanned by strict attention to watering, and slim
ulating with manure water, three four times
achiday during the growing season.
AS to hardness, many of the varieties will en-
dure the severest winter weather in climates as
cold as New York State, providing they are
slightly protected by loose leaves and a few
branches of evergPeens TO keep the leaves in po-
sition. The covering of snow is sufficient pro
tectien in winter. The older kinds, as a rule
are somewhat hardier than those of modern
date, but in cases where they are winter killed
they are easily replaced at very slight cost.
Where plants are already in pots, sure and
simple way of keeping them is to place them in
any cool, light cellar, a cool pit or ,outhonse,
where the extreme weather is somewhat tenn
narad