The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-07
CHRYSANTHEMUM GROWING
Soma Timely SUGGESTIONS for the
Home Window Garden.

The hardy or outdoor chrysanthemums
do not appeal to everybody. Still less do
the old-fashioned buttons" or Chinese
varieties, with flowers only half an inch
across. For most people these are too
small' or too easy On the other
hand, it is impracticable to raise huge
exhibition flowers in the home window
and even If one could. it would not be
worth the while. A chrysanthemum
eight inches or a foot across is too much
like cabbage. AS a rule, japanese
cIlrysanthemum is at it's best when its
flower measures six inches across. Two
inches either way from this Optimum
such distinct types as Iora. and Good
Gracious tend to lose their character.
They might as well be any other va
riety of the same color. because their
individuality vanisheS. A fiVe-inch
flower is a good ideal for the amateur
when he desires a few sinS1e-stenmed
plants. But for solid satisfaction there
is nothing like group of bushy little
plants in six-inch pots, each plant hav-
ing ten or a dozen flowers averaging
four inches in diameter How they
brighten the dining room on dark No
vember days. and what a CHEEKY mes
sage they fling to the friendly passerby!
Now is the best time in the year to
select the varieties. Nobody's judgment
in such a matter is as good as yours.
You know what colors you Hke-what
sizes and shapes. Remember that eleven
blank months devoid of chrysanthe-
NUNS are coming, and do not trust tn
others to prescribe for you. Look about
for some of the less common tyr,es the
single forms-Mizpah for Instance
which make charming pot plants covered
with a hundred or more (iaisv-liIxe
flowers in various colors. Try some of
the three anemone types-the pornpon-
anemone, large-fiowered and Japanese-
their nigh centers are always quaint and
full of interest. The large Chinese and
the japanese incurved sections with
their compact globular blossoms arr.
rather tame for the window garden COM
pared with the wonderful and irregular
forms which one finds in the Japanese
section. l like one or two in the poodle
dog style, myself, with some of the
cold slaw-" and few of the lawless
tynes affected by the football devotees.
Buy these plants now, if you like. and
enjoy them while they last Or. if your
purse be meager. make uD your list of
varieties and give your order now for
young plants to be delivered by your
local florist next May or June in three
inch pots. at a cost of ten or fifteen
cents each If you keep some plants
over the winter. put them in the cellar
and keep them moderately dry Thi.
| is their resting time; therefore. do MOI
water them too much. but, on the other
/ hand, do not let them get dust dry In
che spring, when these plants start into
freely by taking slips" 1t will hardly
be worth while to set out the old plants
IN ire garden The cuttings will give
you better bloom. as rule
Any one can raise good chrvsantbe-
mum plants from cuttings at home
/ Chrysanthemum cuttings are almost as
easy to strike as geraniums. However,
you would better use clean sand instead
of soil When the cuttings are rooted.
plant them in two-inch pots; later shift
/ them to threes and then to fours For
the best results two more shifts are de-
sirable- You will probably get better
results by keeping the plants in pots
all the time. instead of letting them
grow freely in the garden.-Country Life
/ in America.