Evening star., 1943-09-19
By ". Fl. Yonngman,
Garden Editor.

Garden Editor.
sirable to lift the clumps and spade
and rework the beds. Then selecting
the strongest shoots from the outer
edge OF the clump reset the beds.
The new shoots should be spaced
from Is to "a inches apart in rows
Of approximately the same width.
This should result in the discarding
of at least 80 per cent Of the old
clump. This seems a wasteful prac-
tice, but it is the one way to insure
strong plants and large flowers.
Also it is a good way to keep the
chrysanthemum nematode, the In
sect that causes the loss of much
of the foliage, under partial control.
This thinning practice applies to all
types Of the hardy chrysanthe-
mum with one exception-the au-
tumn hybrids.
AS soon as the shoots are set out
the tops should be pinched on. This
helps to compensate for the shock,
but, more important, it causes them
to make a stocky.. compact, we'll
branched growth. They should be
pinched back again in June and in
July. At least three such pinchings
are recommended. This should re-
suit in plants having spread Of a
foot or more, with numerous stout
branches which will bear many doz-
ems of flowers. This habit Of growth
is the reason for the wide. spacing
of the small plants which We set
out in late April or early May. a.
Steady, vigorous growth produces
the finest plants and the largest
flowers. However, In this area with
its periods of hot, dry weather, it
Is almost impossible to attain. an
ideal growth . But, even 81, the
chrysanthemdff plant will make q
reasonable growth and produce an
abundance of flowers with ordinary
care. Watering during periods Of
drought and an occasional supple
mental feeding is necessary for ex-
hibition bloom. Disbudding. Is also
necessary for large blooms those
Dver & inches IN diameter.
i Frequent cultivation Isl desirable,
although the gardener should re-
member that the chrysanthemums
are shallow-rooted and deep culti-
vation can be more or less injurious
Mulching is sometimes recommended
to protect the shallow roots during
the heat of summer, but most gar
deners prefer to cultivate instead.
Except for exhibition there is little
point in trying to disbud. If one
grows a half-dozen or more plants
disbudding could be a considerable
chore. But, even so, it is well to
disbud few branches just in case
large, fine flowers are needed. It
is impossible to duplicate the size
of the tender greenhouse varieties.
The hardy, outdoor types which we
are discussing do make larger flow-
ers If fed and disbudded than is
commonly known. Lillian Doty, dis
budded and grown with care, will
produce flowers inches or more in
diameter.
HybridiZation has produced 50
many colors and forms Of growth
in the chrysanthemum family that
1t Is impossible to more than in
dictate or list the major types. And
it is for this reason that we suggest
that you visit the gardens of chrys-
anthemum fanciers to learn some
thing of the wide range and to select
varieties. The earlier varieties were
derived from wild species that were
single. Early breeding work brought
the doubles and the singles disap-
peared from the garden. Now we
are enjoying the singles, as well as
the doubles, and every sort of varia-
ton in between.
The single varieties are best
known in the Korean hybrids, the
early Towering types that gained
prominence but few years ago.
They have one or two rows of petals
with a snowy center. The semi
doubles are those whose center is
more or less hidden by the petals
The formal or pompom type may
be subdivided into the tiny button
like flowers of less than III inches
in diameter, the intermediate with
flowers less than 3 inches and the
large -f1owered-over 3 inches but
not exceeding "A inches. The
cushion varieties, better known as
azaleamums, are dwarf early flower
ing. The anemone has one or two
rows of petals and a pronounced
center and is very popular, although
very few varieties are hardy enough
to overwinter out of doors.
Recently we have heard of the