r ray florets alone are large and attractively
coloured.

_Plants for the Border._--As a border plant out of doors the
chrysanthemum is of the easiest culture. It is an exceptionally good
town plant. By a judicious selection of varieties, flowers may be
produced in abundance and in considerable variety from August to the
end of November, and in favourable seasons well on towards Christmas.
Since 1890 when the English market was flooded with French raised
varieties of exceptional merit, the border chrysanthemum has taken
first place among hardy autumn flowering plants. Most of the varieties
then introduced have been superseded by many excellent kinds raised in
Britain.

_Propagation._--The old English method of dividing the plants in March
or early April may be followed where better means of propagation are
not practicable. Many of the best border varieties are shy in
producing new growths (suckers) from the rootstock, and are in
consequence not amenable to this method. It is better to raise the
plants from cuttings. This may be begun in January for the early
flowering sorts, the late kinds being propagated during February and
March. They will root quite well in a cold frame, if protected during
frosty weather by litter or other similar material. If the frame can
be heated at will so as to maintain a fairly even temperature of from
4O deg. to 50 deg. Fah., roots will be made more quickly and with more
certainty. A still better method is to improvise a frame near the
glass in a greenhouse, where the temperature is not raised above 50 deg.
by artificial heat. This has the advantage of being accessible in all
weathers. The bottom of the frame is covered with sifted coal ashes or
coco-nut fibre, on which the shallow boxes or pots used in propagating
are placed. These are well drained with broken crocks, the bottoms of
the boxes being drilled to allow water to pass out quickly. The soil
should consist of about equal parts of fibrous loam and leaf-mould,
half a part of coarse silver-sand, and about a quart of vegetable ash
from the garden refuse heap to each bushel of the compost. The whole
should be passed through a quarter inch sieve and thoroughly mixed.
The coarse leaf-mould, &c., from the sieve should be spread thinly
over the drainage, and the boxes or pots filled almost to the rims
with the compost, and covered, if possible, with a thin layer of
s