THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. H 



being stopped or pinched in the meantime when necessary ; they 

 are then shifted into their ilowering pots, which measure eleven 

 inches across inside, and are plunged as before, their shoots being 

 secured with sticks, to prevent the wind breaking them. About the 

 middle of July the plants are stopped for the last time (I may here 

 observe that I never shift and stop at the same time). After this 

 they require a little more attention in the training and regulating 

 their shoots, which I keep tied down as near the rim of the pot as 

 possible ; this is more easily done now than when they have made 

 their growth, on account of the brittleness of the wood when older. 

 About the middle of September they are trained into something like 

 the shape they are intended to be when in flower — that is, a round, 

 bush-like form — in order that the plants may be seen to equal 

 advantage from any side ; the one-sided plants so frequently seen at 

 exhibitions being, in my opinion, most objectionable. As soon as 

 the flower-buds make their appearance, I disbud, leaving only one 

 to bloom on each shoot, as I consider quality of flower much better 

 than quantity, more especially as by a little judicious management 

 1 can get from 100 to 150 good flowers on each plant. I use manure- 

 water liberally until the flowers show colour ; indeed this may be 

 applied until the blooms are fully developed. I generally house 

 them about the second week in October ; but in this I am guided by 

 the state of the weather, for they are better outside until the buds 

 show colour, the foliage being improved by remaining in the open 

 air as long as possible ; it being a very important feature in a plant 

 to have the leaves of a nice healthy green down to the very edge of 

 the pot. When housed, I give all the air possible, when the state 

 of the weather permits. I treat pompones in every respect the same 

 as the large-flowering varieties, except that I do not disbud to the 

 same extent, 



Specim£:s" Flowers. — The varieties most adapted for growing 

 for the purpose of obtaining blooms of extraordinary size, or per- 

 fectly symmetrical shape, seldom make good specimen plants, being 

 usuall}^ of a robust habit, consequently not so easily trained to form 

 a compact head, and, moreover, do not bloom so freely. The mag- 

 nificent stands of cut blooms to be seen at the metropolitan and 

 local exhibitions show to what a state of perfection this flower can 

 be brought by skilful management ; indeed, by a careful selection 

 they may be had in flower from October to the end of December. 

 The general treatment of this class is the same as that directed for 

 the growing of specimens, except that the shoots should never he 

 stopped or j^i^iched hach at all. Most growers for exhibition put two 

 plants in a ten-inch pot, and allow each plant to run up with a single 

 stem. As they grow vigorously, it will be found they will naturally 

 throw out several shoots, or breaks, as they are called, but not 

 more than three or four of the strongest of these are allowed to 

 remain on one plant, and a single bud only is allowed to grow on 

 each shoot; all but the terminal ones should be carefully removed 

 as soon as that can be done without injury. The whole strength 

 of the plant is thus thrown into the three or four buds that are left 

 for flowering. 



