THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



951 



they should do. Bud dropping is most frequently met 

 with in a wet season. 



GROWING FOR EXHIBITION. 



Where the main object of the planter is flowers for 

 the exhibition table, more intensive methods of culture 

 are usually carried- out. For instance, if the rows of 

 peas are grown in a block, instead of trenching the 

 ground for each individual row only, the entire piece of 

 ground should be deeply dug and thoroughly manured, 

 as described on page 10 and the growths thinned out con- 

 siderably ; in fact, only taking up two to four stems on 

 each plant. All other branches or laterals being care- 

 fully pulled out, not cut out, as by adopting the latter 

 methods new laterals would again be emitted in the course 

 of a few days. 



Plant in double rows, allowing 12 inches between the 

 rows, and in transplanting set each plant at least 6 inches 

 apart in the row. If the seed has been sown four or five 

 in a pot, or in bo.xes, care must be taken not to break or 

 injure the roots in any way when separating them, and 

 in planting do not cramp the roots. Spread them out 

 carefully and see that the hole is of a sufficient depth to 

 allow for the main root without any doubling. As the 

 growth is concentrated in a limited number of stems the 

 vines will, therefore, be much taller than when allowed 

 to grow naturally, and provision must be made for this 

 when staking. 



The best method is to drive stout posts at the end of 

 each double row', to which nail two or three cross pieces, 

 the first 18 inches wide, attached about 9 inches from 

 the ground, the center pieces 12 inches wide, and the top 

 cross piece 9 inches. Stout wires are then strained hori- 

 zontally along both sides of the row from the cross 

 pieces. Long stakes or bamboos are now put flat against 

 the wires, to which they must be securely tied. The 

 height of all will naturalU' depend on what section of 

 the country the grower resides in. For instance, in our 

 Northern States and Canada the vines may be expected 

 to run from 10 to 12 or more feet in height, while further 

 south 6 to 8 feet may be sufficient, and much will of 

 course depend on the season. 



It will be observed that by the above arrangement the 

 tops slope inward, the reason being that when grown by 

 this intensive method, each stem is ultimately brought 

 to the outside of the stakes, to which they must be care- 

 fully tied as growth proceeds. 



Do not thin out the stems until the plants are at least 

 12 inches high, but be careful that they are kept upright 

 during all stages of growth, as when they are allowed 

 to sprawl along the ground they run the risk of being 

 trampled upon or twisted and injured by wind, and it is 

 in the earlier days that the welfare of the plants must 

 be most carefully guarded if success is to be obtained. 



In training the shoots they should be at least 4 inches 

 apart, according to the space at disposal. 



On the approach of warm weather do not omit to give 

 the plants a good mulch of strawy farmyard manure, and 

 follow immediately with a thorough soaking of water. 



In applying water throughout the season the grower 

 will be guided by weather and soil conditions, but the 

 plants must not be allowed to suflfer for lack of moisture. 

 On no account give water in driblets — either a thorough 

 soaking or none at all. On light porous soils water may 

 safely be given during a dry spell at least twice a week, 

 and on heavier and more retentive soils once a week. 

 When flowers appear liquid manures should also be used, 

 but given rather weak to begin with. Sheep or 

 cow manure, made by steeping it in a tub or barrel or 

 taken from the farm cesspool and well diluted, will be 

 found excellent, and this may be changed occasionally 



for artificials. Superphosphate (_acid phosi)hate), 1 

 ounce to a gallon of water. Sulphate of potash, nitrate 

 of potash, half an ounce to a gallon of water. Nitrate of 

 soda should be given only if the plants require a special 

 "pick me up" towards the end of the season. 



To give flowers extra fine color I believe there is noth- 

 ing to surpass soot (the real Scotch imported soot may 

 now be obtained from many establishments). 



In showery weather it may be dusted along the soil 

 on both sides of tiie plants, or used as a liquid manure 

 as advised on page 20. 



EXHIBITING SWEET PE..\S. 



Intending exhibitors must keep the blooms hard cut 

 from the vmes until, say, four days previous to the date 

 of the show, and all varieties that are likely to scald with 

 the sun should be shaded with cheese-cloth or otiier light 

 material, as in close competition a single scorched flower 

 might make all the difterence between a first or second 

 prize. Do not erect the shading until three days previous 

 to the date the flowers are required, and remove it im- 

 mediately after cutting, as continued shading rapidly 

 weakens the plant. 



Varieties that have orange in their colorings (such as 

 Stirling Stent, Thomas Stevenson. Helen Lewis), the 

 scarlets and the blues, should all be protected. The blooms 

 should be cut at the last possible minute, choosing when- 

 ever practicable the early morning or the evening, put- 

 ting the flowers immediately into water and placing in a 

 cool room or cellar until packed. Pick only young, fresh 

 blooms with the last flower just open or in the opening 

 stage, as should you be cutting the day previous to the 

 show, it will be fully expanded by the time the judges 

 come around. Cut with as long stems as possible. The 

 ideal spray should have a stem of 12 to 18 inches long, 

 with four good flowers on it. Therefore, aim at the 

 ideal. If the flowers are wet when cut they must be put 

 very thinly in vases and placed in a room where there is 

 a little heat, but through which a current of air is play- 

 ing that they may dry ofT ere being packed, for if they 

 are at all moist when packed for traveling, the flowers 

 will, when unpacked, he found to be discolored and spot- 

 ted and many of the blooms will drop from the stems. 



In staging the flowers never crowd them. Let every 

 flower "speak for itself." Twenty sprays make a nice 

 vase, and the best method of arranging them is to start 

 bv putting some stiff grass or reeds (cut 2 inches long) 

 in the mouth of the vase, as this helps to keep the stems 

 in position. Each stem must be put in separately. Let 

 every flower be seen as far as possible and all face one 

 way, with the exception of such varieties as have the 

 back of the standards tinted in coloring other than the 

 ground color of the flower, when the position of such 

 might be judiciously varied. One or two pieces of foliage 

 — a little Gypsophila — or light grass, such as .Xgrostis 

 Nebulosa, might with advantage be used. But this should 

 not be overdone, and only if the rules allow of it. 



In staging a collection of twelve varieties, they should 

 be stood in three rows, the back rows being tiered 8 or 9 

 inches above the other, and arrange the colors so that 

 they do not clash. Even if the show schedule does not 

 ask for it, name each variety with a neat card placed at 

 the base of each vase. _ 



During very hot or stormy weather, some exhibitors 

 cut their flowers in the bud stage or partly open and 

 allow them to fully expand in water, adding about a 

 quarter of an oimce of sulphate of iron to three gallons 

 of water. Some colors, such as the light blues, mauves 

 and lavenders improve very much in color by this meth- 

 od, but the salmon orange and crimson-colored varieties 

 lose much of their beauty when cut for long before they 

 are required. 



