52. Select Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. 
unusually weakly should not be stimulated with 
Manure or manure water, but the flower stems 
removed to encourage the production of healthy 
leafy shoots. An enthusiastic or earnest grower will 
not grudge this attention, which, indeed, is necessary 
with Chrysanthemums or any other florists’ flower. 
When the operation is completed the pots should 
be returned to the cold frames and treated as 
formerly. No water should be given for a few days 
till the compost shows signs of becoming dry. 
Should the sun be gaining power by this time the 
frames may be turned round to face the north, if 
movable, as they should be. 
At the end of April the weather will be sufficiently 
mild and genial for the plants to be stood on a bed 
of ashes in the open, fully exposed to sunshine and 
air. This will keep them growing sturdily. In 
early summer the flower stems will commence to 
push up, and the plants must have regular attention 
in the matter of watering, weeding, and general 
cleanliness. When everything is in the full flush of 
growth in early summer, greenfly (Rhopalosiphon 
Dianthi and possibly other species) will be active on 
the tender flower stems, foliage and buds, and will 
soon do irreparable damage unless thoroughly kept 
under. The safest plan is to brush them off, being 
particularly careful of the buds. Stamp on the 
aphides to prevent them from crawling back again. 
(See also the chapter on “ Insects and other Pests). 
Stake the flower stems before there is any chance 
of toppling over with their own weight, or by the 
force of wind and rain. If once they are allowed to 
get bent they can never appear so neat and tidy 
again, and if the stems get broken a year’s labour 
will have been lost. 
Disbudding—Whether they are disbudded or not 
will depend entirely upon the purpose for which the 
flowers are intended. For exhibition purposes it is 
indispensable to insure the size and perfect form of 
the flower. About the end of June or the beginning 
of July the terminal or top bud will begin to be an 
object of all absorbing interest to the grower for 
exhibition. As it attains its full length and shows 
signs of opening at the top it should be assisted by 
turning back the teeth of the calyx, and if inclined 
to burst it should be tied with raffia, not too tightly, 
to prevent the further swelling of the bud, but to 
