CUT FLOWERS 159 



will only offer you a few flowers if you do not take them, 

 but many if you do. 



To take one excellent example only. A large plant 

 of Calendula grandiflora (described in Chapter IV) will 

 only give about ten good blooms if the flowers are not 

 cut and the seed is allowed to ripen. If, however, the 

 blooms are cut as soon as they are open, the plant will 

 produce fifty fine blooms, and probably more. All plants 

 will give more flowers if cut carefully, and if treated 

 generously. 



Generous treatment has already been discussed in 

 previous chapters. With " specimen " plants especially it 

 is impossible to hope for success unless the soil itself is 

 made rich. And gardeners who want a great many 

 flowers from their plants should not stint manure in the 

 winter if the soil be poor. 



Careful Cutting : That the method of cutting affects 

 the amount of bloom a plant will produce must be evident 

 after a little consideration. The "plucking" of flowers, 

 alas ! so common in the gardens, should never be practised 

 for the reason that when a flower is " plucked " it is pulled 

 more or less roughly off the plant ; the plant is often 

 considerably loosened in the ground ; shoots are pulled 

 off by mistake, shoots carrying no flower buds perhaps, 

 but which would produce a wealth of bloom in due course. 

 The shape and habit of the plant are also frequently 

 disfigured. 



It is well to point out that flowers for the home or 

 hospital should be cut and not " plucked or pulled," and 

 children especially should be taught to respect the flowers 

 growing in the garden, and be shown how to gather them 

 properly. 



I knew of one gentleman who would never allow flowers 

 to be cut except with a pair of secateurs. He said that 

 these are the tool to use, for the flowers are removed with 

 the minimum of injury to the plants. I quite agree with 

 him. A pair of good, sharp secateurs are undoubtedly the 

 best tool to use, but I would not go so far as he and say, 



