40 THE BOOK OF THE FLOWER SHOW 



blooms in each row should, if association of colours 

 permit, be at the ends. Raise the front row flowers 

 high enough to secure them the full value of their depth 

 in the eyes of a judge. Raise the other rows propor- 

 tionately, remembering the while that excessive raising 

 detracts from the general effect of a stand. INCURVED. 

 Remove injured, malformed, and central disk florets as 

 soon as they can be seen and extracted, but leave the 

 final dressing for the day previous to the show ; make the 

 flower-stem firm in the "cup," but do not pull it down 

 too tightly or the bloom will be reduced in size ; arrange 

 the florets as regularly as possible, commencing with the 

 central ones and remembering that the depth of the 

 flower counts high. JAPANESE. Remove injured and 

 disk florets, then invert the flower and give it a gentle 

 shaking ; tight cupping is an error. ANEMONES. Pull 

 out misplaced and irregular ray florets, and if there are 

 any ray-like florets in the disk remove these also ; the 

 centre should be even and cushion-like, and the guard- 

 florets placed regularly around it. SINGLES. More 

 than two rows of florets will disqualify (this is 

 not being adhered to strictly nowadays, because three 

 rows of florets make a flower of greater substance 

 and one that lasts better), but severe dressing is 

 almost as bad from the judges' point of view , 

 grow only the truest singles -, pull out any long florets 

 there may be in the disk, and arrange the ray-florets 

 regularly. POMPONS. Cups are not needed ; if the 

 flowers do not stand erect place a stiff wire to each 

 one, forming a loop at the top of the wire so that it 

 may be fitted close up to the flower ; remove any 

 florets that spoil the even outline of the flower ; if 

 shown on boards, place the stems in the flower-tubes 

 and make them firm with a plug of moss ; " Terminal " 

 buds give flowers of finer form and colour than " Crown 

 buds." 



