STAKING 81 



employed for supporting the flower-stems, but having 

 tried various forms of spiral wire, and wire supports, I 

 think that for plants in pots there is nothing better and 

 neater than strong bamboo tips, if these are dyed green 

 or painted. For plants in pots up to 7 inches in dia- 

 meter, one stake pointed and thrust into the soil, not too 

 near the stem to injure it, is all that is necessary, and 

 to these the shoots can be slung with thin, green raffia, 

 tying them loosely. Staking may be done at any con- 

 venient time after the plants are potted into their flower- 

 ing pots ; but it is not really required until they begin to 

 throw up their flower-stems, when it should be carried 

 out promptly ; otherwise, the flower-stems may become 

 twisted and injured. Two-year-old plants in larger pots 

 will need from three to five stakes each, which of neces- 

 sity will have to be longer and stronger than bamboo 

 tips. Strong, galvanised-wire, ring supports, having three 

 upright wires for holding the rings which, when fixed 

 in the soil, hold them rigid, do not require tying, the 

 flower-stems being held loosely inside the wire rings. 

 This latter method is adopted frequently for supporting the 

 flower-stems of plants planted out on stages or benches, 

 and if the three upright wires are made not less than 3 

 feet long, it is a simple matter to adjust the rings to suit 

 the height of the flower-stems. The most general system 

 of supporting bench-grown flower-stems is that of stretch- 

 ing wires or strings between the rows of plants, both length- 

 ways and across the benches, fastening them to strong 

 supports, and thus forming a mesh-work of wire or string, 

 each mesh containing the flower-stems of one plant, no 

 further tying being necessary. The supports should be 



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