CHRYSANTHEMUM 



CHRYSANTHEMUM 



763 



centrate the whole energy of the plant and thereby 

 increase the size of the flower. 



There are two forms of buds, crowns and terminals. 

 A crown bud (Fig. 952) is formed first, never coming 

 with other flower-buds, and is provided with lateral 

 growths which, if allowed to remain, will continue their 

 growth and produce terminal buds later. Terminal 

 buds come later, always in clusters (Fig. 954J, are 

 never associated with lateral growths, and terminate 

 the plant's growth for that season. If the crown bud is 

 to be saved, remove the lateral growths as shown by 

 Figs. 952, 953, and the operation is complete. If the 

 terminal bud is desired, remove the crown and allow 

 one, two or three (according to the vigor of the plant) 

 of the growths to remain. In a few weeks these will 

 show a cluster of buds, and, when well advanced, it 

 will be noticed that the largest is at the apex of the 

 growth (the one saved, if perfect, as it usually is), and 

 one at each of the leaf axils (see Fig. 955). The rejected 

 buds are easiest and safest removed with the thumb 

 and forefinger. Fig. 956. Should the bud appear to 

 be one-sided or otherwise imperfect, remove it and 

 retain the next best. In removing the buds, begin at 

 the top and work down. By so doing there are buds 

 in reserve, in case the best one should accidentally be 

 broken, while if the reverse course were taken, and the 

 best bud broken at the completion of the work, all 

 the labor would be lost. A few hours' disbudding will 

 teach the operator how far the buds should be advanced 

 to disbud easily. Early and late in the day, when the 

 growths are brittle, are the best times for the work. 

 Some growers speak of first, second and third buds. 

 The first is a crown, and usually appears on early- 

 propagated plants from July 15 to August 15. If 

 removed, the lateral growths push forward, forming 

 another bud. In many cases in which the crowns are 

 removed early, the next bud is not a terminal, but a 

 second crown, which is termed the second bud. Re- 

 move this, and the third bud will be the terminal. 

 Plants propagated in May and June usually give the 

 second and third bud, not forming the typical crown. 

 Those struck in July and planted late give the terminal 

 only. Most of the best blooms are from second crown 

 and terminal. Pink, bronze and red flowers from first 

 crowns are much lighter in color than those from later 

 buds. They are large, but very often abnormal to such 

 an extent as to be decidedly inferior. This is doubtless 

 due to the large amount of food utilized in their con- 

 struction, owing to the long time consumed in develop- 

 ment. The hot weather of September and October 

 must have a detrimental effect upon the color. 



Enemies. Green aphis (Aphis rufomaculata) and 

 the black aphis (Macrosiphum sanboni) are some- 

 times very troublesome. They may be controlled by 

 spraying with "Black Leaf 40" tobacco extract, one 

 part to 800 parts water with soap added. Fumigation 

 with hydrocyanic acid gas is also widely practised 

 by commercial growers. In moderately tight green- 

 houses, use one ounce potassium cyanide for each 

 3,500 cubic feet of space for all-night fumigation. 

 For details, see Fumigation. Red Spider (Tetranychus 

 bimaculatus) becomes injurious if neglected. It may 

 be easily controlled by spraying with water, using 

 much force and little water to avoid drenching the beds. 

 The use of sulfur has also a beneficial effect. 



Thrips. (See Carnation). 



Leaf-tyer (Phlyctsenia ferrugalis) is frequently very 

 abundant in some parts of the country. It is essentially 

 a greenhouse pest although it can live out-of-doors. 

 The greenish whitish striped caterpillars, %inch in 

 length when full grown, feed on the under side of the 

 leaves which they roll or tie together. The moth is 

 pale brownish with an expanse of about %inch. The 

 leaf-tyer is most destructive during the summer months 

 when the temperature is highest. It can be controlled 

 by spraying with arsenate of lead. It is advisable to 



49 



952. The crown bud. 



begin the work early in the season when the insects are 

 less numerous and the plants are small. Care should 

 be taken to hit the under surface of the leaves. 



The tarnished plant-bug (Lygus pratensis) often 

 injures the blossom 

 buds by its feeding 

 punctures. This 

 causes wilting and 

 blind growths. The 

 bugs may be ex- 

 cluded from green- 

 houses with screens. 

 Out-of-doors no sat- 

 isfactory means of 

 control has been de- 

 vised. But it has 

 been noticed that 

 plants growing in 

 partial shade are less 

 subject to injury. 



Grasshoppers are 

 sometimes injurious. 

 They may be con- 

 trolled by the use 

 of arsenate of lead 

 or by hand-picking. 



Diseases. Damp- 

 ing-off in the cutting-benches is not uncommon. See 

 Damping-off,pa,ge 961. Rust (Pucdnia chrysanthemi) is 

 the only serious fungous disease of the chrysanthemum. 

 It is characterized by the reddish brown pulverulent 

 masses on the foliage consisting of the spores of the 

 fungus. The disease is usually not destructive but may 

 make the foliage unsightly. Any leaves appearing dis- 

 eased should be removed promptly. In watering care 

 should be taken not to wet the foliage, as moisture on 

 the leaves allows new infections. Leaf-blight (Cylin- 

 drosporium) and leaf-spot (Septoria) occur on mature 

 or languishing foliage and usually do little damage. 



Section II. Culture of chrysanthemums in pots. 



The same principles are employed in pot culture as 

 when planted upon the bench, with the exception that 

 the plants are generally allowed to produce more 

 blooms. The most popular type of pot-plant for home 

 growing, or for sale by florists and intended for home 

 use, is a compact, 

 bushy plant, 1^ to 

 2 feet high, branched 

 at the base, and bear- 

 ing four to twenty 

 flowers averaging 3 

 to 4 inches across. 

 They are here called 

 "market plants." 

 "Single-stem plants" 

 are also popular. 

 Great quantities of 

 large flowers (say 

 twenty to one hun- 

 dred) are rarely 

 grown on a potted 

 plant, except for ex- 

 hibitions. Such 

 plants are commonly 

 called "specimens," 



and the three leading 953 Cfown bud faas been 



forms are the bush, selected or taken . 



the standard and the 

 pyramid, the first mentioned being the most popular. 



1. Market plants. Dwarf plants of symmetrical 

 form, with foliage down to the pots, are the most 

 salable, and when thus grown require constant atten- 

 tion as to watering and stopping, allowing each plant 

 plenty of room to keep the lower leaves in a healthy 

 condition. Cuttings taken June 1 and grown in pots, or 



