CHRYSANTHEMUMS 319 



surplus on the market at a time when the large grower ships in his 

 main crop, and when the returns cannot possibly equal what it 

 has cost to grow the plants. While single-stem sorts are classed as 

 show flowers, and while every retail grower should have a bench or 

 more devoted to them so that his patrons can admire them, he will 

 find that it is the Pompons, singles and small flowering sorts, such 

 as are suitable for table and house decoration that bring in the 

 money from a retail trade, even though he may not sell them all. 

 Let us take, for example, a florist who benches 2500 plants. For 

 money-making purposes they should consist of not over 700 single- 

 stem sorts as follows: About fifty each of early white, pink, bronze, 

 and yellow; fifty each of midseason pink, and white, and 100 mid- 

 season yellow; 100 each of either pink or white, and yellow; and 

 about 100 more varieties of other colors and exhibition or show 

 flowers. The remaining 1800 should consist of small flowering sorts, 

 extra early, early, midseason, late and very late. The retail grower 

 who has to ship surplus flowers to the wholesale market usually loses 

 money on them, but you can safely figure that he who grows only 

 enough to supply his wants and often has to buy as many or twice 

 as many more flowers besides, is making money. Cut your flowers 

 as you want them, yet not so close as to prevent your house or 

 houses from looking well until the end of the season. Don't plant 

 a batch of Niza alongside of Diana, or Golden Climax by the side of 

 Godfrey. Plant the sorts in rotation and when one is through, 

 clean up the space and do not let the sight of cut-down stalks or 

 Bamboo canes detract from the effect of plants coming into flower 

 nearby. Chrysanthemum time is show time. Always have that 

 in mind. 



WHAT VARIETIES TO GROW 



To my mind, there is no better way nor easier way to find out 

 exactly what varieties to grow than to go by what the larger growers 

 select for their own use. While there are still with us a dozen or so 

 old-timers that we have had for the past twenty years whereas new 

 ones come and go, still it pays any man growing Chrysanthemums 

 to invest a few dollars each year in novelties. It is the only way to 

 keep to the front. Discard what you don't want and forget about 

 it, and the following Spring, when the specialist sends out his latest 

 list, select some more and send your check for them. If you are a 

 lover of flowers you will keep on looking forward to seeing these 

 plants grow and flower just as you have done in previous years. 



CULTURAL HINTS 



For detailed cultural notes get Elmer Smith's "Chrysanthe- 

 mum Manual," a little book full of valuable information. But 



