THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 175 



to answer the same purpose. When a distinct ring is the result, 

 a full supply of water is required, but the reverse is the case when the 

 sound is dull. When watering always give a copious supply to dry 

 plants, and if any are very dry go over them a second time. As the 

 plants are so much exposed to air and sun the soil dries quickly ; when 

 they are well rooted, it is necessary on hot days to look at them three 

 or four times. As the shoots progress carefully loop them to the 

 stakes. It is a mistake to tie lightly, as the growths are brittle and 

 break off quite easily. A loop-like tie gives sufficient space for the 

 shoot. Tie where the stem is hardening. Earwigs must be trapped as 

 the plants develop, otherwise they eat out the points of the shoots, and 

 the way to catch them is to put thumb pots with hay or paper in them 

 upside down on the stakes. Inspect the traps each morning, and shake 

 the contents into a vessel of boiling water. There are many other con- 

 trivances for trapping the earwigs, such as bean-stalks and match-boxes, 

 and all are good in their way. In early May watch for a leaf-mining 

 maggot, which quickly works into the tissues of the leaves. Unless 

 means are taken to check the spread of this pest the plants suffer 

 seriously. The maggot can easily be traced, and when seen removed 

 with a penknife, or else squeeze the affected leaves between the finger 

 and thumb. As a preventive the plants may be dusted with soot, or, 

 what is better, syringe a solution, made from quassia chips, over the 

 plants occasionally during early May and once or twice afterwards. 

 Another pest, known to growers as the "jumper," often causes havoc 

 among the tender growths just before bud formation. It is very active 

 and difficult to catch, but by constant disturbance of its quarters and 

 lightly passing the hands over the shoots each time the plants are 

 visited its depredations are stopped. Green-fly and black-fly may be 

 easily eradicated by dusting with tobacco powder, no matter when they 

 make their appearance. Dust the under side of mildewed leaves with 

 flowers of sulphur. 



Buds and their Development Each plant first develops what is 

 known generally as a " break " bud, which is the first change in the 

 plant's life, and so called because the plant breaks out into fresh growth 

 from this point. The bud appears in the apex of the single shoot, 

 which is grown on from the cutting stage, and is surrounded by several 

 new growths. It is usual to pinch out the bud, selecting afterwards to 

 be grown on three or four, more or less, of the strongest shoots just 

 referred to. These fresh shoots soon go ahead, and in the course 

 of two to three months in most cases a bud is developed in the point 

 of each of the shoots grown on from the "break." These buds 

 are known as first "crown" buds, and growers of exhibition flowers 

 frequently retain or secure this bud by pinching off the young 

 shoots surrounding it, leaving the bud quite alone at the apex of the 

 shoot. As many Chrysanthemums, however, fail to give the best 

 flowers from a first "crown" bud selection, this kind of bud is 

 pinched out and one or more of the young shoots surrounding it are 

 grown on vigorously. These in about a month or six weeks each 

 develop what is called a second " crown " bud ; and as this is the 



