THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 



purpose of warding off attacks of insect pests. Over- 

 head spraying of the plants must therefore be frequent 

 and thorough, to keep the atmosphere well charged 

 with moisture, but wetting the soil in the benches too 

 much must be avoided, and care exercised that any 

 slight wetting of the surface soil may not mislead as 

 to its actual condition of moisture, beneath the surface. 

 This overhead -spraying, to be thoroughly effective, 

 should be light and frequently given. It may be 

 necessary five or six times a day during great heat and 

 drouth, and not confined to the plants alone, but the 

 roof inside should be sprayed as well, and the floor of 

 the house thoroughly wetted down. Overhead watering 

 should be greatly diminished as summer wanes and 

 the need for it is no longer paramount. A light, 

 thorough spraying of the plants must be kept up, 

 however, as an antidote to insect pests, but careful 

 judgment must be used with the advent of cooler days, 

 6r it may induce other leaf diseases of a fungous 

 nature. After the beginning of September it is well 

 not to spray the foliage after 3 p. m., so that the plants 

 will be dry by night. 



TYING 



Preparations must be made in the early stages of 

 the young plants' growth for their subsequent tying 

 and training, a comparatively easy matter when they 

 are grown upon benches. Several systems are prac- 

 ticed. Some run lines of wire along each row of 

 plants a few inches above the soil, and corresponding 

 lines of wire three, four or more feet high, stretching 

 the wires tight to braced iron or wooden frames 

 attached to the ends of the benches. Strings are then 

 tied perpendicularly, and the plants tied to the strings 

 as they grow up. For strongly growing exhibition 



