26 THE CHRYSANTHEMUM 



means a wasting of the same energies in nourishing 

 growth to be subsequently removed. The early morn- 

 ing hours will be found a good time to do this work, 

 as the shoots are fresh and firm and rub out easily 

 and much more quickly than in the later hours of 

 bright sunshine. The work is tedious, but it has com- 

 pensating advantages. One becomes so closely ob- 

 servant of the minor differences and peculiarities of 

 varieties as to be able ultimately to know them all at 

 a glance, without reference to labels. As the season 

 advances there will be suckers, or shoots, from the 

 roots and base of the plant, pushing through the soil, 

 and starting up on a career of their own, in imitation 

 of their parents. At this stage of growing they are 

 robbers of the parental larder and speedy removal 

 must be the penalty for them, or they will soon 

 penalize the grower's hopes and ambitions, but their 

 removal may cease as the flowers attain maturity, for 

 these self-same shoots are to furnish the future re- 

 quired stock. 



