SPORTS 103 



cuttings are secured from the stem or shoot that bore 

 the flower. 



A good plan to encourage stem growths and at 

 once secure a goodly number of the new kind is to take 

 the plant up, if planted on a bench or if in a pot to 

 take it out and lay the whole plant down horizontally 

 upon a bed of sand in the propagating house, covering 

 the stem with sand but leaving the leaves intact, and, 

 as far as possible, exposed. If kept moist young shoots 

 will grow out from the stem of which cuttings can be 

 made in the usual manner. The white "sport" of Mrs. 

 Coombes, previously mentioned, appeared on a single 

 stem plant which was treated as here advised. From 

 the cuttings secured, other cuttings were made, and, 

 last November, one hundred plants every one of which 

 produced a pure white flower represented the progeny 

 of the single "sport" that occurred the previous year, 

 there being not a single reversion. 



Upon bush plants, or plants bearing more than 

 one flower, "sports" are more likely to occur, and it 

 may be that only one flower shoot on the entire plant 

 has sported. In such a case it is obviously necessary 

 to propagate entirely from that shoot, as often 

 there is no sign of any suitable side growth, as they 

 have all been previously removed in the interest of 

 the flower bud. The grower need not despair, however, 

 of securing young plants. The best procedure in this 

 case is to carefully cut off the leaves with a heel or 

 portion of the wood of the shoot attached, inserting 

 these as cuttings in a pot of sand, keeping the same 

 moist and enclosed in a propagating case, or under a 

 bell glass, till roots have been emitted and young shoots 

 put forth. 



The possibility that any of our best Chrysanthe- 

 mums may at any moment "sport" into something new 



