GROWING EXHIBITION BLOOMS 79 



containing from four to five inches of soil, 

 are preferable to solid beds. These must 

 also be provided with abundant openings 

 in the bottom for draining away any excess 

 of water. Growing the plants in boxes 

 that will contain from six to ten plants is 

 a very satisfactory way. In fact, when not 

 more than two or three hundred blooms are 

 required, and the blooms, or at least a part 

 of them, must be kept for some time after 

 they are fully developed, this is the most 

 satisfactory method of all, as when the 

 blooms in any box are nearly matured the box 

 may be taken from the house to the storage 

 room, where the flowers will keep in good 

 condition for a month or more. The plants 

 may also be grown in pots. But save 

 in the case of plants that are grown for the 

 purpose of exhibiting in the pots as they 

 grew, when six-inch pots are used, this is 

 the least desirable method of all, although 

 good blooms may be produced. Plants 

 that are grown to single stem and bloom in 

 six-inch pots are nearly always a feature 

 of chrysanthemum exhibitions. They are 

 also very desirable as house plants and 

 for decorative purposes. For this method 



