GROWING IN THE SOUTH 163 



liberal application of tobacco stems and 

 dust. 



" It is now time to stake and tie the plants 

 as they grow, in order to protect them from 

 injury by the wind and to keep the branches 

 straight. We drive a stake at each end of 

 a row and stretch three rows of No. 16 wire, 

 the first about a foot from the ground, the 

 second about two feet, and a third as near 

 the flower as possible, to keep the stem from 

 breaking. From the time the plants are set 

 out until the flowers are cut the chrysanthe- 

 mums must not be allowed to get dry, and 

 as long as drainage is perfect there is little 

 danger of over-watering, except during the 

 last stages of perfecting the flowers, when 

 water should be given rather sparingly. If 

 the soil was well prepared and enriched be- 

 fore planting, additional fertilizing or feeding 

 will be unnecessary until the buds are formed 

 and selected. In this region crown buds 

 rarely bring perfect flowers, and should not 

 be selected. The terminal buds perfect the 

 best flowers. It is supposed that by this 

 time the plants, which are gross feeders, 

 have exhausted the plant food contained in 

 the soil, and in order to obtain as large a 





