68 How TO Grow Cut Flowers. 



Buds for distant shipment need to be cut closer than 

 those for home use. This must also be performed upon 

 the judgment of the operator. Time, distance, varie- 

 ties, all have their bearing and must be considered, and 

 while not demanding the close watchfulness of those 

 cut for home use, they should be gathered at least three 

 times on sunny days. This will bring them to matu- 

 rity evenly, and the stems of those cut in the early part 

 of the day will have absorbed water enough by evening 

 to permit of their being forwarded to their destination. 



The demand for long foliage is now such, there is 

 little danger of so many joints being left as in time to 

 make the plants unduly tall or "leggy," as it is some- 

 times expressed, but there is danger of cutting back too 

 far. A new break will be formed and another bud 

 mature soonest from, a leaf about midway between the 

 bud and the union of its stem to the main plant, but if 

 this is practiced every time a bud is cut, the plants will 

 soon reach the glass, and the amount of foliage accom- 

 panying the buds will be too small to satisfy the buyer. 

 If cut back too far, the leaf remaining will be small and 

 the new break slower in making its appearance, as well 

 as less vigorous than it should be. For this reason a 

 bud should not be severed without leaving two eyes, 

 and three if the others are shown by small or under- 

 sized leaves. It is usually the case that the second" leaf 

 will throw a strong renewal of bud and foliage. 



If underbrush accumulates and has passed its useful- 



