CHAPTER VI 

 Growing Exhibition Blooms 



Time for propagating — First potting — Growing in beds or 

 benches — In boxes — In pots — Six-inch pot plants — Planting 



— Watering — Staking and tying — General care — ■ Feeding — 

 Prevention of damage by insects and disease — Taking the buds 

 and disbudding — Crown buds — Scalding and dampening of the 

 blooms — Shading — Cutting — Storing — Packing — Shipping 



— Dressing the blooms — Staging — The results 



For getting first-class blooms of most 

 varieties for exhibition purposes the plants 

 should be propagated before May 1st. 

 While good blooms may be had from plants 

 propagated as late as June ist, the best 

 flowers will generally be produced by plants 

 that have been propagated during the 

 months of March and April, other things 

 being equal. Some varieties will produce 

 decidedly the best blooms from plants prop- 

 agated as early as February. With the 

 exception of a few varieties, however, plants 

 that are propagated from April ist to 20th 

 will produce first-class blooms. Follow the 

 instructions and suggestions given under 

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