84 chrysanthemums"^ 



some means must be used to support them in 

 order to get straight stems with good flowers. 

 When the plants are grown in beds or benches 

 there are two methods that may be used. 

 Wires may be stretched lengthwise of the 

 benches above each row of plants and as the 

 plants grow they may be tied to the wires. 

 As they make further growth another wire 

 may be stretched, ten to twelve inches above 

 the first, and this process repeated as often 

 as required. For narrow benches and dwarf- 

 growing varieties this method does very well, 

 but for wide benches and tall-growing varie- 

 ties is very inconvenient, as it is difficult to 

 get at the plants for syringing, tying, and 

 disbudding. When the plants are grown in 

 considerable quantities the most commonly 

 practised method is to stretch two lines of 

 light wire — No. 1 8 or 20 is heavy enough ■ — 

 to each row of plants lengthwise of the beds, 

 one a few inches above the soil and the other 

 sufficiently high to be considerably above 

 the plants when they have finished their 

 growth. A piece of hemp or jute twine is 

 then tied from one wire to the other by each 

 plant, and as the plants grow they are tied to 

 the twine. Wire or bamboo stakes may be 



