COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION 73 



flowers — "go blind," as it is termed, in a high 

 temperature. 



As soon as the flats are brought indoors, 

 watering must be attended to carefully, espee. 

 blooming. At this stage of growth daffodils 

 will consume great quantities of water and a 

 meagre supply is sure to result in poor flow- 

 ers, if not in absolute failure. A moist atmo- 

 sphere should be kept in the greenhouse to as-, 

 sist the flower sheaths in opening, in fact an 

 occasional good syringing is advisable for 

 this very purpose. In the open air, the wind 

 and rain, and the movement of the plants as- 

 sist in opening the sheath and In preventing 

 its drying up and strangling the enclosed 

 flower. Manure water diluted with water to 

 the colour of weak tea, applied once a week 

 (about a pint to a flat), will materially assist 

 in the production of large, well-formed 

 flowers. 



Bottom heat must not be given. Some varie- 

 ties, particularly those of the poeticus family, 

 or in which the poeticus blood predominates, 

 resent heat. Even though well rooted, they 

 cannot be forced beyond their limit. A case 

 in point: A well-rooted batch of poeticus or- 



