November, 1910 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



167 



are the final aid to symmetry. Place 

 these around the plants, and tie to them 

 such shoots as are not in the proper posi- 

 tions. The shoots should be drawn grad- 

 ually to the point needed, and this work, 

 including the tying itself, must be done 

 very carefully as the shoots split easily 

 at the point of junction. Use soft cord 

 and tie the shoots near the point. And 

 don't forget that the normal tendency of 

 the plant is to grow upward; therefore, 

 the shoots starting from the upper part 

 of the plant are "stopped" shorter than 

 the side ones. 



Standards are trained in exactly the 

 same way, excepting that, instead of 

 "stopping" at the start, the stem is al- 

 lowed to grow to whatever height the 

 specimen is intended to be. Then the 

 stem is "stopped" and the formation of 

 the "head" begun. The stem must be 

 tied to a strong stake. 



When training ceases, place four or 

 five stakes close to the plants and run 

 some cord around them in such a way 

 that it will relieve any weight that may 

 fall on the branches. The plant is easily 

 broken at this time, and the loss of even 

 a single branch will ruin it. After the 

 plants have been in their flowering pots 

 long enough for the roots to fill the soil 

 fairly well, shade the pots so that the sun 

 will not strike the sides and dry out the 

 soil. Either boards or litter may be used. 

 The plants themselves demand sunshine, 

 and, unless it is done with great judg- 

 ment, should not be shaded. Even when 

 the thermometer runs up to 90 degrees in 

 the shade, in July and August, cheese- 

 cloth stretched above the plants either 

 inside or outside of the glass, is all that 

 is needed, and this only for three or four 

 hours during the hottest part of the day. 



Disbud about the first of September, 

 and then prepare to tie the blooms in their 

 final position. Some stakes must be 

 used; galvanized iron, with a loop at the 

 top, is best, but either bamboo or wood 

 will do. One stake is used for each flower- 

 ing branch. If the plant is shapely, a 

 wire frame may be substituted. 



March and April arc the months for 

 propagating plants for exhibition blooms, 

 though some varieties will do better if 

 started in February. In general; propa- 

 gate before May ist for first-class blooms, 

 and not later than June ist for good 

 blooms. Beds or benches, with the plants 

 ten to twelve inches apart each way, are 

 best if the flowers are to be cut; if to be 

 shown potted or used for the house, pot up 

 to six-inch size and select the dwarf-grow- 

 ing kinds, propagating after May ist. In 

 any case train the plant to a single stem, 

 all side branches being removed to concen- 

 trate every energy on the single purpose 

 of creating an exceptional flower. 



These are the big chrysanthemum feats; 

 for most amateurs it is better worth while to 

 attempt those of easier accomplishment, 

 unless specimens are to be grown for 

 exhibition purposes. There is less sym- 

 metry, but not less beauty, in bush plants 



Anemone-flowered chrysanthemum, showing wire frame used for training to exhibition bush form 



that have not been over-trained, as the 

 single variety pictured on the cover abun- 

 dantly demonstrates; and certainly there 

 is a sense of joy in clustered bloom that 

 is not always to be found when disbudding 

 is carried out to the last degree. The year's 

 work is much the same, but it is of shorter 

 duration and not nearly so arduous. 



"Stopping" in its simplest form, the 

 plant being then allowed to shape its 

 own course, will produce a sufficiently 

 symmetrical plant for the window, and 

 it will be all the better for only partial 

 disbudding. The pompons, which make 

 admirable window plants, are, of course, 

 not disbudded at all. They are merely 



"stopped" or pinched into shape, as de- 

 sired, but not touching them after the 

 beginning of August. Get the named 

 varieties of these. 



Propagation of plants not intended to 

 be in the exhibition class is done in the 

 spring; or cuttings already started may 

 be purchased. 



The green aphis is the chrysanthemum's 

 worst enemy. That, and also the black 

 aphis, may be routed by fumigation with 

 tobacco stems — in the evening and, if 

 possible, when the weather is cool. Red 

 spider disappears if the old rule of spray- 

 ing the under side of the leaves with 

 water is applied. -■ .^i] --"M 



A large exhibition bush trained to the popular hemispherical form 



