CARNATION CONFERENCE. 



473 



depends upon the character of each variety, and an exceptionally 

 good grower might have four or five huds left until they are 

 opening, and then remove one or two of the worst; while a weak 

 grower should he disbudded to the most promising bud. We 

 now come to the time when the plants should be moved to some 

 kind of shelter to open their flowers. This should not be delayed 

 after the buds commence to open, or the thrip, green-fly, and rain 

 will spoil every flower. The thrip this season has been very 

 troublesome, and the rain getting into the buds after the thrip 

 has been at work, it has ruined many flowers, so that it is 

 quite necessary that the plants should be housed before the buds 

 commence to open. It is advisable to give the plants two or 

 three smokings with tobacco-paper as soon as housed to kill any 

 insects on them. As the buds swell, a little weak manure - 

 water may be given once or twice a week, and the buds should 

 be tied to prevent the calyx from splitting down, which would 

 spoil any flower for exhibition purposes. The best material for 

 tying the buds is raffia, although small elastic bands are quickly 

 placed over the buds and look very neat. While the buds are 

 opening, sprinkle the plants night and morning, and give all the 

 air possible. Carefully keep all bees out of the house, for if a 

 flower becomes impregnated it immediately closes. Shade the 

 house if the sun be very powerful, and discontinue sprinkling 

 when the flowers have opened. The flowers which appear most 

 promising for exhibition should have a split card placed behind 

 the guard petals and a thin back card to keep it in position. 

 This will keep the guard petals from reflexing too much, and 

 save the time of the exhibitor on the morning of the show, as 

 the flowers will then not require so much time in dressing. 

 The flowers intended for exhibition may be cut and dressed the 

 day previously. 



I may here say a few words on dressing flowers for exhibition, 

 which some condemn and describe its operation as a mutilation 

 of the flower. In my opinion, dressing a flower is an operation 

 which improves the appearance and makes the flower more 

 attractive to the eye. It simply removes any malformed or 

 faulty petals, and arranges the flower so that the beauty of each 

 petal can be seen at a glance. Overdressing is to be condemned ; 

 by overdressing I mean removing so many petals that a flower 

 looks loose and hollow-centred. The recognised method of exhi- 



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