CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 



277 



require individual treatment to secure first-rate blossoms, and 

 that no haphazard management will be attended with consistent 

 success. 



The natural break, which occurs some time during April or 

 May, according to the variety, is produced by the forming of a 

 bud in the point of the shoot. This causes several growths to 

 appear immediately below it, and as we find that the average 

 plant will perfect three blooms, a like number of these shoots 

 are allowed to grow on. The next bud which forms is the 

 " crown-bud," and on some varieties this will develop the best 

 flower ; but as a general rule if the crown-buds form before the 

 10th or later than the 25th August, they do not result in good 

 flowers. In the first case they are too early, dull in colour, 

 coarse in petal, or in some cases the buds refuse to expand at all. 

 From a late bud, unless it be in the incurved section, the flowers 

 are generally too small and thin, with a large disc in the centre. 

 We have therefore to time the bud to form about the middle of 

 August. To instance how this may be done take " Mrs. Falconer 

 Jameson," which forms its bud too late ; pinch the point away 

 from the plant on April 10, and the next bud will appear about 

 August 10, which will perfect a flower of first-rate quality. 

 " Florence Davis " forms its crown-bud too early and a succeed- 

 ing one too late ; but if pinched on April 15 and the second 

 crown-bud secured by August 25, the resulting flower will be 

 good, very different in character to the greenish-looking speci- 

 mens generally seen. There are some varieties, like "Phoebus," 

 which form their second crown-buds naturally in good time, and 

 some even form a third, though these are few : " M. Chenon de 

 Leche " and " Viscountess Hambleden " are examples. 



In the incurved section, " Queen of England," grown naturally 

 in our district, will form its crown-bud about August 10, which 

 is too early for this class ; but by pinching the plant on April 10 

 we anticipate the natural break, hasten the formation of the 

 crown-bud, and thus allow time for a second crown-bud to 

 appear by the end of August, which, under proper conditions, 

 will result in a well-formed flower. 



It will thus be seen that in this important matter of bud 

 selection we aim at a definite period, extending over a few days 

 only, in which to secure the bud in order to obtain a flower of 

 the greatest excellence. A conspicuous proof of this is found in 



