December 4, 1890. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
497 
A few additional words will, I hope, enable those unacquainted with 
the subject to understand what “ taking the bud ” really means. If 
the plants have been grown as advised they will be from 18 inches to 
3 feet in height at the end of May, according to the varieties. At the 
end of May and early in June they will be making their first “ break.” 
that is, at the top of the plant a bud is formed which stops that growth, 
and three shoots form. These start away together and make a long or 
short growth according to the varieties. When the growth of these 
shoots is completed by the formation of another bud it has to be 
decided whether this bud shall be reserved, or the plant be allowed to 
make another growth. This demands an acquaintance with the peculiari¬ 
ties of the varieties. If it is decided to reserve the bud the three shoots 
around the flower bud are removed as soon as it can be done with 
safety, leaving only the flower bud. This is called “ taking the crown 
bud.” If it is decided that taking this crown bud would be too early 
or likely to cause deformed flowers, the flower bud is removed with two 
of the shoots, and the best shoot allowed to make another growth. At 
the apex of this other buds are formed, the best is preserved, the others 
are all carefully removed, and this is called “ taking the terminal bud.” 
I have found the buds of most incurved varieties to come from the 
plants not stopped. In the natural break the shoots start evenly 
together, but the condition of the wood as to firmness influences the 
artificial break. I once stopped half my plants of incurved varieties to 
try the system, but the result was so convincing it was never repeated. 
Varieties run on to the terminal bud in a sunny position are Barbara, 
Refulgence, Mabel Ward, Eve, and the Teck family of the incurved, and 
Grandiflorum of the Japanese. Other terminals, taken in a position not 
quite so hot, are Comte de Germiny, Stanstead Surprise, M. Lacroix, 
Etoile de Lyon, Lady Lawrence, Carew Underwood, and Baronne de 
Prailly of the Japanese, and Jeanne d’Arc incurved. L’Adorable and 
M. Tarin making short breaks have been taken on the third break. 
Japanese stand stopping much better than incurved. Before we had 
better varieties Elaine, Bertie Rendatler, and Thunberg were obtained 
by stopping in April. Edwin Molyneux and Mrs. F. Jameson amongst 
the newer varieties have come well from plants that have been stopped. 
In these cases early blooms lose their freshness, and terminals lack size 
and substance, but by stopping them they are obtained the right time 
for exhibition. 
Housing the Plants. 
Attend to this in good time, removing under cover the earliest as soon 
as they show their florets, and following up the others every alternate day 
until the stock is housed. Large numbers of early blooms damp through 
the large buds becoming saturated before being housed. The first week 
in October is the time most of the plants are housed, unless the weather 
is threatening, when they are housed at once, so as not to be taken by 
surprise. 
Keeping the Blooms. 
This is sure to engage the attention of exhibitors. I have tried 
various ways, but have found no plan better than allowing them to 
remain on the plant. The early ones are placed in one house, or at the 
•end of a house by themselves, the temperature cool and the house airy, 
with enough warmth in the pipes to evaporate undue moisture. When 
the blooms are nearly developed a piece of tiffany is fixed over the glass 
to prevent the cold and moist air injuriously affecting them by night and 
the sun injuring them by day. Blooms kept in this manner have often 
surprised me in the length of time they have kept for exhibition. 
• 
Damping. 
The early buds are most subject to “ damping.” Heavy winds and 
rains battering the large buds before they are housed is often the cause. 
Continued foggy weather and too much artificial manure cause the 
lower florets to decay quickly. Low night temperature with much 
moisture followed by bright sunny days cause hundreds of blooms to be 
lost in a few hours. The best preventive is to have a small fire con¬ 
stantly, except on sunny days, with ventilation more or less at all times 
except during heavy fog. Where the temperature is not allowed to 
fluctuate too much, the blooms keep much cleaner and preserve their 
freshness for a long time. Some varieties are more subject to damp 
than others, and should be accorded the driest position in the house. 
Empress of India, Queen of England, Lady Hardinge, Mrs. W. Shipman, 
Mdlle. Lacroix, Fernand Feral, and Madame C. Audiguier are with me 
the most subject to damp. Prince Alfred and Lord Wolseley should also 
be placed in as dry a position as possible, being early to bloom, and 
likely to go quickly at the lower part of the bloom. 
Insects and Diseases. 
Numerous insects attack the plants in various stages of their growth, 
but the,> can be generally overcome with timely attention. They are 
subject to green fly in all stages of their growth, but these are readily 
destroyed by dusting with tobacco powder. Immediately the plants are 
housed they should be well fumigated to destroy any aphides secreting 
themselves around the buds. Blooms stand fumigation so well I have 
never found any injury arise from it. A maggot attacks the plants in 
May. It is readily detected by the manner in which it webs the top 
leaves of the plant together. They should be searched for occasionally 
and destroyed. Earwigs are troublesome, especially among the blooms. 
They should be trapped through the summer by bean stalks cut in 
length and placed among the plants or inverted pots with a little dry 
moss. The cuckoo spit insect has been unusually prevalent this season, 
and destroyed many buds ; it nips the stem and causes the bloom to heel 
over and cease swelling. The only plan I know is to catch them, which 
is sometimes a troublesome matter, as they are so lively, but their 
numbers are reduced. When mildew attacks the plants sulphur should 
be applied, and this immediately arrests it. 
Preparing for the Shows. 
Where it is intended to exhibit the schedules of the societies must be 
carefully read and noted, otherwise mistakes readily occur through not 
meeting the conditions, and lead to disqualification. It is not desirable 
to send the entries until nearly the time for closing, because many losses 
of the blooms may occur from various causes, and the exhibitor may be 
unable to compete in the classes he intended. No more classes should 
be entered than the exhibitor has every reason to believe he can compete 
in. I knew one exhibitor who used to enter very early and in more 
classes than he could fill, and boast of his number of entries. All this 
entails work on the secretaries to no purpose, and leads the society into 
additional expense in providing accommodation. Managers of exhibi¬ 
tions should fix their close of entries as late as is consistent with the 
proper working of the show. Exhibitors are anxious to enter certain 
classes and are keeping their blooms for it, when perhaps a change to 
wet and foggy weather ruins a number of the blooms, and if no margin 
for losses has been allowed for, nothing can be done but cancel some of the 
entries. Where this does occur it should become more the general rule 
to give notice to the secretaries the day before the show ; or perhaps a 
clause in the regulations to the effect that a fine would be imposed 
if notice was not sent would mend matters in the entry for com¬ 
petition. 
The Chrysanthemum has given those with an inventive turn of mind 
scope for using their abilities in discovering aids to the best manner of 
setting up for exhibition. Many forms of cups and tubes have been 
brought out to assist the exhibitor to raise his blooms and set them up to 
best advantage. Holders for tickets with the names of the blooms at 
the back of the stands seem to be on their trial now. The large 
varieties of Japanese blooms leave no space for the name to be seen on the 
board, and unless they are in a conspicuous position the names have to be 
passed, or the blooms have to be pushed on one side every time we wish to 
find the name, injuring the blooms and also the effect, as well as taking 
up a great deal of time, when in a crowded exhibition others are perhaps 
waiting to get near. Tickets fixed in front of the stands are too 
low down, and are liable to be unfixed by visitors rubbing against 
them. 
The various requisites for exhibiting should be examined and in 
readiness. A support from a board, or leaky tubes, or an insufficiency of 
them, may cause much delay at the last moment. The best way to 
reach the exhibition, times of trains, &c., should be fixed beforehand, 
so that when the time arrives for setting up the blooms the whole 
attention can be given to it, and not divided by matters that should 
have been seen to before. As a rule the blooms are prepared the day 
before the exhibition, commencing with the incurved because they 
take the longest time to prepare. Incurved blooms vary in the length 
of time they require ; if clean and well grown they take a much shorter 
time than many people imagine. Some seasons the Queen family come 
with scaly centres, and then they are rougher and take more care. 
When cutting look carefully over each variety, cut only those that are 
required, and select solid deep blooms, broad florets and fresh. Two 
pairs of tweezers are required, one long pair to remove any damaged 
florets, and deformed ones at the base low down amongst the florets, 
as if these are not removed it prevents the others going into proper posi¬ 
tion, leaving hollows and losing the symmetrical proportion which adds 
so much to the beauty of an incurved bloom. With the short pair 
arrange the florets in as regular a manner as possible, commencing at 
the centre of the bloom. Take pains to do it well, as they are much 
admired, and some that profess to dislike the method must inwardly 
prefer their appearance. 
Japanese blooms are cut in the afternoon of the day before the 
exhibition. The colours are arranged by day, so that they have the 
same light as when judged. If arranged in the evening some colours 
look different. Take Sunflower for instance, which loses its effect at 
night. Select fresh, large, well-coloured blooms with their centres well 
u{T, and as many of the true Japanese as possible when in their best 
condition ; I mean such varieties as Boule d’Or, the Dragon type, Meg 
Merrilies, Ralph Brocklebank, Stanstead White, &c. Varieties in all 
classes should be shown in their true character, and distinct where 
distinctness is required by the schedule. Sports are especially liable to 
vary, and should only be shown in their true form. Where there is a 
doubtful bloom it should be left out and a safe one substituted, and not 
run the risk of being disqualified. In arranging the stands the large 
blooms should be placed in the back row, the medium in the middle row, 
and the smaller ones in front ; each row should be made level at their 
top by raising the low one or lowering the high one. All should be well 
set up from the boards, as they gain much in effect by this method, 
An early start should be made on the morning of the exhibition, so 
that time is given to see that the blooms have travelled safely, and 
everything ready for the judges at the appointed time. It is the duty of 
exhibition managers, exhibitors, and judges to be punctual. It is most 
to the interest of the exhibitors themselves, so that the judges may have 
the full time allotted to them at their disposal. If shorn of a quarter 
of the time through the unpunctuality of one or two exhibitors, and 
there is a large competition, with the prospect of the opening exhibition 
close at hand'j it means hurried work, and hurried work at judging, as at 
other work, is seldom satisfactory. 
