mit freer use of tools in cultivating early in the season. We note too that many 
growers who retail their flowers grow 2, 3 and 4 flowers to a plant, but in our very 
competitive Wholesale Market, these smaller flowers would not pay. We note that 
in England the larger flowers are not so popular, three or four smaller ones being 
considered of more value than a larger one. In Paris, on the other hand the bigger 
they are the better they like them. This means that we must know what our market 
prefers, and plan accordingly. 
A few words on the taking of buds. As a rule we find that the terminal is the 
safest. This is usually the second one, so called because it terminates the growth. 
The first or crown bud shows up early and is distinguished by growths instead of 
buds appearing from below the central or crown bud. The crown bud sometimes 
produces extra large flowers but we might say, frequently, these rather premature 
buds produce imperfect flowers. With shaded stock, no consideration need be given 
this question for this treatment usually produces terminals. 
Shading for Early Flowering 
This means that either the pompon or big standards are flowered within 50 to 
75 days from the date shading begins—the late varieties require the longer time. 
This somewhat unnatural trick does not in any way affect the vigor of the stock, 
but the color of some varieties is changed due to flowering during warmer weather 
than they naturally do. In England where mums are flowered from mid-summer 
on, and possibly under some American conditions, this early flowering might not 
be so desirable, but the objection occasionally heard, that this early stock cannot 
compete with Dahlias and Asters, is a mistake, for, when well grown and proper 
varieties used, the flowers are perfect in every way, and are looked forward to with 
the first suggestion of Fall weather. Though some specialists get the big mums in 
around Sept. 1st, we do not recommend doing so earlier than the beginning of cooler 
weather, which is around Sept. 15th in our latitude. When flowered during warm 
periods such as we get up to Sept. 15th, the flowers are softened and there is danger 
of loss through spot or rotting of flowers. Unless only hard varieties are used, there 
might be some loss after Sept. 15th. 
There are various methods of adjusting black cloth shading to a bed of mums. 
Our plan of running the cloth over the house pictured on page 20, will, of course, 
only do for rather small houses somewhat protected from high wind. In large wide 
houses, without interfering posts, the cloth is run over the entire area, walks and 
all. This saves considerable because the cloth on the sides of beds shaded individu¬ 
ally, is frequently half the total used, but, when we have an individual bed to shade, 
a light framework is built over it to support lenghwise wires. Over this the cloth 
is unrolled. For the sides, cloth wide enough to reach the ground is suspended 
from a top, side wire, by means of eyelets in the edge of the cloth. This plan 
permits the cloth to be pushed out of use during the day. The same plan for the 
sides is used when an entire house is covered as a unit. Black sateen cloth is gen¬ 
erally used for shading. Costs around 18-20C per square yard and if stored dry, 
when not in use, and where mice won’t get into it, we find it good for three years. 
We have noted several growers making successful use of a strong grade of building 
paper. This should work out nicely for at least the top of beds, for there is no 
reason why it cannot be unrolled over the top and weighted down, if necessary. But 
for the sides, cloth will, no doubt, work better. Use of paper will greatly reduce 
the one costly factor—black cloth. Any material will do, of course, that will shut 
out the light to what it naturally is when nearly dark, not necessarily totally dark. 
Also, if a few days’ shading are missed or the cloth blown off in the night a few 
"Enclose Your Mum With Your Seed Order" 
21 .. 
