BORSTRTCH Re: Mi UOMOSS | FLOUR aoe FROM Qsgiell 
ON GROWING MUMS 
We should divide this subject into two 
phases, the professional growing of a uni- 
formly good crop and the business or eco- 
nomic end. Close attention to both is 
necessary if we are to make a profit. Space 
will not permit extended cultural notes, 
but here are a few fundamentals. Fresh 
or sterilized soil is safest for this crop. 
Old greenhouse material that has been 
heavily manured for several years is dan- 
gerous unless steamed or leached with hot 
water. We prefer old soil treated this 
way, to fresh material; but if steaming 
is not convenient, better use fresh, out- 
door soil, but remember that changing is 
three to five times as costly as steaming 
if properly equipped to do so. 
For black cloth shading the planting 
must be done earlier than when flowered 
normally, because, after buds are set, 
stems do not lengthen greatly. For plenty 
long flower stems a July shading of pom- 
pons should stand 16-18 in. tall at least 
when shading starts. We have planted cut- 
tings the middle of June of November var- 
ieties, and had them plenty tall to shade 
Aug. 15, but to flower them the last half 
of September calls for mid-May planting, 
and mid-July shading for most October 
varieties. On the other hand, if benches 
are occupied by a profitable crop thru 
June, it is well to know that cuttings or 
June propagated young stock can produce 
a nice grade of unshaded flowers if varie- 
ties are used that don’t tend to produce 
vegetative or blind growth,. The principal 
cause of such growth 
is excess soil moisture 
and fertility. Quite late 
planting also encour- 
ages blind growth. The 
problem of keeping 
down midge, aphis, and 
the disease known as 
VERTICILLIUM is a 
costly one. Midge can 
only be cleaned up thru 
regular, thoro fumigat- 
ing or spraying, but 
verticillium can only be 
controlled by carefully 
selecting disease - free 
stock plants and plant- 
ing in sterilized or clean 
soil. This supplies two 
good reasons for steril- 
izing soil. Also, some 
varieties are much 
more resistant to VERTICILLIUM than 
others. We are designating such in this 
catalog with *. Some varieties will also be 
found more resistant to midge than others, 
but this seems to vary with culture. Where 
deep or ground beds are used, drainage is 
another important factor. In water-logged 
soil growth might take on the yellowing 
symptoms of Verticillium and be mistaken 
for it, but complete drainage is funda- 
mentally necessary for any crop. When 
a soil remains overwatered too long, air 
circulation is interfered with, causing the 
yellowing of growth. We believe that one 
reason for the superior growth we get 
thru gravel culture is due to the much 
more complete aeration the roots enjoy 
thru this method, that draws air in and 
out of the gravel at regular intervals. 
In large or standard mums the demand 
is generally for medium size flowers such 
as produce two to a plant spaced 7x10 or 
11 in. Spacing 7x8, one flower to a plant, 
we find not so profitable, tho it generally 
results in more uniformly large flowers. 
On the other hand, some retail growers 
find it more profitable to space about 
8x10 and grow 4-6 flowers to a plant for 
the good reason that you can, as a retailer, 
usually net more from the half dozen 
smaller flowers than one or two larger 
ones. 
In England they are largely grown 10- 
12 to a plant while for the Paris Market, 
the bigger they are, the better, and so de- 
mands vary in our own country. 

This yariety, Peggy Ann Hoover, might be of more value as an attraction 
than any on the list, something different, here it is. 
pester 
