BETTER MUMS FOR 1944 FROM— Gg Gee 
set. Watch this closely. Varieties 
that flower normally in October are 
regularly flowered early in Sept. 
for which shading should start 60 
days earlier or July 1st. Later va- 
rieties will require a somewhat 
longer period from start to finish. 
With large Mums shade should be 
maintained until buds are enlarged 
to the point of showing some color. 
Pompons require more time because 
the lateral or side flowers develop 
later than the center or terminal 
flowers. Early planting of shaded 
stock is necessary because stem 
length doesn’t greatly increase after 
buds are set. We like to have our 
pompons 14-18 and the large ones 
18-24 in. in height at the time 
shading starts. Under most con- 
ditions this means that planting 
should be completed June Ist. 
Varieties differ some in their 
reaction to shading. Generally 
strongly colored varieties should 
be used because of the fading ten- 
dency of some colors when flowered 
during prolonged high tempera- 
tures. The large variety Apricot 
Queen, a rich shade of buff or 
apricot yellow when flowered nat- 
urally in late October is an example of this, 
for when flowered in the heat of September 
thru shading it becomes a rich golden Yellow— 
an entirely different variety in color. Most of 
the whites are excellent when shaded, but the 
pinks tone down considerably tho not to an 
objectionable shade. But only the deepest pinks 
should be used. The varieties we particularly 
recommend for shading are so designated with 
the letter S. in our listing. 
TO DELAY FLOWERING. Heavy over sup- 
plies frequently develop late in November or 
when the finest varieties are on. When the 
flowering of such can be delayed several weeks 
the difference in returns usually is substantial. 
Planting may be delayed 2-3 weeks with stock 
to be shaded. The procedure in delaying bud 
setting or flowering is the reverse of shading for 
early flowering, for daylight hours must be ex- 
tended with electric lights. 40 Watt lamps are 
recommended for this purpose. They should be 
suspended over the bench at intervals of 5 ft. 
and equipped with tin reflectors, that can be in 
the form of dime store pie plates. 3 to 10 foot 
candles are generally recommended. Use only 
late varieties and start lighting about Aug. 15th. 
Turn lights on after dark, maintaining them 
for 3 hours every evening. The length of 
treatment should be 34 as many nights as you 
wish to delay flowering. In other words if you 
wish a 30 day delay in flowering turn on lights 
for 22 days. There is considerable difference in 
the inherent behavior of varieties. This as well 
as seasonal uncertainties will make for varying 
results in this delaying procedure, as well as in 
early flowering, and as every grower knows this 
House of Silver Sheen. 
ginning July 15th. 

Benched first week in May. Shaded be- 
This photo taken about Sept. 10th. 
applies to flowering naturally as well. In the 
main, shading can, according to our rather 
limited experience with it, be depended upon. 
Buds will develop promptly after lights are shut 
off and the first good bud that appears should 
be accepted. A minimum of 50° temperature 
with 5-10 higher during the day should be 
maintained for if it gets very much lower there 
will be a blind growth tendency. 
AS POT PLANTS. A good many more Mums 
would be sold in this form if more timely at- 
tention were paid to getting them compact. The 
leggy, poor stemmed specimens all too fre- 
quently noted appeal to no one. Also some years 
back there was a tendency to believe that only 
small flowered types should be used as pot 
plants. Today most buyers are primarily at- 
tracted to size of flowers as well as habit of 
growth. However, our pompon and anemone 
list recommends many varieties as suitable for 
disbuds in pot plant form. The Anemone and 
large Singles are especially attractive for this 
purpose. In growing Mum pot plants a real 
labor saving suggestion is, planting 3 to 5 cut- 
tings directly into a 5-6 in. pot. This is stand- 
ard practice with many, so don’t be afraid of it. 
There is little danger of over watering in June 
or July when the planting is done. Three pinches 
are usually required for the June planting. 
First one is made 2-3 weeks after planting. A 
few weeks later another one and the last one, 
for the late varieties in August. To get that 
attractive size into the flowers they must of 
course be disbudded timely and if a $35 or 
$40.00 a week grower must do. this work, the 
margin will be close. The most successful 
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