
shaded at one date should be grouped together to simplify 
the shading. 
2. HOW TO SHADE. Simplest way is to run a $9 
wite above both sides of the bench, end to end. Between 
the two #9 lines, run a finer #18 wire about every foot down 
the bed. During shading, the cloth rests on these wires. 
12-14 ft. strips of sateen can be simply draped over the 
whole bench, gathered together when shade is removed. 
Some growers rig up side curtains like a shower curtain and 
cover the top with a roll of cloth rolled around a stick. 
On rainy nights or during very hot weather, it will help 
in disease prevention to remove the cloth after dark and 
replace it again before daylight. Watch this closely if you 
are having disease troubles. Be sure the covering is tight. 
A photographer's (Weston) meter should not read over 
2 foot candles under the cover during sunny daylight. Black 
sateen, 64 x 104 mesh is best. For best results shade every 
night; missing one or two nights over the season won't be 
serious, but much more will simply delay flowering. 
Continue shading until all buds on Pomps show color. 
Buds on Standards should be the size of a nickel before 
shading is stopped. 
Starting on page 15 will be found our Crop Schedule 
giving correct planting, pinching, shading, and flowering 
dates for varieties most suitable for shading. In most cases, 
‘ complete dates are given to bring each variety into bloom on 
several different dates. In this way, retail growers can 
flower a batch of each important color at weekly intervals 
thru the season. It is generally more satisfactory to use one 
variety on three different shading schedules rather than to 
try to select three varieties with different flowering dates. 
Early and mid-season varieties are best for shading. 
OUTDOOR MUMS 
Increasingly popular among mid-western and eastern 
growers, and done on a very large scale out west. For the 
eastern grower, it offers two big advantages on early crops: 
first, better exposure to outdoor air—getting out of the hot 
greenhouses. Second, it is much cheaper than using glass 
_ space. : 
Pomps may be benched right outdoors, same as you 
would for shading under glass. For best results, provide a 
cheesecloth roof to break the full sun. It will give you 
cleaner better stock, and flower colors won’t sunburn. Some 
extra care is required to hold the black cloth down in case 
of summer storms. | 
To flower big Mums outdoors in the East, some protec- 
tion is needed especially during the actual flowering season. 
We have had good success with our so-called ‘Flexo-glass 
houses’. We build up a framework same shape as a green- 
BETTER MUMS GGG 
FOR FLORISTS 

house, using 1 or 114 inch pipe. Our houses are 24 ft. 
wide, 6 ft. gutters, and standard roof pitch. We like to 
provide cheesecloth over the plants during summer. Then, 
as color starts to show, we fit large sash of one of the many 
inexpensive glass substitutes over the house. By adding 
several lines of steam pipe, we are able to keep in produc- 
tion till well along in October. That permits use of some 
of the fine November flowering varieties. Quality generally 
is good with very little rotting of flowers. 
Shading on these houses, by the way, was done over the 
roof. 14 ft. strips of Sisalkraft paper (*) were run from 
the ridge down the roof, sides, and to the ground. At the 
ground end of each strip a 14 ft. pole (2x2 inch) was 
nailed to the paper. To roll the shade up, the paper is just — 
rolled up on the pole to the ridge. This can be done me- 
chanically. Using clothesline, fasten a rope at the ridge, 
under the paper. Run it down the roof and sides of the 
house to the ground, over the 2x2 pole, and back up the 
ridge on top of the paper. At the ridge, it is run thru a 
pulley then back to the ground. By simply pulling this 
loose end of :the rope, the shade will then roll up. We 
also used this arrangement for shading a house of Pompons 
—using a simple wood frame to support the Sisalkraft 
paper. It is a great labor saver, and the paper is cheap. (See 
cut on page 5). 
AS POT PLANTS 
Well grown, they make a handsome fast selling fall pot 
plant. Essentials of culture: 
1, PLANTING. The modern method is to plant 3 or 
4 rooted cuttings to a standard 6 inch pot. The good mid- 
season sorts are planted in early June; sooner, of course, 
for earlier ones or if they are to be shaded. You may first 
pot the cuttings to 214 inch pots; this enables you to sort 
out the weaker ones before final potting. Be sure the soil 
is high in organic matter either from well rotted manure 
or peat; it helps a lot both in watering and feeding. 
2. PINCHING. While many growers only pinch pot 
Mums twice, three pinches seem to produce best shaped 
plants in the end. The Crop Schedule for Pot Varieties 
(page 20) gives final pinching dates for many sorts. Records 
of your own previous crops plus common sense are the 
biggest help. 
3. CARE OF THE CROP. Moving pot Mums outdoors 
over the summer is a big boost to them, especially if cheese: 
cloth shade is provided. The open air seems to produce a 
more vigorous husky growth. Also, pot Mums will re-— 
quire a good bit of feeding, best based on soil tests. Nor- 
mally starting with fresh field soil, a teaspoonful of Vigoro 
*Sisalkraft Co.. 205 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Ill. Cost about 144c 
per sq. ft 
Rady 72% 

