stem so that the original ball is 3 or 4 inches deep at 
the close of the season. Give ordinary good garden 
cultivation, not too deep during the latter part of the 
season. 
Insects are generally not a serious problem, 
though aphis sometimes require control in cool, damp 
sections or during a late wet spring. Black-Leaf-40 or 
other garden sprays used occasionally throughout the 
season make for better flowers and foliage. 
If the winters are severe the broken tops laid 
over the crowns after the foliage has been killed by 
freezing is usually sufficient protection. We think it 
is better to have too little than too much winter cover. 
Pinching back makes the plant bushy and bet- 
ter able to withstand wind and rain. It also helps in- 
crease the amount of bloom. Simply pinch out, with 
thumb and forefinger, the last inch or two of the first 
shoot when it is 4 to 8 inches high. Laterals then 
spring from the leaf axils and, when several inches 
long are pinched back in the manner just described. 
Twice pinching is usually sufficient though some of the 
more vigorous varieties may be pinched back repeated- 
ly until about the middle of July for midseason bloom. 
Later pinching may delay blooming too late. See Fig. 1 
for pinching back detail. 
Disbudding is used to increase the size of the 
flowers by limiting the number growing on a single 
plant. When the cluster is large enough to manipulate, 
remove all except the leaders. See Fig. 2. The strength 
of the plant is thus thrown into the remaining buds 
Which grow very large and produce, especially in the 
English Hybrids, extremely large flowers. The number 
of flowers allowed to a plant varies from 1 to 6, ac- 
cording to the vigor of the plant and the size of flower 
_ desired. See Fig. 3 for pinching and disbudding illus- 
tration. 
If you wish to grow late varieties, adequate 
protection from wind, rain, and frost should be made. 
Many varieties will stand a few cold spells without 
damage if frost is not allowed to settle on the petals. 
At the approach of an expected freeze don’t miss 
gathering buds. Buds showing color taken into a cool 
room for a week or two will generally open satisfactor- 
ily, thus prolonging the cut-flower season. 
2 

