Better Chrysanthemums 
CUTTINGS 
To grow good chrysanthemums, the first requisite is to 
start with Verticillium wilt and stunt-free cuttings. Wilt- 
free cuttings are easily secured. Now with the extreme 
care in selecting stunt-free stock and with careful 
handling, we are very optimistic in stating that stunt 
should be practically nil in the stock for the coming 
season. 
Handling Cuttings 
The cuttings you receive have been propagated in a 
material containing some organic matter which nat- 
urally has some plant food. Consequently these cut- 
tings can be planted directly into the final location. 
Ordinarily they will not require shading, but if they 
have been several days in transit and have softened 
up some, or if they are planted during warm, bright 
weather, shading with aster cloth or paper is advisable. 
Under no circumstances leave the covering on the 
plants during dull weather or at night. It is well to 
syringe the plants frequently until they stand up and 
are showing signs of growth. Some evidence shows that 
watering with a starter solution (weak nutrient solution] 
within 48 hours after planting will speed up the growth. 
Deliveries 
With the advent of the time pinch and the precision 
method of culture, it is necessary to have your cuttings 
arrive at a definite date. To insure proper delivery, 
you must plan your cutting requirements months in 
advance of the date wanted. We would appreciate it 
if you could let us know your requirements so that our 
propagator can plan his growing of stock plants and 
cuttings even more systematically than he does. 
To facilitate deliveries, cuttings will be shipped on 
Mondays and Tuesdays of each week. 
Delays 
With the reduced delivery schedule of the Railway 
Express Agency, there may be delays in delivering 
your shipments. Chrysanthemum cuttings can be injured 
from cold as well as being too long in transit. If the 
cuttings are slightly wilted, they should be immersed 
in water for a short period and then planted. They will 
react perfectly to such treatment. If the cuttings have 
been slightly frozen, placing them in a cool room and 
thawing them out gradually, or placing them in a pail 
of cool water to take the frost out will bring them 
through so that they will do just as well as cuttings that 
have had nothing happen to them. Of course, if stock 
is badly frozen, or if long delays have occurred so that 
the cuttings are heated, yellow or rotted, you should 
file a claim at once with the express company. 
Air Freight 
We have been very well satisfied with the use of Air 
Freight to deliver rooted cuttings this past season. 
Customers who are close to an airport are naturally 
served better than those who have to have their ship- 
ment reconsigned via Railway Express. If you plan to 
use air freight, you should have your telephone num- 
ber appear on all shipping labels. 
Premature Budding 
But initiation can occur anytime during the spring 
months, whenever your temperatures in the greenhouses 
are consistently 60 degrees Fahrenheit or above, and 
the days are short enough to initiate bud setting. These 
conditions can occur anytime up until May Ist depend- 
ing upon the variety and the locality in which they are 
being grown. Some varieties, such as the garden vari- 
eties and early shading varieties, require very little 
short-day treatment, coupled with high temperatures to 
initiate buds. This same tendency to set bud readil 
is what makes these varieties desirable for early fa 
ing and garden work. In order to prevent this pre- 
mature setting of buds, these same varieties should be 
placed where they can be given additional light during 
the early spring months. Use 60-watt bulbs spaced 
4 feet apart and 24 inches above the plants. Three 
hours of light during the middle of the dark period will 
prevent budding completely if the minimum intensity 
is 8-foot candles. The same treatment on either end 
of the night might not be effective if you have a 
particularly cloudy period which gives you extremely 
short day. : 
Strong Cuttings Spaced Well in Propagation Medium Will Produce Healthy 
Well-Rooted Cuttings 
