Cultural Pointers 
DISBUDDING 
Large-flowered varieties produce side shoots in the 
axils of the leaves which should be removed very close 
to the base at regular weekly intervals. Disbuds are 
handled the same as standards. 
Taking Bud 
Taking bud means allowing the flowering bud to re- 
main and removing all others and applies to standards 
and disbuds. The chrysanthemum usually produces 
two distinct types of flowering buds— Crown and 
Terminal. The first bud produced js called the crown 
bud and is distinguished by being surrounded by other 
lateral leaf buds. The second is the terminal bud and 
is surrounded by several flower buds. If the plant is 
planted especially early, a second crown bud may 
appear. In appearance, this second crown bud is ex- 
actly the same as the first. 
The procedure of "Taking Bud" depends very largely 
on the variety. Usually the safest rule to follow is not 
to select a bud on early or midseason varieties before 
August 25. In our list of large-flowered varieties under 
"Select Bud" you will find the date on which to select 
the proper bud. If bud is selected too early, a large 
percentage of the flowers will be crippled. Good com- 
mon sense must be used to determine the proper se- 
lection of bud. 
The formation of the crown bud usually does not 
take place when growing according to the "Time 
Pinch Plan." When following "Time Pinch,” select the 
first bud that appears. This will result in straight stems 
without the dogleg growth that appears when second 
bud is taken, 
The final selection of bud should not be made when 
the cluster buds are too small as this will very likely 
cause injury to the stem near the bloom. Likewise, it 
is not advisable to delay selecting the bud too long. 
Some growers like to leave an alternate bud until they 
are certain that nothing will happen to the one finally 
selected. 
DISBUDDED SPRAY 
The procedure in growing disbudded sprays is to wait 
until the crown bud forms, then remove all but three 
vegetative shoots. Later, when terminal buds appear, 
disbud each shoot similarly to the normal disbudding 
of standards. When the blooms mature, there are 
three flowers on each spray. In singles and anemones, 
the size of the blooms will be a trifle smaller than when 
they are grown as one flower per stem. Raise 3 stems 
per plant, similar to straight disbud. Varieties such as 
Early or Crown bud surrounded 
by lateral buds 
64 
Late or Terminal bud surrounded 
by flower buds 
Goldsmith, Valencia, etc., can be grown as disbudded 
sprays. 
Good chrysanthemums result from the careful thor- 
ough practice of the basic principles of plant growth, 
plus the acknowledgment of certain differences in the 
nature of various varieties. Growing disbudded sprays 
is ; modification in culture which is very much worth- 
while. 
ete 
Late or Terminal bud selected 
