Vermont State Horticultueal Society. 57 



The remarkable and universal success attending the culti- 

 vation of this magnificent variety is proven by the statement 

 that seven-tenths of the carnations grown are the Lawson. 



I have before you a few flowers of different varieties, so 

 that you may see the wonderful improvement which has been 

 made in the last ten years. 



These smaller flowers are fair specimens of standard varie- . 

 ties a few years ago. I call your attention to this fact so you 

 will see the great importance of first selecting the variety to 

 grow. 



I have experimented every year with different varieties 

 of the white carnation, but have never been quite satisfied. The 

 standard of perfection has been raised so high by the pink 

 varieties. 



Different colors of the Lawson have recently been placed 

 on the market^, but none are quite equal in every respect to the 

 parent. 



The Enchantress is an excellent flower in size and length 

 of stem, but is rather diflicult to grow to perfection. 



In the culture of carnations, of course, the first step is to 

 root the cuttings. Many fail in this attempt, or only partially 

 succeed. 



I have purchased rooted cuttings, which had been stripped 

 from a blossoming stem and planted in the sand without any 

 further preparation. A cutting started in this manner is easier 

 to root, but it will only root from the lower side ; while a cutting 

 broken a short distance above the stem will send out roots 

 entirely around it. This is an important fact that is not known 

 by many who have grown carnations for years. 



Clear, sharp sand should be used for the propagating bench, 

 and I find they root best in a cool shady part of the house with- 

 out any bottom heat. 



Many of our best growers plant their rooted cuttings in 

 three inch pots,, and early in the spring set the plants in the 

 benches where they are to bloom the coming winter. This 

 method is not always successful, and is much, more expensive. 



The usual method is to grow them out of doors during the 

 summer and plant in the house sometime in August. 



The diseases with which the florist must contend may be 

 divided into three classes: Insect enemies, physiological dis- 

 orders and fungous diseases. Insects are easily controlled. 

 The aphides, or green fly, are destroyed by thoroughly fumigat- 

 ing once a week with tobacco stems, and the red spider is a 

 small insect that must be carefully watched and kept under 

 subjection by thorough syringing. 



