FEBRUARY. 57 



great improvement by all interested, and the example of the Royal 

 Botanic Society has proved that it need not cause any diminution in 

 the number of visitors. 



The encouragement again to be given to " Florist Flowers," is also 

 gratifying, and might be still further extended with advantage. But I 

 do not intend to go into all the items of the Schedule in detail, or revert 

 to the past, but simply to give expression to the pleasure I feel at the 

 great improvement of the Schedule generally. 



Holding the May Show in the grounds of Gore House, Kensington, 

 is no doubt a wise plan, and will give opportunity for many to attend 

 who, from various causes, might not be able to visit the Chiswick 

 Gardens at that season of the year. 



In conclusion, I beg to give expression to the hope that all the 

 zealous friends of the Society will respond to the earnest appeal of the 

 Council, and each do his part to render the proposed meetings more 

 attractive and efficient than they have ever yet been. 



Scrutator. 



CARNATIONS. 



The Carnation grower having yet two months' recess from potting time, 

 might usefully employ his leisure hours in providing auxiliaries for the 

 busy month of July, in the matter of shades, blooming cards, &c. The 

 readers of the Florist need scarcely be reminded that the Carnation or 

 Picotee, if left unrestrictedly to the fluctuating influence of our ever- 

 varying midsummer weather to develop their innate beauties, unaided 

 by art, present little save in perfume to excite our admiration. But, 

 under judicious banding, carding, and shading, who could wonder at 

 their high position, or say such care is wasted on objects such ys 

 these ? For myself, struggling under all the difficulties enthusiasts are 

 heir to, I have managed to construct some six dozen blooming tables, 

 which I find exceedingly useful, a sketch of which I herewith subjoin. 

 A small bell glass is used to throw off" wet and dust. Each evening 

 the opening, by which the bloom is brought to the centre of the table, 

 is filled with loose cotton and the glass put on, thus effectually ex- 

 cluding earwigs, who are abroad at night, oft to the destruction of 

 many fondly reared hopes. This filament should be removed at sunrise 

 for the admission of air to the bloom under development. ! he extreme 

 surface diameter of table is five inches, constructed of half-inch deal. 

 The cross piece, with socket cut therein for stake, is two inches by 

 three quarters, and seven inches ; the stake half an inch square ; the 

 bell glass is four-and-a-half inches across the rim, and a groove is cut 

 one-eighth of an inch deep on the surface of table, to secure the glass 

 from accident by wind, &c. Thus, without injury to the plant or re- 

 tarding unexpanded blooms, by the aid of a Cucumber or Hollyhock 

 leaf you can shade a bloom at will, in lieu of shading for a dozen 

 blooms, possibly the whole collection. I would further submit for the 

 benefit of your readers a sketch of a simple instrument for cutting 



