G4 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



are not allowed to shrivel. But cuttings never make so robust plants 

 as layers ; and therefore layers are recommended. The way to layer 

 them is to scrape away the soil to the depth of a couple of inches round 

 the old plant, and to mix the displaced earth with some leaf-mould 

 and a little sharp sand. Then select suitable shoots, strip the leaves 

 from the part of the stem to be buried in the soil ; and then, with a 

 sharp knife, enter the shoot half-an-inch below the joint which is in- 

 tended to be the base of the new plant, and run it up right through the 

 centre of the layer, an inch, or an inch and a half beyond it, removing 

 the lower half-inch of the "tongue " just below the joint from which 

 the roots most readily proceed. When all the shoots of a plant are 

 thus prepared, fill in the little hollow with some of the prepared soil, 

 and set the layers upright in it, fastening them in their places with 

 hooked pegs, and then cover in with the remainder of the soil. 



Watering in dry weather is necessary ; for if the weather prove very 

 dry, no roots will be emitted. In October, these will require to be 

 lifted and placed in some sheltered place, where a little protection can 

 be given. In dry soils, I have often seen them keep at the bottom of 

 a south wall, or under hand-glasses, very well ; but in heavy soils they 

 are apt to rot off in such quarters, and slugs and snails often eat them 

 up wholesale ; therefore I recommend that they be kept, during winter, 

 in a cold frame. My practice has been to put 2 inches of rough stones, 

 or clinkers from the furnaces, in the bottom of the frame, and over this 

 4 inches of ashes, placing 6 inches of light loam, mixed with some leaf- 

 mould, and a little sand sprinkled over the surface ; and by this means 

 they winter in good condition. A word of warning here to amateurs. 

 The frame is only for keeping them dry. If they are kept close they 

 will grow ; and the growth made during the dark days of winter can- 

 not stand damp, frost, or even hot sun. So give air night and day at 

 top and bottom in all weathers, never closing the frames unless the 

 plants are safely frozen up ; and then the light may be put close down. 



Seedlings. — To those who have to supply large quantities of flowers, 

 which are more appreciated when they are sweet smelling, I can strongly 

 recommend seedlings. They flower much more profusely than the fine- 

 named kinds, and are of very much greater strength. Seedling Carna- 

 tions and Picotees flower on until the frost stops them ; and some of 

 our old plants are of a size, and have yielded a supply of cut-flowers 

 quite unapproached by the fine-named kinds. True, seedlings are not 

 so good from a florist's point of view ; but if got from a good strain, 

 they are equally useful for cut-blooms, and I think they are sweeter 

 scented. At any rate, they do not require half so much trouble, 

 either in growing or in wintering, and they are much better fitted for 

 hundreds of gardeners who have often to grow, not the finest, but 

 what will keep the supply equal to the demand. Seed can be sown 

 during April in cold well aired frames, where the soil is heavy and 

 slugs abound; otherwise a sheltered border will do very well. When 



