72 THE GARDENER. [Feb. 



in small sixty pots in a compost of fresh turfy loam, leaf-mould, and 

 coarse sand. It is well to drain the pots thoroughly, as I find tree 

 Carnations soon turn yellow and sickly, becoming infested with insects, 

 and subject to an attack of mildew if the compost gets sour and stag- 

 nant at their roots. When the latter pest appears, dust the foliage 

 with powdered sulphur. Green-fly may be kept under by syringing 

 occasionally with Fowler's Insecticide or tobacco-water. I have seen 

 fine healthy blooming plants obtained by striking the cuttings early 

 in the spring, and planting them out on a sheltered border in April : 

 here they may be allowed to remain all the summer, keeping the soil 

 stirred occasionally, and giving water when they require it in very dry 

 weather. The growth should be secured to stakes to prevent damage 

 from high winds. 



These plants should be carefully lifted and potted in the above- 

 named compost early in the autumn or before the nightly frosts appear, 

 placing them in a little bottom-heat, and keeping the house or pit 

 rather close until they become established, when they may be removed 

 to a sunny position in the greenhouse to produce their flowers. The 

 following list contains a dozen of the very best kinds in cultivation : — 



La Belle, pure white perpetual. Valiant, rosy scarlet. 



Mont Blanc n Jean Bart, bright scarlet. 



White Rival n Diana, bright rose. 



Boule de Feu, scarlet. Beauty, white striped scarlet. 

 Prince of Orange, yellow edged with Congress, fine scarlet. 



bright crimson. Ascot Giant, white with rosy margin. 

 Oscar, yellow, fine flower. F. W. B. 



PIG-CtriiTURE. 



NO. v. 



Ripening the Fruit. — •Until the first crop begins to show signs of 

 ripening, keep the atmosphere moist, and syringe at shutting-up 

 time on all fine days. Eut as soon as they begin to ripen discon- 

 tinue syringing ; give more air and just sufficient water at the root to 

 keep the foliage and second crop of fruit healthy and free from danger, 

 otherwise the flavour of the first crop when early will be deficient, 

 and a badly-ripened Fig is a very insipid production. But I would 

 here warn the inexperienced against an extreme of drought either at 

 the root or in the air ; for this would place the second crop in jeop- 

 ardy. Circumstances must be modified to as much as possible suit 

 the welfare of both crops. 



The ripening stage is easily detected : the fruit suddenly complete 

 their second swelling ; the skin cracks longitudinally, and frequently 

 it drops down from the neck of the fruit, becoming soft at its junction 



