76 



TTIE CARNATION, 



dislinrt and well defined. In Picotees, the 

 maro^in colour should be narrow and well 

 defined ; the pencilling or dotting should 

 radiate from this to the centre, and should 

 be clear and distinct. 



III. ITS CULTURE. 



Why is it we so seldom see a good col- 

 lection of carnations in our gardens ? This 

 question is answered by most persons, by 

 saying that the climate does not suit them. 

 I am inclined to think this a mistake. In 

 Germany the Carnation is raised in very 

 great perfection, and the climate there is 

 exceedingly like our own. 



I am well convinced that it is not the 

 clrmate. I am also pretty confident that it 

 arises from the too trifling care bestowed on 

 this plant. 



The Carnation is treated by most persons 

 like a common Pink, or hardy border flower. 

 I am sorry to say, that with this treatment 

 it will not succeed here, and does not suc- 

 ceed either in England or on the Continent. 

 There are, to be sure, some few hardy kinds, 

 and among them the Picotees figure largely, 

 which will answer very well in the open 

 border, with a slight covering in winter. 

 But to have a good variety of the best Car- 

 nations, they cannot be grown otherwise 

 than in pots. 



And are they not more truly worthy of 

 this care than most of the poor starved 

 things that figure among green-house plants? 

 Half the care bestowed at the present day, 

 by the numerous admirers of the Fuchsia, 

 would afford us the most charming and per- 

 fect Carnations. 



Well then, I must commence by saying, 

 that as good a soil as need be for this plant 

 is made by observing the following propor- 

 tion, viz., two barrowfuls of fresh loamy 

 soil (or, what is much better, the soil made 

 by rotting down sods,) two barrowfuls of 



thoroughly rotted stable manure — that from 

 a spent hot-bed is excellent, and one bar- 

 rowful of clean sand. Mix the whole very 

 thoroughly together, throwing out the lumps, 

 but not sifting it. You may, if you please, 

 sift a small quantity to place on the top of 

 the pots. 



I shall speak of the propagation of this 

 plant directly. I am now supposing the 

 layers to have rooted sufTiciently to be taken 

 off, which they usually are about the first 

 of September. You must then separate the 

 layers from the old plant with a knife, lift 

 them with a transplanting trowel, trimming 

 off carefully any decayed or broken parts, 

 and pot them in the soil already described, 

 in half pint pots, one plant in each pot. 

 Use bits of charcoal for the drainage — in 

 other words, for covering the hole in the 

 bottom of the pot. 



The pots should all be placed together, in 

 a cool and rather sheltered position, where 

 they can be shaded for ten days. The plants 

 must be pretty liberally supplied Avith water 

 from this time till the middle of October, 

 when they will be well established in the 

 pots. 



Next, for their winter quarters. This, 

 though simple enough, is yet a matter of 

 great importance ; for unless it is carefully 

 attended to, you may lose your whole stock 

 in one winter's day. 



The best way of keeping the Carnation 

 through the winter, is in a common hot-bed 

 frame with glass lights. Such a frame» 

 three feet by eight, will hold a great many 

 of these pint pots, each holding a young 

 rooted plant. 



Now, the groat points in keeping the Car- 

 nation through the winter, are, to keep it 

 cool and dry, and in such a condition that 

 it will not be exposed to sudden changes of 

 weather. A severe frost will not hurt it a 

 all, if the plant is kept quite shaded in thf 



