82 cin jilmond Orchard. 



necessary details of either structure or propagation to ensure success in the business. 

 We advise you to procure a copy of each of Wuodtoard^s Graperies and the Grape 

 Cnlticrist, both small works, but very complete upon the structure of graperies, 

 propagation and other matters pertaining to grape culture in general. 



Not claiming to be much on indoor floriculture at best, and having experienced 

 like difficulty in propagating the Carnation mentioned by our correspondent, we have 

 called in the assistance of our friend, J. Cochrane, of Havana, 111. (the best 

 authority we know of), in answer. Having an innate love for the beautiful in 

 nature, Mr. Cochrane made the culture of flowers a mere pastime for many years 

 before ever conceiving the idea of making the business a source of income. Mr. 

 Cochrane will soon favor our readers with an article in three parts on the 

 Mecha?iical Construction of Plants, a subject he is eminently qualified to handle. Tn 

 reply to our correspondent concerning the propagation of the Carnation, Mr. Coch- 

 rane writes : 



What there is peculiar in the combinations in the elements in which your cuttings 

 are placed that prevents them rooting, it is impossible to say. My own experience 

 is as follows, and though the Carnation does not strike root as quick as some other 

 plants, it does so in less time than others. 



The soil of use in which to strike cuttings, is an enriched sandy loam that has 

 had quite an amount of wood ashes added, which I regard as beneficial only after 

 the callous is formed, and then it is a powerful stimulant. Before the roots strike 

 the soil is only a medium to hold moisture. The Carnation wants less heat than a 

 majority of plants, hence I place them in a cool part of the bench and as near the 

 glass as convenient, that the tops may be somewhat cool and held in check while 

 the roots form in the moist earth. In this situation they root in three or four 

 weeks. First pot them in small pots and set in the coldest part of the greenhouse. 

 I use only the strongest shoots for cuttings and nearly all root. Allow no decayed 

 leaves, give plenty of air. 



The Dianthus family are natives of Europe, and will not prosper well in hot, dry 

 soils. The D. Caryophyllus is the parent of the carnation branch of the pink family, 

 which are divided by florists into three classes, viz., Flakes, Bizarres, and Picotees, 

 and these have been again divided and subdivided by florists, ad libitum, ad infinitum. 

 Some have recommended its propagation by layers ; this is not the best way. A 

 beautiful provision of nature is that if a plant is perpetuated by cuttings with 

 difficulty, it can be freely increased some other way, as the Smilax from seed, 

 Bouvardias from root cuttings, etc. 



An Almond Orchard. — The editor of the Pacific Rural Press, makes mention 

 of a visit to the almond orchard of Mr. L. D. Chillson, near San Francisco. The 

 orchard numbers 400 trees, a large portion of which are coming into bearing. The 

 trees were planted five years ago last February, and in variety embrace the hard-shell, 

 paper-shell and Languedoc. They are from twenty to thirty feet high. Some of the 

 trees fruited the fourth year after planting, and last season about 2,500 pounds of clean 

 fruit was gathered from the orchard and sold at eighteen cents per pound. This shows 

 a fine profit for the investment, with flattering promise of a rapid increase thereof. 



