JANUARY 



IRISH GARDENING 



Winter Flowering Carnations. 



HOW TO tiROW 



the:\i. 



1, Newmarket-oii 



By Kenneth Beaton, Carrigfora 



Fergus, Co. Clare. 



THE difficulties attending the cultivation of the per- 

 petual flowering carnation are more imaginary 

 than real. The beginner must first grasp a few 

 fundamental points, and by their observance, coupled 

 with an enthusiasm of which the subject is worthy, 

 success will be achieved. For simplicity's sake I com- 

 mence with propagation. Propagation is best effected 

 from December to March. Growers who have a propagat- 

 ing frame with 

 stead}' bottom 

 heat of 55 to 65 

 degrees, should 

 find no difficult}' 

 in rooting cut- 

 tings of these 

 popular plants. 

 The\- who have 

 no frame avail- 

 able should use a 

 box with suffi- 

 cient depth when 

 the cutting pots 

 are placed in it. 

 and covered with 

 glass to allow 

 three inches of 

 space between 

 the top of the 

 cuttings and the 

 glass. Place the 

 box on the hot- 

 water pipes so 

 as to get bottom 

 heat from them, 

 some cocoanut 

 fibre should be 

 placed in the 

 bottom of either 

 frame or box to 

 the depth of five 1 

 drained three and 



Photo by] 



Primula Bllleyana 



(Collected bj- Mr. Forrest in China, for Messrs. Bees, Limited, Liverpool, and given a First- 

 class Certificate by the R.H.R. of Eng. The inflorescence is 12-15 inches high of 2-4 wliorls. 

 Rachis and pedicels, mealj-. Flowers, ^-inch in diameter, orange cadmium. Leaves bright 

 green, finely serrate ; midribs tinged reddish purple at base) 



]10t' 



half in 

 portions of good loam, one oi' sliar|-i 

 strong cuttings from clean and lu-alll 

 given to side shoots near the base 



Fill some clean, well- 

 with a mixture of two 



■p sand. .Select only 

 thy plant 

 of the 



plant. 



very 



little trimming with the knife is necessary, as a sharp 

 ]iull will usually detach the shoot with what is usually 

 termed a " heel," and cuttings taken thus will root very 

 readily. Insert the cuttings firmly round the edge o^ 

 the pots, water through a hose, and plunge up to the 

 rims of the pots in the propagating frame or box. Keep 

 close till rooted, paying strict attention to wipe moisture 

 from the glass, shade from bright sunshine. The 

 cuttings will then be ready for repotting singl}-. which 

 must be done before the roots get into a tangled mass. 

 Use clean, well-drained throe inch pots for this purpose, 

 ami shade luitil the plants are established The soil foi- 

 this pin-pose should be three portions good loam — one 



of sharp sand. Grow the plants on steadily in a tem- 

 perature of about 50 degrees. When well rooted and 

 growing, stop them by taking out the centre of plant, 

 stopping them will encourage the shoots which 

 will eventually carry the flowers. Admit all the 

 light and air possible to enable the plants to build 

 a sturd}' growth. As soon as they become suffici. 

 ently rooted the final potting should take place, 

 choosing the pots in sizes according to the strength and 

 vigour of the plants. The loam for this operation 

 should be good and fibry, with sufficient sand to keep 

 porous ; a five inch pot of some fertilizer might be 

 added with advantage to a barrow load of loam. Use 

 clean, well-drained pots, and pot firmly to ensure 



success. Now, 

 a word or two 

 on watering. I 

 know of no 

 plants that are 

 more sensitive to 

 stagnant mois- 

 ture in the soil. 

 Plants requiring 

 water can easily 

 be ascertained 

 by rapping the 

 pots. If they 

 emit a hollow 

 sound give suffi- 

 cient water to 

 soak the whole 

 ball of soil. 

 Never water by 

 driblets, as some 

 are apt to do. 

 If the plants are 

 in charge of one 

 individual, which 

 they should be if 

 possible, he will 

 soon find out 

 their require- 

 ments, and which 

 they require to 

 bring -'them to 

 provided for them 

 los. as they ai-e then 

 han if stootl in the 

 luitil the mii.kile or 

 Admit plenty 

 o staking 

 sun is 



[Be^s, Limited 



perfection, 

 the best po 

 more under 



not 



If a special house i 



lion for them is in fr 



he grower's contro 

 opi-n. Stop all flowering shoot: 

 July, after that no stopping is necessa 

 of air day and night. Pay strict attention 

 and tying. A light shading is beneficial if th 

 very hot. The plants should be placed in their flower- 

 ing quarter in early September. Give occasional 

 waterings with liquid manure water when the flower 

 buds are swelling up ; watering must be carefully 

 attended to. If the plants suffer from carnation rust it 

 is best to cut oft" all the affected leaves and burn them. 

 Although this will certainly spoil the appearance of the 

 plants for a lime it is the most effectual remedy. 

 Spraying with potassium sulphide will check the disease 

 spreading. If the plants are well grown little trouble 

 will be experienced witli disease and insects. 



