50 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
if the plants are to flower under glass, and the fresh pot may well 
be, for the average plant, 6 inches in diameter. An extra strong 
plant, such as shown at U, p. 49, may have an 8-inch pot, and a weakly 
on a 5-inch pot, but the 6-inch size is the best for general use. 
ae drainage should be provided, and both pots and compost 
should be sweet and clean. For this potting the soil should consist 
of turfy loam 2 parts, dried horse manure rubbed through a sieve 
1 part, and a 6-inch potful of coarse sand and old lime rubble, 
mixed, to every peck of compost. As before, pot firmly, and leave 
space for top-dressing and watering. 
Premature flower stems should be removed at their points of 
origin, as shown at Y, p. 51, and every effort made to secure good grass 
at the base of the plant, as this will afford layers for future propa- 
gation, on the lines to be described in Chapter V. 
Chapter V.—Ppropaqation by Laverina. 
In the chapter on increasing Carnations by seeds we said that Jayer- 
ing was an artificial and not a natural process. Nevertheless, it is 
extremely valuable to the cultivator. Save for the sportiveness to 
which many cultivated plants are prone, and which, in the case of 
valuable florists’ flowers, enhances rather than diminishes their 
interest, propagation by layering ensures flowers on the progeny 
identical with those on the parent. This is of immense value for 
commercial purposes. Seedlings are variable, and amateurs who 
grow varieties for certain special qualities of colour or form, as 
distinct from cross fertilisers who work for new features, would soon 
find their interest and satisfaction evaporate if they did not get the 
particular qualities they wanted. 
PROPAGATION BY PIPINGS OR CUTTINGS. FIG. 22 (NEXT PAGE).— 
POTTING A PLANT RAISED FROM A CUTTING INTO ITS 
FLOWERING POT. 
X, potting into a 6-inch pot: ¢, drainage ; w, soil; v, space for holding water. 
Y, weakly plant throwing up a flower stem: w, buds; z, point of cutting out 
the Hower stem when it begins to rise, so as to strengthen the erowth 
and afford good layers. 
Z, result of cutting or pinching out the flower stem: yg, vigorous upper 
grass, which should be depressed, so as to encourage the lower 
growths z. 
