66 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
border. By having a single row in front, room is afforded for 
stepping on the border and getting free access to the splendid 
sheaves of bloom behind, also for layering. 
Remember, however, that although these “ thorough-paced ” 
plans are indicated, the amateur with a few plants in a single 
small bed can get just as much pleasure from them, provided he 
interests himself in them thoroughly, and grows them well. 
When thorough soil preparation and careful planting have been 
practised a jong step towards success has been taken. They. should 
OUTDOOR CULTURE. FIG. 29 (NEXT PAGE).—STAKING. 
Q, one year old plant (layer of previous summer) properly staked and tied: 
g, growths from the base, called grass (prospective layers, or cuttings, 
or following season’s flowering parts); 4, flower stem ; 7, lateral branches 
that usually extend considerably, and with a bold terminal bud j, and 
sublateral growths with buds, /, springing from the axils of leaflets at 
the joints 7; m, short lateral branchlets that usually have a terminal 
bud with one or more just below it on its stem ; x, crown bud, or bud at 
the extremity of the flower stem, and not infrequently a minor bud in 
the axil of the leaflet ; 0, stake (deal, painted ight green), or Bamboo 
cane (unquestionably the best of wooden stakes), or Hazel; p, ligature 
of raphia, Raffiatape, or other soft material placed round the flower 
stem, brought up to the stake (not too tightly) and there tied round it, 
but not fastened to the stake, so that the ligature may be slipped up the 
stake as the flower stem elongates. When it is desired to have fine 
blooms for cutting, all the buds but the terminal ones on the lateral 
branches i, and the short lateral branchlets m, with any buds in the 
crown bud, 7, stem, must be removed as soon as they can readily be 
seen—thus the flower stem depicted will give four fine blooms, all with 
long stems and some leaves, which add to the -beauty of the cut blooms 
in vases, 
R, coil stake (such as Porter’s Improved Coil Stake, made of stiff, galvanised 
wire, enamelled green), the dotted line indicating the Carnation stem 
and mode of adjustment. No tying is required. The stakes are made 
in three lengths so as to suit different heights of stem, the longest stake 
being 2 feet 6 inches; g, ground level, 
S, Hazel branch stake, a branch of Hazel with the small twigs cut off and 
the others shortened so as to form a number of forks both in the stem 
and branchlets; the stake is thus made suitable for placing in and round 
large plants of seedlings and clump plants of border Carnations, or along 
the sides of rows of plants in beds, the stems of the plants resting in the 
forks of the stakes ; when not too twiggy, and the flower stems adjusted 
from time to time, the effect is good; ¢, ground level. 
T, a two years old Carnation staked with coil stakes R, and disbudded to 
the three best buds—the crown, 7, and the third and fourth branchlet 
terminal buds from the crown buds, s ; ¢ grass for layering. 
U, aone year old plant of Old Crimson Clove Carnation, Hazel branch 
staked, the stakes « being placed outside the flower stems, and these 
arranged so as to rest in the forks; the stems are not disbudded, as 
some prefer to see and even cut them with buds, these having beauty 
as well as the expanded flowers, 
