96 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
Chapter VIIL.—Che Culture of Ralmaisons. 
Tue closing years of the nineteenth century saw a considerable 
development in the culture of the class known as Malmaisons. The 
name is reminiscent of La Malmaison, the famous chateau near Rueil 
(Seine-et-Oise), which was the residence of Napoleon Buonaparte and 
Josephine ; but this fact must not lead us to suppose that the section 
was in cultivation during the opulent days of the First Empire. 
The hapless dzvorcée had probably been in her grave nearly fifty years 
when the famous blush coloured Carnation Souvenir dela Malmaison 
first saw the light. 
The popularity of Malmaisons is partly due, perhaps, to the large 
size, good form, and pure hues of the flowers; but partly, also, 
to their remarkably rich perfume. They have the true Clove scent. 
For many years the Old Blush was the only one we had, and even 
now the range of colour is far more limited than in the Border 
section. But in the pink Princess of Wales, the rose Mrs. Martin 
Smith, the salmon Mrs. Trelawny, the crimson Lord Welby, and 
CULTURE OF MALMAISONS. FIG. 40 (NEXT PAGE).—LAYERING OUT 
OF DOORS. 
A, portion of a one year old plant that has carried one flower: a, point 
where the old flower stem has been cut off; 4, side growth or grass; ¢, 
old foliage at the base, to be removed to within 4 or 4 inches of the top ; 
d, the growing point, to be retained intact in all cases. 
B, Sydenham’s layering pin, made of galvanised iron. 
(, layering in an improvised frame: ¢, deal boards, 11 inches deep and 
14 inches thick, placed on edge; /, stakes driven into the ground to 
support the boards; g, lights, fitting closely; A, trench made large 
enough to hold a row of plants turned out of the pots and trimmed of 
the old leaves; i, layering compost spread on the top of the garden 
soil 3 inches thick. 
D, a portion of a 4-feet wide bed in the open ground, with two rows of two 
years old plants trimmed of the small shoots and part of the old foliage : 
j, hole made in the garden soil and the ball of the plant placed in, after- 
wards filling in firmly; /, 3 inches of layering compost; /, plants as 
they appear after the layering compost is placed on, but each with short 
shoots, m, that should be removed ; 7, a plant showing the whole layering 
process ; 0, the shoot properly tongued, the cut being started at a joint, 
and carried from 1 inch to 13 inches up the stem; p,a shoot tongued 
and placed ina hole made for its reception with the finger; 9, the stem of 
the layer pegged down with Sydenham’s layering pin; 7, old stem 
lightly covered with soil, taking care not to bury the collar of the 
prospective young plant too deeply ; s, a plant with the layers properly 
made and adjusted in the layering compost. 
