Treatment of Young Carnation Stock 



production of an abundant crop of flowers and the maturing of seed ; but 

 the stems will be shorter and more tough and wiry, and the blooms smaller. 

 In order to get the best results in the way of long, stiff stems and large 

 flowers with perfect calyces, carnation plants should not be checked in growth 

 from the time they are taken from the cutting bench, but should be kept in a 

 vigorous, healthy growing condition throughout the entire period of forcing 

 and blooming. 



In shifting from a two-inch pot a 

 two-and-a-half to three-inch pot may be 

 used, according to the vigor of the 

 variet}' ; and for plants growing in two- 

 and-a-quarter-inch pots a three to three- 

 and-a-half-inch pot is suitable. In shift- 

 ing, when the young plant is turned out of 

 the pot preparatory to repotting, the soil 

 should be broken away from the neck of 

 the plant and the ball lightly crushed. 

 Sufficient soil is put into the larger pot, 

 so that when the ball is placed in the pot 

 the neck of the plant will stand just at 

 the rim. Fresh soil is then filled in 

 around the outside of the ball and packed 

 and firmed with the thumbs, adding more 

 soil until the top of the ball is covered, 

 and then firming done well. The same 

 care should here be taken that the neck 

 of the plant be not placed too deep. 

 Similar attention as to watering should 

 also be used as with the first potting. 

 Under no circumstances should the plants 

 be deluged with water ; the soil in the 

 pots should be only sufficiently moist to 

 carry on active growth. 



Young- Carnation Plant in 2-inch pot 



ready for shifting to a larger pot 



Note the active root action 



Pinching Back or Stopping 



After the plants have been repotted, and with some varieties while still 

 in the smaller pots, the center shoot will push forward and begin to form a 

 bud. As soon as this bud has become fairly well formed, the shoot should 

 be cut back (leaving four to six joints), for the purpose of causing the plant 



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