Carnation Culture in Massachusetts 



Junior hand wheel hoe at once, and continue cultivating, on an average, once 

 a week. This will keep the soil mellow, attract the night moisture on the 

 surface, and retain the bottom moisture, especially should the season prove 

 dry. Keep the soil clear of weeds at all times, as these often cause attacks 

 of insect pests, and therefore no end of trouble, especially should red spider 

 appear. Syringing with common salt, a two and one-quarter-inch pot- 

 ful to a pail of water, I have found the best remedy for this evil ; and I have 

 also checked it by covering the affected plants with fine tobacco dust. 



Great care should be exercised in pinching back the plants wdiile in 

 the field ; those with a tendency to bloom late should, in some cases, be 

 pinched only once — removing the center shoot. This method usually insures 

 a crop for the holidays, without fail. Early bloomers may be pinched as late 

 as the latter part of July, or August, and still give early returns. Never 

 pinch off all the shoots on a plant at one time, but pursue a method of going 

 over the field, say, once a week, and, if necessary, pinch one or two shoots 

 on each plant. This will induce a steady supply of flowers later and pre- 

 vent them coming in crops. Any variety can be made a "cropper" by stop- 

 ping all the shoots at one time, or a grower can help to change the tendency 

 of a carnation to "crop" by pinching the stems at an interval of one or two 

 weeks apart. 



From July 15 to August 20 is a good time in which to transfer plants 

 from the field to the carnation houses. If the weather be exceedingly hot, begin 

 lifting a week or ten days later, but try and finish the work not later' tlian 

 August 20, as plants put in later seldom catch up to, or prove as profitable 

 as, early-planted stock, which has thorough root action established before 

 artificial heat is applied. 



Thoroughly clean out all old soil from the carnation houses ; repair 

 and lime-wash all the woodwork with which the soil comes in contact. 

 Spread a layer of stable or old cow manure over the bottom of the bench, 

 and then fill in the soil to the depth of five or six inches, loose. Soil that is 

 moderately moist is best, as it remains mellow, and does not get hard and 

 caked when planting. Press the soil moderately firm before planting. (A 

 man treading over the surface once will do it nicely.) Level the soil, and 

 stretch wires lengthwise on the benches, eight or ten inches apart ; pull these 

 wires tight, and secure them to a nail at each end. They act as guides in 

 keeping the lines straight, and, with cross strings, are used later as supports 

 for the flowers. Wires inserted at this stage save much time and loss through 

 breakage of the flower stems, as they can simply be raised into place when 



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