Carnation Culture in the Mountains 

 Carnation Culture in the Mountains 



By Henry Weber, Oakland, Md. 



Variations in latitude, altitude, climate, etc., while having their effect 

 on the modes of culture pursued by growers thus differently situated, do 

 not, to any appreciable extent, alter the fundamental principles underlying the 

 successful culture of the carnation. 



Here, in the mountain district of Western Maryland, nearly 3,000 feet 

 above tidewater, we find ourselves handicapped by extremely late frosts in 

 the spring, and very early visitations in the fall. Owing to the former, we 

 are very seldom able to commence field planting before May 20, and occa- 

 sionally later ; we therefore are frequently as late as June 5 to 10 in finishing 

 up that work. 



The effect of this must be at once apparent to those who plant in April 

 and early May. Our plants do not get sufficiently developed in the field 

 to permit us to plant in the house until the last of July, or first week 

 in August. We are thus compelled to carry our young stock inside for 

 from four to six weeks longer than the majority of growers, necessitating 

 a quick dispatch of field-planting, when the proper season arrives. This 

 handicap is partially offset by our cool nights during the summer, when the 

 temperature ranges anywhere from 42 to 65 degrees. We are also very 

 rarely troubled with drought, but more often have a wet season. On the 

 whole, the growing conditions during the summer frequently approach the 

 ideal. 



By September i we can expect light frosts, and severe ones by the 15th, 

 but occasionally we escape these until October i. This, however, is unusual. 

 We are thus not only compelled to carry our stock inside much longer than 

 the average grower, but are also obliged to have our fields cleared of valu- 

 able plants proportionately earlier in the fall. Our firing season is affected 

 in a like manner, ending usually about May 15 to 20, and commencing in 

 September. 



We begin propagating in December, and continue until May i to 10. We 

 much prefer the early propagated stock, particularly in the case of such 

 varieties as Mrs. Thomas W. Lawson, Cressbrook, Prosperity and Norway. 

 Cuttings taken prior to February 15 can be depended upon, invariably, to give 

 the best results, providing they receive proper attention as soon as rooted, 

 and until they are transferred to the field. 



Our propagating houses are all of the north-side type. We consider 

 them far superior to those which admit the direct rays of the sun. They are 



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