HANDLING YOUNG CARNATIONS. 43 



bottom for drainage. The rooted cuttings should be planted in 

 the flats in exact rows, two and a half inches apart, each way, 

 and the soil moderately firmed between them. The flats should be 

 transferred to the field. With a sharp case knife, cut equal 

 distance each way, between the rows of plants, to the bottom of 

 the flat, and if properly rooted, each plant will lift out with a ball 

 of earth adhering to its roots. 



Some successful growers, as a precautionary measure against 

 "Rust," immerse their cuttings both before they are inserted in 

 and after they are taken from the sand in a fungicide solution; 

 care being taken not to involve the severed ends, or rootlets in 

 the mixture. 



An effective formula for such a wash consists of 



Potash I lb. 



Fish Oil 3 pts. 



Water 2 gals. 



Prof. Baily has experimented with a number of cuttings 

 taken from three different parts of a plant as follows: — 



I St. — Bottom shoots make vigorous plants with broader 

 leaves, stockier stems than any others, and are fuller of bud germs, 

 but bloom later. 



2nd. — Lateral shoots from stems are less robust, have narrow 

 leaves, but bloom as freely as the first kind. 



3d. — Cuttings taken from the base of plants are weak, poor, 

 and without much bloom or promise. 



There are carnation plants lifted late preternaturally robust 

 and strong, with leaves and stems that are diseased. Their 

 vegetative vigor has partially exiinguished their reproductive 

 forces. A fat cow gives but little milk. Nature is frugal: when it 

 lavishes in one direction it economizes in another. If undue vital 

 forces of a carnation plant are expended on the leaves and stems, it 

 saves up on petals and stamens, which are but modified leaves. 

 The equilibration of their vegetative and reproductive forces is 

 destroyed, and petals a^ !i aborted in the interest of leaves, and flowers 

 in favor of foliage. In high grade flowers on diminutive plants, un- 

 der summer glass, these functions of plant life are just reversed. 



