48 Select Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. 
for admiration. In competition, other points being 
equal, of course, the larger size would win.” f 
“Tn flowers—Bizarres and Flakes—brought into 
competition, the “disqualifications” of the florist 
Abe :—— 
1. The presence of any petal without any white. 
2. The presence of any petal without any colour. 
3. In the case of bizarred flowers the presence 
of any petal in which there shall not be two colours, 
in addition to white. 
4. The splitting of the calyx (or pod) so low as 
to touch the sub-calyx” 
Culture in Pots. 
Some cultivators grow all their Carnations and 
Picotees in beds or borders out of doors. Where 
the soil is heavy or the garden under the influence 
of the filthy atmosphere of London or other large 
towns, the layers are potted up as soon as rooted, 
say in October, and wintered in cold frames till 
February or March. 
Those who intend to enter their flowers for ex- 
hibition will find it the most convenient plan to grow 
them in pots throughout the year, or at least a 
sufficient number to furnish the desired quantity of 
flowers. By having them in pots under shelter the 
plants are not subjected to alternate rapid freezing 
and thawing and the subsequent danger of destruc- 
tion ina wet soil. The question of shelter is even of 
greater importance as the plants approach the flower- 
ing stage when they may be subject to thunder- 
storms and gales of wind at the most critical stage 
of their existence, whereby the flowers may be 
rendered useless for exhibition. Shading when 
necessary, is also more completely under control, if 
the plants are 1n pots and can be placed under glass. 
The First Operation with the young plants or 
layers is to pot them in a compost of sandy, fibrous 
loam, and a fifth part of leaf mould Upon the 
adhesiveness of the loam will depend how much 
sharp silver sand may be necessary to render the 
compost sufficiently porous to allow superfluous 
moisture to pass freely away. Use small 60-size 
pots, or those measuring 2}in. to 3in. in diameter, in- 
side at the top, according to the size of the layer and 
the quantity of roots. A bed of ashes should be 
made up in cold frames and the pots stood fairly 
close together. Pot firmly in all cases. Should warm 
