118 Select Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. 
rows. Cover the seeds with the same compost and 
lightly water the surface through a very fine rose. 
The seed pans may be stood on the surface of a pro- 
pagating bed in a house kept at 56° to 60° at night. 
A hotbed covered with a frame would be equally 
suitable. When the sun is bright shade the pans 
with thin white paper to preserve the moisture. The 
seedlings will make their appearance in 8 to 10 days. 
When this takes place the papers shoulu be 
removed and the seed pans placed on shelves close 
to the glass on the shaded side of the house. The 
soil should be kepc sufficiently moist but not so wet 
as to induce damping. 
Transplanting Seedlings. 
When the seediings have made one or two pairs 
of rough leaves they should be transplanted into 
other pans or boxes filled with soil similar to that 
used in the first place. The seedlings should be 
lifted with all the roots possible and dibbled into 
the fresh soil, 2in. apart either way. After they 
have made some growth and before they get at all 
crowded the seedlings should be potted off singly 
in thumb pots. Early batches may require another 
shift into 2$1in. pots if the plants cannot be trans- 
ferred to the open ground on account of the 
weather. By having the seedlings thoroughly 
hardened off as soon as ready, they may be planted 
in prepared ground any time between the 
beginning of May and the beginning of June, 
selecting an open situation, freely exposed to sun- 
light and air. The soil should have been prepared 
in autumn or early winter as for border Carnations. 
If only a hundred or two of seedlings are reared 
they may be planted at 121n. to 1I5in. apart each 
way; but if thousands are raised it would be well 
to allow 2ft. between the lines and 1ft. from plant to 
plant in the lines. This will permit the stirring of 
the soil between the rows by means of a “ planet 
junior” or some other make of hoe upon wheels. 
The Dutch hoe may also be used between the plants 
to stir the soil and keep down weeds in spots that 
cannot be reached by the hoe upon wheels. 
Seedling American Carnations require stopping 
only once until they have bloomed. The main or 
primary stem should be cut back to encourage the 
development of the side shoots which are allowed 
to bear the first crop of flowers. 
Growers and raisers of seedlings on a small scale 
