138 Select Carnations, Picotees,,and Pinks. 
are always detrimental to the welfare of Carnations, 
more especially in towns where the light 1s weak 
during the long damp winter. Damp rather than a 
low temperature is the great enemy of the Carna- 
tion in winter. 
Frequent stirring of the surface soil with the 
Dutch hoe or planet junior, is of primary import- 
ance in keeping down weeds, aerating the soil, and 
preventing the loss of soil moisture by evaporation. 
In unusually warm and droughty summers, a mulch- 
ing of the ground may be given with cocoanut fibre 
or road and street sweepings, which usually contain 
much horse droppings and_ grit. Both these 
materials are light and open, thus permitting the 
aeration of the soil and roots. The top-dressing 
may be put down in June and,removed at the end 
of the flowering season or just prior to the pro- 
pagation of the plants by layering. An cccasional 
top-dressing or dusting of soot during the growing 
season, is a safe and effective fertiliser, stimulating 
growth and giving colour to the foliage. 
Enemies. 
Besides eel-worms already mentioned, leather 
jackets, wireworms, and aphides are arch enemies of 
the Carnation, and occasionally find their way into 
town gardens, intrcduced by soil, water, or manure. 
These enemies and the remedies for them are dis- 
cussed under “ Insect and cther Pests of the Carna- 
tion.” This also applies to aphides or green fly, 
which are the most persistent enemies to Carnations 
in the open and under glass, summer and winter. 
The undue amount of shelter always attendant upon 
small and confined town gardens is highly favour- 
able to the multiplication of aphides, but with close 
attention and ready measures they can be held in 
check. 
