176 Select Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
The earliest batches, sown in January or Feb- 
ruary, will reach their most floriferous condition dur- 
ing this month and those wno nave treated them 
properly will now be rewarded for their trouble. ihe 
flowers are very varied in colour and good strains 
furnish a large per cent. of perfectly double blooms. 
Very choice ones may be marked in order that seeds 
may be saved, for by such means the race may yet 
be improved. 
American Carnations. 
Plantations in the open ground should be lifted 
and housed during the third week of August, if in- 
tended to bloom during October and November. 
Naturally late flowering varieties, stopped not later 
than July rst, should be housed about the middle of 
July. Early bloomers may be cut back as late as 
the middle of August, housing them soon after. In 
cold or wet seasons cutting back the plants should 
cease about the end of July. 
Patches grown in pots may be stopped later as 
they do not get checked by lfting; but this will be 
determined largely upon the nature of the season, 
the earliness or otherwise of the varieties and the 
time they are required to be in bloom. The grower 
will be guided by the nature of the season as to the 
latest stopping and the habit of the varieties. If 
long stems are desired the plants must be under 
glass at least six or eight weeks previous to flower- 
ing. 
SEPTEMBER. 
Border Carnations. 
The welfare of the layers will be the chief care 
of the cultivator during tuis month. Should the 
weather continue dry watering will still be neces- 
sary. Keep a good outlook for Carnation Maggot, 
which is particularly troublesome to layers. Eggs 
are laid somewhere on the plant and the grubs 
tunnel into the young leaves, often while still erect 
and closely folded in bud. Passing downwards they 
eventually reach the stem and bore down through 
the pith, devouring mostly everything except the 
skin, when the whole top of the layer comes away. 
in the hand when lightly pulled. If the presence of 
