14 



PROPAGATION OF THE CARNATION. 



JBtj R. Dean. 



The propagation of the Carnation is secured by 

 two methods : by means of pipings or cuttings, 

 and by layers. Seed cannot be depended upon 

 to reproduce exactly the particular variety which 

 yields the seed grains. 



By Pipings or Gidtings. — These can be made 

 as soon as the grass has grown long enough, say 

 in July, or when layering ; the small shoots which 

 are too high up on the plant to layer in the 

 ordinary way can be struck as cuttings, or such 

 shoots as snap off in the act of pegging them down 

 into the soil when layering them. 



Soil. — The best compost for cuttings is a good 

 yellow loam, thoroughly decomposed leaf-soil, and 

 silver sand, in equal quantities, but passed through 

 a fine sieve before using. 



Strihimj. — The quickest and most ready mode 

 of striking cuttings is by placing the pots on a 

 gentle bottom-heat, such as that produced by an 

 ordinary dung-bed. Ordinary hand-lights should 

 be placed over a group of pots, or a small bell-glass 

 over each pot; this is an important condition in 

 securing rooted plants quickly and thoroughly. 



