THE CARNATION MANUAL. 59 



If well-rooted plants, they may be at once 

 planted out where they are to flower, which should 

 be in as sunny and airy a position as possible, the 

 ground having been previously prepared by trench- 

 ing to the depth of about a foot and a half If the 

 soil is light and poor, some of it should be removed, 

 and a compost consisting of good loam (two-thirds) 

 and old rotted manure (one-third) worked in to 

 replace it, the loam having been first well turned 

 over and examined for mre-worm. If, on the 

 other hand, the soil is very heavy, a mixture with 

 it of some of its own material that has been burned, 

 or the ash from a garden-fire, or the addition of 

 some lime -rubbish, will do much to improve it, and 

 the raising of the beds some six inches or so above 

 the surrounding level is, in such circumstances, a 

 welcome concession to the habit of the plant, which 

 dislikes stagnant moisture. 



In planting, some of the taUer plants will, 

 especially if high winds prevail, be much aided by 

 sticks placed crosswise to steady them, for a plant 

 is hindered in getting established if disturbed by 

 being blo^vn about immediately after planting. 

 During the winter the plants will want looking 

 after when, in periods of thaw succeeding long- 

 frost, they may have been loosened and heaved up 

 from the gTound, and care should then be taken to 

 set them firmly in the soil again. 



Poorly-rooted layers, when received, should be 



