92 THE CARNATIOX MANUAL. 



it a little soft-soap. The Avater should be heated 

 to about 100 degrees. The presence of the 

 maggot may with a Httle experience be easily 

 detected, and it must be diligently hunted and 

 destroyed. The plants, durmg the early spring, 

 must be protected from cutting winds, as they 

 do more harm to Carnations and Picotees than 

 any amount of frost. I usually protect mine 

 by putting up the side-lights of the houses, or 

 by using a rather fine shading material. Stake 

 the plants as early as they require it, usmg 

 green-painted sticks in preference to white ones, 

 as being less unsightly. Place one good tie near 

 the bottom to hold the stems steady ; they will 

 only want one or two more ties, which can be 

 made so as to sH^d up the sticks as the stem 

 grows. Where fine exhibition flowers are wanted, 

 take off all the buds except two or three on 

 a stem, and cut out any but the one main 

 stem to each plant; and in varieties that have a 

 tendency to split their calyx, tie each bud with 

 fine rafiia, or put a small elastic band round it. 

 Preparing for exhibition will be the next interest- 

 ing, if not exciting, event to think of Experience 

 is required to see when a bloom is at its best, and 

 care must be taken to select the flowers that have 

 the whitest grounds and the clearest markings. 

 Flake and Bizarre Carnations should have the 

 stripes as well defined and as long as possible. 



