THE CARNATION MANUAL. 98 



Picotees should have no bar running from then 

 circular or marginal markings ; the petals should be 

 of good substance, well rounded, and with smooth 

 edges. A ragged petal is a defect in the eyes 

 of a good judge, who looks for quality in the 

 form of each petal, and a clear ground and definite 

 markino^s are reofarded before size, althouo^h where 

 quahty is equal the largest flowers will, of course, 

 come first. The dressing of a Carnation or Picotee, 

 although condemned by some, is very desirable to 

 bring out the beauty of the bloom. 



When exhibitions are over, and the flowers are 

 passing out of bloom, layering should have imme- 

 diate attention, for the earlier this is done the 

 better and the quicker will the layers be rooted, 

 and ready to take off for putting into their winter 

 quarters. Before starting to layer, I strongly 

 advise removing the top inch or two of the old soil, 

 and putting a composition of leaf-mould and sea- 

 sand, and shells broken very fine. I say sea-sand 

 and shells, for the salt and lime they contain acts 

 as a great stimulant, and strengthens the young 

 layers. Such, at least, is my experience since I 

 adopted it. Formerly I used fern-pegs for layering, 

 but now get an improved galvanised flat-wire-peg, 

 Avith a little handle at the top, at Is. per hundred. 

 The advantage of these pegs is that, having a little 

 handle, they are not so liable to hurt the hands 

 as the ordinary hair-pins or bracken fern-pegs. 



