THE CARNATION MANUAL. Ill 



The object of this manual is to further develop 

 the love of these flowers by placing before the 

 public the methods of cultivation practised by the 

 largest and most successful growers in this country. 



With these prefatory remarks I shall now pro- 

 ceed to o^ive a detailed account of the mode of 

 culture generally pursued in Scotland. And as 

 there is very little done in Scotland in pot culture, 

 my remarks will almost entirely apply to their 

 cultivation in the open gTound. 



SOIL. 



A good medium loam I consider the best, 

 rather inclining to heavy than light. As soon as 

 the gTound is cleared in the autumn, let it be 

 turned over two spades deep and thrown up as 

 rough as possible, so that the action of the frost 

 may pulverise it. In the beginning of February 

 take a favourable opportunity of giving the beds a 

 dressing of manure (old hotbed for preference, or 

 moss litter which has been used for bedding horses, 

 will do very well). Avoid everything in the way of 

 new or rank manure. If adding turf, beware of 

 wire-worm, for if a few of these pests get into the 

 beds they will work sad havoc amongst the plants. 

 I used to be very much troubled with them, and 

 attempts to trap them proved of very little use. As 

 prevention is better than cure, it is wise to adopt 

 measures to exclude them fi'om the beds. With 



