THE CARNATION MANUAL. 117 



dry the foliage. Carefully guard against the soil 

 in the pots getting saturated with heavy rains, 

 as it is very detrimental to the health of the 

 plants. 



I am of opinion that most of the varieties of 

 Carnations would stand the winter in the open 

 ground if put in in time to get a good hold of 

 the ground before severe frost sets in, say not 

 later than the middle of September — earlier if 

 possible. However, as I have only tried the 

 exjDeriment for the first time this last autumn, 

 with about one hundred varieties, I cannot speak 

 on it with confidence. At the same time I may 

 say that at this date, February 8th, they look as 

 well as anyone could wish. 



Carnations "sporting," or the running of the 

 colours of the flowers, is the cause of a great 

 deal of disappointment amongst growers^— Bizarres 

 coming without the white ground ; Flakes coming 

 self. This is a difficulty Avhicli has always ex- 

 isted, and apparently cannot be got over, so far, at 

 least, as my own observation goes. I do not think 

 soil has anything to do with it. I grow about one 

 hundred pots every season for seed purposes, 

 generally three plants in a pot, and in many cases 

 one will be run, and the other two quite correct, 

 although all the three have been saved from the 

 same parent. There is the same tendency to 

 sport in the Fancy Dahlia. 



