THE CARNATION MANUAL. 121 



It has been too generally the custom in 

 Scotland to leave the layers of Carnations attached 

 to the parent stock during the Avinter, and to 

 take them up and move them into their flowering- 

 quarters in the spring ; but I am glad to say that 

 this method is falling into disuse, and the advan- 

 tages of autumn planting are becoming more 

 generally known and appreciated. 



I am inclined to think that the cultivation of 

 the Carnation, especially as a florist's flower, has 

 reached the most advanced stage in the south- 

 west of Scotland, but, as a rule, especially in the 

 larger gardens, there seems but little disposition 

 to grow show flowers. Gardeners are, of course, 

 not altogether free to consult their own wishes in 

 this respect, and certainly the best varieties of the 

 Carnation fail to supply one of the great wants of 

 a modern country house, viz., a profusion of cut 

 flowers. To meet this requirement large quanti- 

 ties of Carnations are raised from seed, and when 

 this is carefully selected I have seen most interest- 

 ing and abundant crops of flowers raised from it. 



Two years ago, in Edinburgh, the first prize in 

 a class for Carnations other than of the florist's 

 type was gained by an exhibit of blooms entirely 

 selected from a bed of seedlings. 



The pot culture of Carnations has hitherto 

 attracted but little attention ; indeed, I cannot call 

 to mind a garden in which it is pursued except 



