THE CARNATION MANUAL. 128 



layered my plants in Jiil}^ and planted them out, 

 thoroughly well rooted, early in September — and 

 since that time I have had but little difficulty, 

 and the result has always been good. 



As we grow here a very large number of plants, 

 I have of late years cultivated them among other 

 garden produce, and I find the potato a very good 

 crop to precede Carnations. As the soil is in very 

 good condition, I use but little manure ; indeed, I 

 am rather averse to using it at all for Carnations, 

 and prefer a dressing of rough leaf-mould. 



The plants are put out in double rows a foot 

 apart, with a space between wide enough for ladies 

 to Avalk without damaging the plants. The 

 ground is not dug, but lightly forked over to get 

 the dressing well mixed with the soil. 



In April a good dressing of some "fertiliser" 

 is hoed in ; water is given about three times during 

 the summer months, drought being very detri- 

 mental to the plants. 



Strands of stout galvanised wire are, at the 

 proper time, fixed above each row of plants, and to 

 these the flower-stems are in due time tied. We 

 disbud as required. 



Show varieties as well as Picotees succeed 

 perfectly, but I have by degrees done away with 

 these in order to grow border varieties. 



The only two kinds I have not succeeded with 

 out of doors are the different varieties of Malmaison 



