306 THE FLOEAL WOELD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



CLOVE CARNATIONS. 



BT AN AMATEUR GROWER. 



[NE of my favourite flowers is the old crimson clove, for 

 the flowers are so delightfully fragrant, and so useful 

 for cutting for vases. I think amateurs who require cut 

 flowers in abundance should grow one or two dozen 

 plants, and a few plants each of other good clove 

 carnations, the names of which I shall mention. 



Clove carnations, I would first of all say, grow and bloom freely 

 in any ordinary good garden soil, provided it is free from wiro- 

 worm, which do such an immense amount of mischief to carnations 

 of all kinds. A deep holding loam is the most suitable ; on heavy 

 undrained soils there is a risk of their perishing in the course of the 

 winter, and on dry sandy soils they become half-starved and partly 

 burnt up during the summer ; but by the addition of grit in the one 

 case and of a liberal dressing of fat manure in the other, soils of both 

 classes may be suitably prepared for them. If grown in pots, a compost 

 prepared by incorporating together turfy loam four parts, thoroughly 

 decayed manure one part, and sand half a part, will be found in 

 every way suitable. The present moment is most favourable for 

 purchasing, and the plants may be put out at once, or they may be 

 kept in pots through the winter, and be planted in March next. 



I have now a i-ather large number of clove-carnations, and the 

 best of these are Ambassador, crimson-purple, a superb flower of 

 large size ; Christine, rose-pink, a beautiful flower ; Oeant des Bat- 

 tailes, scarlet, a grand flower, very bright in colour and of large 

 size ; Ghost, pure white, fine ; Kin^ of Yellows, bright yellow, a large 

 flower of splendid quality, very distinct and good ; Maiden's Blush, 

 blush pink, very beautiful ; Prince Arthur, large and very fine ; and 

 the True Old Crimson, the colour of which is well known. These 

 are all distinct, and of such exceptionally good quality, that not one 

 of them can be spared. 



THE CHRISTMAS ROSE. 



BY THOMAS TEUSSLEE, 

 Nurseryman, Edmontoii, N. 



[HE large white salver-shaped flowers of the Christmas 

 Rose, Helleborus niger, are so useful for dressing epergnes 

 and stands for the dinner-table during the winter 

 season, that it well deserves more extended cultivation. 

 Especially should it be grown in the garden of the 

 amateur, wh3re no convenience exists ibr the production of the 

 flowers of Eucharis amazonica, and other first-class subjects. It is 



