ON THE CULTURE OF CARNATIONS. 267 



commence about the 1st of July ;" therefore piping should commence 

 sooner than laying. He also mentions that the compost for piping 

 should consist of one-third maiden earth, one-third leaf mould, and 

 sand equal parts, one-third rotten horse-manure, to he well mixed 

 together and passed through a fine sieve ; that the ends of the cut- 

 tings, when struck, may enter easily and without injury. The 

 piping should be cut with a sharp pen or budding knife, at the 

 second or third joint, acording to the condition of the grass, but the 

 shorter the better ; the cut must take place horizontally, close below 

 the joint, and the part that covers the joint ought to be carefully re- 

 moved and peeled off. The surface of the bed in which you plant 

 your pipings ought to be made flat and level ; then gently water it, 

 and the pipings may be stuck in three quarters of an inch deep, in 

 rows ; but take care not to crowd them, then they may be again 

 watered. On no account shut the glasses till they are quite dry, 

 or they will inevitably fog, decay, and perish ; indeed this is often 

 the way in which a whole bed of pipings perish. They will require 

 shading when there is sun, and the best article for this purpose is a 

 net or old mat, as they admit of a glimmering of the sun's rays 

 without having it too powerful. If the weather continues hot and 

 dry, they will require to be watered occasionally early in the morn- 

 ing over the glasses, wdiich for one fortnight at least need not be 

 removed if they are doing well. After this you may take them off, as 

 you see occasion, for half an hour in the morning or evening to dry 

 the glasses, and if any of the pipings appear mildewed or decayed, 

 pull them up. At the end of six weeks they ought to be sufficiently 

 rooted to be transplanted into small pots ; but I am of opinion that a 

 prepared bed, over which a frame and lights can be placed for a week 

 or two till they take root again, is the better and more certain me- 

 thod. The pipings may be allowed to remain in this frame till the 

 middle of September. If the weather is unfavourable, you may even 

 let them remain a few weeks longer in the frame. In taking them 

 up, if you find any of them not rooted but sound, and their ends 

 hard, do not let them remain on the same spot, but remove them to 

 another bed with a little temporary heat, and cover them with glasses 

 as before ; this will not fail to start them and hasten their fibring. 

 This is the method, or nearly so, which Mr. Hogg recommends ; 

 and he says if this method be adopted and pursued, it will be certain 



2 a 2 



