ON PREPARING LAYERS AND PIPINGS OF CARNATIONS. 279 



both appeared to be succeeding well ; one of them, however, I lost 

 by taking off the bandage too soon, although not for about two months 

 after the operation ; the other one, however, is still flourishing, and 

 showing flowers, which, however, are much smaller than those of 

 F. fulgens on its own root. The plant has formed a fine head, and 

 appears *very thriving. The operation is simple and easily performed, 

 and although the graft seems slow in uniting, does not seem likely 

 to be unsuccessful, and it may be desirable in many cases. 



ARTICLE IV. 



ON PREPARING LAYERS AND PIPINGS OF CARNATIONS 



AND PINKS. 



BY MR. T, CONNELLY, VLORIST, OK PRESTON, IN LANCASHIRE. 



As the time of year is at hand for this work I beg to offer a few 

 remarks, which I hope will be of some use to my brother florists. 

 It is quite true that much has been said from time to time in the 

 Cabinet and other works, still, I trust, that fourteen years practical 

 experience in such matters should be worth something, and not be 

 altogether useless. Some years back, when the late Mr. Loudon 

 was o» his tour into the north, he called at our nursery, in Lancaster. 

 I was then (the end of July) busy laying Carnations. At that time 

 we generally bloomed about 800 pots of the best sorts. He found 

 me at work, cutting off the tops of the layers. He asked me what I 

 was so cutting them for ; the only answer I had to make was, that 

 my father did so before me. He pointed out the danger, and loss of 

 time, and added, that they would root much better by leaving the 

 tops on ; and before he left, advised me to try some for my own expe* 

 rience in the matter, and which was done. By the end of September, 

 I began the work of taking off the layers, and must candidly confess 

 that I was much surprised to find those that were not cut much 

 stronger and better rooted than the others. The next, and following 

 years, I practised the same with Pjnks, but instead of cutting away 

 the tops of the pipings only the bottom grass was removed, and I 

 found by the autumn that I had, as with Carnations, better and 

 stronger than on previous years, when they had been topped and cut. 

 Those persons who have been accustomed to cut them in the way I 



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