114 ON THK CARNATION. 



here exhibited ; this being rilled with Scotch snuff, the buds must be 

 examined very early in the morning, or immediately after rain, they 

 will then be generally found clustered together, and a puff or two of 

 snuff does their business effectually. This application of snuff may 

 be repeated now and then even should no insect be perceptible, as 

 will prevent the attack of another annoyance whose presence is not 

 so easily detected ; I allude to a small black insect, which inserts 

 itself, as the flower begins to open, beneath the calyx, or green outside 

 covering, and feeds on the coloured parts of the petals, so as com- 

 pletely to disfigure the flower when it expands. When buds burst, 

 it is evident that there is negligence in the management, and, in 

 order to prevent this, thread rubbed with bees' wax is put round 

 several times, and the ends merely twisted ; as the buds increase in 

 size, these are untwisted and slackened. 



Some people use sheep's bladder cut into narrow strips and wetted, 

 which causes it to stick fast, k but this does not allow for the 

 swelling of the flower; so that I am inclined to think the bees' - 

 waxed thread the preferable tie. As the flower expands, a collar of 

 pasteboard is placed under the guard-leaves, and the careful florist 

 will assist his bloom as it advances, extracting all self, muddy, or 

 misshapen petals, and arranging the others to his mind. Within 

 these few years Rowland's metallic wire has come much into use, 

 and by means of it each flower may be kept exactly in the place the 

 grower wishes, without any possibility of its being removed by the 

 wind ; and he may have several flowers under a handglass, when 

 fully blown, which will not chafe against each other. 



The flowers to be retained any length of time must, of course, be 

 shaded from sun and rain : this is done in various ways : those who 

 have the convenience of a Tulip-shed, remove the pots beneath the 

 awning ; others have circular caps of paper, which is oiled or painted, 

 a wooden socket goes through the centre, which is slipped down the 

 stick, a small nail keeping it the required height ; a more simple 

 method still is, a small square board with a hole on one side for the 

 stick to pass through ; these are in general use ; but the box of about 

 five inches square, and three inches deep, glazed at top with a single 

 piece of glass, having a brass loop for the stick, through which a 

 screw passes to adjust it at any height, a few turns will retain it at its 

 proper distance over the flowers, without any chance of its slipping 



