116 



ON THE CARNATION. 



viewed in what light they may, or whatever false gloss may be put on 

 such proceedings, it amounts to nothing less than downright cheating, 

 and is a dead robbery on the fair exhibitor. 



There have been plenty of instances, where a pod had been bursted, 

 of putting the flower into a fresh one. I well recollect an instance of 

 a first pan of Carnations, at an exhibition in one of the midland 

 counties, in which one of the pods was split to the bottom, and conse- 

 quently ought to have been disqualified ; but by matching the pod 

 with a piece of green silk, and tying it round close up to the petals, it 

 escaped the scrutiny of the judges. 



At another time I have seen bad leaves taken out, and good ones 

 substituted, a pellet of cotton wool being crammed down, to keep 

 them in their places. But this is also done in a much neater way, by 

 drawing the petal down into the pod with a piece of green silk. And 

 a most respectable nurseryman and florist, not a long time ago, in- 

 formed me that he had seen a Carnation composed of petals taken 

 from other flowers, not one of which belonged to the pod in which 

 they were put, but were the best that could be selected from perhaps 

 a dozen flowers. The result was, an unbeatable flower was made up. 

 In dressing Carnations, it is considered fair to remove what leaves 

 you choose, and, with a pair of tweezers, to put them in the best and 

 most regular form, the petals imbricating each other, with a few short 

 ones in the centre, forming the crown ; but extremely wrong to make 

 any addition thereto from other flowers. But, to the credit of this 

 Society, and which no doubt has tended to promote the harmony and. 

 unanimity which has so long prevailed amongst us, no case of this re- 

 prehensible system has come under my observation during the twelve 

 years I have been connected with it. 



We must now retrace our steps ; and I must direct your attention 

 to the time when the pod bursts sufficiently to enable the colour to be 

 distinguished. If not " run," as it is termed, or the flower a self, and 

 the grass is sufficiently long, I commence layering. Some defer it 

 to a later period ; but where there is a large stock to operate upon , 

 it is best to take time by the forelock ; at all events, I am an advocate 

 for early work. 



Some will tell you that they are more apt to spindle ; but if they 

 had not been layered, I imagine they would have done so and I 

 should also think that the very act of cutting it would operate as a 



