CARNATIONS FOR SUMMER FLOWERING AND 



POT CULTURE. 



Fio. 1268. — Carnation Bridc of Erlescocrt. 



ARNATION blossoms, "the 

 Divine Flower," find ready 

 and steady sale everywhere 

 that flowers are in demand. 

 The charming flowers with their spicy 

 fragrance have seemingly endeared 

 themselves to the hearts of this Ameri- 

 can people, in the flower stores, in the 

 greenhouse and as pot plants, the un- 

 assuming carnations are prime favor- 

 ites. In 1 89 1 the American Carnation 

 Society was organized at Philadelphia 

 for the purpose of fostering and propa- 



gating the interest in these flow- 

 ers. The wonderful creations of 

 new and of improved varieties 

 and the keen appreciation with 

 which the flower-buying public 

 regard them, are, we have no 

 doubt, largely due to the active 

 work of this Society and the 

 pleasing exhibitions they have 

 given. Carnations for winter 

 blooming in the house and sum- 

 mer flowering in the garden are 

 the two branches of carnation 

 culture that are of interest to the 

 amateur. For the former pur- 

 pose the preparation of tlie plants 

 must begin at an early date. 

 Procure the young plants as soon 

 as the ground can be dug and 

 the danger of severe frost is over, 

 set them in the open ground not 

 less than one foot apart ; some- 

 what sandy soil produces decid- 

 edly the largest and most desir- 

 able carnation plants. As the 

 leading shoots begin to run up 

 to flower they should be cut well 

 down, this adds vigor to the 

 growth and encourages produc 

 tion of numerous side shoots that are 

 necessary for good winter-blooming 

 stock. Do not do any pruning after 

 August I St, or the first crop of flow- 

 ers will be late. Potting may be at- 

 tended to as late as the end of Octo- 

 ber and good results obtained, but 

 early in September is much better. 

 The best time for lifting the plants is 

 a vexed question ; some deeming it 

 nonsense to lift them during a hot spell 

 of weather, and others claiming that 

 such weather is the only time this work 



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