68 CARNATIONS AND PINKS 



only Carnations, but many other things which dislike 

 the damp and frosts of an English winter. 



As to raising the plants from seed we have already 

 written, and it should appeal strongly to the town 

 gardener, as in this way winter protection is 

 avoided. Sow the seed in January in a warm house 

 (this is a necessity), and encourage the seedlings 

 to grow fairly quickly in an intermediate temperature 

 (not higher than sixty degrees, or the tiny plants will be 

 weakened). The result should be good plants for 

 planting outdoors in May, when flowers will appear 

 only a little later than those propagated in the previous 

 year. This plan of flowering the plants the same year 

 has much to commend it to the town gardener, for all 

 winter trouble is at an end. The only drawback is 

 the need of a heated greenhouse or frame. Without 

 one or the other it is impossible for the seedlings to 

 grow with sufficient rapidity. Most suburban gardeners, 

 however, possess a small greenhouse, and a portion of 

 it could not be devoted to a better use that by raising 

 seedling Carnations. In late autumn the flowers will 

 be welcome for cutting. One of experience writes : 

 " In a garden within a very few miles of Charing Cross 

 hundreds of plants are grown in this way, and the 

 gardener is able to gather handfuls for the house." 

 One of our best Carnation growers states that plants 

 flowering from seed sown in March of the previous 

 year will produce from 100 to 150 blooms each. It 

 can hardly be expected that so many flowers would 

 be gathered from plants flowering the first year from 

 seed, but they too give a very satisfactory harvest, 



