64 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 



foliage, and even a gentleman's button-hole flower, or lady's 

 spray, should be backed with a little of the beautifully 

 curled, grey-coloured foliage. 



The Perpetual-Flowering Carnation, although its hardi- 

 ness to withstand our winters has yet to be proved, may 

 be as successfully flowered in the outdoor garden as 

 under glass. One of the most lovely flower-beds I have 

 seen was one composed of Winter-Flowering Carnations, 

 planted out after doing duty for a season in the green- 

 house ; it quite out-classed, by its continuity of flowering, 

 a bed of border Carnations adjacent to it. The best 

 results, however, are obtained from young plants, for these 

 will not only flower during the summer, but also until 

 the autumn frosts commence. 



Good effects may be obtained by growing them in 

 hanging baskets, or training them up the rafters of a 

 greenhouse, or on a trellis at the end of a house, and in 

 these positions, with the flowers allowed to hang loosely 

 and gracefully, the effect is charming. For the former 

 method, plants of a dwarf or stocky nature are best, but 

 for the two latter, those of a tall habit of growth are 

 preferable. 



Construction of Carnation Houses. To those about 

 to build a house for Perpetual- Flowering Carnations, the 

 matter of greatest importance is the necessity of obtaining 

 all the light possible, an adequate system of ventilation, 

 and sufficient hot-water piping to easily maintain a mini- 

 mum winter temperature of 50 without unduly heating the 

 water, rather erring on the side of providing too much than 

 too little piping. Span-roofed houses are best for general 

 purposes, but it is not very important whether the ridge 



