PACIFIC TREE AND VINE 



The Flower Garden 



Carnations are very much easier 

 grown than are roses — that is, it 

 clean, healthy plants are secured to 

 start with. In the effort to secure 

 healthy plants, it is very much 

 better to get stock in the spring 

 rather than in the falL If the plants 

 are shipped from a distance, the 

 smaller plants may be expected to 

 reach their destination in better con- 

 dition in spring than will the larger 

 field-grown plants in late summer 

 or fall. The larger plants frequent- 

 ly develop "stem rot" and other 

 fungous diseases in transit (when 

 the disease germs are present. ) The 

 close confinement incidental to the 

 packing for shipment furnishes just 

 the conditions for the development 

 of many carnation diseases. 



A decided change in the time of 

 planting into their winter quarters 

 has taken place in recent years. 

 Early in August, for some of the 

 choicer varieties, is considered the 

 very best time for this work. It is 

 readily understood why this should 

 be so, when we remember that the 

 plants are better able to withstand 

 the shock of lifting when not so 

 large nor so deeply rooted. These 

 were considered to be ideal condi- 

 tions for the carnation to develop in 

 and so ihe\' were so lar as produc- 

 ing large plants was concerned; 

 but the plants were generally suc- 

 culent or "sappy," consequently 

 susceptible to disease. "lyifiing" is 

 always a violent operation, and its 

 evils should be reduced as much as 

 possible. 



Strange as it may appear, when 

 we consider that the carnation is 

 perfectly hardy in Great Britain and 

 other parts of Europe, the disease 

 among carnations known as "rust" 

 may be circumvented by growing 

 the plants under gias<, winter ancl 

 suninier. This fact was foinnl out 

 accidenlly a few \eais aj^o, whi^-n a 

 raiser of .seedling carnations ii;id a 

 new kind that he considered good 

 enough to send out. He propa- 



Growing Carnations 



gated a batch of cuttings later in 

 the spring than was usual in those 

 days, and because the season vvas 

 too dry for safe planting, and no 

 water was convenient to the plot of 

 ground where earlier propagations 

 of the same variety were planted, 

 they were kept underglassali snin- 

 nier. The plants that had been 

 growing outdoors, after being 

 planted in their winter quarters for 

 a few weeks, developed a distress- 

 ingly large crop of rust, and after 

 the affected leaves had been re- 

 moved and buined, the plants so 

 treated seemed altogether too fa-- 

 apart. In order to fill up the 

 spaces, the smaller plants grown in 

 two-and-ahalf inch pots were 

 planted between the lines; and not- 

 withstanding the fact that all the 

 larger plants on ail sides of them 

 were more or less affected wilii 

 ru-t, the smaller plants that had 

 been grown uirder glass all sirmmer 

 did not show a trace of the disease. 

 This experience, it is believed, was 

 the cause of other systematic exper- 

 iments being tried with valuable 

 older varieties, which had "leaf- 

 spot" and other diseases. The ex- 

 periments gave gratifyiirg results. 

 The old variety Battercup', now 

 nearly out of cultivation, though 

 well renifinbered, vvas fotrird to be 

 much more healthy and satisfactory 

 from every point of view when 

 grown in the new way. 



As the carnation delights in much 

 fresh air on all favorable occasic^ns, 

 it has been found that by early 

 planting outdoors in spring (which 

 means after danger from severe 

 frost is past), and the earlier lifting 

 to winter quailers, much more sat- 

 isfactory results are obtained. 



The most troublesome insects are 

 greenfly and red spider. The green- 

 fly or aphis is kept in check b\ 

 thorough fumigation with tobacco 

 or sonre of the tobacco compounds 

 The red spider may be kept in 

 check 1)\ an occasional thorough 



syringing, directing the full force 

 of the water supply where these 

 little miles are getting in their de- 

 structive work. Its work may be 

 recognized by the grayish appear- 

 ance of the leaves. It has been 

 found that plants which have been 

 punctured by insects are more 

 likely to take some of the diseases 

 to which carnations are subject, the 

 disease germs finding their w»y into 

 the tissues of the plants through 

 the apertures made by the insects. 



It is apparent, therefore, that if 

 we would have our plants compara- 

 tively free from diseases we must 

 strive to keep them free from 

 insects. Insects are far more 

 easily coujhatted than diseases 1 

 have tried many ot the fungicides, 

 but must confess, with little or no 

 satisfactory results; whereas, when 

 insectides are applied with in- 

 telligence and good judgment, the 

 results are generally satisfactory. 

 Tlie best way, I have found in my 

 efforts to control diseases of plants, 

 is to keep the carnations free of all 

 dead and decaying leaves, and the 

 beds clean from weeds, and thesoil 

 lightly stirred on the surface. 



A word is needed as to soil in 

 which to grow carnations. Any 

 good loam will answer, ifsufficient 

 Iv poious f(ir water to pass away 

 freely. Choose that iir which dis- 

 eased carnations have not been 

 grown. Peisons who have investi- 

 gated the subject tell us that the 

 fungus germs which cause "stem 

 rot'' remain active in the ground 

 for several years. I'or this disease 

 the sterilization of the soil (by 

 steaming or baking it) is said to be 

 the only remedy. The sterilizing 

 of soil lunks lo be a big nndertakiitg 

 to auNone who has not made tile 

 attempt, and some practical grow- 

 eis doubt the advisability of the 

 practice on general principles. 

 While admitting that the process 

 may kill disease germs, weed seeds 

 and insects, they think that there 



