146 Commercial Gardening 



are potted up singly and grown on in genial warmth, and when large 

 enough are transferred to larger pots. Once established they like plenty 

 of light and air, and form bushy plants, 1-1 J ft. high, laden with shining 

 fruits, which last a long time in perfection. 



Carnations, Perpetual Flowering". These love an airy, light position, 

 and will not stand coddling. This is one of the principal points which has 

 to be remembered always to ensure success. Above all things commence with 

 a vigorous healthy stock. Select good cuttings from the base of the flower- 

 ing stems between December and March. Cut or pull them off at a joint, 

 and insert them firmly in pure sand, either direct in the bed or in small 

 pots or pans. Maintain as nearly as possible a bottom temperature of 

 60 F., and an overhead temperature of 50 F. Exclude all draughts, and 

 shade from the sun. Sprinkle the tops freely and keep the sand moderately 

 moist for about ten days. After this the cuttings will begin to callus; they 

 should then be kept a trifle drier. When they have begun to root, more air 

 and light must be admitted, to prevent the tops from growing while still in 

 the sand; this would harm them, as such growth is bound to be soft and 

 weak. 



As soon as the cuttings are sufficiently rooted, which will be about four 

 weeks after they were inserted, they should be potted into very small pots 

 in a fairly light loam to which one-third of thoroughly decayed leaf soil 

 may be added, and the whole should be finely sifted. After keeping the 

 freshly potted small plants for a few days rather close and shaded from the 

 sun, and moderately moist at the root, full light and air should gradually 

 be admitted. 



As soon as the young plants are well rooted through the soil, which will 

 be in about a month from the first potting, they should be repotted into 

 3J-in. pots. This time a stronger mixture of soil should be given, viz. 

 4 parts of good loam, 1 part of old hotbed manure or well-decayed cow- 

 dung, and a little wood ashes. This mixture should be chopped as fine as 

 possible but not sifted. 



Care must be taken not to pot the Carnations too deeply at any time: 

 the top of the roots should be only just below the surface. A firm potting 

 is also at all times necessary. 



After the plants are well established in the 3J-in. pots it will generally 

 be necessary to give them their first " stop ", that is, to pinch out the top 

 of the young plant just when it begins to lengthen and show an inclin- 

 ation to run into bud. 



When the 3J-in. pots are again well filled with roots, the final shift into 

 7-in. pots will be necessary about the beginning of June. Plants propa- 

 gated very early in the season may, of course, require an extra transplant- 

 ing into 9-in. pots. The final potting should, however, never be done after 

 the end of June if a crop of flowers for early autumn and winter is desired. 



The soil for this final potting should be a little richer than the last, and 

 the following will be found to make a very good mixture: 3 parts of good 

 fibrous loam, not too light, 1 part of thoroughly decayed cow-manure, or 



