270 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Carnation continued. 



is not practicable, a few lights, or some tiffany, should be 

 temporarily arranged over them, when the same end will be 

 gained ; and after the plants are layered, the covering can 

 be removed. 



Cultivation in Beds or Borders. With the choicer varie- 

 ties grown in pots, a magnificent collection may be culti- 

 vated in specially prepared beds or positions in an ordi- 

 nary border. There are a large number of beautiful 

 Selfs, and fancy border varieties, as a rule richly scented, 

 which are far better treated in the open ground; and, 

 presuming a special bed is allotted them, which is a much 

 preferable method, even if duplicates are planted in the 

 mixed border, it is necessary to ridge up the bed in the 

 autumn for exposure to the sweetening effects of wintry 

 weather, and the extermination of insects. At the same 

 time, a dressing of soot and lime, mixed, may, with advan- 

 tage, be well incorporated with the soil, for the destruction 

 of these pests, especially the wireworm, which is a very 

 troublesome insect in Carnation culture. An addition of 

 leaf soil and sharp sand should also be made if the soil is 

 stiff or clayey. The plants should be put out in March, 

 about 1ft. apart each way; more space between the lines 

 may be allowed if desired, according to the size or shape of 

 the bed. Keep the beds clean, and, when dry, thoroughly 

 watered. As the buds expand, occasional doses of liquid 

 manure will be found beneficial. It will also be necessary 

 to thin the buds if large flowers are required, as re- 

 commended for those grown in pots. When grown in odd 

 spaces in the border, equally as much attention is needed 

 as when grown in beds. The blossom-stalks require 

 staking in order to display the flowers, and to keep them 

 from being soiled. Very neat stakes should be used, and 

 they should be neither longer nor shorter than really 



FIG. 370. METHOD OF STAKING CARNATIONS. 



required. A very good form of wire stake is shown in 

 Fig. 370, with which tying is unnecessary. 



Insects. Green fly is the most troublesome. As a rule, 

 unless in very dry seasons, they do not attack those planted 

 out ; but, when grown in pots, and while the young plants 

 are in the frames, they are very likely to cause great injury. 

 The best means of eradicating them is by tobacco fumi- 

 gation ; and it is better to give a thorough fumigation 

 before the young growth is developed. If they are trouble- 

 some after, it will again be necessary to fumigate, but 

 rather repeat than overdose the plants. Wireworms are 

 very destructive at the roots. The soil should be carefully 

 looked over before being used for potting, as any wire- 

 worms left in it would eat the roots as fast as they are 

 formed, eventually killing the plant. Should established 

 plants be attacked, some carrots placed in the soil will 

 form a good trap, as the wireworms eat into them, and 

 may easily be removed and destroyed. 



PBOPERTIES. The characteristics of a good Carnation 

 are as follows : The pod (i.e., calyx) should be long, as then 



Carnation continued. 



the flower is not liable to burst it, as is the case when it is 

 short. The flower should be quite circular, and rising up 

 gradually towards the centre, so as to form half a ball. 

 The outer, or guard petals, should be large, and few in 

 number, rising slightly above the calyx, then spreading 

 horizontally ; and the other petals should be regularly 

 disposed on them, nearly flat, and diminish in size towards 

 the centre. The texture of the petals should be thick and 

 wax-like, and the markings distinct and clear ; the ground 

 a pure white, any flushing or running of the colour being 

 a decided disqualification. 



FIG. 371. FLOWERS OF BIZARRE CARNATION. 



CLASSES. There are three distinct classes, viz. : Bizarres, 

 (see Fig. 371), Flakes, and Selfs. The Bizarres have a clear 

 ground, variously marked and flaked with two or three 

 colours ; of these there are Crimson, Scarlet, and Pink and 

 Purple varieties, each characterised by the distinguishing 

 colours predominating. Flakes have a pure ground, flaked 

 with one colour, of which there are Scarlet, Purple, and Eose 

 varieties. Selfs should be one-coloured, in any shade, but 

 the more defined, the more effective they are. The follow- 

 ing is a selection of the best varieties in each class, at 

 present grown, to which additions are constantly being 

 made: 



Crimson Bizarres. A. D. SOUTHGATE (Dodwell), BLACK DIA- 

 MOND (Haines), ECCENTRIC JACK (Fletcher), E. S. DODWELL 

 (Hewitt), ISAAC WILKINSON (Turner), J. D. HEXTALL (Simonite), 

 JENNY LIND (Puxley), JOHN SIMONITE (Simonite), LORD MILTON 

 (Ely), MARGUERITE (Dodwell), MILLIE (Dorlwell), QUEEN VIC- 

 TORIA (Fletcher), RIFLEMAN (Wood), SATURN (Gorton), SIR 

 GARNET WOLSELEY (Fletcher), THOS. MOORE (Dodwell). 

 Pink and Purple Bizarres. FALCONBRIDGE (May), JAMES 

 TAYLOR (Gibbons), LORD CLIFTON (Puxley), Miss HENDERSON 

 (Dodwell), MRS. BARLOW (Dodwell), OLIVE (Fletcher), PRINCESS 

 BEATRICE (Beanlsley), SARAH PAYNE (Ward), TOM FOSTER (Dod- 

 well), T. S. WARE (Dodwell). 



Scarlet Bizarres. ADMIRAL CURZON (Easom), ALFRED HUD- 

 SON (Dodwell), ARTHUR MEDHURST (Dodwell), BEN SIMONITE 

 (Dodwell), CARACTACUS (Dodwell), CHARLES TURNER (Dodwell), 

 DANDY (Dodwell), DUKE OF GRAFTON (Hooper), EDWARD ADAMS 

 (Dodwell), FANNY GARDINER, FRED (Dodwell), GUARDSMAN 

 (Ward), JIM WHITAKER (Dodwell), JOHN HINES (Dodwell), 

 LORD NAPIER (Taylor), MARS (Hextall), MASTER STANLEY (Dod- 

 well), MR. FAWCETT (Fletcher), RAYNER JOHNSON (Dodwell), 

 SIR JOSEPH PAXTON (Ely), TOM BROWN (Dodwell), TOM POWER 

 (Dodwell), WILFRID SYMES (Dodwell), WM. SPOOR (Adams). 

 Purple Flakes. ATTRACTION (Fletcher), BEAUTY OF WOOD- 

 HOUSE (Mansley), DR. FOSTER (Foster), DR. WHITRON (Fletcher), 

 EARL STAMFORD (Elliott), G. F. WILSON (Dodwell), JAMES 

 DOUGLAS (Simonite), LADY PKEL (Haslam), MAYOR OF NOT- 

 TINGHAM (Taylor), MAYOR OF OXFORD (Dodwell), SQUIRE TROW 

 (Jackson). 



Rose Flakes. JAMES MERRYWEATHER (Wood), JESSICA (Turner), 

 LADY GARDENER (Ely), MADGE WILDFIRE (Dodwell), MARY ANN 



