THE OPENING YEAR 



on each being left. The plants will soon grow again Jan. 

 from the dormant buds; in fact, they will be full of ^^~3i 

 leaves and in bloom in a few weeks, given a temperature 

 of 50° to 60°. 



Winter-blooming Carnations, — Winter exhibitions of 

 Carnations are now as well established an institution 

 in London as cattle and motor shows. The winter 

 section, which is really quite distinct from the garden 

 Carnation of the summer, has a Society all to itself, 

 and well deserves it. Think of having such a beautiful 

 flower as the Carnation in mid-winter ! Admirable 

 form, brilliant colour, delicious perfume, and in every 

 month of the year ! My readers must keep up-to-date 

 with the American type, for the flowers have long stems, 

 and are therefore well adapted for arrangement in vases. 

 Here are a few varieties which, at the time of writing, are 

 among the best procurable : Britannia, red, a charming 

 flower for the table, as the colour shows up so well 

 under artificial light ; Enchantress, blush, large, sweet, 

 and of lovely tint ; Winsor, silvery pink ; May Day, 

 pink; Mrs. Burnett, salmon pink; and White Per- 

 fection, white. It may be some time before these are 

 superseded, but a gardening author would no more 

 use terms of finality in connection with varieties of 

 popular flowers than a writer on motoring would in 

 referring to the engines of aeroplanes. Both are in a 

 constant state of development. But the aeroplane engine 

 will never attain the pleasing odour of the Carnation. 



To get healthy plants and a nice display of winter 

 bloom, the amateur must provide his plants with a light, 

 airy greenhouse, and a temperature of 50° to 60°, the 

 former being the night heat. It may fall a little lower 

 in very severe weather, but no real laxity in the matter 

 of heat is permissible. It is most convenient to grow 

 47 



