670 



CARNATION 



CARNATION 



roots. On the other hand, soil for potting or planting 

 should never be handled while in a wet condition. If 

 too dry at the time of filling the beds, water, and let 

 stand long enough to dry to the proper state before 

 planting. 



Apply a light shade of lime or whiting to the glass, 

 to break the fierceness of the summer 

 sun until the plants become estab- 

 lished. This shade should not be too 

 heavy, nor intended to darken the 

 house, else a softening and weakening 

 of the growth will result. Lift the 

 plants carefully by means of a spade 

 and leave a ball of soil about the size 

 of the fist on the roots. This ball of 

 soil will greatly assist the plant in re- 

 establishing itself in its new quarters. 

 However, no serious harm will be done 

 should all the soil crumble from the 

 roots without breaking the roots to 

 any considerable extent. Set the plants 

 just about as deep into the soil as they 

 stood in the field and space them about 

 9 by 12 inches, if plants are of ordinary 

 size. Larger plants may need more, 

 smaller plants less space. It should be 

 borne in mind that the highest quality 

 may be expected only when the plants 

 are not crowded. 



After setting a few hundred plants, 

 water each plant individually, satura- 

 ting the soil thoroughly around each 

 plant, but do not soak the whole bed 

 until the roots become active and the 

 surface of the soil has been worked over 

 and leveled off, which will be about 

 ten days after planting. Spray the 

 plants overhead several times during 

 each day to prevent wilting. Keeping 

 the walks wet will also help to maintain 

 a humid atmosphere until the roots 

 are able to supply the plants with moisture. This 

 transplanting is an ordeal during which the plants are 

 unable to draw on the roots for support until they 

 have taken a new hold on the soil, and wilting must 

 be prevented by artificial means during this time. To 

 allow severe wilting means loss of foliage and a loss 

 of vitality, which results in inferior qualitv in at least 

 the early part of the season. 



As soon as the soil has been leveled off, and most of 

 the weeds gotten rid of, the supports should be put in 

 place. Large growers use one of two styles of supports, 

 or a combination of the two. Wires run lengthwise 

 between the rows, with cotton strings crosswise, plac- 

 ing two or three tiers one above the other to suit the 

 height of the plants is extensively used. Another 

 device is the carnation support, consisting of a wire 



stake with wire 

 rings to surround 

 each plant. 



Yield of bloom. 

 Plants that were 

 benched in the 

 latter part of July, 

 or early August, 

 which is the time 

 to plant for best re- 

 sults, should begin 

 to yield blooms 

 early in September. 

 If flowers are not 

 desired so early, 

 the stems may be 

 broken off about 

 the time the bud 

 813. Undeveloped five-petaled carnation, appears, but no 



812. Showing where to top (a) or 

 to head back. 



general topping should be done after the plants are 

 housed, if a steady cut through the season is desired. 

 Cut the blooms during the early part of the day. They 

 are then fresh and retain their natural colors, much of 

 which would be bleached out of the delicately colored 

 sorts by the sun during a warm day. Place in water at 

 once in a cool room as near 50 as 

 possible. Sort the blooms in separate 

 colors, making two or three grades of 

 quality, tying them into bunches of 

 twenty-five blooms. Cut the stems 

 even at the bottom and replace in 

 water. Avoid crowding the blooms 

 while they are soaking up water, as 

 they will increase 25 per cent in size 

 during the first twenty-four hours in 

 water. 



During a season, running from Sep- 

 tember to the end of the following 

 June, an average cut of twenty blooma 

 per plant may be expected from most 

 varieties. Varieties differ somewhat, 

 according to the size of the blooms, the 

 smaller-flowered sorts usually being the 

 freer bloomers. 



The preparation of the soil for grow- 

 ing carnations is of the greatest im- 

 portance. Choose a piece of land which 

 has not been tilled for some years, if 

 possible. If covered with a heavy sod, 

 all the better. The soil should be a 

 loam of good substance, with an incli- 

 nation toward sandiness. Break this 

 sod in the fall and leave in a rough 

 state during the winter. In the spring 

 plow again and sow to cowpeas or 

 some other leguminous crop. After 

 plowing this under in the fall, manure 

 heavily and leave until the follow- 

 ing spring when it should be plowed 

 again. This soil should be in first- 

 class condition for use the following summer. In 

 working or handling soil, always bear in mind that to 

 handle it while it is wet is to ruin it for immediate use. 

 Only freezing will restore it again. If it will crumble 

 readily, it is safe to handle. Soil which has been pre- 

 pared in this manner will be rich enough to carry the 

 plants until after the first of the year, when light feeding 

 may be given. Feeding should be done judiciously 

 during the short 

 days of winter, to 

 avoid softening the 

 growth and bloom. 

 Pulverized sheep- 

 manure, dried 

 blood and wood- 

 ashes are used 

 mostly for this pur- 

 pose. The manure 

 and blood improve 

 the size and quality 

 of the bloom, and 

 the ashes strengthen 

 the stem. 



Ventilation and 

 temperature. The 

 carnation being a 

 cool-temperature 

 plant, abundant 

 fresh air and ventil- 

 ation should be pro- 

 vided for. A steady 

 temperature is 

 essential to success 814- carnation flower showing the 

 in growing carna- ca iyx w hich has split on account of 

 tions. Splitting of poor shape. 



