214 SATURDAY IN MY GARDEN 



exciting and so interesting, and for this reason it is worth the while 

 of the amateur to indulge in a little experiment. 



But, first of all, let him see that his seed is good. I have else- 

 where recommended the purchase of penny packets of seed for 

 the purpose of raising cheaply some of the commoner plants which 

 help to make our gardens beautiful, but I draw the line at carna- 

 tions. Do not pay less than a shilling for a small packet of mixed 

 carnation seed. When you have obtained it, give it the best cul- 

 tivation in your power, and you will not be disappointed with the 

 investment. 



The seed may be sown out of doors in a little prepared bed ; 

 but I strongly advise the use of a box. This may be two or three 

 inches deep, with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage. A 

 suitable compost may be made of equal parts of loam, leaf mould 

 and sand. This should be made firm and moist, but not saturated. 

 Sow the seed there will not be many as evenly as possible, 

 and cover it to a depth of half -an-inch. Place a sheet of glass over 

 the top of the box, and over this again a piece of brown paper. 

 Put the box in a cold frame, and keep the light closed until 

 germination is apparent. As soon as the young plants begin to 

 grow give them more air, while keeping them near the glass. 

 Avoid over-watering. 



A cardinal principle to bear in mind is that carnations do not 

 require coddling. Therefore, as soon as the seedlings touch each 

 other prick them out into small pots or into boxes, with the plants 

 at a distance of two inches from each other. Or they may be 

 transplanted into a bed of finely pulverised soil in the open. 

 By autumn the plants should be strong and sturdy, and in October 

 should be ready for placing in their flowering quarters. 



The propagation of carnations by layering is a comparatively 

 simple operation, provided it be done at the right time and in 

 the right way. Diagram 25 will give some hints on the method 

 to be adopted. It is the habit of the carnation to throw up a 

 long wiry stem in the early summer, and it is the extremity of 

 this thin stem that carries the flower. Simultaneously with this 

 process another goes on This is the formation at the base of the 



