4T2 THE PLEASURE, OR [JULY 



ANNUAL FLOWERS. 



You may still transplant any of the late sown balsam?, cock's- 

 combs, ainaranthuses, China-asters, &c., into the border or flower-beds 

 where wanted, taking them up with balls, or with as much earth as 

 possible about their roots, and giving them a good watering when 

 planted, which is to be occasionally repeated till they are well rooted; 

 if some shade could be afforded them for a few days, it would the 

 better insure their success. 



CARNATIONS. 



The choice carnations now in flower should be taken care of and 

 assisted in their blowing, as directed last month ; you may likewise 

 assist those of inferior qualities and that have a tendency to burst, 

 by splitting the pod or calyx a little way at top, on the opposite side 

 to where it shows an inclination to burst in two or three different 

 places, so as to promote the spreading of the flower regularly each 

 way. This should be done just as the flower begins to break the 

 pod with a pair of small, narrow pointed scissors, or with a sharp 

 pointed knife, taking care not to cut the calyx too deep, but rather 

 to open it a little at each place, and to leave as much of the bottom 

 of the cup entire as will be sufficient to keep the petals or flower- 

 leaves regularly together. 



Some florists take great pains in the opening of the flowers to 

 assist nature in spreading and displaying the petals, so as to enlarge 

 the circumference and dispose the flower-leaves in such a manner as 

 to show the stripes and variegations to the best possible advantage, 

 and for this purpose make use of a small pair of wire nippers, the 

 points of which are flattened and bound around with silk or thread 

 to prevent injury. With these they extract such of the petals as do 

 not please, and display the others so as to suit their fancy. 



Continue to propagate your choice carnations and pinks by layers 

 and pipings, as directed on page 448, for the performance of which, 

 the early part of this month is a very practicable time. Give the 

 necessary shade and water to the plants now in flower, and see that 

 those layers which were laid last month are kept sufficiently moist 

 to promote their free rooting. 



When the layers are properly rooted, which will be the case with 

 most sorts in a month after laying -provided due care be taken to 

 keep them regularly moist, and to shade them from the heat of the 

 meridian sun they are then to be taken off from the old plant with 

 about half an inch of the stalk which connects them to it, and be 

 immediately planted in small pots, one, two, three, or four in each. 

 The pots should be filled with the compost recommended on page 309, 

 previously adding thereto a little more loam and coarse sand, and 

 when the plants are neatly planted therein, the pots should be buried 

 to their rims in a convenient airy place, and arches of hoops placed 

 over the bed on which to lay mats to shade the plants from the sun 

 till well rooted and growing freely ; and these mats are to be after- 



