66 POPULAR GARDEN FLOWERS 



should be set near the front, in clumps of not less than 

 three, the soil being prepared and the plants put in 

 fifteen inches apart as before. 



If there is wireworm about, it would be well to put as 

 many of the plants as pots can be spared for into five-inch 

 pots, and stand them in a sheltered place on a bed of 

 ashes, in order to grow them stronger before putting 

 them out. Carnations do quite well if planted in May, 

 provided they are put out with good balls of earth round 

 them in showery weather, and watered if dry. While 

 they are making root, and generally strengthening in 

 preparation for their fight with the wireworm, the latter 

 is being harassed and reduced by the vaporite, kainit, 

 and baits. 



Disease. While they are in pots (and, for the matter 

 of that, when they are planted out also) they should be 

 looked over regularly to make sure that no fungoid disease 

 is beginning to attack the leaves. If any blotches show, 

 pick off the leaves which are affected, and then spray 

 the plants over with water in which liver of sulphur 

 (sulphide of potassium) has been dissolved at the rate of 

 half an ounce per gallon. 



Directly Carnations begin to grow in the beds and 

 borders they become attractive. The flowering season 

 may be a long way off, but the glaucous grey foliage is 

 pleasing in itself ; and herein lies one of the great advant- 

 ages of the Carnation as a garden plant ; as long as it is 

 healthy, it is always handsome, whether in or out of flower. 

 Old plants, it is true, are apt to be unsightly, because 

 they show a considerable amount of bare stem at the 

 base; but no one need keep plants until they become 

 ugly, because new ones can be raised easily. 



A bed of Carnations in free, healthy growth is beauti- 

 ful and interesting all the summer. The plants throw out 



