294 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



White. — M. Bergmau, Ivory, Mrs. Jerome Jones, Niveus, Pel- 

 ican, and Minnie Wanamaker. 



Pink. — Mrs. S. T. Murdock, Helen Bloodgood, Ada Spaulding, 

 Viviand Morel, and Lady Playfair. 



Dark Red. — Mrs. John Shrimpton and Cullingfordii. 



These I consider best for Boston market. I think that Ermen- 

 ilda will be a good pink variety for this market when it becomes 

 better known, but it should not be grown to single stems on late- 

 struck cuttings. 



In regard to Carnations I will give you my mode of cultivation. 

 The cuttings are taken for general stock for winter forcing from 

 February 14 to April 1 ; pricked out in flats, which I prefer to 

 pots ; placed in cold frames about April 20, and planted out m 

 the field from May to June 10. I have had splendid plants for 

 fall use struck in April and planted in the field June 10. 1 pre- 

 pare my ground in the following manner : 



It is ploughed in the fall, about the middle of November, and 

 left iu the rough till spring ; then I put on about once in three or 

 four years eight barrels of lime to the acre, in heaps of say half a 

 bushel. As soon as it is all powder, which will be in about ten 

 days, or earlier if it rains, I spread all over the ground thinly. 

 I put on about one ton of wood ashes to the acre and about 

 five cords of manure, and plow it in about seven inches just 

 before I plant out. I harrow it smoothly and plant the Carna- 

 tions in beds, eighteen inches between tlie rows and fifteen inches 

 between each plant in the row. Every fourth row I leave two feet, 

 which makes it very hand}^ to take out the weeds iu summer. I 

 think that it is owing to the lime and wood ashes that I am so 

 free from all kinds of diseases, and that they present a glaucous 

 appearance. 



In regard to stopping, one must be governed by the kinds he 

 grows and the time when he wants the flowers for market. Some 

 kinds do not need stopping after July 25 ; others will need it until 

 the last week in August. 



The preparation of the loam for benches is as follows : plough 

 up sod ground in the fall; get a-car of good rotted horse manure 

 from horses that are heavily grain fed ; add one horse load of 

 manure to four of loam, and two buckets of pure bone flour with- 

 out acid ; repeat that till your pile is large enough ; turn two or 

 three times and add two buckets of wood ashes to every five loads 



