THE CARNATION. 35 



powers of the compost, and weaken its strength, I 

 generally, about the beginning or middle of June, 

 top-dress, with about half an inch of rotten horse- 

 dung passed through a sieve, which I find materially 

 to assist the plants, and promote the growth of the 

 layers, on which depends the preservation of your 

 collection. Many top-dress with some of the hotter 

 manures of night-soil, sugar-baker's scum, &c., but, 

 in my opinion, that is not necessary for Carnations, 

 and is attended with danger ; for, if they are not re- 

 duced to a perfect mould, they will corrode and burn 

 the plants. 



An immoderate use of strong manures to most 

 plants, is like the immoderate use of hot spirituous 

 liquors to the human frame ; they force and excite 

 for a time, only to weaken and destroy. 



HOT MANURES, AND THE APPLICATION 

 OF THEM. 



STRONG compost, in which the chief ingredients are 

 sugar-baker's scum, soap-boiler's waste, night-soil, 



