64 THE CARNATION. 



THE OPERATION AND TIME OF PIPING. 



THE propagation by piping, or cuttings, is more dif- 

 ficult with the Carnation than with either the Picotee 

 or Pink, and ought to commence as soon as the shoots 

 or grass are ready. 



If you defer it till the bloom is nearly over, the 

 chance of success is still more precarious, as the 

 shoots get too hard and woody, and do not strike 

 root so readily as they do when taken sooner, and in 

 a more tender state. 



The operation of piping, then, ought to com- 

 mence, for the reason above stated, about the first of 

 July. I am aware that the usual mode is to wait 

 until the flowers are in bloom, that you may see 

 whether they are in their right colours or not. But, 

 surely, it is no very difficult task to guard against 

 this, by keeping the cuttings of every plant separate. 

 Suppose you have three plants in one pot : you can 

 easily affix three separate tallies, or number-sticks, 

 with 1, 2, 3, on them, and also three other corre- 



