90 



THE CARNATION. 



making the bed for them, depend in a great measure 

 on the value they set on the plants ; if they are some 

 of their choice sorts, and they are anxious to have 

 fine blooms,, they will form a fresh bed altogether. 

 In this case, they first remove a foot in depth of the 

 old earth, and then dig over what remains to the 

 depth of a foot more, provided there be that depth 

 before they come to the subsoil ; they will then cover 

 the surface with a stratum of rotten horse-dung, three 

 inches deep, not too much exhausted that which 

 comes directly from the cucumber-bed is to be pre- 

 ferred ; they will then replace the mould which they 

 removed in the first instance, with the same sort qf 

 compost as is intended for the Carnations in pots, 

 raising the bed about four inches above the surface 

 of the ground, and rounding the top a little in a 

 convex form, just enough to give the water a gentle 

 descent each way. If the bed is four feet wide, it 

 will contain four rows, if the plants are set singly, 

 but only three if set in pairs, as turned out of the 

 pots, allowing sufficient room for laying. 



I need scarcely repeat here that they will require 



