160 THE NEW GARDENING 



not desirable.) As the flower-stems of the Carnations 

 rise in successional batches they are tied to the wires, 

 and consequently stakes are not required. 



The demand for American Carnations in winter and 

 spring has grown so enormously that many commercial 

 florists have erected houses especially for their culture. 

 The trade is more likely to increase than to diminish, 

 except in the unlikely event of a new race of Carnations 

 arising to supersede the Americans in the same way that 

 the Americans have ousted the Trees ; and there may be 

 readers who contemplate embarking capital in it. The 

 plants are not at all difficult to grow, but a relatively 

 considerable amount of capital is required to build and 

 equip the houses, and it is in this matter that care and 

 consideration are necessary. The low, narrow, cheap 

 house of the orthodox market type is not suitable for 

 Carnations. Two large well-fitted houses might be ex- 

 pected to cost the better part of 500. 



Only the best varieties should be selected. The grower 

 who wishes to keep constantly in touch with the most 

 recent creations of the florists and events move so fast 

 that a book list may be partially out of date within a 

 month of its publication should visit the principal 

 shows, and also watch the proceedings of the winter- 

 flowering Carnation Society. By so doing he becomes 

 acquainted with every new variety as soon as it appears, 

 and also acquires the most recent cultural information. 



The American Carnations have the " Tree " or upright 

 habit, as distinguished from the tufty growth of the 

 Border varieties, consequently they are most readily 

 propagated by cuttings, which may be formed of young 

 flowerless side shoots cut off just below one of the joints 

 on the stem. Rooting is facilitated if the stem is slit 

 up a little and a small pebble slipped in, but this is not 



