164 THE NEW GARDENING 



Lord Roberts. Yellow. 



For the reasons given above we will not, however, 

 look upon them as permanent representatives of the 

 beautiful genus to which they belong. We will grow 

 them until they show signs of degeneration, and then fill 

 their places with meritorious newer sorts which come 

 under our notice. 



In making the choice, I have taken vigour of con- 

 stitution and free-flowering into consideration as well as 

 beauty of bloom. It seems to be impossible to keep 

 some varieties free from disease, while others with 

 beautiful flowers have poor habit or are shy bloomers. 

 Given the light, friable, gritty, loamy soil which Car- 

 nations love, kept hardy by being grown through the 

 winter in the open air, or at the most in an airy, unheated 

 frame, the plants should keep free from disease : but 

 where fungus has been prevalent it is well to spray even 

 clean, healthy plants with Bordeaux mixture or liver of 

 sulphur a few times in the winter and spring, so as to 

 prevent any of the spores which are certainly lurking 

 about the place from growing. Contrary to the general 

 view, the right time for spraying is not when the plants 

 are diseased, but while they are healthy. The liver of 

 sulphur solution is the more simple, as the crystals only 

 need to be dissolved in cold water at the rate of an 

 ounce per three gallons. They must be perfectly fresh, 

 or they will do no good. The green liquid discolours 

 paint, so that if pot plants are being treated they should 

 be stood outside for the treatment. I think that plants 

 put out in the fall remain more free from disease than 

 those under glass, but if protected plants are kept healthy 

 they are stronger after a hard winter than those which 

 have had to undergo the ordeal of cold rain, bitter wind 

 and hard frost. 



