THE CARNATION 209 



may be sprayed with sulphide of potassium (liver of sulphur) 

 dissolved in water at the rate of one ounce to three gallons. If 

 the plants are to be treated they should be carried out of the 

 house, as the solution discolours paint. 



CARNATIONS IN POTS 



Exhibition Carnations are generally grown in pairs in 7 or 8 inch 

 pots, but there is no reason why they should not be grown singly 

 in smaller pots, such as 5-inch, if more 

 convenient. Assuming that they are struck 

 from layers in summer, they will be put 

 into small pots in autumn, wintered in a 

 frame or cool house, and repotted when 

 they start growing in spring. Three parts 

 of fibrous loam, one each of leaf-mould 

 and decayed manure, and about one-tenth 

 of coarse sand will suit them admirably. 

 They must receive abundance of air, and 

 no attempt should be made to push them 



POTTING CARNATIONS 



on in heat. If they are coddled up in 



J A shows a seedling in a small pot ; 



a close, moist, warm atmosphere they B ' the y ung plant re P tted in 



J compost C. 



will fall victims to mould. With careful 



watering, and abundance of air, the plants will make steady 



progress. 



In due course flower-stems will begin to rise. There may be 

 more than one to each plant, and if there are they should be 

 immediately reduced to one, if fine flowers are required. Further, 

 disbudding will be needed, and until the grower has learned from 

 experience how to handle the different varieties, he will be wise 

 to allow each shoot to carry three flowers the central one, and 

 two others on lateral shoots below. Disbudding is often carried 

 much further than this even to the extent of having only one 



