THE CAKNAT1ON 211 



stopped again. This will insure compact, free-flowering, bushy 

 plants. The same compost as advised for Selfs will do. 



American Carnations. These, like the Trees, are winter and 

 spring bloomers. They are, indeed, a section of Trees, but in 

 some respects they are superior. They have larger flowers, and 

 much longer stems. The latter is a strong point in their favour, 

 because it enables them to be used in decoration without wiring. 

 They may be propagated from cuttings, potted, and treated gener- 

 ally like the Trees, but the writers prefer the American plan of 

 forming a bed for them in the house, and planting them out. 

 It saves the trouble and expense of potting. They fix strings 

 across the bed, about a foot above the surface of the soil, to tie 

 the flower-stems to. With an intermediate house temperature, 

 say a minimum of fifty to sixty degrees in winter, blooms will 

 be forthcoming in a long succession during winter and spring. 

 It is possible to get them at Christmas. 



