294 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



wood ashes. This is composted a year previous to using, and 

 turned over at intervals to insure an intimate mixing of the 

 ingredients. 



Respectfully yours, 



Alex. McKay, 

 Gardener for David Nevins. 

 To J. G. Barker, Esq. 



James Comley's Violets 

 Were grown in a frame forty feet long by six feet wide, and. 

 were the California variety. The cuttings were placed in a cold 

 frame June 1, well watered and kept shaded for ten days ; then 

 exposed to the sun, and kept well watered until September 1, 

 when they were planted in the frame. They are now in a com- 

 post of one part good old cow manure and one of yellow loam, 

 with a little ground bone dust, and are given plenty of air every 

 fine day. The growth was vigorous and free from disease, and 

 the flowers were produced in abundance. 



CARNATIONS 



Are so deservedly popular that your Committee thought it wise 

 to offer a premium for the best house. There has not been the 

 competition we expected, but we have seen enough under cultiva- 

 tion to satisfy us that the encouragement which the premium 

 offers is a step in the progressive line of Floriculture. The Car- 

 nation is and always will be popular, especially for winter cut 

 flowers, their keeping qualities being so excellent. There is but 

 little that can be added to the many articles on Carnation culture 

 in the popular horticultural journals and the Proceedings of the 

 American Carnation Society. William Nicholson, who made the 

 only entry, sends the following notes : 



" In regard to Carnations I have very little to say at present. 

 On account of the dry weather my plants will be quite small to 

 take in, but they are very nice, clean, and healthy. I have a few 

 of the new varieties on trial. Edith Foster, white, is a very 

 promising one, and Eldorado, yellow, which I had last year, I 

 consider one of the very best sent out. I have two or three very 

 promising seedlings of my own, but cannot tell how they will 

 turn out until after another year's trial. There are lots of new 



