248 CARNATIONS. 



little sand. The quantity of manure can only be 

 determined by the previous strength of the ground: 

 if made too rich the flowers will lose their fine 

 colours, if left too poor they will want vigour. No 

 recent manure should ever come near any fine plant. 

 Let the ground be prepared before winter with dung, 

 and a rough furrow laid up to the frost. In A pril 

 give a fresh digging and plant in rows three feet 

 by two. This width is to make room for layers, 

 without which a fine blow of carnations cannot be 

 maintained above one year. As the plants shoot 

 up, they must be tied to neat green rods ; and in 

 order to have a fine blow, superflous flowerbuds 

 must be pinched off, leaving only three or four to 

 each stem. 



The young shoots near the ground which do not 

 run to flower are denominated grass; and from these 

 the layers are selected. The operation is some- 

 what nice, but when rightly done is always suc- 

 cessful, and good flowers are thus preserved and 

 multiplied from year to year. Towards the end 

 of July stir up the ground about the plants, and 

 mix with the soil a little old well wrought compost. 

 Have at hand a sharp penknife, a trowel, and a 

 number of small pegs with an angle at the head: 

 pieces of fern will do, or wood of no more strength 

 than to bear pushing into the ground. Scoop out 

 the earth in the form of a basin around each plant; 

 select the strongest grassy shoots for layers, and 

 remove such as are in the way; crop the top leaves 

 an inch from the heart, and pinch off all the rest, 



