CHAPTER VII 

 OLDER PLANTS, AND INDOOR PLANTING 



IF it is considered advisable to carry on for another year with 

 plants that have gone through their first year, it is perfectly feasible 

 and is, indeed, largely practised. We did so ourselves for many 

 years, but have come to the conclusion that it is better and more 

 economical to work on young stock every year, first because it 

 fitted in better with our ordinary routine and also because we 

 invariably got better results. Other growers' experiences may be 

 different, and these we respect, not for a moment claiming that our 

 methods must of necessity be the better. But having said so much, 

 we do not want readers to imagine that we consign our plants to 

 the rubbish heap directly their season is ended, for our practices 

 are far less iconoclastic. We take care of them, nurse them in fact 

 as long as we keep them under glass, and then, very early in May, 

 we plant the majority of them in the open air, principally for the 

 purpose of layering them, but also for the very satisfactory cut 

 bloom they give from the middle of August throughout September. 

 When it has been decided to carry plants on to a second season, 

 the fact must be known early, in which case the grower would 

 not be so likely to let his plants go all out, but would keep something 

 in reserve. From the moment the flowers are over the plants must 

 be taken care of. The carnation is such that it will resent neglect 

 at any period, from the time it is put in as a cutting till it has done 

 with life for good and all. We remarked, earlier on, that a plant 

 once allowed to fall into ill-health might just as well be thrown 

 away, and that is the nature of perpetual carnations, for seldom 

 will they again make good when once run down. Directly the 

 season's bloom is over they must be enticed to take a short rest, 

 though if left to themselves they will plainly show that they mean 

 to keep going. Remove them to a cold house, cut away all useless 

 stalks or wood, and remove any yellowing leaves ; but though meting 

 out to them hard treatment, nurse them. Then after a week or so 

 they will need to be turned out of the flowering pots, the exhausted 

 earth shaken away, the roots trimmed and re-potted into good soil 



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