CHAPTER IX 



RAISING BORDER CARNATIONS FROM SEED 



THE border carnation is not difficult to raise from seed, and those 

 who care to dip into the lucky bag and be content with what the 

 gods send them will find this a very interesting occupation indeed. 

 There is always the chance of a streak of luck, and a real " gem of 

 the first water " may be discovered, but though this does not often 

 happen some gratifying results may reasonably be looked for by 

 those who have wisely procured the best strain of seed. We have 

 ourselves grown many beds of seedlings for the purposes of the 

 cut flower trade, and had we possessed the facilities and time for 

 exploiting them could from time to time have distributed some 

 sterling novelties ; but though the qualities of the selected blooms 

 were all that could be desired we were obliged to content ourselves 

 with layering a few plants for our own use, or to supply to clients 

 who, wishing for them, were content to purchase them unnamed. 



The great drawback to the raising of seedlings is the element 

 of uncertainty as to the proportion of undesirable plants. A great 

 many are singles ; many others are a useless semi-double, and all 

 these have to be weeded out. An expert can usually " spot " these 

 at quite an early stage by the " weediness " of the grass. 



There is always, too, a certain percentage of flowers exceedingly 

 useful for cutting, but lacking in almost every quality that would 

 commend it to the carnation specialist. No trade considerations 

 would warrant their retention and propagation, so, as no reputable 

 grower would perpetuate third-rate stuff, they are consigned to 

 the fire after finishing their season of flowering. But there yet 

 remains a residue worth taking care of, and it is this residue which 

 is the centre of all our interest. If out of one hundred seedlings 

 there eventuate five really good and distinct varieties, then the 

 game has been well worth the candle, and all the time and labour 

 given to them justified. 



The first thing to do is to procure a packet of the choicest strain 

 of seeds from a specialist source. They will doubtless have been 

 saved from the finest named varieties, and it is only from the 



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