Soils 



it should be again ploughed and allowed to remain rough over winter, in order 

 that frost may thoroughly penetrate all portions of the soil. Where the soil 

 is not naturally quite fertile, an additional coating of manure may be applied 

 and turned under with advantage as late in November as the ground can be 

 properly ploughed. This treatment insures an abundance of fertilizing ma- 

 terial in varying stages of decomposition and assimilation, thus placing 

 within reach of the plant sufficient digestible plant food upon which to build 

 its growth and constitution, and renders possible the storing up of the neces- 

 sary energy to enable the carnation to respond to the trying forcing which 

 follows during the fall and winter months. 



The following spring, the field should be ploughed and harrowed as soon 

 as the ground is in a fit condition, then allowed to stand until planting time, 

 when it should be again ploughed and thoroughly harrowed, finishing up with 

 the Acme harrow, just ahead of the planting gang, so that planting may 

 always be done in freshly-prepared soil. To those who might object to so 

 much ploughing and harrowing, it may be said that such treatment insures 

 an ideal mechanical condition and a thorough and complete incorporation 

 of the fertilizing materials and vegetable fiber with the soil. 



The location and exposure of the carnation field are of some importance. 

 A level piece of land that will not wash in rain storms should be selected. 

 Soils that can be sub-irrigated, in the same manner as the celery fields in 

 Kalamazoo and other parts of Michigan are irrigated, should make good 

 carnation fields. Any location where the water will collect in pools and 

 stand upon the surface during heavy rain storms should be avoided. A 

 southerly or southeasterly exposure is to be preferred, as in such a position 

 the sun strikes the plants early in the morning, drying off the dew. South- 

 westerly, as well as westerly and northwesterly exposures are not as good be- 

 cause in the hot dry days of July and August the plants will suffer there. If 

 an exposure protected from heavy winds and gales can be secured, so much 

 the better, as high winds cause much injury by whipping the plants about, 

 breaking off branches and splitting the main stem at the collar. 



Preparation of Soils for Bench Culture 



Bench soil should be materially richer than that in the carnation field, and 

 the field soil should be also sensibly richer than the one used for potting up 

 the young plants. Care should be taken that the field soil should not be 

 made richer than that used upon benches, as in such cases the plant will 

 receive a check when removed from the richer to the poorer soil. 



Of the methods in vogue for preparing bench soils, I will repeat that the 



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