Field Culture of Carnations 



A man is then sent over the ground with an ordinary garden rake, to 

 draw down these ridges until they are quite flat, or about ten inches across 

 the top, which stands about an inch above the natural surface of the soil. 

 This ridging up, and raking down the ridges, makes the soil very mellow, 

 and puts it in a condition that renders the operation of planting easy. 



A planting gang of nine men and boys may be divided up in about the 

 following proportions : four planters, two droppers, one man to prepare the 

 ridges ahead, and two men to bring the plants into the field, and return the 

 empty flats to the houses (a light one-horse wagon, such as any florist has, 

 being used for this purpose). Such a crew will set 15,000 to 16,000 plants a 

 day, provided the plants are turned out ahead and delivered to the field as 

 fast as the planters can handle them. 



Boys do the dropping, and each dropper takes a flat and proceeds ahead 

 of the planter to lay the plants upon the ridge at the proper distance apart 

 for setting. As he lays down each plant, he gives it a slight squeeze, so as 

 to break up the ball of soil. This breaking up of the soil ball is essential, 

 as, if not slightly crushed, it may become hardened and impervious to water, 

 and the growth of the plant be thereby seriously interfered with ; but if the 

 ball is crushed when set in the ground, it combines with the field soil, and 

 will take up as much moisture as is absorbed by the adjoining soil, and growth 

 will commence normally. In setting the plant, a small hole, about one and a 

 half inches deep, is made in the top and along the center of the ridge, and 

 the ball of the plant is placed firmly in this hole. It is further firmed in the 

 soil by pressing upon it with the fingers, and the operation is completed by 

 gathering a little fine, loose soil around, over the ball, sufficient to form a 

 light mulch at the neck of the plant. I will here repeat that the neck of the 

 plant should be at the surface of the ground, certainly not more than a 

 quarter of an inch below, and should not be jammed down three-quarters of 

 an inch to an inch below. Too deep planting is deleterious, often causing 

 stem rot, and also checking the growth of the plant. 



A smart boy will frequently drop plants as fast as two men can set them ; 

 but frequently it will take two droppers to three planters ; and if a boy is slow, 

 one dropper to each planter may be required. I will repeat, that great cau- 

 tion should be used to the end that the plants are not allowed to lie around 

 in the flats in the sun, the balls permitted to become dried out and hard, or 

 the plants wilted. It will be necessary to turn out a considerable number of 

 plants before they are carried into the field, in order to keep the planters 

 busy ; but it will be easy to keep these plants in proper condition by plac- 

 ing them in a cool shed, or covering them with moist paper, or a protecting 



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