Raising Carnations from Seed 



In a week or ten days the young seedlings will commence to push out of 

 the soil, at which time great care must be exercised that they be neither 

 allowed to wither by having too little water, nor caused to damp off by 

 being watered too much. 



Xo rule for watering can be given, but the proper time to apply it and 

 the supply to be afforded must be noted by observation. As soon as the 

 young seedlings have made three or four leaves they are pricked off into 

 similar flats (which are filled with soil of the same character as before men- 

 tioned) in rows one and a half to two inches apart, and one inch apart in the 

 row, where they are allowed to grow until about two inches in height, when 

 they will begin to crowd and must be removed from the flats and potted 

 up. 



One and three-quarters to two inch pots should be used ; and the same 

 kind of soil that is employed in potting cuttings is suitable for seedlings. 

 As soon as these seedlings have thoroughly filled the pots with roots, and if 

 the conditions are not such that they can be planted out at once, they should 

 be shifted into two and a half inch pots. 



The care of the seedlings from the time they are shifted is similar 

 to that given any young carnation plant. Seedlings from early-sown seed 

 are usually planted out not later than the ist to the loth of May, but those 

 from seed sown the ist of April will not be ready to plant out much before the 

 ist of June. 



A good method is to plant the seedlings in the field in the same manner 

 as is done with carnation plants grown from cuttings. The care is similar 

 during the summer months, excepting stopping or cutting back. In the 

 case of seedlings, the first, or central shoot (which might be called the 

 crown shoot), is cut back, and the laterals allowed to grow and flower; while 

 with plants for winter blooming, all shoots are cut back during the growing 

 season. . 



About the ist of August the first blooms will commence to open, and 

 then begins the task of selecting such plants as the grower deems worthy 

 of cultivating under glass for what is known as the first year's trial. The 

 selection of such plants is purely a matter of judgment on the part of the 

 grower, who will naturally choose those varieties in which he sees the most 

 promise. 



As soon as a plant has been determined upon for trial, it should be 

 marked with a label, upon which the cross number (which will identify it 

 with the record kept of the cross) should be placed. Plants selected for 

 trial should be lifted and planted inside, the same as plants grown from 



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