Calendar of Operations 



but a short period of time. An exception to this would be in case of a cold 

 rain storm, following immediately upon a heavy watering or syringing. 

 In such a case, the ventilators, both on the sides and in the roof, should be 

 left open a few inches, and the heat should be turned on a sufficient length 

 of time to dry off the foliage and prevent the plants being chilled or checked. 

 If the plants are checked by chilling or overwatering, they are very liable to 

 be attacked by stem rot, rust, or some of the carnation spots. A fresh, 

 sprightly, rather dry atmosphere is at all times better for the carnation than 

 one that is cold and damp, or hot and charged with moisture. The best 

 average temperature at night is 48 to 50 degrees, with a minimum of 55 

 to 56 degrees during the daytime. During this month artificial fertilization 

 may be commenced, giving such plants as show by their vigorous growth that 

 the benches are well filled with roots a light mulch of pulverized sheep 

 manure, to which has been added a little soot, or, in lieu thereof a slight 

 mulching of thoroughly decomposed cow manure, or stable manure. Chemi- 

 cal fertilizers may also be used, affording the plants a watering with a very 

 weak solution, say, twice during the month. I prefer the mulching of sheep 

 manure and soot at this period of the year, as all of the material is gradually 

 dissolved and disappears into the soil. Where stable manure is used as a 

 mulch, it must in the end be raked off. This not only entails labor, but dis- 

 turbs and destroys the feeding roots which have pushed towards the surface 

 of the soil, and frequently into the mulch. Stable manure is better than no 

 mulch at all, but the dressing should be a light one. 



November 



More artificial heat will be needed this month, but abundant ventilation 

 must be daily provided. Upon dark, cloudy days, when dense fogs surround 

 the greenhouses, a little heat should be kept on and the ventilators opened 

 slightly at the top and on the sides, in order to provide a fresh circulation 

 of air. The carnation is a fresh air loving plant, and the houses in which 

 it is grown should be abundantly ventilated at all possible times. Be increas- 

 ingly careful about watering, and do not water the benches until the soil is 

 rather on the dry side. The same care should be exercised in watering 

 plants in pots. Water about the temperature of the house is preferred by 

 most growers. Avoid syringing the walks, or dashing water about the 

 houses, excepting on warm, bright days. Disbudding should be followed 

 up, and the young buds removed as soon as they are sufficiently developed 

 to enable them to be seized and taken out without injuring the stems. The 

 feeding of plants may be continued, especially of those that are in full bud. 



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