Carnation Culture in Canada 



wide, and two walks two feet wide. This makes an economical house, very 

 handy for working in. The benches are framed to carry roofing slate for bot- 

 toms. This we cover with soft brick laid on flat. On this we place the sand 

 firmed to about two inches in depth. This bench gives a very gentle and 

 uniform temperature in the sand, retaining the heat longer. One of its 

 most noticeable features is, that the sand remains sweet longer (the one 

 batch can be used several times), an entire absence of fungus, and the 

 most satisfactory results as far as strong, well-rooted cuttings are con- 

 cerned. The temperature we aim to maintain is, for the sand fifty degrees, 

 and for the house about three to five degrees lower. 



The cuttings when rooted are removed to another house, generally 

 one that has been cleared after a crop of chrysanthemums has been produced. 

 The cuttings are dibbled in soil that is two inches in depth. This house we 

 shade with cotton, tacked on the inside of the bars on the south side of the 

 house, which shading is removed after the cuttings will stand the full sun- 

 light, say in ten days to two weeks. This allows free circulation of air; 

 and the cuttings will take hold of the soil more quickly and grow stronger 

 than when the shading is placed close to the cuttings, as is frequently done. 



For our stock for indoor planting we pot the cuttings that have been 

 in the soil from eight to ten weeks, into three-inch pots. These are planted 

 in a house about the first week in June. We use no shading on the house, 

 but keep the ventilators open and the house as cool as possible by frequent 

 syringing. 



Field planting begins about the I5th of May, as the weather in this 

 section is too changeable to permit of earlier planting. 



The soil around the cuttings on the bench is cut in squares and these 

 are taken in trays to the field, where beds are prepared for the young stock. 

 A good firming of the soil around the plants at the time of planting is all 

 that is necessary, with hoeing and cleaning during the time the plants are in 

 the field, and pinching as soon as required. 



The removal of the plants from the field to the house begins about 

 the first week in August. The benches having been cleared out, thoroughly 

 coated with hot lime and filled with fresh soil, are ready to receive the 

 new plants, which are lifted carefully, with very little soil adhering to 

 the roots. No time is lost in planting into permanent quarters. 



We usually shade with a mud wash, which will remain on the glass 

 long enough to give the plants a chance to take hold of the soil. I do not 



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