Carnation 



( 174) 



Carnation 



Picotee, with their beautiful markings. The self- 

 coloured forms are of great value for the garden, 

 and a considerable impetus has been given to their 

 cultivation by the vigour and beauty of those 



Pkoto : Caasell it Company, Ltd. 



SELF CAKXATION EXDYMION. 

 (Colour, scarlet rose. 



raised during recent years. For practical purposes 

 and cultural details it is convenient to divide the 

 Carnations into four broad groups : (1) the Border 

 and florists' Carnations, which include those grown 

 for exhibition at the summer shows ; (2) the Tree 

 Carnations ; (3) the Souvenir de la Malmaison 

 class ; and (4) what are known as the Margaret or 

 Marguerite Carnations, a group raised within 

 recent years, often blooming the year in which 

 they are sown, and showing tokens of being- 

 hybrids between the Carnation and the Pink. 



Propagation. By seeds. This is the method by 

 which new varieties are produced, and also that 

 adopted for raising the Margaret Carnations. The 

 Border and florists' varieties may be sown in pans 

 or pots of sandy loam and leaf soil, filled to within 

 1" of the top, and placed in a slight hotbed 

 or a greenhouse in April or May. The seeds must 

 be sown thinly, and when the plants can be 

 handled they should be pricked out into beds of 

 rather richer soil, where they may remain until 

 September, at which time they may be removed to 

 the bordersor pots in which they are to bloom. Care 

 ought to be taken of the weakly seedlings, which 

 often produce good flowers. The Margaret Carna- 

 tions ought to be sown in heat in February. With 

 good treatment they will bloom at the end of July, 

 and will continue in flower for a long time. Sown 

 later, they are good for winter and spring work under 

 glass. The Tree Carnations may be sown about 

 the same time as the last ; they ought not to be 

 planted out, but grown in pots, though placed in 

 the open from the end of May until the beginning 

 of September. 



By Layers. This is the way in which named 

 and selected varieties are generally propagated. 

 The best season is admittedly the end of July or 

 beginning of August, although in some cold dis- 

 tricts it is done earlier in the case of Border 

 Carnations, so that the layers may become properly 



rooted and can be planted before winter sets in. 

 Plants in pots are denuded of the lower leaves 

 of the branches which form the layers, and an 

 incision is afterwards made below a joint, on the 

 under side, and carried upwards through ihe joint. 

 The layer should be pegged down with wire or other 

 pegs, those made from the joints of the common 

 Bracken Fern being as good as any, and the 

 layered portion covered with about 1" of 

 loam, leaf soil, and sand. The incision must be 

 kept open. To secure this some place a small 

 stone in it, though this must be carefully done, to 

 avoid breaking off the layer. The old practice of 

 shortening the leaves which remain on the layer is 

 quite superfluous. Plants in borders should be 

 surrounded with a mound of fine soil, into which 

 the layers are pegged down. The shoots should 

 not be overgrown by other plants. 



Jiy Pipings or Cuttings. It is often difficult 

 to secure enough layers of some varieties, and 

 recourse must be had to cuttings or pipings, young 

 shoots either taken off with a heel of old wood, or 

 cut off close below a joint. The Tree Carnations 

 are increased by slips from the main stems, taken in 

 March and struck in hotbeds or in a forcing house. 

 The other Carnations ought to be rooted in a 

 frame with a slight bottom heat, and kept close 

 and shaded until roots are formed. The pipings 

 ought to be well watered when placed in position, 

 so as to settle the soil about them. 



Soil. Three parts of good loam, made from the 

 top spit of a meadow, about 4" thick, laid in a 

 heap for a year and frequently turned ; one part of 

 good leaf mould, one of thoroughly decayed cow 

 manure, and a sprinkling of sharp sand, with a 

 little old mortar rubbish screened through a 

 y sieve, luake a capital compost for all 

 Carnations, although they may be grown in any 

 good, well-manured soil. Beds or borders in which 



Photo: Cassell <fc Coj;mnT/, Ltd. 



PICOTEE CHILDE HAROLD. 

 (Light edge, yellow ground.) 



they are to be grown should have a good dressing 

 of soot. 



Other Cultural Points.- While in many places. 

 Border and florists' Carnations are perfectly hardy, 

 yet heavy losses are sometimes sustained in severe 

 winters. Thus it is always desirable to winter at 



