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Gardening for Amateurs 



A bed of the Old Clove Carnation. 



Border Carnations 



GARNATIOXS are very much like 

 human beings, they are creatures of 

 temperament. Some Carnations are 

 good-tempered and contented : others well, 

 you have to go carefully with them. And, 

 like human beings, they are affected by 

 heredity and environment ; some kinds are 

 naturally delicate, but in suitable surround- 

 ings will do well ; others are so exceptionally 

 healthy that they will live and flourish even 

 in a North-country city. 



Carnations are really easier to grow than 

 either Roses or Sweet Peas ; a Carnation 

 grower is exempt from the complications of 

 pruning and the difficulties of seed-sowing. 

 " But," I can imagine the indignant rosarian 

 or Sweet Pea specialist saying, " what about 

 the horrors of layering ? " I reply, " No, 

 my friend, I am not going to fall into that 

 trap." Most articles on Carnations commence 

 by elaborate directions how to propagate 

 by layering ; the unhappy novice puzzles 



through, not understanding any of the 

 technical terms employed, and finally comes 

 to the conclusion that sooner than attempt? 

 anything so intricate he will abandon all 

 idea of growing Carnations. There was 

 once a cookery book which very wisely 

 commenced a recipe by saying : " First 

 cateh your hare," and I was going to write, 

 First buy your Carnations, but, on re- 

 flection, think it will be wiser to say, First 

 read a little about Carnations ; know the 

 names of some of them ; go, if possible, to 

 the grounds of some specialist and see the 

 various kinds flowering. Then buy them, 

 and plant them, either in the autumn or 

 early spring. In late spring you will need 

 to tie them to stakes, and perhaps syringe 

 away greenfly. In June or July you will 

 have the pleasure of seeing them in bloom ; 

 and it is not until then that you need worry 

 yourself about layering ; subsequently all 

 you have to do is to cut half-way through 



