344 



Gardening for Amateurs 



of knowing that the work has been 

 properly done. 



The Question of Manure. The next 

 question is, what manure shall be used ? 

 If the soil be clay, stable manure is best, 

 and add, if possible, sand or grit and, if you 

 can afford it, leaf -mould. If the soil be 

 light, apply cow manure, farmyard manure, 

 or even pig manure. At once I hear a groan, 

 "It is so difficult to obtain these manures." 

 I answer, difficulties can be overcome by 

 determination. I doubt whether there is 

 any locality in England where stable manure 

 is unobtainable, though I grant farmyard 

 manure is not easy to obtain in a town. 

 The nursery from which you hire a man to 

 trench will certainly be able to supply you 

 with stable manure, and if you cannot get 

 any other, this will do fairly well even if 

 your soil is light and dry. But do not, under 

 any circumstances, use chemical manure. 

 I am not speaking against chemical manures 

 as such ; for some plants they are excellent 

 (I may instance Delphiniums), but Carna- 

 tions cannot digest them. The over-feeding 

 of Carnations is the fertile source of most 

 of the Carnation diseases. Whether stable 

 or cow, the manure must be well rotted. 



Carnations do not like stagnant water 

 about their roots, so the bed in which they 

 are to be planted must be arched up three 

 to six inches above the ground level. Also it 

 must be trodden until it is not merely firm 

 but hard. It is a good rule to be able to 

 walk on a Carnation bed without leaving 

 footprints. Having made the bed, leave 

 it alone for at least a fortnight, and by 

 preference for a month, to settle and to be 

 " sweetened " by the sun and air. 



Before proceeding to the subject of plant- 

 ing, it is necessary to say something con- 

 cerning where the Carnation layers are to 

 be purchased. Let me urge my reader to 

 lay to heart the words of John Rea, who 

 published his book "Flora, or Complete 

 Florilege " in 1665. Rea writes that Carna- 

 tions were sold " at mean rates to gardeners, 

 who sell them again to others that delight 

 in flowers, commonly at twelve pence a 

 layer; but the truth is, most of these 

 mercenary fellows about London are very 

 deceitful, and whoever trusts them is sure 

 to be deceived, as I myself have often been." 



Anyone who has been so confiding as to 

 buy Carnations off a barrow knows how 

 true these words are ; but I must go further, 

 and point out that it is useless to expect 

 to get first-class Border Carnations at an 

 ordinary nursery. If you want healthy 

 layers of the best up-to-date sorts you must 

 obtain them from a Carnation specialist. 

 If you want to know who are specialists, 

 you had better go to one of the shows of the 

 National Carnation Society in London, at 

 Birmingham, or at Manchester. Or you can 

 consult a gardening paper, such as that 

 excellent paper The Gardener, and find out 

 the address of the grower within easiest 

 reach of your abode. You can then go and 

 see the plants growing and flowering, select 

 the sorts which most attract you, and obtain 

 a good deal of useful information concerning 

 them into the bargain. 



All Londoners who love Carnations should 

 make a point of attending the National 

 Carnation Society's Show, which is usually 

 held in the third week of July, at the Royal 

 Horticultural Society's Hall, Vincent Square, 

 Westminster. The best plan is to become a 

 member ; members are, of course, admitted 

 free. Membership is by no means limited 

 to the trade and to large amateur growers 

 with many gardeners and glasshouses. On 

 the contrary, Division III. is exclusively for 

 amateurs who do not keep a regular gardener, 

 and the largest number of exhibits are in this 

 division. Small amateurs are now allowed 

 to compete also in Division II., an advan- 

 tage which will be much appreciated. The 

 minimum annual subscription is only 5s., 

 and the privileges are many. I must make 

 it plain that members are not compelled 

 to exhibit; many, in fact most members, 

 do not attempt it. But whether we exhibit 

 or not, we can all take equal pride in our 

 show, and as years go on learn much about 

 Carnations. The hon. sec. of the society 

 is Mr. Charles Henwood, 21 Clifton Road, 

 Maida Vale, London, W. 



Planting the Rooted Layers. We 

 will now suppose the reader, having attended 

 the Carnation Show and visited a Carnation 

 nursery, has given an order for layers. If 

 planting is to take place in autumn, these 

 will probably be received in October ; if 

 spring planting has been decided upon, the 



