494 



Gardening for Amateurs 



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Perpetual Flowering Carnations planted out of doors for the summer. 



spread of fungoid disease. As the Carna- 

 tions are taken in the greenhouse, wash the 

 pots, remove any weeds that are growing in 

 the soil, and pick off dead or diseased leaves. 

 It is necessary to allow the plants plenty 

 of room under glass, so that the air can 

 circulate freely around them, and so long 

 as the outside conditions are favourable 

 admit as much air as possible by night and 

 day. Even during winter it is beneficial 

 to allow a little air to enter through the 

 top ventilators if it can be done without 

 lowering the temperature too much. A 

 night temperature of 48 or 50 suits the 

 plants well, and if it rises to 56 by day the 

 house will be quite warm enough. It is a 

 good plan to syringe between the pots 

 during sunny weather when the plants are 

 first placed under glass, and a light spray 

 overhead is also advisable. Later on, when 

 the outside conditions are not congenial 

 and fog and gloom prevail, do all that is 

 possible to maintain a dry, buoyant atmo- 

 sphere, and keep a little heat in the pipes 



to dispel excessive damp. Water needs 

 to be given very carefully at such times ; 

 keep the soil rather dry, though not, of 

 course, dust dry. Do not spill water about 

 the floor, or on the hot-water pipes to cause 

 steam. Never subject Carnations to ex- 

 cessive fire heat, and even during winter 

 always admit a little air when the weather 

 conditions allow this to be done. Any 

 attempt to force on the flowers will only 

 end in disaster by weakening the plants, 

 while the blooms will be small and of poor 

 quality and texture. 



Disbudding must be carefully attended 

 to. In doing this, remove the lateral buds 

 gradually, as to disbud too closely at one 

 time may cause the crown or chief buds to 

 turn " blind." This work should be carried 

 out about once a week. From September 

 onwards occasional light top dressings of a 

 good Carnation manure may be added to 

 the soil with advantage ; it will be of con- 

 siderable help to the opening buds. Great 

 care is necessary in choosing a manure for 



