i2 4 GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS 



yellow or white ground Picotees, and care is taken to cross- 

 fertilise the best varieties in the various classes. The flowers 

 may be yellow or white, with narrow margins of red, rose- 

 pink, purple, scarlet, &c. The seedlings produced from such 

 crosses would give a large proportion of self flowers, and 

 nondescript fancies of various colours. The yellow ground 

 varieties produce many seedlings with white grounds ; but 

 seedlings from white ground Picotees may never be expected 

 to produce varieties with yellow grounds. Similar results are 

 obtained if seed is saved from flaked and bizarre Carnations ; 

 selfs and fancies are freely produced from such, whereas an 

 inexperienced amateur might think he ought to have all white 

 ground Picotees from seed saved from such, and the same 

 with flakes and bizarre. 



When choice varieties are obtained they should be pro- 

 pagated from layers in the usual way, and a good stock of 

 healthy plants will soon be established. 



A bed of well-grown seedling Carnations is a beautiful 

 feature in any garden. The seed if sown as advised in 

 March, April, or early May, and the plants well cultivated 

 that is, planted in good deep rich soil and about 15 inches 

 asunder each of them will produce a hundred to two hun- 

 dred blooms, and they may be cut in handfuls of flowers 

 and buds borne on long stems. For placing in vases for this 

 purpose the single flowers are also of merit. 



Propagation and Culture of Border Carnations. Every one 

 with a garden of any kind can grow border Carnations. 

 They do not suffer much, if at all, in an impure atmosphere, 

 but to obtain the best results good loam is needed, with some 

 good rich manure placed some 6 inches below the surface. 

 Lime, or chalk, especially in the form of old mortar, is also 

 much appreciated if dug into the border ; it imparts a beau- 

 tiful blue-grey tint to the foliage. The fibrous roots very 

 soon reach the manure or lime, and the effect is seen in 

 healthy foliage and large well-developed flowers. 



The plants are obtained by layering in July and August. 

 The layering may be continued into September, but the 

 strongest and best plants are from layers late in July or early 

 in August. About the last week of September, or any time 

 during the month of October, they may be removed from the 

 parent plants, and planted out where they are to flower. 



The amateur gardener will notice when his Carnations and 

 Picotees are flowering in the month of July that some growths 

 are developing at the Base of the flower stem. These growths 

 are called " grass/' and are intended when fully grown to be 



