304 THE SHAKESPEARE GARDEN 



and cuttings. Camomile may be allowed to run over 

 paving-stones, for it grows when trodden upon. 

 CARNATIONS. A carnation specialist says: 

 "A great number of amateur cultivators of the 

 Carnation have an idea that if they obtain seed from 

 a variety of Carnation, the seedlings produced from 

 such seed will be reproductions of the parent plant. 

 This, of course, is wrong, and it is well to mention 

 it. Now to grow Carnations well they must have a 

 good soil, or the plants will not produce flowers, or 

 layers, for another season. For the open garden^ I 

 strongly recommend seedlings. The cultivator must 

 not expect all the flowers to be as good as the parent, 

 or even all double. There will be from ten to fifteen 

 per cent with single flowers, all the others having 

 double flowers, some as good as, or even better than, 

 their parents; but the majority will be of uncertain 

 quantity. 



"The seed will germinate in a hothouse well with- 

 in a week from the time of sowing, and the seedlings 

 should be pricked out in boxes as soon as large 

 enough. Plant in good soil and let the plants be 

 fifteen inches apart and two feet between the rows. 

 Seedlings are not nearly so particular in regard to 

 soil as named varieties. The seedling is more robust ; 

 and, given the same cultural conditions, grows more 



