346 



NEW ENGLAND FAKjVIER. 



July 



Carnation "Qen. Grant." 



gently stirring the surface so that it may mix 

 well ; remove the lower leaves of the shoots 

 selected ; pass the pen knife, slanting upwards, 

 half through the joint ; fasten the shoot, where 

 so cut, about two inches under tie surface, 

 with a small hooked peg, bending carefully so 

 as not to break it at the incision ; then fix it 

 firmly by gently pressing the earth around 

 with the fingers, and finish by cutting off about 

 half an inch of the upper extremities of the 

 leaves with scissors. The sap soon begins to 

 granulate at the wound, and throw out roots. 

 In about a month or six weeks, if the soil has 

 been kept moderately moist, the layers may 

 be severed from the parent plant and estab- 

 lished for themselves ; or they may remai-n 

 where they are, if the stem to which they are 

 attached be carefully cut off". 



The Carnation requires a rich, generous, 

 deep soil. A compost of three parts of good, 

 strong garden loam, three parts hot-bed ma- 

 nure, two years old, three parts of coarse 

 river sand, two parts dry manure from the 

 hen-house, sifted, and two parts of soot from 

 a wood fire, has been recommended. 



For the New England Farmer, 



FLOWER GARDENING FOR JUIiY. 



"A gracious mother arf, thou, kind July I 

 Thy Icip all laden with most precious things; 

 Earih seems to mingle wiih the distant ssy, 

 Th it sheds a hallo w'd light upon thy wings." 



It is now high summer in the deep wood, 

 and through the broad meadows the tender 

 grasses and flowers are profusely scattered. 

 Our gardens are also bright with the gorgeous 



