Cultivation of the Carnation and Picotee. 345 



may be removed from their winter quarters ; and, being cleaned 

 from any dead or decaying leaves, they are to be turned out 

 of the pot without disturbing the ball, and a small part of the 

 surface mould being rubbed away, they are to be placed in the 

 large pots for bloom, in filling of which it is advantageous to 

 put a few pieces of broken potsherds in the bottom, and on 

 them a small quantity of the coarser part of the compost, 

 which will effectually drain from them any superfluous mois- 

 ture ; then half fill the pot with the compost that has been 

 skreened, place the plants exactly in the middle, and fill up 

 with compost that has been rendered somewhat finer by being 

 passed through a sieve after having, been skreened, as before 

 directed, being attentive that they are placed exactly at the 

 same depth they were before. The compost therefore should 

 be high enough to replace as much of the old mould as had 

 been rubbed off, and let the whole be well shaken down, to 

 prevent any after settlement. When the whole are potted, 

 place them in an airy situation, but so that they may be pro- 

 tected from cutting winds and frosty nights ; here they may 

 remain until placed on the stage for bloom, but when they 

 begin to spindle, tall and straight sticks, about 4 ft. in length, 

 must be firmly fixed in each pot, and the flower-stems tied 

 thereto as they advance. At this period the plants are very 

 liable to be attacked by the A^his, which, if not speedily de- 

 stroyed, will cause very serious injury to them. This may, 

 however, very readily be done, either by brushing them off 

 with a soft brush, by sprinkling on them while wet a small 

 quantity of dry Scotch snufF, or by washing them with tobacco 

 liquor, diluted with about five times its quantity of soft water. 

 In the month of June, the health of the plants will be much 

 promoted, by giving them a top dressing of about half an inch 

 of very rotten dung passed through a fine sieve. The pods 

 will now begin to swell, and, to prevent them from bursting 

 when they are nearly full grown, a narrow slip of bass mat, 

 well wetted, must be tied round the middle of each ; and, should 

 they be inclined to open irregularly, they must be eased 

 on the opposite side, by slitting the pod with the point of a 

 sharp penknife. When the flowers are fully opened, a col- 

 lar of card board should be placed round the bottom of the 

 blossom, about 2J in. in diameter, of a circular form, and 

 with a hole in the centre divided by three cuts 

 the angular tongues of which, when pressed down- 

 wards, will clasp the pod, and keep the card in its 

 place ; there must also be another cut from the 

 centre to the circumference to admit the stem. By 

 this contrivance the flowers will be kept in shape for a con- 



