376 



Garden and Forest. 



[Number 289. 



The general impression is that the Carnation will not stand 

 as much manure as the Rose or Chrysanthemum. As an ex- 

 periment, last September I planted a bench of Lizzie McGowan 

 in soil, one-half well-rotted cow and horse manure and one- 

 half decayed sod, the plants being set one foot apart to allow 

 free circulation of air. As soon as the roots had taken hold I 

 began using water enriched with one peck of night-soil and 



per hundred ; Christmas week, five dollars per hundred ; 

 January ist, through Lent, three dollars per hundred ; Easter, 

 six dollars per hundred. Hereafter I shall disbud and fertilize 

 all Carnations in my houses more heavily than I did the 

 McGowans last year. Another experiment : Plants taken from 

 sand May ist, planted June ist on the bench in a house which 

 has side and ridge ventilation, and in soil as rich as that used 



^'S- 57 — LUiuin giganteum, in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts. — See page 373. 



two ounces of nitrate of soda to fifty gallons of water, applying 

 the same once a week until January ist, twice a week there- 

 after. Disbudding was attended to thoroughly, one bud being 

 left to astern, all others being removed as soon as they appeared. 

 The results were long, stiff stems, fifteen to twenty inches long, 

 flowers three inches in diameter; returns from commission 

 dealer, November 15th to December 20th, three dollars 



for the Lizzie McGowans last season, are now (August ist) 

 showing much better color and substance in foliage than plants 

 of the same sorts rooted April ist and planted outside, the lat- 

 ter having to stand the severe drought of the past two.months. 

 We have been able to water and care for those inside at little 

 expense. 

 This experiment has been made to settle for ourselves the 



