CARNATIONS IN POTS oF 
of moisture. In the establishment to which I belong, we 
use a large quantity of loam. It is stacked up six months 
before using, as previously advised, and we have no trouble 
with wireworm, or with another pest known as the leather- 
coated grub. The flower-pots usually preferred are what 
the pot-makers term 24’s and 16’s—that is, 24 and 16 toa 
cast—and they should measure 8 inches and 9g inches in 
diameter respectively. Two plants are put into the smaller 
size, and three into the larger ones. When the plants are 
especially strong and well grown, a larger size is used, namely, 
12 to a cast of pots; these have a diameter of 10 inches. 
Three plants in this large size have an excellent effect. The 
plants must be potted firmly, and, if the weather is unfavour- 
able, room may be found for them in the frames ; but it saves 
a deal of extra labour if they are placed at once out-of-doors. 
On one occasion, many years ago, when Flakes, Bizarres, 
and white-ground Picotees only were grown for exhibition, 
I had partly finished repotting a collection and the plants 
were scarcely placed out-of-doors on a hard base formed of 
ashes before severe weather set in and they were covered 
with snow. Repotting was discontinued until favourable 
weather, but, as a matter of fact, those that were exposed to 
the snow-storm proved quite as satisfactory as those which 
were not repotted until later. 
During the spring months the plants do not require 
much water; even the repotted plants which have been 
placed under glass ought not to receive water until the 
soil is fairly dry, say ten days or so after repotting. If 
the weather in March is fairly mild, the plants will make 
considerable growth, and, at about the end of April or 
early in May, they will need to be supported with stakes, 
