106 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 
well kept up, until the border varieties are in flower in 
July. Plants which have filled their flower-pots well with 
roots may be helped by waterings of weak manure water, 
three times in a week, Those not in flower may be syringed 
freely in warm weather to keep off red spider. Look out 
also for fungus disease, which can best be destroyed by 
cutting off all diseased leaves as soon as the disease is 
observed. Ventilate the house frecly. 
Perpetual-Flowering-Varieties.—The plants propagated 
from slips and cuttings must have careful attention, and 
be shifted into larger flower-pots as they require it. Plants 
which were propagated in December will now be ready 
for potting into their flowering pots, They should be 
afforded a porous, rich compost, and this should be made 
very firm. Those intended for planting out in benches in 
autumn should be hardened gradually, afterwards planting 
them in well-prepared soil in the open. Those intended for 
flowering in beds in the flower garden should be hardened 
similarly, and may be planted at the end of the month. 
Pinks.—Stir the surface of the beds, after the sticks 
have been placed to the rising flower-stems. It is bene- 
ficial to give the beds a slight dressing of decayed manure. 
JUNE 
Border Carnations and Picotees.—Continue to tie the 
flower-stems to the sticks ; these latter should stand 2 feet 
6 inches to 3 feet out of the soil. Attend to disbudding 
as soon as the buds are large enough; it is usual to allow 
three buds to one flower-stem. Some, who wish for very 
large blooms for exhibition, will remove all but the leading 
bud. Others do not disbud at all, allowing all the flowers 
to develop. The plants may be syringed frequently during 
