124 CARNATIONS IN MOUNTAIN STATES 



Propagation is started early, as the young stock 

 must have a long time in which to make plants of suitable 

 size for the field. Owing to late frosts, planting outdoors 

 cannot be done until about May lo; to plant earlier is to 

 risk too much. The bright sunlight of this region causes a 

 crisp growth in stem and foliage, and the cuttings root 

 quickly, as they have not to struggle through weeks of 

 cloudy weather, with snow on the roof perhaps for days at 

 a time. They must be put promptly into the sand, else 

 they are ruined, and once in they must be watered gener- 

 ally once a day and even twice. 



Low houses are the most satisfactory for propagating, 

 because artificial humidity can be created. Cloth curtains 

 under the glass and in front of the bench help to prevent 

 wilting. It is not believed that propagating can be suc- 

 cessfully carried out in high, airy houses, such as one sees 

 in the vicinity of Chicago and elsewhere. 



There is a great difficulty in getting suitable soil in 

 the States here, and as during the Winter the plants require 

 a thorough watering at least once a week owing to the dry 

 atmosphere, the soil is apt to get packed. 



Before planting is begun the field must have a thorough 

 soaking, either from surface ditches or with the hose, and 

 after planting we generally water with a lawn sprinkler 

 or by the overhead irrigation system every night while the 

 plants are in the field. With plenty of water and a rea- 

 sonably good soil, the plants make a healthy growth, though 

 they do not attain great size. The days are hot and sunny, 

 but if the plants are well watered they do not flag, and at 

 night the air is cool and refreshing. It is not uncommon 

 for the mercury to drop to 50 deg. or even to 45 deg. F. at 

 night, following a day temperature of 90 deg. in the shade, 

 and the Carnations seem to enjoy this. Should the plants 



