220 How TO Grow Cut Flowers. 



A more recent error — ^for mistake I believe it to be — 

 is the use of soil for any purpose but field work, that 

 has been used in the houses one season. Rejected rose 

 soil is rich in unspent food, and will bear abundant 

 crops in the afield where it can be fully exposed to sun-" 

 shine and air, but I have never seen good results from 

 its use for any crop the second year, indoors. When 

 used for potting, as it sometimes is, instead of great 

 white feeding roots being thrown out, they are often 

 small and wiry, and plants are not apt to flourish in it. 

 As I write the case of two growers comes to my mind 

 who are lamenting the fact that they persuaded them- 

 selves the past season to plant their carnations in 

 spent rose soil, an experiment they will not try again, 

 as it has lessened the production by at least one- 

 third. Considerable has been written in relation to 

 this matter of late by growers having a soil composed 

 largely of mica. This soil seems to be well adapted to 

 the growth of the carnation, cultivators telling us but 

 little manure can be used with it, and while those in 

 possession of soil of this nature may be able to use the 

 same more than one year, the rule does not hold good 

 with soils that must be heavily fertilized. The writer 

 dried out, a pile of rejected rose soil the past season, 

 thinking thus to sweeten and counteract any sourness 

 there might be in it, and used it for carnations. . The 

 result is not satisfactory, leading to the conclusion that 

 the best is none too good for artificial growth. For all 



