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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS dianthus 



correspondingly early— aay the first and 

 second weeks of July — thus giving them 

 about 3 full months to become established 

 plants. 



The benefits of layering and planting 

 early are obvious. The plants are well 

 leaved and their roots well established in 

 the soil before winter sets iri. They are 

 thus in a position to resist the frost ; 

 they bloom earlier in spring, and the 

 chances are that the flowers are not only 

 finer, but in much greater abundance 

 than from later planted specimens. 



An important point to remember in 

 connection with planting is not to insert 

 the plants too deeply in the soil. Spread 

 out the roots carefully and cover them 

 firmly, but do not bury the stems beyond 

 half an inch or so. If in rows, the plants 

 should be about 9 in. apart, with at least 

 a foot between the rows, to allow of 

 hoeing &c. in spring. 



Stalling. — Each plant should be pro- 

 vided with a stake about 3 ft. high at 

 time of planting, and the stems should be 

 neatly tied, so that they do not chafe 

 when blown about by the wind. Atten- 

 tion to staldng is essential, otherwise the 

 branches and blooms will straggle about 

 in the dirt, and be more or less worth- 

 less. 



Position. — Perhaps the most natural 

 and ornamental way to dispose of Carna- 

 tions is to plant them in groups, large or 

 small according to the space available. 

 They are thus seen to better advantage 

 when in bloom, and it is easier to notice 

 their general peculiarities, than if planted 

 here and there in isolated specimens. 

 Where possible the plants should be so 

 placed as to be sheltered from the north 

 and east, and fully exposed to the west, 

 and more or less partially shaded from 

 the summer sun when facing south. 

 About 9 in. to 12 irt. apart will not be too 

 crowded for the plants. 



PROPAGATION 



Carnations are increased by seeds, 

 layers, and cuttings — the latter being 

 known as ' pipings.' 



Seeds are usually sown in April and 

 May in pots or shallow pans. The soil 

 should be rather finely sifted, and com- 

 posed of loam, leaf soil and silver sand. 

 It is best to carefully place the seeds 

 about J in. apart, slightly cover them 

 with soil, and place in a cold frame 

 after watering with a fine-rosed oaji. 



When about 6 leaves have developed, ths 

 seedlings may be pricked out round the 

 edges of a pot or in a shallow box, about 

 2 in. apart in a similar compost. As 

 soon as the plants are 3-4 in. high, they 

 may be pricked out into beds or borders, 

 about 4 in. apart, and by the first week 

 of September they should be fine sturdy 

 plants fit for removing to. their flowering 

 positions. It should be borne in mind 

 that Carnations from seed are liable to 

 vary a good deal, and that many of the 

 flowers will be single, and others poor in 

 quality. Still there is a possibility of a 

 really fine variety appearing among them, 

 in which case it should be carefully 

 labelled and kept for stock. 



Layering is perhaps the most common 

 method of increasing Carnations and 

 Kootees. As stated above, layers should 

 be made by the first and second week of 

 .July with a view to getting strong estab- 

 lished plants before winter. A fresh 

 compost like that in which the seeds are 

 sown should be placed round the base of 

 each plant, about 2 in. deep. The leaves 

 of the lower portion of each shoot to be 

 layered should be stripped off, leaving 

 about 3 or 4 leafy joints above. A slit 

 should then be made lengthwise with a 

 sharp knife, just below a joint which is 

 neither too woody nor too tender or sappy, 

 taking care not to sever the shoot from 

 the plant, but about halfway through, so 

 as to form a tongue. The shoot thus cut 

 should then be carefully pegged down 

 with a piece of bracken stem, or a hair-pin, 

 in such a way that the cut is left open and 

 the tongue is firmly fixed in the soil. A 

 little more compost should then be placed 

 over the pegged portion of the shoot. 

 When every branch has been treated in 

 the same way; the soil should then be 

 well watered, using a fine-rosed can, and 

 in a month or so the layers will be 

 rooted. By the first or second week of 

 September they may be severed and 

 transplanted. The sketch at p. 59 

 will show at a glance the way m which 

 the shoot of a Carnation or Picotee may 

 be layered. 



Pipings or Cuttings. — Carnations in- 

 creased by this method are never quite 

 so good as those from layers, but it is 

 employed in the case of rare or special 

 kinds to obtain stock more quickly, or 

 when the shoots are too short and 

 numlrous for layering. The pipings 

 should be taken with a ' heel ' or out off at 



