February, 1909 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



11 



The fringed type of flower is the most popular 

 to-day. Mrs. Patten," variegated, " i.e., red splashes 

 on white, shown here, is markedly fringed 



conditions, asserting that the curly-leaved 

 sorts were best for all-indoor culture, while 

 the straight-leaved kinds (such as Enchan- 

 tress) were best planted out during summer. 



The only gain of all-indoor culture is 

 earlier flowers, but for the average amateur 

 this may be a real disadvantage, as there 

 will usually be chrysanthemums to give 

 flowers up to December. Growing in boxes 

 is, I think, of no value unless chrysanthe- 

 mums are grown in the same house with 

 carnations. 



Planting out is not safe before April 15th. 

 The site selected should be high ground, 

 well drained in order to escape stem rot, a 

 troublesome disease when it occurs. Set 

 the plants fifteen inches apart in the row 

 and have twenty-four inches between the 

 rows. I dig over the ground, doing it 

 thoroughly and deeply, and at the same time 

 add about four inches of good farmyard 

 manure just before planting. And here let 

 me suggest that the varieties be distinctly 

 identified by a good stout label driven into 

 the ground, so that when lifting time comes 

 in the fall there will be nothing left to 

 chance or memory. 



The more the carnations in the field are 

 cultivated the better they will be next winter. 

 Outside of attention to that detail but 

 little need be done all summer. Never let 

 the ground get hard and baked between the 

 plants, and if you take care to cultivate often, 

 and particularly after each rain, it will 

 probably obviate the necessity of watering 

 the plants, a process which I think is very 

 dangerous, because if you water on bright 

 days you are liable to scald the foliage; if, on 

 the other hand, you water on dark days, or 

 evenings, you are courting rust. If you 

 must water the plants, do it early in the 

 morning so that they will be dry before the 

 sun gets very hot. I often hear of people 

 losing a great many plants in the field 

 through stem rot, and, although I may be a 

 bit harsh in my judgment, I am inclined to 

 think that the greater part of these losses 

 may be charged to negligence. Every year 

 I raise about one thousand plants in the 



field, and in no season has my loss exceeded 

 half a dozen plants. I cultivate every 

 week and always after rain, and spray the 

 plants every week, using Bordeaux mixture 

 one week and Copperdine the next. But in 

 the light, sandy soil on Long Island it is 

 much easier to avoid stem rot than on a 

 heavy clayey soil. 



Occasionally during the summer, the 

 shoots must be pinched or shortened. Don't 

 allow half a dozen long shoots to develop 

 and then go pinch them all off at one time. 

 Look over the plants even- week at least 

 and pinch off the long shoots, leaving about 

 three inches of growth. 



PLAXTIXG INDOORS 



If you want early flowers, and have a 

 fairly well-ventilated house, it is safe to plant 

 in July; but if your houses are low, and 

 therefore insufficiently ventilated, I advise 



waiting until the last of August. I 

 bench about August 15th, and we are 

 always cutting by the end of October. 



A good mixture for benching soil is three 

 barrels of soil (or sod is better if it can be 

 procured), one barrel of well-rotted manure, 

 and one good shovelful of bone meal. Don't 

 fill the benches until you are ready to plant, 

 but the compost should be mixed in spring 

 and let lie all summer, turning it several 

 times. 



The ideal planting day is a dark one 

 with drizzling rain. Lift the plants from 

 the field rows with a spade, and leave all 

 the soil possible clinging to the roots. Plant 

 about ten inches apart in the rows, leaving 

 about one foot between the rows for best 

 results and greatest comfort later on in 

 working around them. First mark out 

 where each plant is to be set, then go over 

 the benches with some good commercial 



Enchantress, delicate light pink:, is perhaps the best all-purpose modern variety, thriving over the 

 widest area. There are white and deeper pink sports of this 



