ON florists' flowers. 



57 



out-of-doors, as high winds may snap off valuable plants close to 

 the surface of the ground. 



Careful attention must be given to watering all through the 

 season, and as soon as the flower-buds show colour the plants 

 must be removed to the greenhouse, where they are to flower. 

 Green-fly and thrips between them will disfigure both leaves 

 and flowers if not dealt with at the outset. Fumigating must 

 therefore be resorted to to prevent the " grass " from drawing 

 up weakly. Air must be freely given, and when the flowers 

 open they must be shaded from bright sunshine to preserve 

 their beauty as long as possible. About the end of July, 

 layering may be commenced, and it will be better to place the 

 plants out-of-doors, as the layers become drawn if the 

 plants are kept under glass. Those plants growing in the open 

 borders should be layered, of course, where they are. To do this 

 scratch some of the ordinary garden mould away from the base 

 of the plants, replacing it with the compost already recommended. 



Tree Carnations require rather diff'erent treatment. As the 

 growths are mostly found up the main stems, they cannot very 

 readily be layered, and are propagated by slips from the main stems 

 of the plants. These strike freely in hot-beds, or early in the season 

 in a forcing-house with a little bottom-heat. The temperature 

 of the- house should be about 55deg. If possible, the bottom- 

 heat should be kept about 8odeg. to 9odeg. The slips will readily 

 form roots in sixty-sized pots ; when the young plants are 

 established, they should be potted singly, and gradually inured to 

 greenhouse culture. From May until the end of September 

 Tree Carnations do best out-of-doors. The best potting soil for 

 Carnations is three parts of good loam, one part of decayed 

 manure, and one part of leaf-mould ; sand to be added to lighten 

 heavy soils. Mortar rubbish, broken up and run through a ^in. 

 sieve, is also excellent to mix with the compost. 



Varieties. — The following is a list of the very best varieties 

 now in cultivation, arranged in their classes : 



Scarlet Bizarres. — Robert Houlgrave, Dr. Hogg, Othello, 

 Admiral Curzon, Joseph Crossland, and Robert Lord. 



Crimson Bizarres.- — J. S. Hedderley, J. D. Hextall, Patriot, 

 Master Fred, Phoebe, and Edward Rowan. 



Pink and Purple Bizarres. — William Skirving, Edith Annie, 

 Arline, Sarah Payne, Harmony, and Autocrat. 



Purple Flakes.— ]2imes Douglas, Gordon Lewis, Earl Stamford, 

 Charles Henwood, George Melville, and Mayor of Nottingham. 



