MARKET PLANTS— CHRISTMAS ROSES. 



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plenty of grit in it, suits carnations. While under glass avoid much heat, and keep 

 down green fly rigorously by means of nicotine fumes. Place a stake to each strong 

 growth when the plants are arranged on beds of ashes in June. Avoid reckless water- 

 ing and carefully exclude worms from the pots. House before the wet, cold days of 

 September injure the plants. Under glass they may be arranged on the borders 

 previously occupied by tomatoes, and if they root into the soil good rather than harm 

 will result. Fire heat should only be applied to prevent very low temperatures and to 

 dispel damp. Remove some of the side buds with a view to improving the size of those 

 reserved. 



Malmaison3 are the most easily propagated by layering, in July or August. Well- 

 rooted layers, detached and well-established in 5-inch pots by the end of August or early in 

 September, will each give several fine blooms in the spring, and the second season, if well 

 grown in 8-inch pots, will flower grandly. Cool treatment suits this class of carnations. 

 They must be kept free from green fly and be most carefully watered, especially where 

 little or no fire-heat is afforded. In dry-heat they are very liable to be crippled by 

 aphides. The carnation disease is also often found troublesome. Syringing with lime- 

 water is a remedy for the disease. 



CHRISTMAS ROSES. 



There is not so much profit attached to these flowers as formerly. They are too 

 stiff to please many people, added to which, they are scentless. The best species to grow 

 is Helleborus niger, and of this the most valuable form is H. n. maximus, also known 

 as H. altifolius. This flowers very early in the open, but unless protected by frames 

 the flowers are dirty-white in colour, with short stalks, and do not keep fresh long. It 

 is a good plan to arrange the plants in beds over which span-roofed or other frames can 

 be placed during the flowering period. Strong clumps may be nearly or quite cleared 

 of leaves, lifted, packed in boxes, large pots, or beds of loamy soil and gently forced 

 with a view to having abundance of blooms at Christmas, when they are worth from 6d. 

 to 9d. per dozen; but, as a rule, they are plentiful early enough without forcing. 

 These Hellebores succeed in a deep, rich, freely-worked soil, but fail in hot, dry posi- 

 tions. The division of clumps for increase should take placo after the new leaves are 

 fully developed and well matured, or after midsummer. 



