2 5 4 



THE CENTURY BOOK OF GARDENING. 



GARVILLE GEM. 



and other fungoid diseases. With good, well- 

 drained soil, prepared early in the autumn, 

 there is no difficulty in producing fine flowers 

 in the season. The Carnations for beds or 

 masses of colour are the selfs. The colours 

 may be mixed, or beds may be made of one 

 colour only. What could be more beautiful or 

 chaste than an entire bed of white Carnations ? 

 There are now so many colours in self Carna- 

 tions that every taste may be gratified ; more- 

 over, a selection may be made of the more 

 vigorous growers. Carnation growers are 

 indebted to Mr. Martin R. Smith, V.M.H., of 

 Hayes, Kent, for producing a series of hardy 

 border Carnations far in advance of any others. 

 1 will name two of the best border Carnations 

 in their colours. The best white ones are 

 Trojan and The Briton ; of yellow, Miss Audrey 

 Campbell and Andromeda ; the best scarlet, 

 Isinglass and Mrs. McRae ; crimson, Nox and 

 Boreas; blush, Nautch Girl and Waterwitch ; 

 pale pinlc, The Burn and Mrs. Gascoigne ; deep 

 pink or rose, Queen of Scots and Asphodel ; dark" red, Bella Donna and Boadicea ; apricot or 

 buff colour, Mrs. Reynolds Hole was at one time the best, but is now superseded by Midas 

 and Prince of Orange ; Haidee and Columbus are the most beautiful lavender-coloured 

 varieties. 



The yellow ground Picotees and Carnations are also charming border flowers. Six 

 of the true Picotees are His Excellency, Empress Eugenie, Mrs. Tremavne, Dervish, 

 Mr. Nigel, and Mohican, Of the i:\ncy Carnation type choose Hidalgo, Yolande, Brodick, 

 Monarch, Zingara, and Mrs. G. A. Reynolds. There are others almost equally good, but I 

 have made the above selection after carefully choosing them under my own eye ; they grow 

 well out of doors, and the flowers do not split the calvces. 



IMPORTANCE OF SEEDLINGS. — Fur the open garden 1 strongly recommend seedlings. 

 If the seed is saved from the best varieties at present in cultivation the produce is sure 

 to give satisfaction, tut the cultivator must not expect all the flowers to be as good 

 as the parents, or even all double. There will be from io to 15 per cent, with single 

 flowers, all the others having double flowers, some as good or even better than the parents, 

 but the majority wall be of uncertain quality. Much depends upon the time of sowing the 

 seed for producing a profusion of bloom. The middle of March is suitable, or any time towards 

 the end of that month ; the seed will germinate in a hothouse well within a week from the 

 time of sowing, and the seedlings should be pricked out in boxes as soon as large enough, and 

 be planted out in June or July in good soil where they are to flow er. Let the plants be 15m. 

 asunder, and 2ft. between the rows. Under this treatment each plant will develop into a 

 large specimen producing 100 to 200 blossoms. One of the greatest charms of floriculture is 

 watching the development of the seedlings, and few amateurs with the floral instinct 

 developed can resist the temptation of having a good bed of seedlings annually. 



Seedlings are not nearly so particular in regard to soil as named varieties. The 

 seedling is more robust, and, given the same cultural conditions, grows more vigorously. It is 

 always best to dig or trench the ground for Carnations some time before it is required ; this 

 admits of the soil being aerated. The plants should be put out after a good shower of rain. 

 Planted in June or July they get well hold before the winter, and require no further attention 



