480 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Another mode of wintering is that of bedding the plants in 

 the frames. It is, of course, only applicable to plants designed 

 for the open ground, as for pot culture the previous establish- 

 ment of the plant in a small pot is a necessity. Growing myself 

 the main stock for pot culture, and turning the surplus beyond 

 what is wanted for the stage into the borders, I have never myself 

 used this method ; but it is practised by many, and where there 

 are large numbers of plants intended for the open ground it is 

 the means of a great saving of labour. 



But, whichever mode is adopted, it is essential to bear in 

 mind that the protection of the frame is designed, not against 

 cold, but against the soaking rains of autumn and winter with 

 which these young plants may not at this stage of their existence 

 have capacity to deal. In its alpine home the plant would 

 hibernate under snow — the cold frame of nature — to remain 

 there at an equable temperature in a state of quiescence till 

 Nature in her own time lifted the covering and awakened the 

 plant to activity. 



Cold, therefore, not being the enemy we have to contend with, 

 the plants must have plenty of air day and night all through 

 the winter. If very harsh winds prevail, the lights should be 

 tilted so as to admit the air from the leeward side. All the 

 cultural attention the plants will need will be the looking after 

 them for water, which they will want occasionally if the weather 

 be open. It should be given in the morning and without wetting 

 the foliage. They should also be watched for green-fly and for 

 any sign of maggot. 



By February the little pots will be full of roots in the case of 

 the more vigorous varieties, and, if the weather should be genial, 

 any showers that fall will be beneficial to the plants. 



In March -the earlier the better if the weather permit — 

 they may, if intended simply for garden culture, be planted out 

 where they are to bloom. 



As to soil, it has been said in a general way that any soil 

 that will grow wheat well will grow a Carnation well. A friend 

 who once complained to me that he thought the soil in his 

 locality — a good w T heat district — unsuitable for Carnations was 

 not a little surprised at hearing that my first-prize six Carnations 

 at South Kensington that summer had been grown in soil taken 

 from a wheat-field in his own neighbourhood. 



