C ARN AT 10 N 0 0 NFE R E NCE. 



481 



From this it will be seen that the Carnation likes a rather 

 stiff, loamy soil ; and though it will scarcely disdain any soil, the 

 nearer we approach its natural requirements the more likely we 

 are to do it justice. 



By the end of April or the beginning of May the plants will 

 begin to throw up the main stem, or to " spindle," as it is 

 termed, and will soon afterwards want staking, and also tying as 

 they grow on. Green-fly and spittle-fly must be watched for 

 and promptly destroyed. 



Early in June a surface dressing of rotted manure will be 

 found serviceable in promoting vigorous growth in the plants. 

 From this time to the period of flowering — in ordinary seasons 

 about July 20 in the south — they will want little further attention 

 beyond the tying, and watching for the attacks of green-fly and 

 the ordinary garden enemies. 



Towards the latter end of July the plants will be ready to 

 layer, and the layers will be rooted by the end of September or 

 beginning of October, when they may be taken off. 



Such in brief is the culture of the Carnation as a garden 

 flower. 



But in addition to his plants in the borders, where he will 

 naturally have regard to quantity as much as to the quality of 

 the bloom, the amateur may become sufficiently interested in 

 Carnations to desire to have a few flowers brought up to 

 exhibition form, whether he intend them for exhibition or simply 

 for his own enjoyment. 



For the production of flowers for exhibition the plants are 

 usually grown on in pots. Not that they could not be trusted to 

 give us show blooms in the beds or borders, for, as a matter of 

 fact, the Newcastle and many other northern exhibitors grow 

 their plants in this way, and there are none more exacting in the 

 quality of their flowers. The system of pot-culture as generally 

 followed is one mainly of convenience, whereby the exhibitor 

 may have his plants under more complete control than they 

 could be in the borders — more especially at the time of blooming 

 in July, which is more often than not a period of rain and storm. 



Some good people are occasionally much exercised that 

 Carnations should be grown in pots, which it is thought must 

 needs be a system of " coddling." This is an utter mistake, but 

 it is worth noticing, as it reflects an idea to some extent 



