482 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



prevalent that our exhibition sorts need to be treated as tender 

 plants, a notion from which the beginner, if he entertain it, should 

 be disabused at the outset. 



People are accustomed to see the Tree and Malmaison sorts 

 growing under glass for the sake of continuous or early flowering, 

 and they also see the exhibition sorts— probably at the only time 

 they ever see them — when they have been brought in from the 

 stage outside to flower in the same way, and to those unfamiliar 

 with the various forms of Carnations the idea of artificial treat- 

 ment is suggested all round. 



Of course the objects sought with these diverse forms of the 

 flower are quite distinct. We desire to exhibit Carnations at the 

 plant's natural season of flowering in the highest state of 

 development to which culture can bring it, and plants in pots for 

 exhibition are grown in the open air, and are just as much 

 dependent on seasonal influences as those in the borders. Tbe 

 simple proof of this is seen in the fact that plants in the borders 

 flower at just the same time as the same varieties in pots on the 

 stage. 



As illustrative of the above remarks, I may mention that a 

 friend to whom I had given some plants for his garden surprised 

 me by producing flowers he had cut from them in the middle of 

 June in the very backward season of two years ago. It appeared 

 that his gardener, either through my recommendation as to 

 winter treatment not having reached him or acting under the 

 not uncommon idea to which I have referred, wintered the plants 

 up to March or April in a cool vinery from which the frost was 

 just excluded, with the result that the flowers w T ere premature, 

 and comparatively poor, in a season remarkable for its lateness 

 and the fine quality of the bloom. 



After wintering the plants, therefore, as previously detailed, 

 they will be ready by the latter end of February or beginning of 

 March for potting on in the large pots in which they are to 

 bloom. Many persons, indeed, do this early in February, but 

 this being with me an inconvenient time I am satisfied to begin 

 the work as soon as I can in March, and to get it finished by the 

 beginning of April. 



The compost I use is good yellow fibrous loam three-fourths, 

 and for the remaining fourth a mixture in equal parts of rotted 

 manure and leaf-mould. To this is added a little coarse silver- 



