492 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



far as possible free from grubs and any noxious insects ; add 

 some leaf-mould and the ashes from burnt vegetable refuse, or, 

 failing that, some grit from a gravelled, but not a granite, road. 

 The bed should be deeply dug, and the manure and other 

 materials forked into it to the depth of a foot or so. If the soil 

 of the garden be a light and friable one, it should be strengthened 

 and made firmer by the addition of some stiff yellow loam, and 

 then a good Carnation bed is secured ; and at the time of plant- 

 ing let the plants be removed with as much soil as possible 

 adhering to the roots, so that the check in development shall be 

 a slight one — placing a little fine compost about the roots to 

 encourage a quick root action, and pressing the soil firmly about 

 the plants. Carnations, whether in pots or in borders, may be 

 said to like a firm bottom ; if the soil be light and loose, the 

 plants suffer severely at a time of drought. "Whether a bed be 

 made specially for the plants (which is not always convenient), 

 or the plants be placed in the mixed border, let there be good 

 cultivation. He who would have good flowers must cultivate 

 well — that is a golden rule in plant culture for all time. Other 

 points in the cultural process are to give a support to any plants 

 at the time of planting that may need it, and maintain this until 

 blooming time ; let the surface be stirred occasionally, and be 

 kept clear of weeds, and let the soil be kept firm about the roots 

 of the plants, and some top-dressing of a rich character be 

 occasionally given. 



"When planting out in beds the plants should be eighteen 

 inches apart, and even further in the case of strong-growing 

 varieties, so that they may be conveniently layered. A keen 

 look-out must be kept for vermin — for wireworm and grubs in 

 the soil, for green-fly and cuckoo-spit on' the foliage, and that 

 marauder by night, the snail— and no quarter be given. By 

 means of a large cam el's-hair brush, green-fly]can r Jbe swept away 

 into infinite space ; frequent brushings arejidvantageous. The 

 green-fly is a small and insignificant insect, but f it can tax the 

 resources and exhaust the patience of the biggest man. 



Do not trouble about plants that have bloomed two years in 

 succession ; their tenure of existence is uncertain and their 

 flowers small. It is better to renew annually t by seedlings or 

 by layers. Let the work of layering be performed by the end of 

 July or early in August, so that the layers_may~root well by the 



