310 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTUR.IL SOCIETY. 



the Royal Society. Appendices give a list of the publications of the 

 Station and of the past and present workers there. The binding, paper, 

 and print leave nothing to be desired. 



"Pictorial Practical Carnation Growing." By Walter P. Wright. 

 8vo. 152 pp. (Cassell, London.) Paper, Is. net ; cloth, Is. 6d. net. 



There are many books on the carnation, evidence doubtless of the 

 esteem in which this garden favourite is held. The book under review 

 is unique in its numerous illustrations, which show every detail of 

 culture, cross-fertilising, raising from seed, propagation by slips and 

 layers, with every detail illustrated, and also descriptive letterpress. 

 There is an excellent introductory chapter on carnations, past and 

 present. It is stated that the past of the carnations comprised principally 

 flakes, bizarres, and white-ground picotees. These are still grown and 

 valued for their sweetness and refined beauty in most gardens, but not 

 to the same extent as the self-coloured border carnations and yellow- 

 ground picotees. Masses of colour can be produced by planting beds of 

 one self-coloured variety : they make a grand feature in any garden, 

 and can be examined closely as well as being effective at a distance. 

 Chapter II. treats of cross-fertilisation, and this is not only well illus- 

 trated by drawings of the different parts of fructification, but the entire 

 process is carefully described. Chapter III. deals with raising from seed. 

 Not many amateurs would save their own seed, as in most seasons it 

 requires the aid of a greenhouse to ripen the seed-pods. Many of the best- 

 named carnations will not produce seed under any conditions, and it really 

 requires expert knowledge as to the selection of both seed and pollen- 

 bearers, as not only is it necessary that good-formed flowers, and of the 

 colour desiderated, should be obtained, but also a ^'igorous plant of good, 

 stui'dy habit. It is necessary that the seed- bearers should possess 

 vigorous constitution, better also the pollen-bearers. The author well 

 says : " The more nearly a flower approaches to perfect doubleness the 

 fewer reproductive organs it has, and that means little or no seed." All 

 the details of pricking out the seedlings and growing the plants forward 

 to the flowering stage are given in full. Illustrations of the plants 

 set out in the beds are given, so that the merest tyro cannot go 

 wrong. 



Propagation of the named varieties by pipings and layering is also 

 described and illustrated. 



Chapter YI. is devoted to garden culture as distinct from cultivating 

 the plants in pots. Not only are all the details described, but sets 

 of illustrations are given showing the preparation of the ground by 

 draining and the method of bastard trenching as distinct from ordinary 

 trenching. Chapter VII. is devoted to the culture in pots for the home- 

 stage and also for exhibition, with all the details of culture and method of 

 exhibiting fully illustrated. 



Full details are also given of the culture of the Malmaison and tree 

 carnation, with chapters on diseases and insect pests. Even space is 

 found for the Marguerite carnations and the allied favourites the garden 

 pinks — the latter the most charming and sweetest of garden flowers, 

 hardy everywhere and of the easiest culture. This excellent handbook 



