266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 25, 1890., 
tie. There are a few varieties that do not require this, but they 
are very few. I do not consider it necessary to give a list of 
varieties, as there are so many good lists in the catalogues and 
journals that it is a very easy matter for anyone to make a good 
selection. 
Propagation. 
There are three ways of propagating—viz., by seed, layers, and 
by pipings or cuttings. Taking them in the order named seed is 
the first to be considered. We have in the first place to procure 
good seed. I recommend saving seed, and only from the best 
blooms that produce seed. It is not every bloom that does produce 
seed, but you should endeavour to make the purest, clearest, and 
most distinct flowers, for by so doing you save time and labour in 
not having to weed out so much from the seedlings, because, no 
matter how carefully the flowers are selected, there will always be 
a large proportion of worthless seedlings. The less the number of 
seeds in a pod the more likely are they to be of the best quality 
and to give good results. Seed is always scarcer in pods from 
double flowers, or in pods containing seed that will produce double 
flowers. The seed should be gathered as soon as ripe, and if not 
sown at once it should be kept in a cool dry place. It is better 
to sow it as soon as gathered, for two reasons—first because it 
germinates more quickly, and secondly the strongest plants raised 
will bloom the first season, whereas if it is not sown until spring 
flowers are not produced until the following year. Sow the seed 
in pans or boxes according to the quantity, and place these in a 
humid temperature. As soon as the seedlings appear they should 
be placed near the glass in a greenhouse, and when large enough 
pricked out into boxes in a rich compost, such as loam, leaf mould, 
sand, and a little dried horse droppings in proportion. They can 
remain in the boxes until early spring, when they may be planted 
in a well-prepared bed, remaining until they flower, when the finest 
varieties should be marked and the rest discarded, though the best 
of them may do to brighten some dark corner. 
Propagation by Layers. 
A layer is a shoot brought down to the ground, and when rooted 
separated from the parent stem. This is a simple and perhaps the 
safest way of increasing the stock. I need not make any remarks 
about the way it is done, as it is an old practice, and no doubt 
familiar to all. The soil used for placing round the layers, when 
they are cut and firmly pegged down to the ground with a hooked 
peg, should be fine with plenty of sand in it. After the soil is 
placed round the lajers should have a slight watering, and the 
business is completed until they are rooted, when they may be 
taken up and potted, either two small ones or one strong plant in 
60-size pots, and placed in a cold frame, care being taken not to 
keep them too wet, and plenty of air should be admitted on all 
favourable occasions. 
Propagation by Pipings or Cuttings. 
This mode of increasing the stock is very simple, but not so 
safe as layering, and should only be practised when it is desirable 
to propagate largely, and there are more shoots on a plant than can 
possibly be layered. It is a good practice to make up a gentle hot¬ 
bed for the purpose of plunging the pots, in which the cuttings are 
inserted round the edges. The pots must be well drained and filled 
to within an inch of the top with fine soil, the remaining space to 
be filled with silver sand. After the cuttings are inserted give 
them sufficient water to settle the soil around them, and keep them 
shaded from the sun until rooted. It is easy to tell when they 
are rooted, as they begin to make new leaves. They should then 
be potted and treated in the same way as described for layers. 
Soil. 
A good compost cor pot plants consists of two parts rich fibrous 
loam, one of leaf mould, half of sand, and half of well dried 
horse droppings, not old Mushroom bed manure, as that is liable to 
cause fungus. These materials well mixed together will form a 
suitable compost. With regard to manuring ground intended for 
planting Carnations, the nature of the soil should be taken into con¬ 
sideration ; if it is heavy ground, well dried horse droppings would 
be the best manure, but, on the other hand, if the ground is light, 
well dried cow manure would be the best. It is also good practice 
to prepare the ground in autumn for planting the following spring, 
as this allows the rankness, if any, to escape from the manure. 
Cultivation in Pots. 
Besides being effective in borders and beds, Carnations are 
equally attractive when grown in pots for the embellishment of the 
greenhouse. Many people have their own fancy with regard to the 
size of the pot they use, and as a matter of course each size has its 
own advantages. For my own part I like to grow them in 8-inch 
pots, four plants in a pot. By growing four plants together a 
greater mass of bloom is obtained, as each plant only sends up one 
flower stem. If the bloom is intended for exhibition two plants in 
an 8-inch pot will be quite sufficient, and all potting should be 
completed by the beginning of April. One great point in the 
cultivation of Carnations in pots is to have the pots properly 
drained ; the drainage should be at least 1 inch deep, and well pro¬ 
tected by the roughest materials of the compost. After potting 
the plants should be placed in a cold frame with plenty of ashes in 
the bottom for the pots to stand upon, so that the plants are well 
protected from worms and slugs. The reason I advise them to be 
placed in cold frames is that in case of heavy rains the lights, which- 
may remain off altogether in favourable weather, can be easily 
placed over the plants, A gentle rain, however, will do them no 
harm. At all times they require careful watering, and occasionally 
a little weak liquid manure may be given them when they appear 
to require extra support. 
When the flower stems appear they should be staked, great care 
being taken in tying to give them sufficient room, so as to enable 
them to grow to their full length without forming knees or bent 
joints ; if this happens they will most likely break off at the 
affected part. When the flowers begin to expand it will te- 
necessary to give them a little shade from bright sunshine, and to 
look after the pods to see that they do not burst. These should 
either be tied as before mentioned, or, better still, procure a few 
small indiarubber bands, which are sold for the purpose by most 
nurserymen. 
With regard to thinning the buds, you must take into considera¬ 
tion what they are wanted for. If for exhibition blooms, select two 
or three of the strongest on each shoot ; if to be shown in the pots 
as they grow, leave six or seven pods ; and if for home decoration 
and cutting, leave them all. 
During the discussion which followed the reading of the above 
paper, Mr. Collier said the Carnation was a favourite flower for 
buttonholes, and recommended the following varieties :—Laura,, 
with large pink flower, one of the best bloomers in pots ; Miss- 
Joliffe, grown largely by market people ; White Swan and La 
Belle, both very good whites. 
GROWING AND SELLING FRUIT. 
(Continued from page 2i0.~) 
Strawberries. 
Next to the Apple this is the most profitable fruit for the small- 
grower and cottager, if he is near a town where he can dispose of 
his crop. This makes all the difference between pro it and no¬ 
profit, Strawberries having to be sold quickly after they are 
gathered, twelve hours being quite long enough for them between 
gathering and eating. This is also a crop in growing which the 
cottager’s wife and children can render very great assistance by 
gathering the fruit, cleaning the plantation of runners and weeds,, 
putting straw under the fruit to keep it clean, scaring away 
birds, catching snails, &c. 
Soil.— The Strawberry is perhaps the best of all fruits in this- 
respect, as with care and attention it will grow in any kind of soil, 
even in those that are chalky, although it is not advisable to plant 
many in doubtful places until a few have been tried to see whether 
they will perfect enough fruit to render them a source of profit- 
The best soil for them is a rich, deep, and moist loam, but any good 
deep soil will do if well manured before planting. They may be 
grown among the standard Apple trees, or in an open spot by 
themselves ; and a warm bank, where many other fruits would not 
succeed, will often grow good Strawberries with proper care and 
attention. 
Planting.—T he rows should not be less than 2 feet apart to 
allow room for gathering, and for a small horse hoe to work 
amongst them if the plantation is large enough. If the soil is 
very rich 3 feet apart will be a better distance, and the plants 2 feet 
apart in the rows ; in poor soils the latter distance may be reduced 
to 18 inches. It is sometimes advised to plant much closer than 
this, but unless the soil is very poor—in which case Strawberries 
will not pay for growing—it is not a good plan to do so, because if a 
wet season occurs the fruit cannot become dry quick enough, 
and soon decays. It is a bad plan to dig among Strawberries after 
they are planted ; the ground should therefore have plenty of 
manure, and be well dug some little time before planting. The 
small plants at the end of the runners are the best for making new 
plantations, and where only a few thousand are required they 
should be specially prepared before they are cut off. The best 
way is to get some 60-sized flower pots, fill them with good soil, 
lay the runners on, and put a stone on the top, keeping them well 
supplied with water ; but the cottager will seldom have flower pots 
