April S8, 1891. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
317 
T hese present a wide field ; there are S3 many sections, and so 
many methods of treating the plants. At the outset I advise 
the strictest selection, for the time has passed when the number of 
varieties of merit were few and difficult to procure. I grow a few 
sorts which are planted in large numbers, and to these the ladies 
have gone for flowers very frequently. As a rule sweet-scented 
varieties are preferred, but that rule is not absolute ; and for the 
gardener’s own use in vase furnishing some good forms which are 
not strongly scented will be found of value. Again, although all 
Carnations are hardy, there are some which my experience shows 
must be treated either as greenhouse or intermediate house plants. 
Taking first the section which can be readily cultivated out of 
doors, there is really no definite division, for border and show 
sorts can be equally well cultivated in the open air, but I refer 
more strictly to any varieties good for supplying cut flowers no 
matter of what class. 
The easiest method of forming a stock of plants to supply a 
large quantity of bloom is doubtless by raising seedlings. The 
method I have pursued has been to sow in early spring, keeping 
the seed in heat until after germination, and then transferring the 
boxes to a cooler house or frame. When sufficiently large the 
young plants are pricked off into fi-ames or into other boxes, and 
•during May are planted in their flowering quarters. The following 
year they bear a profusion of flowers, and are earlier than named 
plants propagated in the usual way. In hot aveather in May 
abundance of water is necessary, and during dry weather in 
summer occasional supplies ought to bo given to the beds. The 
great drawback to seedlings is the number of plants which are 
practically worthless. From among seedlings I have, however, 
secured some good varieties for cutting, these, of course, being 
managed in the same way as named plants. 
In selecting seedlings size should be aimed at, but if this can 
only be secured at the cost of compactness in the flower, then 
mere size is of no value. A flower which invariably splits its calyx 
is so imperfect as to be worthy of condemnation, and is no use for 
cutting purposes. Sweetness of scent is much to be desired, but 
the degree of intensity may be low, and the flower still remain 
good. Colour is a very important point, though a mere difference of 
•shade is o£ no importance, for what we really want is something 
which tells, and if to-morrow the great majority of named sorts 
were to suffer a sudden annihilation, so long as the really first-class 
•sorts in distinct and decidedly effective tones of colour remained 
the gardening world would sustain no loss. But given excellent 
qualities in the points discussed, should the plant be deficient in 
stamina and in free blooming qualities the lack of these ought to 
be sufficient to stay the perpetuation of the variety. 
The best method of propagating named or selected varieties is 
by means of layers. When this method is carried out in the right 
way no one would care to rely on cuttings for a stock unless it 
were to increase with greater rapidity any scarce sort, when any 
late growths might be successfully rooted with Calceolarias. In 
growing from layers a mistake is almost invariably made in delay¬ 
ing the initial work to the latest possible time, instead of overtaking 
it as soon as possible after the intended layers are of sufficient size. 
The results of late propagation are roughly these. A later, and 
therefore less well developed, shoot has to be chosen. Roots also 
No. VoL. XXIT., Third Series. 
are produced more slowly. When lifted to plant in autumn this 
operation must necessarily be delayed till late in the seison, which 
in many yeirs means for the plants a precarious and insufficient 
roothold. If kept until spring m frames there is so much extra 
labour and expense incurred, and when planted they are still a 
long way behind what they ought to be, and have to make up 
arrears after getting established. The general effect is that the 
plants are less healthy and none of them so floriferjus as they 
would be if treated differently. 
My experience is that early propagation is all respects most 
desirable. By layering as soon as the grass is ready roots are 
formed much more rapidly, so much so that large balls of soil and 
roots may be lifted by the beginning of August, with plants which 
were layered four weeks before. These are planted directly into 
their flowering quarters, grown until winter, and are ready with 
earliest spring to go on again. As to the quantity of bloom pro¬ 
duced by these as compared with late plants, I am a long way 
under the mark in giving the former six times the quantity of the 
latter. An earlier bloom is secured, longer cont'nued, and a 
greater number of flowering stems on each plant. 
Although the above is given as the result of my own experi¬ 
ence, those who honour these notes with a perusal have only to be 
assured of its feasibility by reference to the modern system of 
Strawberry cultivation as providing a somewhat analogous pro¬ 
ceeding. The difference between the produce of two Strawberry 
plants, the one layered and planted by August and the other left 
two months later, is so great that when early propagation ani 
early planting were first recommended, some twenty years ago, the 
credibility of the proposers was called in question by not a few. 
Those anxious to provide a sensation with out-of-door Carnations 
will find the same general principles applicable, and will secure a 
success equally well. Where the soil is “ fit ” for Carnations 
second-year plants will be even better, and this is the method 
pursued by a friend of my own, but I can never depend on two- 
year-old plants to exist through the flowering period. 
Just another point. If good flowers are wanted thin the buds. 
Not one bud out of five is of any use for cut flower purposes, as 
they are cut when unopened along with the long stalk so necessary 
to most people. They are otherwise hurtful, as keeping down the 
size of the flowers really wanted ; and I am inclined to believe that 
a greater quantity of flowers are in reality secured from disbudded 
plants, as it is quite usual for a second crop to follow the first. 
With regard to varieties it is exceedingly difficult to speak. 
During the past ten years I have many dozens on trial, and of 
the greater part it may safely be said that it would have been no 
loss had we never seen them. The old crimson Clove, of course, 
ought to be grown. Madame Arthur Warccque, I believe, will 
siand ahead of any other scarlet form. The best white is Mrs. 
Muir ; this is in every respect possessed of qualities which will 
place it for many years in the position of a standard plint. The 
best blush is Comtesse de Paris. This also is a variety of standing 
merit. The best “ terra cotta ” form is Mrs. Reynolds Hole. 
The best yellow is Germania, but of this variety it is only right to 
say that the opening buds and flowers are easily damaged by wet or 
damp ; of course in fine weather this is not apparent, otherwise it 
is possessed of the like robust growth, floriferous habit, and high, 
quality of the flowers by the other sorts named in this selection. 
Redbraes may be taken as the typical representative of Picotees 
I suppose that this variety will now hold a position as to popu¬ 
larity second to none, yet its origin is involved in obscurity. 
Redbraes is a name it has no right to further than it is as good as 
any other. Many years ago a gardener in Fifeshire sent me one or 
two plants with the information that he had procured it from 
another garden, but that no name was known for it, though it was 
labelled (I think) as the Crawford Priory Picotee. It has, more ■ 
over, undergone condemnation by the flcrisis,” as it is unfortu¬ 
nately innocent of the few necessary accomplishments which are 
No. 2221.—VoL. LXXXIV, Old Sebies. 
