66 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
dermentioned as pollen-bearers—Napoleon III, Vulcan, Goliath, and Madame 
Binder—I doubt not but a gratifying result will be the reward. I particularly 
recommend Brenchleyensis as a parent on account of its habit and free seed¬ 
ing propensities. Be it understood that that portion of the anthers which 
produces the' pollen should be extracted before they assume a dusty appear¬ 
ance. The instrument I use for that purpose is a pair of spring forceps (can 
be had at a surgical instrument maker’s). I also use them to apply the pollen 
from one flower to another, and very useful they will be found by those who 
adopt them. Perfectly-marked flowers should be operated upon. A pod con¬ 
tains from 60 to 70 seeds. Care should be taken, when gathered, that the seed 
is kept quite dry, and it should be sown the first week in April in a cold 
frame. It would do much earlier in a greenhouse, but many amateurs do not 
possess such a convenience. In autumn I purpose to send you some specimens 
of my own raising for opinion, &c. 
Birmingham. Charles Barnes. 
THE TREE CARNATION. 
The tree Carnation may be reckoned among the plants not generally grown, 
because of its being a rather delicate subject if not properly treated. Not that it 
is at all tender, neither does it require any special treatment; but if from any 
cause the plants become unhealthy, throw them away at once, for I never knew 
them repay the trouble of nursing. 
I do not wish it to be supposed that my system of treatment is the best, but I 
have found it to answer satisfactorily. We will suppose the grower commences 
with a few plants from a nursery in the autumn (and sometimes it is rather diffi¬ 
cult to obtain them, for few nurserymen appear to grow them, and I never saw a 
plant at a country nursery). When the plants are obtained, they will be generally 
in a five-inch pot, with probably one flower-stem sticking up. If not later than 
the end of August, and the pots are well filled with roots, give them a slight 
shift to encourage growth, for there will not be many flowers from those plants ; 
and if a stock is desired as quick as possible, I would cut the buds off entirely 
before the end of the year to encourage side shoots for cuttings. 
If a few flowers were wished as early as possible, keep the plants in a warm 
house, but with plenty of air to prevent a weak growth and small flowers ; but if 
stock only is required, keep the plants just from frost until early in January, then 
place them in a warm house or pit; the temperature and treatment of forcing 
Roses will be just the place. There will soon be plenty of nice young shoots : take 
these for cuttings about 2 inches of the points, cut through a joint like Pink- 
pipings, and put ten or a dozen cuttings round a three-inch pot in nice sandy 
cutting-soil, water and plunge in a strong bottom heat in a cutting-frame. I 
should expect every cutting rooted in a fortnight. Pot off four in a three-inch 
pot in nice light warm soil with plenty of sand; place the plants in a nice warm, 
close frame until established—in fact, at this stage treat them just the same as 
Verbenas and the host of other softwooded plants in the same quarters at that 
season, but be careful not to allow the plants to remain long enough to become 
drawn : they will soon be fit for a cold frame. 
I should take two or three batches of cuttings from the original plants, by 
which time, if allowed to open any flowers, they will be over, and if not, the heat 
will have exhausted the plants, which may be then thrown away. The succession of 
cuttings, although the last will be rather weak, will give a succession of bloom 
without much artificial treatment. 
When the small pots are filled with roots I shift the plants into five-inch 
pots, being careful to insure good drainage.. 
The soil I use is good fresh turfy loam (of course without any wireworm) one 
part, one part marl, one thoroughly decayed dry dung from under a Melon-bed, 
and one part sharp sand, thoroughly mixed, and not chopped any finer than the 
