CULTURE OF THE CARNATION. 
259 
Soil .—Some distinction should be made in the soil for the strong 
and high-coloured carnations, which usually do not require a soil 
quite so strong and rich as the more delicate ones. Therefore, for 
the strong and high-coloured bizarres and picotees, take two barrows- 
ful of rich maiden loam, and one harrowful of well rotted dung from 
a cucumber bed, and half a barrowful of river sand. For the rose 
and purple flakes and delicate picotees, take two barrowsful of good 
rich loam, and two barrowsful at least, of well rotted dung, and half 
a barrowful of river sand; mix and chop these well together in the 
autumn, and turn the compost two or three times during winter, hut 
never pot in sifted soil. All the very choice kinds must, to have 
success, be grown in pots. The best sized pots for the purpose are 
twelve inches deep and ten inches wide at top, with a good sized hole 
at the bottom, and three or four small holes round the sides at the 
bottom, to facilitate the escape of the water, and prevent the danger 
of stagnation. The most proper time for potting is the middle of 
March : never defer it much longer or the plants will not flower freely. 
Potting is done in the common way, placing three in each pot. Be 
careful that the plants he placed no deeper in the pots than they were 
in those they previously occupied. After being potted, place them 
in an open airy part of the garden, and form an arch of hoops over 
them to preserve them from cold winds, dashing rains, and frosty 
nights. But when the weather is fine, they must be constantly expo¬ 
sed. Water them regularly, in this situation, with soft water, from 
a tine rose watering-pot. When the flower-stems are grown eight or 
ten inches high, tie them to neat sticks, for being very brittle, they 
are liable to be broken by the wind. When the stems are about six¬ 
teen or eighteen inches high, remove the pots to the situation where 
they are intended to flower. The stage on which they are placed for 
flowering should be composed of boards, raised about a foot from the 
ground, broad enough to hold either a single or double row of pots, 
according to the option of the cultivator; over this stage an awning 
must he raised, so that in case of rain the plants may he protected, 
or the colours will run and the beauty of the flowers be spoiled. 
When the buds are all formed, thin out all the small ones, never 
leaving more than ten, nor less than four to flower; and let these be 
the finest and most promising buds. To prevent the buds bursting on 
one side, which is apt to be the case with many sorts, by which means 
the compact and graceful form of the flower is destroyed, tie a little 
bit of thread round the middle of the calyx, or a small narrow slip of 
bladder which may be long enough to lap over and be fastened with 
a little gum-water; also, with a sharp penknife, in some cas£s, cut the 
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