260 
CULTURE OF THE CARNATION. 
calyx equally on every side, but this last system is apt to give a 
looseness to the flower, which partially destroys its beauty. When 
the flowers begin to open, they must be sheltered from the sun by 
means of strong paper covers; these must be about twelve inches 
diameter, painted white or green, and formed like an umbrella, to 
throw off the rain; each should have a square tin tube at the top that 
would allow the stick to which the stem is tied to pass through, as 
far as is necessary. This tube should be about two inches long, and 
have a small hole bored through one of its sides, that it may be fixed 
by a nail to any part of the stick required. When, however, a great 
many flowers advance into bloom, it is better to cover them with an 
awning. 
In the beginning of August, they will be in full flower; when they 
begin to expand, a collar must be placed round the bottom of the 
flower to support it. “ These collars are made of white card paper, 
in the form of a circle, of three or four inches in diameter, with a 
hole in the centre, just large enough to admit the calyx, or pod, with¬ 
out much compressing it, and with a cut extending from the centre 
to the outside or circumference, like the radius of a circle: on these 
the petals are finely disposed, and the beauty of the carnation dis¬ 
played to great advantage.” In the month of June, give the plants 
a top-dressing of leaf-mould and sheep-dung, which will give them a 
very healthy appearance, and enable them to grow much stronger, 
and give a greater richness and brilliancy of colour to the flowers. 
Carnations are very apt to die off when they are just ready to 
flower; this is partly occasioned by growing them too strong during 
the winter season: for when the soil is very rich in which they are 
grown during winter, they make a very large quantity of roots, become 
strong, and throw up flowering stems. These luxuriant stems being 
pithy, the sap cannot properly circulate; this causes the plants to 
appear sickly, wearing a whitish hue, and when nearly coming into 
bloom they usually die, as though for want of water, which sometimes 
is injudiciously administered as a remedy. If the flowers are grown 
for competition, this sudden loss cannot altogether be avoided, for 
the rich soil gives a far greater brilliancy of colour: yet some usually 
run and become almost one colour, and others die. The best way is, 
therefore, to pot or plant some in rather poorer soil, which will flou¬ 
rish, and serve to perpetuate the sorts and the others will show the 
brilliancy of the flowers. The high-coloured varieties being most 
subject to run in the colours, none of them should ever be potted in 
too rich a soil. When it is thought well to plant them out in a bed 
instead of pots, make the soil moderately rich, and trample it rather 
