.THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY 
it with cold water. Rain water is not only best, but it is 
improved when it stands in a tub or cistern open to the sun 
and air. What is likely to please the washerwoman is also 
likely to please the plants. Rain water kept in large tanks 
below ground is frequently rendered as cold and also as hard 
as spring water, as it absorbs magnesia or lime, <fcc., from 
the materials of which the wells are composed. Hard 
waters are to be avoided, partly because they are so cold when 
brought from great depths, and because containing sulphate 
of magnesia or sulphate of lime, the presence of which is 
easily known by soap becoming curdled in such waters from 
the lime uniting with the tallow, while the alkali and the 
sulphuric acid unite together. Such hard water is as unwel¬ 
come to cooks and washerwomen as to gardeners. It is 
I much improved, when it is necessary to use it, by exposure 
to the sun beforehand, and by adding to it some hours pre¬ 
viously a little of-the carbonate of soda or the carbonate of 
potash. By such means the carbonate of lime or chalk is 
precipitated, and the water is rendered soft and pleasant. 
Those who love their plants, and must take hard water from 
a well, will never grudge this little attention. 
Manure Waterings. — As plants in windows must in 
general be small the waterings must chiefly consist of 
pure water. Stronger liquids, containing some manurial 
matter in solution, if given, should be imparted after the 
flower-buds are swelling. This will give size and strength 
to the flowers, without greatly increasing the size of the 
foliage. Such solutions should be weak and clear. One 
ounce of guano, or two of superphosphate of lime, 'will be 
1 enough'for four gallons. If home-made manures or drain¬ 
ings from the dunghill are used, let them be well diluted. 
A top dressing of the pot with horse, cow, sheep, or deer- 
; dung, from one to two years old, will be equally useful in 
imparting extra strength when desirable. R. Fish. 
(To be continued.) 
—-* 
THE CARNATION AND PICOTEE. 
Supposing the amateur to be a new beginner be should 
\ immediately give bis orders to the grower, and desire the 
plants to be sent off carefully packed as soon as possible, 
j He should desire the plants to be healthy, and a good 
] dark green colour in the leaf, and well rooted, without 
i the least taint of mildew. Having sent off his order he 
! should look out for the soil to -pot them in as soon 
as they arrive. I hope he has had the foresight to 
have the different materials to form the compost by him 
for twelve months; if so, he may go to work with per- 
s feet confidence; but if circumstances have prevented this 
desirable precaution, then he must try to get a few bar- 
I row-loads from a neighbour, and take care for the future, 
i Many theoretical writers assert that the (as they call it) 
j heterogeneous mixture called compost is all fudge ; but 
| let such carpet gardeners try to grow these delicate 
florists’ flowers in what they please to denominate good 
garden mould, and I am pretty certain they will obtain 
no flowers worthy to contend for the lowest prizes. If 
j any soil would do florists for ages have been great fools 
to spend so much care and time in obtaining, what long 
j experience has taught them, the proper composts for the 
various kinds of flowers they produce in such high per- 
: fection. 
The best materials to form a good compost for the Car¬ 
nation and its closely-allied compeer, the Picotee—for 
! the same compost answers well for both—consists in 
1 three parts loam obtained from a dry, upland pasture, 
j the turf cut not more than four inches thick and laid up 
for twelve months, turned over six or seven times during 
that period, and at every turning a strict look-out kept 
for the grand enemy of the Carnation, the wire-worm. 
Every one when found should be effectually killed. The 
most certain method is to have a pot without a hole at 
the bottom to put them in, and when the heap is all 
turned over to pour boiling water over them. Add one 
part of well-decomposed cowdung, or, if that cannot be 
had, hotbed dung equally well rotted will do. Also, one 
GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, April 14, 1857. 19 
part of decayed leaf mould a year old; a small quantity 
of river sand will also be useful. It will be of advantage 
to mix these three materials together two or three 
months before the potting time, though this is not in¬ 
dispensable. If they are all in good condition and 
tolerably dry (which they must be), they may be mixed 
at the time they are wanted. Place as much of the 
•j 
compost as may be judged needful under a dry shed, to 
become moderately dry. 
The compost being ready, prepare the pots. They 
should be ten or eleven inches in diameter. These 
plants are generally sold in pairs, and have been kept 
through the winter in five-inch pots. If new pots are 
used they should either be exposed to the rain or be 
soaked a few hours in water. If old ones are used 
they must be washed and scrubbed quite clean, and 
allowed to become dry. Procure, also, a quantity of 
drainage. A large oyster shell laid over the hole at 
the bottom of the pot, and upon that two inches of 
broken potsherds, will form a good drain for the super¬ 
fluous water. To prevent it choking up, lay upon it an 
inch of the most turfy part of the compost. It is not 
advisable to sift the compost, because, if made too fine, 
it is apt to run together, and prevent the free running of 
the rcrots. All this being done, and the plants at hand, 
turn one pair out of the pot; pick out the old drainage, 
and, having placed sufficient compost in the pot to bring 
the ball within half an inch of the rim, place the ball in 
the pot, and work in around it the compost so as just to 
cover the old soil. Then shake it gently down by giving 
the pot two or three smart blows on the potting bench; 
then level the compost with the hand, and that is 
finished. So proceed with the rest till all are potted. 
When that is done place them in their blooming quar¬ 
ters. The surface should be formed or covered with a 
good thickness of sharp coal ashes, to prevent the worms 
from ascending into the pots. If the weather should be 
dry give a sufficient quantity of water to thoroughly wet 
the entire mass of soil, and no more; for at this season 
of the year showers of rain are pretty frequent. 
Some do not place the sticks to their Carnations until 
they begin to spindle ; but I would recommend them to 
be thrust into the pots immediately; they are then less 
liable to injure the roots. As soon as the flower- 
stems begin to rise commence tying, but tie very 
loosely, or, as the shoots ascend, the leaves will catch 
the string, and cause the stem to become knee-jointed, 
which, if not relieved, will certainly break at that joint; 
therefore constant attention should be given to the ties 
to prevent so serious a misfortune. The insects likely 
to prey upon these plants during this period (spring) 
are the garden slug, the wire-worm, and the green fly. 
Prevention is better than cure for the first, and that pre¬ 
vention is rendered complete if the pots are isolated in 
the midst of a rim of water. This is accomplished by 
having a vessel made either of lead, zinc, or earthen¬ 
ware, with a rim in the centre, that centre being wide 
enough to allow the pot to go through to the ashes on 
which it is placed. Any intelligent artificer or potter 
could easily make such a vessel. They are used also to 
surround young Dahlia plants. All that is required is 
attention to keep the hollow of the two circumferences 
filled with water. 
The wire-worm is a more difficult fellow to contend 
with. I have already directed them to be diligently 
sought for in the compost before using it; but some in 
the young state may escape the most prying eye. Should 
their ravages be discovered, then procure some slices 
of turnips or carrots, and sink them in the soil as 
near to the plants as possible without injuring the 
roots. Examine the slices frequently, pick out the 
worm, and effectually destroy it. 
The green fly may be destroyed by inverting any close 
vessel over the plants, and with a common pipe fill 
