E 
ora. 
I fenfiinet tm3 Pictorial Home llomjianion. 
Have grown it the past two years, and judges pro¬ 
nounce it one of the most handsome Pinks. It is of 
HOW TO GROW CARNATIONS. 
N point of value as winter-flowering plants the 
Carnation excels all others, so far as my experience 
goes, for utility and profit, the floret being of such a 
nature as to be capable of being shipped long dis¬ 
tances ; also its odor and color are so desirable to the 
bouquet maker, being rated with first-class flowers; 
these, together with their productiveness of bloom, 
hardihood, and ready demand, make them one of our 
very best commercial winter-flowering plants. Their 
cultivation is very simple. They are easily rooted 
from cuttings from the small side-shoots (when only 
about two inches in length) any time from October 
to April. As the plant is almost hardy, it may be 
planted out in the open ground any time in April or 
May; for if it has been properly hardened off pre¬ 
vious to setting out it will stand a smart freeze un¬ 
injured. 
I plant them in beds of four rows each, one foot 
apart, and tho same distance between the plants, 
with two-foot alleys between the beds, where they 
remain with frequent mellowings of the soil through¬ 
out the season, keeping them entirely free from weeds 
until October, when they are removed into a light, 
sunny greenhouse, where they are bedded upon the 
benches in six inches of rich soil, and ten inches 
each way between the plants; they are then 
thoroughly watered, and the house shaded by a 
coat of whitewash upon the roof, which is allowed to 
remain about a month, when it should be removed. 
They should be kept at a temperature of from fifty 
to sixty degrees at night, and from fifteen to twenty 
degrees warmer by day, with plenty of air, 
and watered only when the ground begins 
to show signs of dryness, as they will not 
bear too much water, and are very impa¬ 
tient of a wet, sodden soil, in which even 
large plants will damp off. 
The ground in which the young plants are 
set in the spring should bo entirely free from standing 
water, and of rather a loamy, upland nature. All 
through the summer they will push up flower-stalks, 
which must be broken off within some five inches of 
the ground, which gives them a bushy and strong con¬ 
stitution, the more capable to stand the exhaustion of 
their winter blooming.' This trimming process is of 
New Perpetual-Blooming Carnation “Lord Clyde.” 
robust, always healthy growth, bearing flowers from 
two and one-half to three inches in diameter ; clove 
fragrance; intensely double ; of a rich, rosy orange 
the highest importance, and must be continued at 
intervals of every three or four weeks until the 1st 
or 15th of September. 
Observation and experience have led me to believe 
that much of the cause of failure to bloom the Car¬ 
nation properly in winter is the want of sufficient 
light and a moderately moist atmosphere, at the 
same time keeping the soil moderately dry. When 
necessarily exposed to a dry atmosphere its injury 
can bo somewhat obviated by keeping the soil quite 
wet. I always stake up my Carnation plants that 
are blooming in winter. 
Among the best new varieties which I have grown 
are the following: 
Lydia .—This is a well-established standard fancy 
Carnation, and no collection is complete without it. 
color, blotched and flecked with carmine. 
The cut is 
an exact representation of this lovely Carnation. 
Lord Clyde .—This beautiful Pink, which I offer¬ 
ed for the first time last season, has proved to be one 
of the most valuable winter bloomers. It is of re¬ 
markably robust growth, like its parent the JUdward- 
sii, but of a more dwarf, low-flowering habit ; florets 
quite double, never bursting, with a strong clove fra- 
! grance ; heavily notched or laced. The groundwork 
of the flower is white, thickly striped with carmine 
and a frequent blotch of maroon; very floriferous 
each stem bearing from six to eight florets. (See cut.) 
Chas. F. Stark. 
Avondale, Pa. 
HINTS ON BOUQUET-MAKING. 
Perpetual-Blooming Carnation “ Lydia.” 
Now a few words in regard to making bouquets, for 
of course every one who has a garden will desire to 
cut the flowers for home decoration. 
The arrangement of flowers is an art, as every one 
must acknowledge who has seen the crushed, crowd¬ 
ed masses sometimes called bouquets. 
The essentials are plenty of white flowers and 
green leaves ; it is well to cultivate flowers specially 
for this purpose. The double white Feverfew is one 
of the best for bouquet-making; also white Drum¬ 
mond Phlox, double white Balsam, and white Dian- 
tlius are very good. Now for green. Asparagus is 
best, I think. I grow a few roots specially for their 
foliage. Bose Geranium leaves are very good, while 
for large baskets and bouquets the plumy tops of 
carrots are fine. 
Now w r e want something to give grace and light¬ 
ness to our bouquets, and Gypsophila Paniculata is 
just the thing ; it cannot be surpassed. 
A spray of Cypress Vine, or Mountain 
Fringe, to twine and droop is an addition. 
Having arranged green leaves and white 
flowers very loosely, fill in with others; but 
discretion must be used, as sometimes a single 
flower will spoil the whole effect. Here each 
one must use her own taste and judgment, 
and learn by experience which colors har¬ 
monize best. Be careful and avoid crowd 
ing, using as few colors and flowers as possi¬ 
ble, with plenty of green and w hite. 
I once saw a lovely bouquet; it was in a 
black lava vase, and consisted of a half- 
opened blush rose, and a bud with a few of 
its own green leaves; that was all, anything 
more would have spoiled it. 
Another pretty combination was a bunch 
of Mignonette and Sweet Pea blossoms, sur¬ 
rounded by Gypsophila. A cluster of Tro- 
pseolums of different colors, together with their own 
leaves, was another pretty bouquet. 
The tasteful combinations of flowers are almost 
infinite, and with a little practice any one can be¬ 
come quite skilful in making floral ornaments. 
In conclusion, I would say it is only necessary to 
have a love for flowers and gardening, and, though 
you may sometimes fail, in the end you will be sure 
to succeed, and feel amply repaid for your labor. 
Lora Lee. 
Forge Village, Mass, 
vl 
