762 
THE GARDENING WORLD, 
September 24, j.904. 
carrying a- heavy creq) of good, useful bundle®, 'suitably in suc¬ 
cession for table use. Two PeaciL houses in this- range are also 
looking well; one replanted three years ago is looking exceed¬ 
ingly healthy, and carrying a, heavy crop of good fruits. Two 
stoves are tilled with useful house and table plants, while 
the Melons enjoy a. house to themselves. The central green¬ 
house, termed " The Crystal Palace,’ from being built in the 
same year as that edifice, connects the front and back ranges, 
and is looking quite gay with Pelargoniums, Hydrangeas, Be¬ 
gonias, Arums, and the usual seasonable flowering plants. 
In the back range, which consists chiefly of pits and low 
houses 1 , we noticed a houseful of Carnations in a clean and 
healthy condition. The same might be said of a house of 
Tomato®, Sutton’s Earliest of All, Perfection, and Stirling 
Castle being the varieties! grown. Rose houses', Peach houses, 
and a Fig house we had a hurried: run through, but had time 
to spare for the orchard house, which is chiefly filled with 
Pears (in; pots). The varieties! Mr. McKiddiei pins his faith to 
are: Souvenir du Congreis, Bourne Biel, Doyenne du Cornice, 
Louise Bonne of Jersey, Marie Louise, Conference, Pitnraston 
Duchess. Others are represented, but these never fail to set. 
In- passing to the Chrysanthemum ground, we- noticed a 
number of well-filled pits and frames which will yet diffuse 
their brightness in higher quarters. Chrysanthemums are 
chiefly grown for cut-flower purposes, and consequently only 
about 100 out of 500 are grown as large blooms. A bothy is 
in course of erection for the.young men, where everything will 
be in an advanced style. Every man will have a room to sleep 
in. and with a general sitting-room and every other conveni¬ 
ence, and a woman to cook and char,- they ought to be com¬ 
fortable. 
The estate library and reading room provided land upheld 
by his Lordship is open to them. In summer, through the 
same thoughtful beneficence, they can have recreation in the 
cricket-field in the evenings, and Saturday afternoon. His 
Lordship and Lady Kinnaird take an appreciable interest in 
their garden, and are always delighted to do what they cam 
to encourage horticulture or give a helping hand to anything 
that has a tendency to raise the moral standard of the masses 
and their employees. In this they are heartily assisted by 
their capable bead gardener, Mr. MoKiddie, who has proved 
to us an entertaining, intelligent, and painstaking guide. 
tt r/ 
Tree Carnations. 
Undoubtedly this section of Carnations is one of the finest- 
for the production, of cut flowers during the autumn, winter, 
and spring months. The demand for 1 these beautiful flowers 
is steadily increasing, and where cut flowers are in request 
they are indispensable: They may be had in, flower ten. months 
out' of the twelve, and I think may easily bei termed the 
flower of fashion, fo-r Carnations; seem to be a great feature 
on every well-kept establishment. 
If cuttings can be procured in November and December, 
them is the best time for insertion, but if they are weak at that 
season, it is much better to wait until January or February, 
but not later than the latter month, for winter flowering. Take 
care not to- select cuttings which are running to flower, a® the 
stems of such are generally pithy and would not- strike so freely 
or make such good plants. Select cuttings; with the shortest 
joints possible, making them about 3 in. in length, splitting 
the base of each cutting, and before- drawing the blade of the 
knife out dip the end of the cutting in, sand so as, to keep the 
cut -open. Insert four or five cuttings round a, 3-in. pot, four 
for preference, as when they are- rooted and ready for potting 
off, the h-a-ll of soil can, be more easily broken into quarters, 
which saves breaking the roots-. 
Tire soil should be of a very sandy nature, and a, little sand 
should be put on the top of each pot, so as it may trickle into 
the hole when the cuttings are being put- in. 
The pot,s should be plunged in. the propagating pit having 
a. bottom, temperature -of about 70 deig. Keep- the pit close for 
about five or six days, when the lights should be tilted so as 
to dry the atmosphere; if kept too close they have a tendency 
to damp. 
A good watering should be given at the time of plunging, 
and they should be kept sprayed over twice a day if necessary. 
As soon, as they are rooted they should be taken out of the 
pit and placed on a shelf as near the glass as possible, to harden 
previous to potting. A suitable compost consists of two-thirds 
good loam and one-third leaf-soil and wood ashes, with a good 
dash of soot, and enough sand-to keep the compost open. They 
should be po-tted moderately firm into 3-in pots, and stood on 
a shelf near the glass in a, tempera,tore of from 60 deg. to 
65 deg., and kept sprayed over twice or three times' a day. 
Shading will also be necessary if the s.un appeal’s, very strong. 
When they have become established, air should be admitted, 
so a® to< encourage a strong, healthy growth. When they have 
grown, to the height of -about 6 in. or 8 in-., the points should 
be taken, out- s-o as to make them break. Great care should be 
exercised- in watering them, as it all depends on the first break 
what sort- -of a plant one will get later on in the season. 
When they have got well into growth -again- and the breaks 
about an inch or more in length more air should be given, so- 
as to harden them, but at no- time should they be subject to 
sudden changes which would give them a check. 
The nelxt shift should be into' the flowering pots', which 
should be 6 in. or 7 in., according to the size of the plant-: 
these ■should bo clean, and the crocking of such should bo 
peffleiot, as nothing is more detrimental to- Carnations! than 
water standing about them. 
The compost -should be as before advised, with the addition, 
of a little bone- meal, at- the rate of about a 6-in-, potful to' a 
barrow-load of soil. Pot firmly so as to encourage a sturdy, 
-short-jointed! growth. 
These -should be put back into a- temperature' of abo-u-t 60 
deig. and kept close for a few days, using the syringe freely 
amongst them, always bearing in mind that it- must b-e done 
early enough in the afternoon, so as to enable them to become 
dry before night-. 
When they have again, become established, air should be 
admitted to the fullest extent on all favourable occasions, in¬ 
creasing -it daily. 
About the end of May they should be transferred to cold 
frames:, the lights of which should be taken off during the day 
and put on again, last- thing at- night for fear of rain, leaving 
plenty of -air on. 
Keep a sharp- look-out for worms, as they play havoc with 
the roots when they get- into the po-t-s. A good remedy for 
keeping them down is to dust the ashes 1 on. which the pots 
stand with antipest. 
By the middle of Juno the plants may require pinching 
again ; if this be so, it -should be done- without dela-y. It is not 
advisable to pinch after June if blooms- are required by Christ¬ 
mas!. 
As- soon as the pots' are nearly tilled with roots, they should 
be afforded a little feed; about- twice a week in the form of 
liquid manure and clear soot-water alternately. I would not 
advise the use of artificials until they are-housed, when I think 
Clay’s fertiliser will be found to suit- them, using blood manure 
when a- change is required. 
The grower should use his own discretion regarding housing, 
always bearing in mind that the earlier the plants are housed, 
the earlier they will be in flowering. 
Disbudding will also be- necessary if large blooms are re 
quired. Some varieties are better adapted for winter flower¬ 
ing than others. The names- of a few may not be out of place 
here 1 : Winter Cheer, Countess of Warwick, and Mrs. Leo. de- 
Rothschild. Then, again, we have the American: tree Carna¬ 
tions. These mint- not be overlooked, for among them we 
have some of the finest varieties in cultivation. One great 
advantage they have over the English varieties is their long 
and stiff stems, a thing most essential for cut-flower decoration. 
There are- many varieties now on the market; my own choice 
amongst them is : Mrs. T. W. Lawson, Enchantress, Marquis, 
Lilian Pond, and Hany Fenn. H. H. 
