332 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
May 16, 1908. 
growing shoots occasionally for green fly 
which get more troublesome in May. In 
order to dislodge them syringe with “XL- 
All” liquid or dust the growing buds with 
tobacco. The plants may be washed 
clean on the following morning. 
Tree Carnations. 
The earlier rooted batches may now be 
transferred to cold frames, where they 
will make more sturdy and satisfactory 
growth than in a warm house. The young 
plants should be freely exposed to light 
and plenty of ventilation given them in 
the early morning of bright days. To¬ 
wards the end of the month, if the weather 
is fairly settled, the sashes may be left 
off at night, as the night dews prove ad¬ 
vantageous to the plants. As to the exact 
time when the re-potting or shifting on of 
the plants is necessary, it can best be 
determined by the appearance of the 
plants and by the state of the roots. When 
the latter are getting well round the sides 
of the pots it will be safe to give them a 
shift. Young plants should never be al¬ 
lowed to become pot-bound, as it checks 
growth. 
Malmaison Carnations. 
The present is the most important 
month for this class of plants, as the main 
batches will now be approaching the 
flowering condition. The large buds and 
short calyx of this class require much 
, attention to prevent them from bursting 
irregularly and spoiling the flowers. 
Where a large quantity is grown it is 
worth while getting the specially prepared 
india-rubber rings for fixing up the calyx. 
They can readily be adjusted, and save a 
lot of time in tying the buds with raffia. 
Nevertheless, the latter is a good stand¬ 
by when time can be spared. The night 
temperature of the house may be main¬ 
tained at 50 degs., which will be sufficient. 
Air freely during the day. In the case 
of rare varieties it may be as well to re¬ 
member that shoots too high upon the 
stems for layering may be taken off and 
rooted as cuttings. If fairly firm, they 
may be pulled out at the joints, and re¬ 
quire no further preparation as a rule. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
In the case of batches intended for 
planting out towards the end of this 
month, plenty of ventilation will be neces¬ 
sary night and day. Indeed, the sashes 
may be left off at night unless the weather 
is unfavourable. This applies to plants 
raised from seed in February and early 
in March, and which should now be nice 
stocky plants. 
American Carnations. 
The most important work in this de¬ 
partment during May is the shifting on of 
the various batches of plants raised from 
cuttings. At one time it was considered 
early enough to take cuttings in January, 
but several cultivators can get the plants 
more advanced by having them rooted 
some time in autumn or early winter. 
Such plants should be ready for a shift 
into 48 size pots if they have been grown 
steadily during the winter and spring. 
These early batches can all be transferred 
to cold frames with advantage. Growth 
that is unduly elongated is ho advantage, 
and Carnations to be sturdy and short 
jointed should have an abundance of air 
As the sun gets strong the remainder 0 
this class of plants still flowering will b 
the better for shading, to make the flower 
more durable and retain their colour bet 
ter. The shade need not be heavy, bu 
plenty of ventilation should be given dur 
ing the day. Keep a sharp outlook fo 
green fly, which increases at an alarmin 
rate at this season of the year. If allowe 
to secure a footing, they seriously crippl 
the young growths. 
J. D. F. W. 
-♦♦♦- 
- Protecting Seeds. - 
Birds have a great liking for vegetab 
seeds and seedlings of almost even' kin 
and various means and contrivances ft 
affording protection against the depred 
tions of these feathered foes should 1 
prepared in readiness so that they can 1 
fixed over the seeds immediately the 
are sown or up. 
Several simple and efficient contrivanc 
for the purpose in question are illustrate 
herewith, Fig. 1 showing how a row 
Peas or other seeds can be protected wi 
black thread or garden cotton. A nui 
ber of wooden barrel hoops or hazel Stic 
that will bend should be obtained and c 
to the required length and be pointed 
the ends. Insert the hoops in the grou: 
along the row of seeds at intervals 
about five feet, fasten several threads 1 
one of the end hoops and stretch P 
threads from hoop to hoop and make :• 
cure. The open ends of the row should : 
made up by placing a piece of boal 
against the hoops. 
Tanned garden or fish netting is <- 
cellent for protecting seeds, and whem 
quantity of this is available, lengths m.' 
be substituted for the threads shown 1 
Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows a good method f 
fixing netting over a row of Peas, wcl 
barrel ends being split to the requiil 
size and two pointed pieces of lath nai l 
to each to form supports, which are fnd 
along the row at intervals, as before. Ie 
netting is secured to nails driven in roil 
the top of each support, the heads of e 
nails being left standing up about a qu - 
ter of an inch. 
Fig. 3 shows another form of supp't 
for either threads or netting, these beg 
suitable for both rows and beds of sees, 
as the piece of board can be made . v 
length desired. Two pieces of stout lb 
nailed together in the form of a T,is 
Fig. 4, also make a simple support >r 
threads stretched over a row of seeds. 
Roughly-made wooden frames constic- 
ted similar to Fig. 5 and covered vh 
wire or garden netting are very useful or 
protecting beds of seeds, and when oj 
being used for this purpose can be pla.'d 
against a wall and employed as traiirs 
for climbing plants, whilst during ie 
winter they are excellent for placing 
beds of tender seedlings, as when covei'd 
with litter they afford all necessary ]°- 
tection from frost and cold. Fig. 6 il ■>' 
trates one of the best ways of protect g 
a bed of seeds with threads, which shew 
be fixed an inch or so from the grow 
and be stretched in all directions, wf 
the addition of a Potato scare is an d- 
vantage. ORTt- 
Methods of protecting seeds from birds. 
