662 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 17, 1908. 
Border Carnations. 
Those who intend planting out the 
rooted layers of Carnations should have 
this completed without delay if not al¬ 
ready done. The ground should be quite 
firm, because Carnations stand much 
better in firm ground, as it holds less 
water than recently dug and loose soil. 
Pot up a reserve of plants to fill up any 
possible blanks which may occur during 
the winter from one cause or another. 
Near smoky towns and where the soil is 
heavy the cultivator usually prefers to 
keep the whole stock of plants in cold 
frames for the winter. When newly pot¬ 
ted up the frames may be kept close for 
a week, after which plenty of air may be 
given night and day. Indeed, during the 
present mild weather, these sashes should 
be left off altogether, unless there be 
heavy rain. 
Show Carnations and Picotees. 
In most cases where the grower is in 
any way enthusiastic, he will by this time 
have potted off the layers that were put 
down in pots. Usually these are much 
in advance of plants grown in the open 
air, so that there is no excuse for keeping 
the layers on the plants after this date. 
Indeed, the point is to get the plants well 
established in pots before the approach 
of winter and the short, dark days. 1 he 
pots, of course, ought to be sheltered in 
a cold frame, unless the grower has a 
special house at his command for them. 
The cooler the plants are kept the better 
during winter. The exhibitor is much 
on a par with those who merely grow 
border Carnations in winter, and the 
plants, in all cases, should be treated 
alike when in the small pots. The pres¬ 
ent is the best time to order new varieties 
and also to make good any losses of de¬ 
sirable varieties in a collection. At this 
season of the year the nurseryman is most 
likely to have scarce and choice varieties 
to dispose of, whereas they would, prob¬ 
ably, all be gone before spring. 
Tree Carnations. 
Early varieties which have commenced 
flowering should be kept in a temperature 
of 50 degs. to 55 degs. Not all of them 
require the higher temperature, but there 
is a slight variation in their likings in 
that respect and those which have diffi¬ 
culty in opening their flowers may be put 
in the warmer end of the house. Light, 
ventilation and cleanliness are the chief 
points to be remembered with this class 
of Carnation during winter. They should 
be as close to the glass as possible, as 
light is one of the most important factors 
in their cultivation, and our skies are 
liable to be deficient of that necessary 
during the winter. 
desirable to keep them as cool as possible 
and on the dry side to help ward off the 
danger of attack from fungi during the 
dull and moist weather of winter. The 
floor of the house, as well as the soil in 
the pots, should be kept dry as possible, 
consistent with the life of the plants. The 
temperature may be allowed to drop to 
40 degs. or 45 degs. by night. The plants 
will take no harm so long as the other 
requirements are attended to. Keep 
them clear of insects, as they are a fer¬ 
tile source of infection when allowed to 
establish themselves and puncture the 
young leaves. Indeed, this class, as well 
as all the other Carnations, should be 
fumigated or dipped into tobacco water 
if there is^the least sign of green fly or 
thrips upon them. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
The numerous bright colours, the frag¬ 
rance of the flowers, and their easy man¬ 
agement still find admirers and cultiva¬ 
tors of this class. Where a batch is 
grown for late work they should be 
staked, tied and housed in a frame or 
pit till required to bloom under glass. 
They come in very conveniently during 
November, when flowers, other than 
Chrysanthemums, are getting scarce. In¬ 
deed, they may be put in their flowering 
quarters at once if the space is available. 
The plants may also be fumigated while 
the flowers are still in bud to clear them 
of insect pests. 
American Carnations. 
The early varieties will now be making 
a display if the cultivator has grown his 
plants with that object in view. They 
should be placed in the best lighted house 
available and treated much in the same 
way as Tree Carnations. When the 
weather gets cool less water will suffice 
and the plants will benefit. If the tem¬ 
perature is likely to fall below 45 degs. 
fire heat may be employed, but other¬ 
wise it is undesirable. As the tempera¬ 
ture outside gets low and the atmosphere 
surcharged with moisture and the plants 
are coming into bloom it would be ad¬ 
visable to maintain a temperature of 48 
degs. to 50 degs. by night, with a few 
degrees more by day. Some varieties 
like a rather higher temperature than this 
to make them open freely and the culti¬ 
vator may find it convenient to put those 
varieties in another house or compartment 
where a temperature of 54 degs. can be 
maintained by night. This should meet 
the requirements of most of the American 
Carnations. In the case of all other 
varieties, whether resting or preparing to 
bloom, insect pests should be kept thor¬ 
oughly in check. J. <D. F. W. 
- +++ - 
Malmaison Carnations. 
It is not even desirable to make these 
plants grow at this season of the year. 
Their thick and fleshy leaves make it 
The flowers of the Gladwyn Iris or 
Roast Beef Iris are not much to look at, 
but the orange seeds of the open capsule 
are handsome. 
Rose that Blushes in the Sun. 
According to the “Daily Express” a 
Japanese florist has succeeded in discover¬ 
ing a Rose whose colour is a delicate pin! 
when the plant is in the shade, but whicl 
becomes crimson when exposed to th« 
sun’s rays. 
Gooseberry Mildew. 
Kentish fruit-growers assert that th( 
inaction of the Board of Agriculture ha.- 
conduced largely to the present bad state 
of things, and the instance is given of ; 
grower in the Maidstone district who ha. 
been compelled to destroy as many a: 
45,000 mildewed bushes. The mildew 
will seriously affect the extent of nex 
year’s crop. 
-- 
HINTS ON BEAUTIFYING 
The Balcony. 
Everyone thinks that to keep the bal 
cony gay with evergreens and flowers is ; 
very simple matter. Far from bein: 
simple, it means a knowledge of plant 
far above the average. You cannot kee; 
a balcony nice by the unlimited purchas 
of pot plants, because half the plants sol* 
by florists are unsuitable for pot culture 
The difficulty of a balcony is to kee' 
the plants moist. When naturall 
planted in the earth, the roots are warr 
and dark, but in a pot the roots pres 
against the porous sides of the pot, an 
become chilled, and a chilled root cause 
the shoots to die and the buds to go blinc 
For this reason balcony plants should b 
inserted in a china or wooden outer case 
hence plants in window boxes do bette 
than in pots. 
Secondly, for pot work you need 
friable, rich soil, which does not dry int 
a hard sort of concrete. London plan' 
potted in the soil of the suburbs alway 
die, as the London clay dries at once an 
does not hold water. 
Florists’ plants have seldom prop*: 
drainage, and being roughly planted 01 
straight from the bed, have earth worn 
which make the leaves turn yellow an 
fall off. A London balcony has four se. 
sons. The summer, June to Septembe 
is the Geranium time, the brightest of a 
the year; then follows a short period < 
potted Asters and Chrysanthemums; the 
the Ivies and hardy shrubs alone remai: 
till the potted Daffodils come in wh 
March. 
It is a pity that some clever garden* 
does not set up in London to sell che; 
pots of well-known plants. All hare 
annuals or perennials can be made 
flower in pots, but who has ever boug 
Wallflowers, Sweet Williams, Primrose 1 
Aconites, or any such well-known garde 
favourites in pots ? 
London plants average is. each 
flower. If you want the sort of flowers 
name you can in spring time buy the 
from the street barrows, but in sprn 
time only. What is wanted is a peni 
plant depot, where from id. to 6 d. y<[ 
could get healthy plants. Perhaps son 
of your readers will take the hint, ar 
establish the trade, and also sell pots t 
balcony use with covers of plaited ro 
or warm canvas, or coarse clay. 
E. E. Cope. 
