THE GARDENING WORLD. 
February 16, 1907. 
118 
(Tarnations, 
WORK FOR FEBRUARY. 
62 
iP 5 
Border Carnations. 
In gardens where the soil is. of a cold, 
wet, or clayey character, or situated 
within range of smoky towns, the young 
layers of Carnations are potted up m 
autumn and wintered in cold frames. n 
the southern and more favoured parts 01 
England preparations may now be made 
for planting out these Carnations m their 
flowering quarters. In the more northern 
parts of England and in Scotland a month 
later for this operation will be suitable. 
The beds or borders should have been 
trenched or dug and manured, or other¬ 
wise enriched in the autumn s,o that tfle 
preparation now may be limited to level¬ 
ling the ground and treading it previous 
to planting. It is necessary to select a 
time when the soil is workable withou 
puddling. As planting goes on the soil 
around each plant should be made per 
fectly firm. Plantations that were made 
in the autumn will now require inspec¬ 
tion, and plants that have been raised by 
the frost may be pushed home again with 
the fingers. Some of the plants may 
have died or have been destroyed by the 
grub, and their places should be filled up 
with 'plants from the reserve in pots. 
Show Carnations and Picotees. 
With the lengthening day show Carna¬ 
tions and Picotees in pots will now be 
making a little growth, but particularly 
those which are grown in properly con¬ 
structed Carnation houses. The low 
temperature since Christmas has been 
holding them more or less in check in 
frames, but the time will soon arrive for 
repotting the plants, that is, giving them 
their last shift. 
A suitable compost was mentioned in 
my instructions for January, p. 56. If 
this is in readiness a sufficient number 
of pots of the required size should be 
cleaned and otherwise got ready for the 
work. These may vary from 6 in. to 
8 in. or q in. in diameter, according to 
the size of the plants. The latter vary 
greatlv in strength and even in ultimate 
growth, but two or three can be put to¬ 
gether so as to properly fill the pot. 
Plants in frames require inspection for 
watering, even if verv little growth has 
been made. East wind's have the effect 
of drying up the soil, and the roots would 
suffer if kept long in this condition. Ven¬ 
tilation should be freely given on all occa¬ 
sions, but to guard against cutting east 
winds the sashes of the frames should be 
tilted up on the side opposite to that from 
which the wind comes. Although per- 
fectlv hardy cold east winds would have 
a damaging effect upon plants that have 
been under glass for some months past. 
Tree Carnations. 
Cuttings will now root more readily 
than in December or January. See that 
they are not infested with green fly. or 
red spider, or have them dipped in a solu¬ 
tion of gishurst compound or soft soap. 
Leave the cuttings on the bench for a 
short time, and then wash them in clean 
water previous to inserting them in pots 
of sandy soil. Make the sand quite firm, 
and water afterwards with the rose to settle 
the soil. Carnation cuttings always root 
best if cared for from the first so that 
the leaves never flag. Short side shoots 
taken from the flowering stem are best, 
provided they are getting firm at the .base. 
Pot off the earlier batches as soon as they 
are rooted, as this allows them to make 
progress without getting pot bound. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
For a display in the open air about the 
end of July or beginning of August seeds 
should be sown at once in any light soil 
and placed in a house with a temperature 
of 60 degrees by night. A bed of fer¬ 
menting manure might be employed, but 
at this early period of the year, owing to 
the moisture from the manure, the seed¬ 
lings are very liable to damp off than 
later on, when the outside temperature 
gets higher and the sun warmer. As soon 
as the seedlings make their appearance 
they should be removed from any case 
or propagating bed and placed on shelves 
near the glass in the same house. When 
a pair of leaves have been made the seed¬ 
lings may be transferred to bo'xes, and 
afterwards potted off singly when the 
plants are 2 in. or 3 in. high. 
American Carnations. 
With the lengthening days the plants 
will show returning vigour, and the later 
batches especially will give a finer displa; 
of flowers than in the previous tv- 
months. A temperature of 50 degrees i 
sufficient for most of them, and in th 
case of the newer and more highly im 
proved forms the flowers will open freel 
with a little assistance, perhaps, in som 
cases where the calyx is inclined to spli 
irregularly. Pot off rooted cuttings am 
take more to give a succession. Even i; 
the case of perpetual bloomers the plant 
make the best display as they first read 
the flowering stage. By this means th 
display can be lengthened. 
J. D. F. W. 
-4~M>- 
Carnation 
. . . FLAMINGO. 
The flowers of this American variety 
when well grown, are 3in. in diameter am 
carried on stems 2 j 4 ft- in length. Th 
colour is a brilliant dark scarlet, and th 
flowers are fragrant. 
The accompanying illustration show 
a number of blooms, which have been se 
up in the style often pursued in this coun 
trv. and which is calculated to give deco 
rative effect. In America the flowers ar 
also cut with long stems, but purpose! 
set up for exhibition, so that they wil 
form a large bunch or bouquet. Caxna 
tions are calculated, however, to giv 
quite a different effect when the stem 
are so placed with the flowers droopin; 
or hanging downwards for a greater 0 
less length. It all depends upon the tast 
of the decorator as to the effect that wil 
be produced when the flowers are ar 
ranged in this fashion. 
No doubt, there are situations and con 
ditions in designs where the flowers ar 
Carnation Flamingo. Maclaren and Son 
