2l8 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 30, 1907. 
Tree 
Carnations. 
Propagation 
and 
Culture. 
These charming flowers have a stately 
beauty of their own at any time, but in 
the winter, when flowers are scarce, the 
Carnation seems to acquire an additional 
charm and beauty. The popularity to 
which it has attained as a buttonhole 
flower, and indeed for all classes of floral 
work, makes it a profitable crop for any¬ 
one with a good heated greenhouse to 
grow. Having grown a quantity for seve¬ 
ral years and made good profit by them, 
a few hints may perhaps be helpful to 
those who think of going in for them. 
Cuttings are made of sideshoots in 
January and February, and inserted into 
5in. pots filled with a compost of nice 
sandy loam. Another way, and one in 
which I have been very successful, is to 
make enough pans up of silver sand, in 
place of soil. Crock the pans well, and 
then fill level with silver sand. Insert the 
cuttings several in a pan, according to the 
size of the pan. When the cuttings are 
all put in well water until the sand sets 
hard, and then place in a bottom heat of 
about 70 deg. I have always found strik¬ 
ing them in sand to be the best and 
quickest way. When rooted pot off singly 
into size 60 pots, and gradually harden 
off. When the pots axe getting full of 
roots pot into 48-size pots, this being the 
size I use for the majority of mine. Old 
plants that have done sendee in previous 
vears may be potted on into 32-size pots. 
The compost for this final shift should 
consist of good fibrous loam four parts, 
rotted manure one part, and leaf soil one 
part, with a fair sprinkling of sand. Pot 
firmly, and see that the crocks are laid 
so as to ensure good drainage, or there 
will be trouble. 
About the end of May go over all the 
plants and pinch the tops out, to ensure 
nice bushy plants, and as soon as any of 
the shoots appear to be coming into bloom 
pinch them out also. The plants may 
then be stood out in a nice open position 
on a bed of ashes. Keep them nicely 
tied to stakes and watch for green fly; a 
dusting of tobacco powder or a syringing 
several times a week will keep them off. 
About the end of September bring the 
plants indoors, but give as much air as 
possible till frosts set in. In winter the 
heat in my house is kept at about 60 deg. 
in the daytime, and 50 to 55 deg. at night. 
Keep a dryish atmosphere at all times, 
and ventilate whenever possible. An oc¬ 
casional fumigating will kill and prevent 
fly from gaining a footing. The chief 
things to remember in Carnation culture 
are cleanliness and plenty of fresh air. I 
am certain it would pay a good many 
amateurs to go in for this class of flower; 
they are as easy, if not easier, than 
'■’Mums ” to grow, and there is always a 
ready sale for them. The varieties I 
grow and find do well are : Enchantress, 
light pink; Mrs. T. W. Lawson, pink; 
H. Fenn, crimson; Gov. Roosevelt, 
crimson; Floriana, coral pink; Lady 
Bountiful, white; Eldorado, yellow; Lord 
Roberts, yellow, blooms well in the 
spring; Lilian Pond white; and Mdlle. 
Therese Franco, pink. 
“ Floriana.” 
- AA> - 
Scarlet Flowers and Drought.— 
The questions have been asked : Do scar¬ 
let flowers stand drought better than 
others, and if so, why? There are only 
two scarlet flowers native in England, the 
Poppy and the Scarlet Pimpernel, and 
both these flourish best on dry and sunny 
spots. Nearly all other scarlet flowers 
are imported, and, as there are but few 
countries as damp as our own, it follows 
that they will be better able to stand 
drought than those of native stock. The 
possession of scarlet flowers does not pro¬ 
tect a plant from drought, for there is a 
cultivated form of the common Avens with 
flowers of this colour, and it bears drought 
no better than the wild yellow kind. Scar¬ 
let seems the colour most conspicuous in 
bright sunshine, and scarlet flowers are 
commonest in dry and sunny climates, 
where their colour gives them an advan¬ 
tage in their struggle with other flowers 
for the attentions of butterflies and other . 
pollen-bearers. 
- G. W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
GENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
write on one side of tile paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way,! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent for competition. The conaitions 
applying to each,competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as. hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making *he award. Mark envelopes “ Com¬ 
petition,” and post not later than the Monday 
folic wing date of issue. Entries received later 
than Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
tLe following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
AAA 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best pnpers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to ; ‘\V. Cowley” for his article on 
“ Roses,” page 202. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize was 
awarded to “ J. R B ” for his article on “ Car¬ 
nation Sutton’s Vanguard” ; and another to 
"‘Albert A. Kerridge ” for his larticle on 
“ Tomatos,” page 204. 
Eupatorium =• 
- Odoraturr 
Cultural 
Notes. 
No doubt, to a great many gardene 
this is a very common plant, but to the 
who do not know it, and especially the 
gardeners who have a varied selection 
cut flowers to keep in the rooms of th 
employers .all the winter, I can well 
commend this fine old plant. Since t 
i st of October, 1906, we have had the 
beautiful feathery flowers in use, and th 
are still flowering. A batch of 100 
grown in 9 inch pots, and since floweri 
commenced in October not a day has be 
missed without a good bunch’of Euj 
toriums being in our morning's supply 
cut flowers for the house, and during tb 
time several plants in pots have been 
regular use in the rooms. 
This is a plant which is seldom treat 
as it ought to be. After flowering 1 
ceased, about February, partly drv : 
the plants by keeping in a cool hou 
About the beginning of April cut hi 
back and place in a cool frame, givi; 
attention to watering. About the end: 
May or the beginning of June plant th l 
out in a sheltered border about 2*4 f: 
apart. In dry weather syringe t\v: 
daily and keep moist at the roots. At: 
some growth is made a top dressing se¬ 
rai times during the season of Ichther: 
or guano will benefit them very mu. 
About the beginning of September t 
round each plant with a spade a 
inches wider than the size of pot you - 
tend putting them into. Of course, wh 
a plant is established a 9 inch pot is - 
quired. 
In the following week lift and potthi 
in a fairly rich soil. Stake them by us; 
four stakes placed round the pot, rl 
sling raffia round the stakes every * 
inches or so to nearly the height of plai. 
Place the pots in lines at back of a hec 
or wall, where not exposed to the s, 
until roots have taken to the new s, 
and then shift to a place where more li t 
can be had, but do not expose them 1 
strong rays of sun, and keep them m<t 
at the roots ; also give spraying overhd 
in dry weather. Afterwards shift into 
cool greenhouse or conservatory when c- 
venient before frost comes on, and C 
will -oon commence flowering. A t<- 
perature of 45 deg. to 50 deg. suits tin 
well when flowering. 
Propagation is effected by cuttings ■ 
mediately growth is made after they h e 
been cut back, or by division of 
plants, in May or June. Where a big - 
mand for cut flowers exists, and there? 
plenty of spare glass in which to g> v 
stuff, Eupatoriums ought to be in 01- 
collection, as they suit either for larger 
small houses. The height of the pH 
is from 2 T /4ft. to 3ft. 
T. S. Dick 
Holly Hedges. 
Centuries ago the Holly was practice 
the only tree tised to form garden hedg- 
Evelyn speaks of one 20ft. high which e 
called “a stout wall of Holly,” and e 
famous hedge at Sayes, Court was 4 °; 
long, qft. high, and 5ft. through. 
