402 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
June 15, 1907. 
Border Carnations. 
It is now time for the latest sown seed¬ 
lings of border Carnations to be trans¬ 
ferred to their permanent quarters in the 
open. Where plenty of ground is at dis¬ 
posal the seedlings may be planted at 
15 in. apart each way, as this allows room 
for the layering of the selected varieties 
ne'xt year, besides allowing room for the 
extraordinary growth which well treated 
seedlings give. If space is scarce 12 in. 
apart will suffice. The ground should be 
well manured previous to planting, but 
mulching would not be beneficial, par¬ 
ticularly in wet summers like the present. 
The staking and tying of established 
plants in beds and borders should be 
attended to from time to time to prevent 
accidents during boisterous weather. 
Show Carnations and Picotees. 
Towards the end of this month close 
attention will be necessary in staking and 
tying plants in pots intended for exhibi¬ 
tion, and particularly in disbudding as 
soon as the buds are sufficiently advanced 
that the laterals may be removed without 
injury to those intended to be left. The 
buds will also require regulating when¬ 
ever they commence to open, and those 
that are in any way likely to burst should 
have elastic bands put round them. As 
growth proceeds the plants may be fed 
with weak liquid manure, especially where 
they have been grown in a soil not over¬ 
rich. It is always safe to feed in this .way 
than to overdose the potting soil with 
manures in winter or spring when Carna¬ 
tions are so susceptible to damp and to 
fungoid enemies as a result of over¬ 
feeding and soft, sappy growth. 
Tree Carnations. 
Repot such of the cuttings as require it, 
and for the early struck batch use a more 
lumpy compost than in the early stages 
of growth. It may consist of two-thirds 
good turfv loam and one-third of leaf 
mould with plenty of sand to keep it por¬ 
ous. At this potting some half-inch bones 
and soot will prove beneficial and safe. 
The quantity of soot must, of course, in 
all cases be moderate. Well grown plants 
rooted in January, should, by this time, 
require 48 size pots. Early flowering 
varieties may require a second stopping. 
On the other hand late flowering 
varieties should not be stopped after this 
time unless it is purposely intended to 
delay the flowering period. Some varie¬ 
ties when too often stopped have a ten¬ 
dency to give weak growths with poorer 
flowers than might have been expected. 
Malmaison Carnations. 
June is the best month to layer the 
strong, sappy growths of this class of Car¬ 
nation. Malmaisons are not well suited 
for propagation by cuttings, as their soft, 
succulent tissues are more liable to damp 
than the wiry shoots of the tree Carna¬ 
tion and American Carnation. Plunge 
the pots or plant out the Carnations in a 
cold frame to facilitate the layering of 
the lower shoots. If it is not intended to 
retain any of the old plants the uppermost 
shoots may be used as cuttings if they 
are sufficiently mature for the purpose. 
Shade the frames containing the layers on 
very bright days, as it will serve to econo¬ 
mise moisture and facilitate rooting. 
American Carnations. 
In former years it was the custom to 
stand this class of Carnation out of doors 
on a bed of ashes in the same manner as 
is done with the tree Carnation. The 
modern tendency is to grow them entirely 
in pots under glass, unless, indeed, in 
the case of large growers who have houses 
to fill with them and plant them out on 
benches. The Carnation readily submits 
to indoor treatment provided the house 
is suitable to their requirements. The 
Carnation in any form delights in an abun¬ 
dance of light and air at all periods to 
stiffen the foliage and stems. A low 
span-roofed house, where the plants will 
be near the glass will suit Carnations ad¬ 
mirably. Those who have only spare 
room in vineries, Peach houses, or lean-to 
houses should not attempt tp grow Carna¬ 
tions indoors during summer, but keep to 
the old method until they get a proper 
Carnation house. Such varieties as Mrs. 
T. W. Lawson, Enchantress, Nelson 
Fisher, and others of that class are admir¬ 
ably adapted for pot culture under glass 
all the year round provided the conveni¬ 
ence is such as above stated. 
Both in the case of American Carna¬ 
tions and tree Carnations unremitting at¬ 
tention must be given to the keeping down 
of red spider, thrips, and green fly, which, 
however, are not more troublesome under 
glass than they are out of doors. By un¬ 
remitting attention I practically mean 
timely attention so as to check any of 
these pests before they become estab¬ 
lished. 
Those whose business takes them to 
town during the day can grow these Car¬ 
nations admirably by plunging them in 
a bed of sand or sifted coal ashes, thereby 
reducing watering to a minimum. Dur¬ 
ing dry and warm weather the plants can 
be syringed in the morning before leaving 
for business, and they will not hurt until 
the owner returns at night when watering 
may be attended to and the plants 
syringed by way of the last attention for 
the night. This syringing will keep the 
plants clean if regularly attended to. 
Should green fly make a determined 
effort to establish themselves in the 
centre of the crowns or around the ad¬ 
vancing flower buds, a dusting with to¬ 
bacco powder will settle them, and can be 
washed off next morning. J. D. F. W. 
The Royal Gardeners’ 
Orphan Fund. 
The annual festival of the above de¬ 
serving charity was held at De Keysets 
Royal Hotel, Victoria Embankment, 
London, on the 23rd ult., under the pre¬ 
sidency of the Right Hon. the Lord 
Mayor (Sir William P. Treloar). Avery 
large number sat down to table, includ¬ 
ing several of the Sheriffs in attendance 
upon the Lord Mayor, also Sir Albert K. 
Rollit, and Messrs. Edward Sherwood, V. 
A. Bilney. John Assbee, H. J. Veitch, H. 
B. May, W. Y. Baker, W. Poupart, John 
Collingridge, B. Wynne (the Secretary), 
and others. 
After the usual loyal toasts, the Lord 
Mayor rose to propose “ The Royal Gar¬ 
deners’ Orphan Fund,” and spoke of the 
necessity for looking after the orphans of 
gardeners. He related a humorous story 
about the professing orphan, but said 
that was not the style of orphan they had 
assembled to consider that night. His 
speech was brief but humorous and well 
received. Edward Sherwood, Esq., re¬ 
plied to this toast, and said that last year 
they had a record subscription list. Last 
year they elected thirteen orphans, but 
this year nineteen, and there were 122 on 
the funds besides those receiving tempor¬ 
ary help. They had distributed ,£34,000 
in twenty years, and required about £120 
for each child. The subscriptions 
amounted only to £300 and the donations 
to ,£1,500. The interest on investments 
paid all expenses, so that the subscrip¬ 
tions went to the support of the orphans. 
Sir Albert K. Rollit proposed “ Gar¬ 
deners' and Gardening,” and said that he 
had one qualification for the duty, namely, 
that he was a lover of gardening. He 
then referred to gardens in various parts 
of the world, but after all he thought that 
England was the garden of the world, and 
that our own flower shows were the best. 
No charity was better honoured in bene¬ 
volence than that which is cultivated by 
the Royal Gardeners’ Orphan Fund. He 
said that we imported fruits and vege¬ 
tables annually to the value of £3,500,000. 
In this country we ought to take care that 
the charge for railway rates was not 
against us and in favour of foreigners. 
W. A. Bilney, Esq., replied to this, and 
said that his experience with gardeners 
was that they were upright, honest, and 
sober men, and when misfortune overtook 
them we ought to look after their interests. 
John Assbee, Esq., of Covent Garden, 
proposed “The Visitors” in appropriate 
terms, and Mr. Sheriff W. H. Dunn re¬ 
plied. In his speech he compared the 
doings of the Royal Horticultural Society 
and that of the Royal Botanic -Society, in 
which he was interested, and said that 
they provided for the education of the 
young gardeners of the London County 
Council. Hitherto they had given too 
much attention to flowers, but they were 
going to study the subject of finance. 
The garden had been flourishing for the 
last sixty years, and never looked better 
than at present. 
“ The Chairman” was proposed by H. 
B. May, Esq. At this point the Secre¬ 
tary, Mr. B. Wynne, read out a list of the 
donations that had been received on ac¬ 
count of the Lord Mayor for the benefit 
