786 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
December 14, 1907. 
Malmaison Carnations. 
The large, fleshy, and soft leaves of 
this class of Carnation, more than any 
other, require to be kept cool and dry 
during the dullest part of winter, because 
it is the period at which they should be 
resting, and Carnation spot or other fun¬ 
goid disease is liable to make their ap¬ 
pearance if the atmosphere of the house 
is at all damp. Not only must the 
foliage be kept dry, but the roots also 
should be kept almost in a state of star¬ 
vation, but in a cool, well-ventilated 
house, this will not cause them to suffer. 
No feeding is necessary, and only water 
may be given when absolutely necessary 
to keep the plants alive. When water is 
spilled on the floor or the stages get wet 
in any way, this should be wiped up with 
a mop. Remove and burn leaves which 
show any trace of disease. 
Marguerite Carnations. 
The small size of the flowers in this 
class of Carnation are liable to be over¬ 
looked with so many fine varieties of tree * 
Carnation and American Carnation now 
at the hand of the cultivator. The 
variety and brightness of colours obtained 
from a packet of seed and the fragrance 
of the flowers are, however, high recom¬ 
mendations for keeping a late batch to 
flower in pots during November and De¬ 
cember. If space can still be given them 
later, a few flowers will be obtainable for 
some time to come if the weather is fairly 
bright during the early months of the 
year. The night temperature need not 
be kept higher than 50 degs., which will 
be sufficient to enable them to open their 
moderate-sized flowers. 
American Carnations. 
The vigorous race of tree Carnations 
raised in America and known by a variety 
of names, responds more readily to our 
climatic conditions than many other 
things raised on the other side of the 
Atlantic. Indeed, the American Carna¬ 
tions beat our own race of tree Carna¬ 
tions in the ease with which they may be 
grown and flowered at various periods of 
the year. All the same, it behoves the 
careful grower to treat them kindly by 
watering in moderation, abstaining from 
feeding, and by maintaining a tempera¬ 
ture of 50 degs. by night with a rise 1 by 
day, especially with sun heat. Prefer¬ 
ence should be given to such satisfactory 
growers and bloomers as Mrs. T. W. 
Lawson, Enchantress, White Perfection, 
Lady Bountiful, Vesper, and cjjihers of 
that class. In view of Christmas, how¬ 
ever, some of the more highly coloured 
ones should not be overlooked. Very 
bright effects, for instance, are produced 
by such varieties as Victory, Britannia, 
Beacon, Aristocrat, Robert Craig, Win- 
sor, Mrs. H. Burnett, and Cardinal. 
Neither of these require a higher tem¬ 
perature than 50 degs. by night, unless 
under exceptional conditions. 
Those who grow large numbers of this 
class of plants should now get a stock of 
soil under cover for propagation pur¬ 
poses during the next and succeeding 
months by placing good fibrous loam, 
leaf soil, and sand in readiness_ under the 
roof of an open, but dry shed. They 
will be in fine condition for use when re¬ 
quired. Those who have such suitable 
conveniences might even make up the 
necessary compost in the shed. Cuttings 
can, indeed, be taken at any time from 
now till the end of March, but there is 
less liability to. damping, as a rule, in 
the brighter days of January tha^r the 
present month. 
J. D. F. W. 
-f+4- 
Presentation to Mr. Walter P. Wright. 
As a small token of the high esteem he 
is held by them, the literary staff of The 
Gardener presented Mr. Walter P. Wright 
"with a polished walnut stationery cabinet 
on his resignation of the editorship of that 
journal, a position he has admirably filled 
since its inauguration nearly nine years 
ago. The cabinet is of foolscap size, with 
folding doors, drawer, and screwtop ink¬ 
wells. A silver plate attached bears the 
following inscription : — “Presented to Mr. 
Walter P. Wright by the literary staff of 
The Gardener , November 30, 1907.” 
-- 
Horticultural Societies’ 
Diary 
of Forthcoming Events. 
Abbreviations used. 
A Rapid Lawn Scraper. 
A.—Association 
Am.—Amateurs 
Ohy.—Ohrysanthemum 
c.m.—Committee meeting 
Oott.—Cottage or Oottagers 
D.—District 
G.—Gardening or gardener ! 
Thus :—The Templeton G. Am. and Oott. M.I.H.S. 
Gardeners, Amateurs’ and Cottagers’ Mutual Improve¬ 
ment Horticultural Society. 
H.—Horticultural 
M.I.—Mutual Improve¬ 
ment 
m.m.—Monthly meeting 
S.—Society 
w.m.—Weekly meeting 
A Letter 
To the Editor. 
Sir, — I send you a sketch of an imple¬ 
ment I have made out of two branches 
cut from an old Rhododendron ponticum 
and a 5-inch deal board. It can be used 
like a scythe from right to left and vice 
versa. For gathering leaves,, twigs 
husks, etc., on lawns, grass plots, and 
other levelled ground it will do double 
the work of a broom or rake. After find¬ 
ing suitable curved branches for the 
handles, a handy person can make one in 
an hour. For a youth, the scraper should 
be six inches shorter. 
Robert Mansley. 
Preston. 
•DECEMBER. 
16th.—Horsforth G.M.I.S. (w.m.). 
17th.—Croydon and D.H.M.I.S. (bi- 
m.m.); Ord and D.G. Am. and 
Cott. M.I.S. (m.m.); Ancient 
Society of York Florists (m.m.); 
Chesterfield and D. Chy. S. 
(m.m.); Saltwood Cot.. G.S. 
(m.m.). 
18th. — Wargrave and D.G.A. (bi-m.m.); 
Ide Hill G.S. (m.m.); Salisbury 
and D.G.M.I.S. (w.m.). 
19th. — Paignton and D.G. A. (m.m.); 
Lamberhurst H.S. (m.m.); Wim¬ 
bledon and D.H.S. (m.m.). 
20th.—Beckenham H.S. (w.m.). 
21 st. — Leeds Paxton S. (w.m.). 
2 '- 6 
A Rapid Lawn Scraper. 
-- 
Sunflower as Medicine. 
A Russian physician, who has been ex¬ 
perimenting with the Sunflower, says he 
has found that alcoholic extracts of the 
leaves and flowers cure fever as speedily 
as quinine. 
Salisbury and District Gardeners. 
At the meeting of the Salisbury and 
District Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement 
Society on the 27th ult. there was a large 
attendance. In the absence of both 
chairman and vice-chairman, Mr. J. 
Bryant presided. A^paper on “Manures" 
was read by Mr. C. G. Wyatt, and a 
capital discussion followed.—W. Yan- 
dell. 
Gloucestershire Rose Society. 
At a special general meeting of the 
subscribers of this society, it was decided 
that the show next year should be held at 
the Spa on Tuesday, 14th July. It was 
stated that Lady St. Aldwyn had cons¬ 
ented to become president of the society 
for the coming year. 
Wargrave and District Gardeners’ Associa¬ 
tion. 
A good number of members met on 
Wednesday evening, November 20th, to 
witness the competitions in vase decorat¬ 
ing, and great interest was e’vinced in 
the contests. The first was for journey¬ 
men gardeners only, and five vases had 
to be arranged as a table decoration. 
Twenty minutes were allowed. The re¬ 
sults were :—1st, Mr. G. Akerman ; 2nd, 
Mr. E. Collier; 3rd, Mr. F. Stenncr; 
and 4th, Mr. J. Cotterell. The second 
competition was for head gardeners, 
single-handed gardeners, and foremen, 
v/ho had to arrange a large vase for effect 
in a quarter of an hour. The results 
were:—1st, Mr. F. Newman; 2nd, Mr. J. 
Bdtley; 3rd, Mr. F. Gray; and 4th, Mr. 
A. Gibbs. Messrs. Stanton, Goddard and 
Bazeley acted as judges. 
H. C- 
