November 15. 1913. 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
859 
SWEET ALYSSUM. 
% WINTER TREATMENT of PERPETUAL t 
i FLOWERING CARNATIONS. % 
The alyssuras constitute a large genus, 
numbering about ninety species. There 
are probably, at the present time, not 
more than about a dozen really attractive 
kinds in cultivation, and some of these 
are, indeed, so closely allied that a fair 
proportion of them might be dispensed with 
altogether. There are a few annual spe¬ 
cies, of which the subject of this note is 
one, but, in many cases, in the warmer 
districts it will live through the winter, 
The correct management of perpetual, plants over occasionally during the winter, 
flowering caraiations during the winter and remove any diseased or dead foliage; 
months is an important matter. The first but if the treatment outlined above is fol- 
eseential item is a suitable house. A span- lowed there will be little trouble with rust 
roof house faoing due south is the best, as 
it obtains the maximum amount of sun and 
light during the dull days of the year. 
Carnations require a fairly cool and 
buoyant atmosphere, consequently venti¬ 
lating and heating must receive special 
attention. Whenever possible, leave the 
ventilators at the top of the house open a 
little way all night, provided this can be 
done without lowering the temperature too 
much. It is a good plan to use sufficient 
heat to maintain a minimum temperature 
of 80 degrees at night, but the pipes in the 
carnation house must not become really hot. 
In big houses a large numiber of pipes kept 
comfortably warm are greatly to ibe pre¬ 
ferred to half the quantity of piping over¬ 
heated. The latter will encourage red 
spider and other evils. A suitable day tem¬ 
perature for the carnation-house is from 
65 to 60degrees, according to the conditions 
prevailing outside. On a bright, mild day 
admit air freely, and gradually lower the 
ventilators as the natural warmth declines. 
At the same time begin to raise the warmth 
in the hot-water pipes. 
Admit air very judiciously on damp, 
days, as such weather facilitate the 
development of rust. Under such condi¬ 
tions it is necessary to employ sufficient 
fire heat to counteract the moisture in the 
atmosphere, and so keep the air of the 
house light and buoyant. Only by a com¬ 
bination of air and artificial heat can ideal 
atmospheric conditions be maintained in 
winter. 
Watering requires great care. Allow the 
soil to become moderately dry, and then 
affotrd sufficient water to moisten it all 
through. Do not allow the plants to re¬ 
main in a really dry condition, so that they 
at the first outburst of sun, as such 
irregularities often give a check,' and are 
sometimes the cause of the blooms failing 
b) open properly. It is advisable to give 
water in the morning, and one must he 
oaj'eful not to spill water about the house. 
Feeding must be very judiciously carried 
out in winter, if at all; experts differ on 
this matter. Nevertheless, the fact remains 
that those who apply weak stimulants occa¬ 
sionally obtain larger blooms than those 
y^ho do not. Occasional light top-dress- 
of a really good carnation manure 
produce fine blooms of good colour, 
fi^des building up the growth of the 
plants, and assist the developing buds to 
expand. Such feeding is in no way harm¬ 
ful to the constitution of the plant. I 
have found Bentley’s a really excellent car- 
u*ation fertiliser, if used in the form of a 
vwy light top-dressing in winter; hut after 
^e turn of the year the plants demand 
Additional nourishment with their increas¬ 
ing growth. Clear soot-water forms a good xu i x ^.i i 4 . i, • xu • -n 
change, and may be used at almost all or other peste. Keep the plants neatly the plants shown in the accompanying illus- 
®c^ns. tied with green raffia, so that the growths ^--i. —ixi_ 
SWEET ALYSSUM CLOTHING A STEEP BANK. 
I>isbudding requires careful attention, may be held erect. Fumigate the 
if all but one of the buds on occasionally with nicotine compound to 
stem are removed at the same prevent the development of green-fly. 
the bloom will probably come Perpetual - flowering carnations are 
Wind or malformed. Pay strict attention chiefly grown 
the ,^ork aad examini the plante twice after good plants have been obUmed rt is 
“ week, so that the matter may receive most essential they receive the correct 
■ttention at the right time. Look the treatment. J- Gardner. 
tration having remained in good health for 
some years. The majority are, however, 
perennial shrubby or half-grubby plants, 
procumbent in habit, and, for the most 
part, evergreen. 
The flowers, though individually small, 
are produced in such dense clusters, and in 
such great numbers, as to render this class 
of plants quite indispensable in spring and 
