BETTER MUMS FOR 1944 rrom— GaggGae 
CARNATION CULTURE (Continued) 
VI. 
flowers should be only about two-thirds 
open. The flower will last much longer 
and ship to market better when cut at this 
stage. 
2 Before shipping the flowers should 
stand in fresh water for at least six hours 
so as to hold up during shipping. 
3 Bunching in a round bunch of 25 1s 
most common, but the most attractive and 
efficient method is the flat pack method, 
using a cardboard folder. 
SPRING CARE 
A Feeding —a program of top dressing 
should start about mid-February and pro- 
ceed until six weeks before dumping. 
Apply 4 lbs. of Vigoro or its equivalent 
every six weeks. 
B Watering can be stepped up as the 
weather warms, but keep it off the foliage. 
Vil. 
Spot watering may be necessary during hot 
periods. 
C Shading—don’t shade Carnations ex- 
cept at benching time. They like sun. 
SECOND YEAR CARNATIONS 
This practice works rather well, but in 
most cases doesn’t give quite the quality 
that new plants do. For best results, start 
topping back the old plants in late March 
by cutting out all stems that haven’t set 
bud. As the flowering stems are cut out, 
the plant will eventually be all headed 
back. It should then’ be treated as an in- 
door summer grown plant would be 
treated, feeding, topping, spraying and 
watering just as for a young plant. Re- 
member to gradually cut down on the 
watering as the plant is headed back. 
Spraying is doubly important because of 
the carry-over of the past season’s spores. 
Ball Bands for Better Carnations 
Plan now to plant this year’s Carnation cuttings direct from 
the sand to 214” Ball Better Plant Bands. 

Just from the field in a 2!/4 in. plant band. 
Notice the firm ball of soil on the above plant which has just been dug from the 
field, yet the plant is plainly not root-bound. This band of soil insures a quick start 
in the bench and a definite lowering of loss from root and stem rot. These are only 
a few of the many advantages offered by Ball Better Bands. Send for circular show- 
ing the full line of Bands with prices. 
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