CULTURAL DIRECTIONS FOR 
CARNATIONS 
Easy to Grow if These Simple Rules are 
Followed 
PREPARATION OF SOIL 
Select a sunny spot in your garden and be sure 
that your soil is well drained, yet not too light and 
sandy. The novice will find a medium heavy loam in 
raised or banked bed as ideal. To this soil, a liberal 
amount of bone meal is spaded in before plants are 
set out. To counteract extreme acidity, which is un- 
favorable for healthy carnation growth, apply de- 
hydrated lime or wood ashes lightly. 
TREATMENT OF PURCHASED PLANTS 
Our carnation cuttings are all taken from healthy 
field grown plants. They are rooted in cool benches 
and subsequently hardened in open air so that they 
require very little shading if any when planted. 
The cuttings should be set out as shallow as possi- 
ble not deeper than it was in the sand. Stemrot will 
occur when planted too deeply. The plants should be 
thoroughly watered when set out and no more water- 
ing is necessary until the surface shows signs of 
getting dry. 
STOPPING AND DISBUDDING 
Plants should be spaced sufficiently apart so that 
they will have ample air circulation between the 
plants when they have formed the bushes. They are 
first stopped when 3 or 4 inches high. The object of 
this is to encourage the young plant to build up 
bushy plant, which in turn will produce more flowers. 
The best method is to pull the center out; do not 
break it off. When the stem is broke off, only 2 or 3 
new growths will appear but when pulled off, several 
stems will rise from this first operation. The center 
of these new growths are further topped occasionally 
until far into July, when winter flowers are prefer- 
