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may be applied at monthly intervals during the growing season except during 
the dark winter months. Always remember that if your young plants are checked 
or not growing properly, fertilizer should not be applied unless a soil test indi- 
cates its need. Young plants in flats may be fertilized lightly at monthly inter- 
vals, the first feeding being given about the time the plant is first topped. 
Carnations are a cool crop. Keep houses from 48 to 50 degrees at night. Fifty- 
two degrees is about the maximum for good growth. On bright, cool days, 
keep daytime temperatures as near 60 degrees as possible. On cloudy days, 
keep temperatures about 5 degrees lower. Of course when days are bright and 
warm, it is impossible to hold temperatures down to 60 degrees. Higher temper- 
atures under such conditions are normal and perfectly safe, but plenty of venti- 
lation should be given. 
There are no hard and fast rules relative to topping. Ordinarily the plant is 
topped first when it has elongated sufficiently so that three or four joints can be 
left to send out branches. These branches are in turn topped so that three joints 
will be left. Topping ceases when the plant has reached sufficient size to insure 
adequate production, and is usually not done much after the first of August. 
Shading carnation houses is not generally approved. It is true that there are 
many very hot days during the summer when some shade would be beneficial, 
but there are a great many more days when shade would be detrimental. Carna- 
tions like full sunlight, and plants that are properly grown do not require shading. 
The majority of growers are of the opinion that field-grown plants give best 
results. In the Northeast, plants that will be benched by the third week of June 
may be safely carried inside, but from that date on, such a practice is very much 
of a gamble, particularly if the weather should be very hot. Plants are taken to 
the field in May as soon as the danger of killing frosts has passed. 
Carnations do equally well on raised benches or ground beds, provided drainage 
is adequate in the ground beds. However, work is done easier and more econom- 
ically on raised benches, and as the soil is warmer in raised benches, the crop 
is likely to be more abundant during the winter months than in the cooler soil 
of ground beds. 
Spacing distances vary with different sections and different varieties. In the 
Northeastern area 7” x 7” or 7” x 8” are the average distances. If plants are 
small, they may be planted closer in the rows, but uniform distances should be 
maintained between rows. Benching should be completed in the Northeast by 
the end of July, but this date will vary in other areas. The sooner the plants are 
benched after the first of June, the earlier they become established, the better 
able they are to withstand the hot summer weather, and the more successful they 
are likely to be. 
Watering is a very important function, and should not be left to ignorant, inex- 
perienced employees, as is sc often the case. It is inadvisable to water carnations 
overhead. The benefit derived from such a practice on a few very hot summer 
days is hardly worth the risk involved. Most disease is encouraged and spread 
by water. Sub-irrigation is sound practice, and is being employed more and 
more each year. Space does not permit our developing this important subject 
here. Carnations should not be grown in muddy soil. Soil should be thoroughly 
watered, and then allowed to dry out fairly well before watering again. Bench 
drainage is important. Dry spots must be picked out between waterings, and 
wet spots should be eliminated. Drips should be removed for they will destroy 
the plants. 
Red spiders are the greatest insect enemy of carnations, and cause thousands of 
dollars of damage annually. They are best controlled with fumigants and sodium 
selenate. We consider Liquid Fulex to be the most practical, safest and effective 
of the fumigants. We do not recommend spraying. As soon as the young plants 
become well established, usually about four weeks after benching, sodium selenate 
may be applied either as a liquid, or in the dry form known as P-40. The appli- 
cation of the liquid form is complicated and must be done exactly right. The 
