eee Ie ee 
getting our common primrose; 
_of the most charming. spring-blooming plants 
JuLy 15, 1903. 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
dry soil worked to a good season. In very 
hard weather, too, one can throw a mat or — 
other covering over the whole 5. for, although 
hardy, we get better and earlier bloom if the 
severe weather can be slightly broken. 
In the rockery we also want alittle clearing 
up. Here one is often tempted to,do too 
much. For example, the dying fronds of our 
hardy and half-hardy ferns should not be cut 
off socloseas is frequently the case: The 
{ronds are nature’s protection tothe crown of 
the plant, and it is better to double them 
over the crown as tidily as one can than cut 
them away too freély. A few scillas and 
snowdrops dotted about in small clumps will 
» enliven the rockery early in the season, and 
we have many little BpotS where such can be 
placed, 
_ Wallflowers, pansies, violas, Silene pen- 
dula, forget-me-not, and other spring: flower- 
ing plants should be put in ngw; not for- 
“értainly one 
we have, and one-which. hever | fails, cans 
PENS 8 mn the autumn.: : se 
Soesasdce= bien 
cARNATIONS. 
SPOR SHOWS. 
- porns ABOUT EXHIBITING, 
—[¢- The Gardener.”] 
Is the Carnation an exhibition flower? 
Judging from the immense interest taken 
by a certain section in the annual displays 
held at Crystal Palace, Birminghm, and 
elsewhere, one would give an affirmative 
reply ; but when we think of the hundreds 
of flower shows held all over the. country 
during the summer, and observe the scanty 
provision made for this. charming: flower, 
the point grows doubtful. | Within limits 
the Carnation is popular, but we-want the 
popularity to extend, and 1’ know: of no 
better means to this end than that. of en- 
couraging th'e members of local societies to 
grow Carnations by providing classes for 
them at the annual summer shows. 
This. does ‘not mean that Carnations 
should be exhibited everywhere on Cry- 
stal Palace lines, nor is it necessary that 
everyone Should be initiated into the’ dis- 
tinctions between Flakes, Bizarres, Fan- 
cies, Picotees, and the rest of them; but 
we want those persons who aré not ex- 
perts, but who grow and. love the flower 
for itself alone, to exhibit their favorite 
in a manner that is pleasing to the general 
observer, and does justice to the blooms 
It may be said that Carnations are al- 
ready exhibited ab country.shows. Quite 
so; I have seen them, and my experience 
prompts me to pem these- lines: Let me 
give a-few illustre ations,of the, way in which 
the. flowers are ‘often displayed. 
First and foremost comes the orthodox 
showboard, . Now, I am not saying a word 
about the way in which blooms are staged 
at the Crystal Palace, because in order to 
observe their various points it may be ne- 
cessary to exhibit them on ‘boards with 
paper collars round their necks; but at 
country shows it is a different matter alto- 
gether. Still, the local’ exhibitor sticks 
lis to his board, perhaps by right of cus 
tom, and I can imagine nothing more 
grotesque than the appearance of a dozen 
little Carnation flowers dotted about on a 
wooden surface, extensive enough -to ac- 
commodate a similar number of large 
Chrysanthemums... Some exhibitors are 
not in possession. of a proper green-faced 
showboard, so they make matters worse by 
drawing the stems of the flowers through 
holes bored in the bottoms of chocolate 
boxes and other receptacles. 
Again, I have s¢en Carnation flowers at- 
tired in paper collars, stuck singly into 
the neck of glass. bottles; and. on one oc- 
casion I had to adjudicate | on. half-a-dozen 
~ blooms swimming about in a*dish of water. 
I do not. know that. the exhibitors are al- : 
together to blame -for this: kind ‘of thing. 
Very often their’ resources are limited, rand 
their experience of. exhibiting. is ‘confined ~ 
-. The schedule: simply © 
to their own show. 
asks for the flowers, end gives*no -stipula~ 
tion how they” shall be staged, ‘so; the; ex! 
. hibitors go on the same lines: as nny WES 
always done. > 
We want to make. Gites at, lle 
shows objects: of attraction and “interest. 
How can it be done: 
of the schedule’ make provisions, but.not 
in the orthodox phrase, “ a dozen blooms’of 
distinct varieties.” 
should be exhibited in a tasteful manner, 
‘and the first step is to do away with single 
blooms and the showboard. It may be 
hard to’ part with the latter, but let it go 
for the sake of something better. 
That something ‘should’ take the form of 
simple specimen glasses, not containing a 
single bloom each, but three:er four, 
lightly arranged with Carnation foliage, 
than. which there. could be no better 
material for associating with the flowers. 
Let the schedule ask for distinct varieties 
——three, six, or a dozen, as' the case may be 
—as this acts as a stimulant for growers 
to cultivate the best, but in exhibiting 
them let the decorative aspect take a lead- 
ing place. In support of my argument 
‘let me compare: the effect of half-a-dozen 
slender glasses, each one containing a few 
flowers, lightly arranged with their own 
foliage, ‘to that of six solitary blooms dotted 
-aboub on the face ofan ugly board. 
There are other ways, too, in which the 
exhibiting of Carnations might be en- 
couraged. What flower is more ‘beautiful 
for a iiines tabledecoration? To con- 
“fine a table to Carnations would give a 
fine opportunity for the ladies without the 
necessity of brain puzzling in order to de- 
cide what material shall be used. © Flower 
baskets, epergnes, sprays, bouquets, and 
buttonholes are always features of interest 
at country shows, and help to break the 
monotony of the vegetable section. By 
Let the. compilers 
~If the Carnation. at. 
local’ ‘shows is to be’ a popular feature it” 
5 
making arrangements Carnations might be 
employed for any or all of the above, and 
I will undertake to say that the public 
would Be pleased. 
--Vernen. 
 Seece ctr 
TREE CARNATIONS FOR WINTER 
BLOOMING. 
‘Some authorities say that Tree Carna- 
tions.are to be propagated best by cuttings.. 
I - believe in advising propagation by- 
layering, and this method is a much easier, 
consequently safer, one for the inexperi- 
enced gardener to adopt. The old plants 
cam be planted out in a pit on frame. of. 
good: sandy soil; or the pots containing. 
them can be sunk in it, all on the slant, 
so that the young shoots are layered with- 
out difficulty. 
When layering is performed, a qusine 
ling should be given from the fine-rosed 
watering pot, and the glass of the frame 
should be put.on.. I find that to keep the 
layers’ in a closed ‘frame for a few’ days; a 
darkened one, too, if sunshine falls on the 
glass, is best; then to allow-some air. In 
a week’s time the glass can be removed on 
quiet, cool, days,-or should: be supported 
- high above the frame on tall pots, just as 
a Shading, if the weather is hot. In this 
way I have euctoss tally, layered ait 
of plants. 
' Directly the cuttings show that they are 
rooted by growing freely and freshly, they 
should be potted off, one in each, 3}-in. pot. 
Ii they can be stood in a cold frame for two 
days, so much the better ; after that I keep 
mine on a bed of cinder ashes, i in the open, 
when I repot them into 6-in. pots.’ They go 
next into the cold greenhouse, where they 
are moderately watered during winter, have 
a temperature of about 60 deg.,” and are 
given liquid manure or soot ‘water every 
fortnight. 
When about to flower Tree Carnations 
should stand so that their buds are not far 
from the glass, and an occasional weak dose 
of, an infusion of guano, or my favorite, sul- 
phate of ammonia, can satisfactorily be 
given. - Not more than three buds should 
bo allowed to remain on a stem. _OF course, 
they require plenty of air. 
-Over-watering is a frequent cause of 
‘failure, in damp, cold weather especially, 
ad then the waterlogged soil igs'sure to. turn 
sour, -It is better. to let the earth almost 
dry in the pots, then to give a thorough 
soaking, than to be continually page 
the surface soil. 
- Clever staking and tying salt be mfeeded 
and. an occasional light stirring of the top 
soil id very beneficial ; after. this a sprink- 
ling of new, fresh loam-will do good. 
Tho: best compost’ is. one consisting of 
equal parts of sandy loam, leaf-mould, old 
hotbed manure, and coarse silver sand. 
. Those gardeners who do not yet possess 
a collection of Tree Carnations should pur- 
