CROPPING TIME—-Cont. 
The comeback with this method of growing has been more rapid than with other methods. On a number 
of varieties, the second-crop shoots have attained considerable length before the first crop is cut. This 
comeback rate is significant in achieving a good total production yield. One of the country’s outstanding 
carnation research men has this to say about production with the direct-benching single-pinch method: 
“We do not think we are sacrificing production and are certain that the production obtained can be 
timed for best market periods more accurately.” 
The tables on page 3 show the production and timing of crops with direct benching, single pinch. 
ADAPTING THE METHOD 
Several possibilities for adapting the method to commercial production already are apparent. In those 
ranges where culture is always under glass, no adaptation problem exists. The rooted cuttings can be 
benched as late or later than young plants that have been propagated much earlier and held in pots, 
bands, flats or transplanting bench. Experience has shown that the rooted cuttings, unchecked by extra 
transplanting, hardening, crowding, etc., move off faster and catch up with plants propagated as much 
as three months earlier, A major advantage enjoyed by the direct-benched cuttings is that they break 
much more freely from a single pinch. 
In those ranges where outdoor culture is practiced, adoption of the new method means throwing out 
the old crop from some benches after Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, etc. Since the demand for some 
colors (red notably) decreases sharply in warm weather, and also since some good winter flowering 
varieties have decidedly inferior flowers during hot weather anyway, it should not be a handicap to 
throw out some benches and replant with rooted cuttings in May and June. Advantages gained would 
include among other things reducing the amount of field planting, cultivating, lifting and benching of 
heavy field plants, all of which are laborious and costly procedures. 
The method is likely to fit into two-year culture, with the possibility of replanting half the carnation 
space each year with rooted cuttings, and continuing the other half in late spring and summer produc- 
tion. Since absolute disease control is an essential of two-year culture, the method is particularly well 
suited, since there is less likelihood of contamination when benching cuttings direct. 
The grower of miscellaneous crops, wholesale and retail, usually can rotate carnations with other crops 
and thus have benches free by mid-May or early June where carnation cuttings could be benched direct 
and still be able to cut carnations from the old crop in other benches. If carnations are a minor crop, 
it undoubtedly would be advantageous to eliminate all the chores and worries of propagation and care 
of young plants and procure strong, clean rooted cuttings from a propagation specialist on a specified 
planting date. The time and space required for home propagation and growing on can be put to use 
profitably on other crops, thus offsetting the costs of procuring cuttings. 
Heavy January production on the variety, Aurora, in Clem Manke Greenhouses, Milwaukee, Wis. 
Cuttings benched in Mid-June, pinched once in Mid-July. 
