The Modern Carnation; How to Grow and Show It

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906. Excerpt: ... and a sprinkling of slaked lime; it is a great advantage if this can be got ready and well mixed three months beforehand. After this shift they may still be kept in the frames, and the same course of treatment should be pursued, due allowance being made for the fact that just after repotting no Carnation is benefited by a liberal supply of water. It is obvious that attention must be paid to the minor details of culture, such as keeping the plants free from diseases and pests, the removal of dead foliage, and the maintenance of a proper state of aeration by scratching over the surface soil periodically. When the 48's are full of roots the plants must be transferred to their blooming pots, and for this final potting I prefer 24's to those of lesser dimensions, as I find in practice that though Malmaisons will produce fine blooms in 32's the grass is not so strong and vigorous as when pots of a larger size are employed. The same ingredients may be used for the compost, but they should be in a coarser condition, while a layer of moss over a single crock will provide efficient drainage. Where Malmaisons are forced annually the routine is greatly facilitated, for owing to the grass being layered so much earlier, the different operations fall into their proper sequence at normal intervals, but where a forcing system has to be inaugurated for the first time great care has to be exercised in order that the hurrying process may not be overdone. Where fine blooms are required an irreducible minimum of time must elapse between the layering and flowering periods, and if this be artificially curtailed beyond a certain point, trouble is likely to ensue. About the end of September, or from then till the middle of October, according to the prevailing weather, the pots...