BORDER CARNATIONS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 22, 29 November 1911, Page 41

BORDER CARNATIONS.

Mr. S. M. Kingsford, writing in “The Gardener,” gives some practical hints on the border carnation, and his method: of growing. He says:—“ I have two long beds down the middle of my garden, about 40 feet by 4 feet. In these 1 grow carnations one year and annuals the next, as carnations should not be grown in the same soil two years Tunning. The ground is bastard trenched every year,.and a moderate ~amount of well rotted manure dug in, after which the ground is trodden as firm as possible. I have learnt from Mr, James Douglas, of Great Bookham, that carnations do better without high feeding and chemical manures. From April onwards I hoe, and hoe, and hoe. After every shower of rain I run the Dutch hoe over the bed so that the soil is always loose

on top. The layers I put down myself I plant out in the autumn; but each year I obtain a few of the best new sorts from Mr. Douglas, and both the autumnplauted and the spring planted do wqll, ■though theau'tumn planted are the larger plants. This year some of the autumn-planted carnations had as many as nine flower stems; most of them had seven; and very many of the blooms were 3J inches across. Amongst older virieiies that do well with me I may mention Sam Weller Cardinal, Sir Galahad, Agnes Sorrell, Splendour, and DalTo-

dI. Among newer sorts Delicia, Lady <■ iy, Amy Robsart, Mrs. Robert Gordon, mid Renown produced perfect blossoms. I am hoping great things next year from Mrs. Robert Berkeley, Mr. Douglas’s new pale pink carnation.”

'Carnations now coming into bloom riiould receive a liberal supply of. liquid manure. For exhibition purposes take all the buds but the centre one on each stem. The green fly has been very plentiful' this season, and if good blooms ar® to bo secured it must be got rid of. 1 lie blooms should be sprayed once a week with arsenate of lead, half strength. Any insect that eats ia bib of the;

growth will not live very long after* wards. Do this spraying now. Where the blooms are “ extra special” it might be well to save a few pods of seed. Let the flowers do their own fertilising, and take your chance. Watch the pods until they- begin to turn yellow’, 'and then gather and dry out the'seed. j