PERPETUAL-FLOWERING CARNATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19472, 6 May 1925, Page 8

PERPETUAL-FLOWERING CARNATIONS.

EFFECT OF USING HARD WATER. The statement made by your contributor, Colin Ruse, on p. 91, “that while carnations will grow well in some gardens, yet in others they cannot be cultivated with success,’’ recalls to my mind an incident which took place hero a few years ago, and which may be of interest to other carnation growers. The year-old plants which had been flowering continuously from the previous October in a span-roofed house, were moved about the end of August into another house, about one hundred yards away, to make room for the young stock, as the head room in the former house was limited, and a few blooms were being spoiled by pressure against the glass, but otherwise the plants were doing well. Within a fortnight of their removal the flowers began to wilt and fade in a distressing way, while the buds, of which there were plenty, also showed signs of distress, and to such an extent that in a few r weeks we lost hundreds of what would otherwise have been beautiful flowers. I was at a complete loss to understand w r bat was the cause of this calamity, and only after considerable time had elapsed did I realise it. In the house in which these plants had been growing and flowering for about eight months were two large softwater tanks, which, in our moist climate, were never empty. Those provided ample rain-water for the requirements of the plants, and apparently suited them admirably, but in the house to which the carnations were removed there was no rainwater, and they had to be supplied with gravitation water of a very “hard” nature (it is so “hard” that difficulty is experienced in raising a lather with the best of soaps), and the result was as stated, which I think is an object-lesson for those who consistently have trouble with their carnations. —A. T. Harrison, in the Gardeners’ Chronicle.