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Since the outbreak of World War II, I'd dug up a large portion of our back lawn in Hollywood, California, and was always proud of my Victory Garden. A year before my unsought ninety days' rest I'd bought a dozen prize carnations and they intrigued me. I knew nothing about carnation culture and lack of time had prevented me from studying it. Now I had the opportunity.

So engrossed did I become in this fascinating subject that the three months quickly passed. I read books and articles on the growing of prize carnations and began a correspondence with the Agricultural Department of the University of California. From this source much of value was obtained.

I accumulated a fund of theoretical knowledge, but no practical experience. Also, there were questions upon which authorities differed, and I looked forward to a recovery which would enable me to make my own decisions.

MY FIRST day outdoors brought a shock. My Victory Garden was a thing of the past. During my illness, with the exception of the space occupied by the carnation bed, the entire area had been put into lawn. My family had decided that garden work for me was a thing of the past, but to cushion the blow, told me that taking care of my carnations would be all I could do.

I was convinced that the knowledge I had gathered could lead to a worthwhile hobby. At this writing my pursuit has reached proportions of which I little dreamed.

Facts regarding prize carnations are interesting. In the first place, there are well over 500 registered and named varieties, and I started with twelve!

All prize carnations are grown from cuttings. Carnation seed is available, but only in the small red, pink and white varieties. These I tried just once. The seed was the best obtainable, was expensive, and promised large blooms. But promises are not always fulfilled, as I knew from this experience. Never again!

All prize blooms are still rare and generally uncommon. Proof as to the ends to which carnation culture has gone is the fact that in Southern California there are two carnation growers whose farms cover many acres and give employment to dozens of people. Both are the outgrowth of hobbies, one by a doctor, the other by a businessman.

I ADDED to my first dozen plants a few at a time, picking the unusual types noted for prolific blooms. At first there was objection by my family, which was unaware of the fact that ground cultivation of carnations must be avoided, as the roots are close to the surface and injury to one may cause a fatality. Heavy mulching of grass cuttings or cut straw prevents weeds and at the same time conserves moisture. So where was the hard work?

The lawn which had been so surreptitiously planted slowly went back to cultivation as additional rows of carnations were added. These now number well over 200 plants and include thirty-two different varieties, to which I am constantly adding new ones.

Carnations do not demand much care and will respond to any attention given them. A fairly rich, sandy soil is the first requisite. As the plants grow, a monthly feeding of acid fertilizer is necessary, the equivalent of an even teaspoonful to a plant, then watered in. Speaking of water, carnations require plenty and in an area subject to summer drought, weekly irrigations which go down ten inches are obligatory.

Up to last summer, I was "Carnation Charlie" to friends, friends of friends, and neighbors, as well as to total strangers. I was enjoying my new hobby and gave away the rooted cuttings, "free gratis," together with information as to how to get the best results from them.

On one occasion an acquaintance who could not be even classed as a friend, said, "I hear you grow prize carnations and the next time you're down this way, bring me a couple of dozen." Needless to say, he didn't get them. If he had, he'd probably have wanted me to plant them for him.

FROM EARLY summer to late fall our house was a mass of blooms which were the delight of all who saw them. Then it suddenly dawned on me that I was getting no return for all the leaf mold I used in my potting mixture, as well as the fertilizer I used on the plants.

That same day, I received a telephone call from a woman whom I didn't know. She was a friend of Bill Whoosis and would I give her a couple of dozen plants, Bill having told her that I had a few hundred on hand. On the spur of the moment I told her she could have as many as she wanted at twenty-five cents a plant, in dozen lots.

To my surprise, she promptly agreed and a few days later took away two dozen of assorted varieties. At once I saw the bet I'd overlooked and went to the garden supply store which I patronized. Here I received an order for four dozen at twenty-five cents each.

Shortly after that, a woman whom I knew well, phoned, wanting to know if she could have a couple of dozen plants. I told her I no longer gave them away and she immediately ordered two dozen, which I sold her at the wholesale price. At that, she got a bargain, as nowhere could the same varieties be bought for less than 50 cents per plant. Some dealers charge as much as 75 cents for the same varieties.

That's how it came about and now I receive orders to be shipped by mail. But I still stick to the wholesale price, 25 cents per plant, no order accepted for less than a dozen. The mailing and wrapping cost I figure at 5 cents per plant and this expense must accompany the order.

Word-of-mouth publicity has worked wonders for me. I am constantly on the watch for opportunities and as an example, not long ago our church held a bazaar, to which I donated twenty-four potted plants, with a half-dozen blooms to show prospective buyers. The woman in charge of that table had my telephone number and was instructed to explain that I would give to anyone interested all the details regarding the simplicity of carnation culture, when correctly handled. Did that payoff!

LAST SPRING, while still in "the giving state," I gave a next door neighbor sixteen rooted cuttings. Following my instructions, he had quantities of blooms the entire season. He recently asked me if he could have another batch of plants, as he wanted to extend his carnation bed. I knew he was interested only in blooms, so I told him I'd give him all he'd plant, provided I cut the blooms and strip them for him, thus removing all cuttings. He readily agreed, which means that I will have another source of cuttings which will involve only the actual stripping.

Fate occasionally plays into one's hand. An attorney friend who numbers among his clients a prominent movie director, told me he had been given a half-dozen dwarf carnations by his client and as he had no use for them, they were mine.

My study of carnations had never revealed a dwarf variety. Nevertheless, I made a small border of them and found them perfect for such a use. The leaves are a deep green, most profuse; the plants are about six inches tall and twice a year the blooms come in large clusters.

Several nurseries contacted could give me no information regarding them, so I finally went to Howard's, the largest on the Coast, where I learned that these dwarfs are known as Dianthis and are quite rare. The price proved this latter fact—75 cents per plant. In the meantime I had started to root some cuttings and had quite a supply on hand.

The cost of starting to grow prize carnations, based on my own experience, was as follows: twenty-four rooted cuttings, including postage, $7.20; five pounds of acid fertilizer, 50 cents; sack of leaf mold, $1.35; 200 plant tabs, or markers, $1; 100 earthen pots, $2, and a jar of rooting hormone, $1. Total outlay, $13.05.

THE SIMPLE operations, considered in their orders, are as follows:

Operation One—Prepare the ground for the rooted cuttings you have ordered. Well rotted manure should be dug in, just as is done for a vegetable garden. Make your potting mixture and always keep a supply on hand for the rooted cuttings you will later grow. This mixture consists of one-third river or building sand, one-third good garden soil and one-third leaf mold. After screening through a quarter-inch sieve, mix thoroughly.

A mistake in making this mixture once cost me a few hundred rooted plants. I was out of potting mixture, also out of leaf mold. But I had a few sacks of steer manure, so decided to make use of it. I didn't know that bagged manure is not rotted, any more than I did that once mixed with earth, the rotting starts, thus generating a heat which means death to young and tender carnation roots. That was one piece of information no one had ever given me.

Incidentally, the proper time, over the country as a whole, to plant rooted cuttings in the open ground, is rather difficult to fix. In Southern California, it is any time after January 15th, while in Northern Minnesota, it would be after May 15th. But taking the country as a whole, I would put it as follows: The proper time to put carnations in the open ground, taking the country as a hole, coincides with potato planting time. This latter is as soon as the soil is workable. Carnations are not damaged by light frosts and thus, the planting season is coincident with that of potatoes.

OPERATION TWO—On receipt of the rooted cuttings, pot them at once, bringing the potting mixture only to where the earth shows on the plant. Too deep planting can cause stem-rot. Also, never bring the mixture more than one-quarter of an inch from the top of the pot.

Water thoroughly from beneath by putting the pots in some receptacle—a discarded dishpan will serve until a larger vessel is needed—filling it with water sufficient to bring it to within an inch of the top of the pots. Keep in the water until moisture appears on the top of the soil, then store in shade. Two weeks later the root systems will again be well established and the plants may be put in the open ground without danger of sun-wilt.

Operation Three—Preparatory to putting these in the open ground, again spade the soil, then plant in rows from 15 to 18 inches apart, allowing 12 to 15 inches between plants in the row. A stake behind each plant should have a marker on it, indicating the variety, as well as the color description. As the plant area increases and there are more than two rows, leave a path two feet wide between each pair of rows. This permits easy passage when giving the plants the attention they deserve.

Should watering be necessary, it can be either overhead spray or irrigation. If you spray, don't do it so late in the day that water remains on the plants overnight. Chilling them retards growth. If irrigating, allow the water to run until it has gone down a foot. Mulch heavily and regularly.

As growth begins, a center shoot will appear on the plant. This must be pulled out at least three different times, thus throwing the growth into roots and stems. Stopping, this operation is called. In removing these centers, don't pinch them off. Pull them out by holding the plant firmly with the index finger and thumb of one hand, while with the same digits of the opposite one, pull the center out.

OPERATION FOUR—This relates to cuttings and begins when the blooms are removed. Here is where disbudding should be mentioned. To obtain maximum sized blooms, only one bud should be left on a stem. Pinch off all others as they appear.

My cuttings I root in milk cartons. When the idea first came to me, it was born of the fact that cuttings must be kept in damp sand until rooted. Earthen pots allow the sand to dry out quickly, while a milk carton, being well waxed and not porous, might be worth considering. Consulting authorities, I learned that there was nothing in either the paper or the wax which could be harmful to a rooting plant.

Much of the milk supply of California is delivered in these containers and they serve perfectly if you punch four holes in the top as well as the bottom. Also, make six punchings on each side, three toward the top and three toward the bottom. Then cut in half. When the cutting has rooted and is ready to be put in potting earth, merely tear the paper off.

As to maintaining a supply, should they be in use in your community, get neighbors and friends to save them for you. You'll find, just as I do, that you will always have a sufficient supply on hand.

WHEN TAKING blooms, cut them to within six inches of the ground. On these stems grow the lateral shoots which make the best cuttings. Remove them with a safety razor blade, cutting parallel and close to the stem. This preserves the node from which the roots start. Strip all leaves for an inch from the node and dip that end in water, shaking off the excess.

Insert in the hormone powder for at least half an inch and knock off any surplus. Hold the cutting in the pot—or milk carton—already half filled with sand, then pour more sand about it until the rooting end is an inch below the top of the sand. Of course, the depth of the sand depends on the length of the cutting and the above suggestion is predicated on one four inches long. Smaller cuttings should be treated proportionately.

Irrespective of the size of the cutting, the center should be pulled out to facilitate root growth. Although the lateral cuttings are considered the strongest, cuttings may be taken from any part of a plant. This holds particularly good at the end of the blooming season, when the removal should be just below a well developed node. Never use scissors. Only a sharp blade will make a clean cut.

Once it is in the pot, pack the sand firmly around the cutting. Soak well in the "dishpan" and store in complete shade. From then on, make certain no sun strikes it and also that the sand is kept moist, but not wet.

A marker in the pot should show the variety, as well as the date put in, the latter giving an idea as to when the cutting should be rooted. This depends on the variety and the temperature. Should the latter be fairly even, without extreme variations, the rooting period is from three to four weeks. If the night temperature is much lower than that of midday, as in California, the rooting period is from four to six weeks. Healthy growth indicates that a proper root system has developed.

OPERATION FIVE—The final step is the transferring of the rooted cuttings to the potting soil This must be accomplished without damage to the tender roots and if sand clings to them, so much the better. Put sand and all in the potting mixture and pack tightly, making certain the original marker is in the new pot. Immersion follows and for at least a week, the rooted cuttings must be kept out of the sun. After that, full sun is necessary, but never allow the pots to dry out.

Carnations are not susceptible to light frosts. Consequently, in those areas where temperatures rarely go below 30 degrees, outdoor cultivation can be followed throughout the year. In other sections not so favored, a greenhouse, or a cold frame, is necessary to winter the rooted cuttings for the next year's planting.

Acquaint your friends with your new hobby. When blooms appear, they may become customers. Also, they may wish to purchase rooted cuttings. And don't forget your florist or nurseryman. The first might be very glad to take all your blooms, while the second might buy a supply of your rooted cuttings.

The demand for the unusual varieties, whether for blooms or plants, is universal. A well-known Los Angeles florist recently told me he has started to grow his own blooms, as the commercial growers limit varieties to medium sized reds, pinks, whites and yellows. In fact, I have learned that the blooms of the rare varieties have no stated market price, when being sold to florists, and the grower can practically set his own value.

And why not? What could be more beautiful than a huge Pharaoh, orange with red tinting and fringed with red? Or a California of unusual size, fuchsia purple, shading to light mauve at each petal edge? Or a large Golden Wonder, sulphur yellow with pencilling of deep pink? Or Marchioness of Redford of giant proportions, with petals of creamy white, melting into a ground of rich red orange? Incidentally, it might be well for me to state that these color descriptions are as shown in a bulletin issued by the University of California.

AS TO prices obtained for blooms, those for plain colors vary from 50 cents to, $1.50 per dozen, wholesale, the season and territory regulating same. The retail selling price for rooted cuttings averages from 50 to 70 cents each, while the wholesale price is $3 per dozen.

I previously suggested that the new carnation hobbyist start with twenty-four plants. This should give a first year total of from 250 to 350 blooms, with at least 750 cuttings.