44 FLORA HISTORICA. 



nature, which reconciles itself to almost every soil 

 and situation, has rendered it common to every 

 cottage-garden, without lessening its charms ; for 

 its varieties are so infinite, that we scarcely ever 

 met with the same in any two gardens ; and when 

 large clumps of them are in full flower, their gaiety 

 in mass is such as not to be ecHpsed by the proudest 

 plant of the parterre — whilst their individual beauty 

 exhibits such lovely dyes, and finished pencilhng, 

 as to defy imitation : the colours of the corollas are 

 also frequently found to vary considerably on the 

 same branch. 



The seeds of these plants should be saved from 

 the finest varieties, both dark and light-coloured ; 

 and these should be sown annually, for although 

 they are perennial plants, they are subject to 

 straggle and decay. The seed should be sown 

 about the beginning of April, on a border of light 

 earth, and in June they will be fit to transplant 

 out, which should be done in clumps as we have 

 directed for Pinks, excepting that they may form 

 larger clumps, and those may be placed more in 

 the back ground than Pinks, and to fill vacant 

 spaces amongst shrubs, that require a gay contrast, 

 as their brilhancy of colour gives a great cheerful- 

 ness to such scenes. 



The choice varieties of this plant may be in- 

 creased and preserved by slips, layers, or cuttings. 



