410 THE GARDENER. [Sept. 



prove. In early times, wlien the Carnation had comparatively few 

 rivals with attractions to commend them to share the sovereignty of 

 the garden, she was the recognised queen of summer and autumn, 

 her insignia for this exalted rank being the brilliancy and diversity of 

 colour, stately habit of growth, handsome symmetrical form of flower, 

 united to refreshing sweetness of perfume. But of late years the 

 Carnation, along with other hardy plants, has in a measure been in 

 the shady side of popular esteem, and we now join the unanimous 

 voice which recalls her to a place of honour in every garden. 



Class IJicat ion. — There are several distinguishable features which 

 separate the Carnation into groups, by which we have what is desig- 

 nated '' Bizarres," '' Flakes," " Picotees," and Selfs or " Cloves." Bi- 

 zarres exhibit in their white petals, irregular stripes, and spots of two 

 different shades of colour. Flakes are distinguished by being com- 

 posed of two colours — the ground colour, and flakes of rose, scarlet, or 

 purple. Picotees are determined by having a margin or lacing around 

 the petals. Selfs or Cloves have only one colour, either white, crim- 

 son, scarlet, purple, or other intermediate shades. Each division 

 furnishes endless variety, which are subdivided into the following : 

 scarlet flake, pink flake, yellow flake, &c. The same rule is applied to 

 describe Bizarres and Picotees, but applies to the lacing of the latter. 

 In addition to the foregoing, we have the much-valued " Tree Carna- 

 tion " in grand array. These are almost exclusively cultivated in pots, 

 and -will be treated of separately. 



Propagation. — This is effected by layers and pipings when the ob- 

 ject is to multiply approved varieties, and by seed for procuring new 

 sorts. By Lawyers : The time to propagate by this means is just when 

 the early flowers have expanded ; and the method of procedure is first 

 to have sifted through a fine sieve a mixture composed of river-sand 

 two parts, loam one part, and leaf-mould one part. With this form a 

 little mound around each plant to be operated upon ; slope the mound 

 down until it joins the base of the plant, so that the layers con- 

 veniently bend and lie to it without disjointing them. When com- 

 pleted, proceed further by taking the shoots intended to form layers, 

 and cutting away the lower leaves. Then insert the knife about half 

 an inch below the third joint, and make an incision into the centre of 

 the joint, directing the knife up the centre of the stem. Cut away 

 the extreme end of the tongue thus formed by the insertion of the 

 knife. The layer is next bent down to the ground and fixed in posi- 

 tion by means of a hooked peg, being careful that the incision is left 

 open when fixed. When all the layers on the same plant have been 

 operated upon, finish by putting a covering of the compost over them, 

 and water well with a pot furnished with a finely -perforated rose. 



