464 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Dianthus—continued. 
D. virgineus (virgin). f. red; petals crenated. Summer. 1. 
tufted, linear, stitf, serrulate. Stems generally one or few- 
og d h. біп. to 12in. South-western Europe, 1816. (B. M. 
Varieties. Innumerable varieties are in cultivation of 
three species belonging to this genus, namely, D. barbatus 
(the Sweet William), D. Caryophyllus (the Carnation and 
Clove Pink, see Fig. 647), and D. chinensis (the Chinese or 
Indian Pink), a double form of which is shown in Fig. 648. 
In garden literature, the generic name is generally only 
= applied to the last of these three, the others being well- 
.. . known under their popular garden names. Although a 
biennial, D. chinensis may be successfully grown as an 
. annual, by sowing in pots or in the open ground, in March. 
. There are double and single forms, in a great variety of 
colours, the flowers of the former being best adapted for 
eutting; while the latter are the most showy. D. c. 
Heddewigii, and the numerous seedlings obtained from it, 
represent an exceedingly useful class of dwarf plants for 
mixed borders, or for pot culture, many of the flowers 
being beautifully marked and fringed. Its double form 
(see Fig. 649) is not so floriferous, but is distinct and use- 
ful for cutting. D. c. plenissimus (see Fig. 650) is a 
variety with very full double flowers, beautifully fringed. 
. DIAPENSIA (meaning obscure). ORD. Diapensiacee. 
A genus of two species of small, tufted herbs. Flowers 
white or purplish-rose, solitary, erect, peduneulate; corolla 
salver-shaped ; “tube short, wide; limb flat.  Peduncles 
scape-formed, one-lowered. Both these little gems are 
usually considered difficult to cultivate; but they have 
been found to succeed on fully exposed rockwork, in deep 
sandy peat, kept well moistened during the warm season. 
Increased by division. 
D. barbulata. Se Pyxidanthera barbulata. 
ting the eolder parts of Europe 
stent, five-parted ; seg- 
| free, adnate to, or alter- 
the segments of the corolla. res some- 
numerous, sessile, imbricated, narrow, and 
nes large, orbiculate, dentate. The order 
n 67 pus s sia, Fee с уйн ала 
С з two others which ve not $ E 
-eultivatior yet pe 
DIAPHANOUS. Transparent. 
DIASCIA (from diaskeo, to adorn; in reference to the 
pretty flowers). ORD. Scrophularinee. Very pretty green- 
house annual herbs. In this genus, there are about a 
score species, all natives of South Africa. Seeds may be 
sown in а gentle heat, early in spring, and the seed- 
lings transferred, like Lobelias and other bedding plants, 
to the open, about June. 
D. Barberz (Mrs. Barber's). fl. rosy-pink, double-spurred, dis- 
osed in terminal racemes. July. Z ovate, bluntly serrate. h. 
ft. 1871. (B. M. 5933.) 
DIASTEMANTHE. A synonym of Stenotaphrum. 
DIBBER, or DIBBLE. A useful instrument in 
'gardens, often made from a hard piece of wood, such as 
an old spade handle, and principally employed for plant- | 
ing out seedlings, of small or medium size.  Dibbers, 
when used on a large scale, are usually cased with a 
hollowed, tapering point of steel. In heavy soils, the 
sides of the hole are liable to become polished with the 
steel sheath, and the roots do not then penetrate them _ 
freely. Light soils give when the Dibber is inserted, _ 
Fig. 652. DIBBERS. 
consequently they are best suited for its use. : Fig. 652 ^ 
represents two forms of steel-cased Dibbers in dde 
use. One (a) is made from a piece of wood of the shape 
represented, and is preferred by some to the other ( 
which may be prepared from a spade handle. 
DIBBLEMMA. See Polypodium. dd 
DIBBLING. The process of planting with a Dibber. 
Its chief advantages lie in economising the plants, anā- 
rendering thinning almost unnecessary. Seedlings gror 
ing closely together should be dibbled out temporarily, 
until sufficiently strong for placing in permanent quarters 
by the same method. Dibbling has some dvan 
the roots often being placed straight down instead ae 
in the natural way in which they grow. А It is, ho 
an expeditions mode, much practised with 
4 
а 
Fic. 653. METHOD OF DIBBLING. 
plants that soon form new roots. The process 
in the accompanying engravings (see Fig. 653), 
