171 



and branched: the stems a foot or eighteen inclies liigh, decumbent 

 at bollom, jointed and branched: tlie leaves are glaucous, smooth' 

 linear, a line in breadth: every branch is terminated by one, two, or 

 three liowers. 'J'he:-ie flowers, in tb.e improved garden phmt, have a 

 spicy odour. 



There are both single and double varieties, with reddish flowers 

 with variegated red and while flowers, with variegated red, white, 

 and })urple flowers, with variegated red, scaiht, pinplc, and white 

 flowers, and with variegatetl red or purple al^oxe and white luidcr- 

 nealh. 



The Carnations are distinguished by modern florists, from the 

 difference of variegation, into four classes: — as Flakes, having two 

 colours only, and their stripes large, going quite through the leaves. 

 Bizarres, with flowers stripetl or variegated with three or four diflbrent 

 colours, in irregular spots and stripes. Piqucttes, having a white 

 ground, spotted or pounced with scarlet, red, purple, or other colours. 

 Fainted Ladies, with the petals of a red or purple colour on the upper 

 side, and entirely white underneath. 



Each of these classes have numerous sub-varieties, especially the 

 third, which was formerly in most esteem with florists; but of late 

 years the F/akes have been in greater request. It is useless howevc^r 

 to enumerate their sub-varieties, as they are not by imy jueaus per- 

 manent. 



The properties of a good Carnation are thus staled by tloiisls: — 

 The stem of the flower should be straight, strong, and able to sup- 

 port the weight ol" the flower without hanging down: the flower at 

 least not less than from thirty to forly-hve inches high: the petals 

 well formed, long, broad, stiff, and pretty easy to expand, or, as the 

 florists term it, make free flowers, being neither too close nor too thin; 

 the midtUe of the flower not advanced too high above the other |)arts; 

 the colours bright, and equally marked all over the flower: the flower 

 very lull of petals, so as to render it, when blown, very thick in the 

 middle, with the outside perfectly roiuid. And Martyn adds, " that 

 the lower or outer circle of petals, commonly called the guard leaves, 

 should be ])arlicularly substantial; should rise perpendicularly about 



