55° 



DIANTHUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DIANTHUS. 



dark " eye " nearly \ in. across in the 

 centre of the flower. " The plant flowers 

 from May or June till autumn, and thrives 

 in sandy soil, in borders, or on rockwork ; 

 seed. South Russia. 



D. neglectus {Glacier Pink). — A 

 brilliant alpine plant, forming, very close 

 to the ground, tufts like short wiry grass, 

 from which spring many flowers, i in. 

 across, and of bright rose. It grows 

 freely in very sandy loam, either in 

 pots or on the rock-garden, rooting 

 into the sand through the bottom of the 

 pots as freely as any weed, is hardy, 

 easily grown, increased by division and 

 seed. Alps and Pyrenees. Syn.., D. 

 glacialis. 



D. petrseus {Rock Pink). — A charming 

 Pink, forming hard tufts, i or 2 in. high, 

 from which spring numerous flower-stems, 

 each bearing a fine rose-coloured flower. 

 It seems to escape the attacks of wire- 

 worm. It flowers in summer, and should 

 be planted on the rock-garden in sandy 

 and rather poor moist loam. Hungary ; 

 seed or division. 



D. plumarius (77^.? Common Pink).— 

 This is the parent of our numerous 

 varieties of Pinks, and has single purple 

 flowers, rather deeply cut at the margin, 

 and is naturalised on old walls in various 

 parts of England. The wild plant is 

 rather handsome when grown in healthy 

 tufts, but on the level ground it is apt 

 to perish. The many fragrant double 

 varieties are welcome everywhere, and 

 should be cultivated as rock or bank 

 plants, as they live longer and thrive 

 better when raised above the general 

 level of the ground, though they grow 

 well in ordinary soil. They have for 

 many years been amongst the favourite 

 "■florists'" flowers in European countries, 

 and are hardier and dwarfer than the 

 Carnation. In August, Pinks should be 

 planted 9 in. apart, the ground being rich 

 and well prepared. If the winter be very 

 severe, a little litter should be put over 

 them, and in spring the surface of the 

 beds should be stirred a little, and given 

 a top-dressing of fine old manure and a 

 slight dusting of guano. As they push 

 up their flower-spikes these should be 

 staked, and if they are for exhibition the 

 buds should be thinned, as many varieties 

 produce buds too freely. The culture of 

 Pinks, however, either for exhibition or 

 for the garden, is simple, and the outlay 

 small. Get newly struck pipings in 

 August and September— the best months 

 to plant them in a sunny place. In a smoky 

 town a cold frame will be needed ; but 

 if the air be clear, an open bed will do. 



When the pipings are once planted in the 

 open garden, they require little care till 

 they begin to push up their flower-stems. 

 Spring planting should be commenced as 

 early as the weather permits, and, as soon 

 as the plants iDegin to grow, the bed 

 should be mulched about i in. deep with 

 equal quantities of well-rotted horse 

 manure and leaf-mould. The plants will 

 then fast push on their new growth. 



Increasing Stock.— If the plants 

 have made good growth in July, cut the 

 strongest shoots with a sharp knife, cut 

 off" the ends of the grass, and cut the 

 shoot two or three joints below the grass 

 or leaves. Prepare some ground as 

 follows : Scatter a little salt on the surface, 

 then riddle on 2 in. deep of fresh soil, 

 prick in the pipings, and put a light or 

 hand-glass over them ; and they will be 

 rooted in a few weeks. 



Where seed is wanted, protect the 

 flowers from wet, and as they decay re- 

 move the withered petals, which en- 

 courage damp and form a harbour for 

 insects. Seed should be saved only from 

 the finest and most constant varieties of 

 vigorous and hardy growth, and may be 

 sown early in June in pots, or in the open 

 ground. 



Garden or Border Pinks. — The 

 show Pinks may be left to the exhibitor. 

 There are certain kinds both old and new 

 which must be taken care of by the 

 " general lover " of flowers. These are 

 the hardier border kinds, grown for their 

 beauty and fragrance. As in the case of 

 the hardier Carnations, we must en- 

 courage these. Some of the best of the 

 hardier kinds are — Anne Boleyn, Ascot 

 (soft pink), Fimbriatus major, Fragrans 

 (pure), George White, Hercules, Lady 

 Blanche, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Pettifer, Mrs. 

 Sinkins (Mule Pink), Marie Pare (Mule 

 Pink), Napoleon III., Multiflorus, New- 

 market, Pluto, Purity, Robustus, Rubens, 

 Thalia, White Queen, Wm. Bruce, High 

 Clere, Multiflorus flore-pleno, Multifloms 

 roseus, Striatiflorus, Speciosus fl.-pl., Coc- 

 cineus. Early Blush, Fimbriatus albus (old 

 white). Lord Lyons, Miss Jolifife, Nellie, 

 White Perpetual, the Clove Pink, Her 

 Majesty. 



Dwarf single and double Pinks. 

 — Messrs. Dicksons, of Edinburgh, have 

 raised some dwarf profuse - blooming 

 Pinks so compact in habit and stiff in 

 stem that they do without stakes. Most 

 Pinks are better without stakes, especially 

 when their foliage is healthy, and is in 

 such wide tufts as to shield the flowers 

 from splashed earth ; but these new 

 dwarf sorts may be compact enough for 



