34 ON PINKS. 



The stock of a pink sometimes shoots out mounters from all its 

 slips, which is an inconvenience we ought carefully to avoid : there- 

 fore carefully take off some of them, by cutting the stalk to the 

 second joint. 



The frequent waterings given to pinks, and that beat down the 

 earth, together with the heat of the sun that dries and hardens it, 

 obliges a florist to turn up the surface from time to time : and 

 we may affirm, that each time he does so, he will find a visible ad- 

 vantage by it : after which tillage, we always give it some new mould 

 taken from a hot-bed, as well for neatness sake, as for the benefit 

 the pink gives by the addition of new salts, which penetrate into the 

 plant, whenever we water it. 



The pink is a plant that requires more assistance from art than any 

 other ; it often produces buds we wish it did not : and when we per- 

 ceive this hurtful fruitfulness, we must not omit to ease it of the 

 burthen, as much as we judge convenient ; especially when two grow 

 aside one another, we must be sure to take away one of them : for in 

 the affair of pinks, we ought to be more desirous of beauty, than of 

 the great number of flowers. 



The buds we take away are always those that grow nearest the foot 

 of the pink ; and we must shew our judgment in this operation ; that 

 is to say, we must take away from those that want nourishment, than 

 from those which grow naturally large, on which we are sometimes 

 obliged to leave all of them, because they are subject to burst. 



In regard to the Pinks that burst, we must, when we have any tha* 

 are subject to do so, tie the bud, and shift it a little on the side where" 

 it bellies out : the large and short bud, we ought mostly to suspect. 



When the Pinks are in flower, we should consider whether na- 

 ture has disposed all things in a manner, so just in all its proportions 

 that we may say, this is a beautiful Pink ; and in defect hereof, we 

 must comb such as require it ; the manner of which is as follows : — 

 Wash your bands clean, and wipe them very dry, take your ill- 

 shaped pink and bend down the top of the husk, shifting- it a little ; take 

 notice which leaves of your Pink are out of order, and with your 

 hands dispose them in the most beautiful order you can : after this 

 you will see the difference there will be between the first disposition 

 and the second. 



All persons that are truly curious, when they have any Pinks that 

 burst and which by reason of that accident cannot keep their flowers 

 in due order, make use of a piece of pasteboard, cut round, and a hole 

 made in middle, not larger than the size of the pink, and this they 

 place just under the leaves of the flower, which they put into their 

 due order : this gives it a beautiful aspect, and makes it grow to a 

 wonderful size. 



The Pinks that are in pots are generally set upon boards, that are 

 laid upon trestles, and when (hey are placed to advantage, they claim 

 the admiration of nil that see them. 



