ON THE PROPERTIES OF THE PINK. 2*75 



and qualifications ; partly for the defence of our own taste and judg- 

 ment respecting them, against the frequent and cutting attacks of 

 our brethren in the south ; and partly for the benefit of those who 

 are anxious to ornament their gardens with some of its choicest and 

 most beautiful varieties. For there is no little dissension just now 

 amongst florists of different counties, as to the form and degree of 

 doubleness the pink ought to possess. The " Gardener " has taken 

 the matter up in good time, and has already laid us down a standard 

 and model which, it assures us, all flowers must attain before they 

 can arrive at perfection. 



It decides that the form of the pink (as well as the Carnation and 

 Picotee) should be a perfect hemisphere, with a high crown and full 

 centre, similar to the Dahlia and Ranunculus, and that there is " no 

 more sense in being content with a semi-double Pink, Carnation, or 

 Picotee, than with a semi-double Ranunculus or Dahlia." Now, 

 though I should be first to eulogise articles on the properties of other 

 florists' flowers, I must widely differ from it on the subject of the 

 Pink. For we consider, in this neighbourhood, that its principal 

 beauty and attraction consist in the eye, which, with the lacing, 

 forms such a beautiful contrast with the white, which assumes a sort 

 of half-moon in the interval. But perhaps our London friends have 

 forgot what the eye is, or have never seen it at all ; it will therefore 

 be needful to tell them. The eye is a distinct and beautiful circle 

 that compasses the centre, and composed of the dark portion at the 

 base of each petal ; which being arranged in perfect order and rota- 

 tion, petal upon petal, makes a complete and perfect circle, resembling 

 the eye of an Auricula or Polyanthus. But I conceive, if the flower 

 be crowned high up to the centre, like the Dahlia, not only the eye 

 but the white also will be concealed, (for the petals will not cup like 

 the Dahlias,) leaving nothing scarcely but the dark edges to view ; 

 and thus the contrast will be destroyed, its natural features displaced, 

 and this " full, double, high-crowned flower " will look neither like one 

 thing nor the other. The Carnation and Picotee are, however, desti- 

 tute of this eye, and therefore the objection does not apply to them. 



Again, the Pink (quite different from a Dahlia or Ranunculus) is 

 confined by a calyx or pod, of a certain size, and which, if fraught 

 with more than a certain number of petals is sure to burst, and will 

 need artificial aid to bloom them. And those that can see any charm 



