276 ON THE PINK. 



ARTICLE IV. 



ON THE PINK. 



BY FI.ORISTA. 



Several articles having already appeared in the Cabinet on the 

 cultivation of the above flower, the following remarks are offered with 

 a view of combining its properties, in order that all florists may be 

 unanimous in their opinions regarding it. 



It is generally understood that northern and southern florists are 

 at issue on the properties requisite to constitute a first-rate variety of 

 this particular class of florists' flowers ; the southern florists contend- 

 ing that the northern pinks are too thin of petal, as well as being 

 below the standard in the size of bloom ; whilst, on the other hand, 

 the northern growers object to the southern pinks, on the ground that 

 their form of petal is not good ; a diversity of colour in the lacing and 

 eye; irregularity of lacing, particularly on the guard leaves, where 

 the lacing is often of a lighter colour, besides a tendancy to break 

 off abruptly in the centre ; and an almost invariable propensity to 

 burst. 



I am not so uncharitable as to suppose that a florist, whether 

 northern or southern, is not competent to decide the merits of a flower 

 when it is presented to him ; but it is here where the difference in 

 opinion occurs, simply, because each entertains distinct ideas of per- 

 fection. 



An eminent writer on the properties of florists' flowers, has, in a 

 recent publication, established the following as a standard for this 

 class of flowers, — " That it should be circular and rise like half a 

 ball ; the petals should be thick, broad, smooth at the edges without 

 notch or serrature ; they should be regularly disposed, and each row 

 be smaller than that under it; the ground should be pure white. 

 The colour, whatever it may be, should reach from the inside of the 

 petal, far enough outwards to show in front beyond the petal above it, 

 and form a rich eye; and a narrow even lacing or stripe of the colour 

 should appear inside the white edge, which should be just the same 

 width outside the lacing as the lacing itself is, and as even. There 

 should be no break or vacancy in the lacing, and the colour inside of 

 the petal as well as the lacing ought to be well defined, forming a 

 circular coloured eye or centre to each row of petals." 



