112 CARNATIONS AND PINKS. [June and July. 



in fresh soil. The economy of the genus Colchicum in 

 regard to its bulbs, flowers, and seeds, is altogether singu- 

 lar, and may be termed an anomaly of nature. In pro- 

 ducing the new bulbs or off-sets, in a very curious manner 

 the old one perishes. The flowers, which arise with long 

 slender tubes from the root, die off in October, without 

 leaving any external appearance of seeds. These lie 

 buried all the winter within the bulb ; in spring they throw 

 up a fruit stalk, and are ripe about the first of June. How 

 beautiful and admirable is this provision! The plant 

 blooming so late in the year, would not have time to ma- 

 ture its seeds before winter ; and is, therefore, so contrived 

 that it may be performed out of the reach of the usual 

 effects of frost, and they are brought above the surface 

 when perfected, and at a proper season for sowing. 



CARNATIONS AND PINKS. 



In order to make the former flower well, if the weather 

 is dry, give them frequent waterings at the root, and tie 

 them up neatly to their rods. The criterion of a fine Car- 

 nation is The stem strong and straight, from thirty to 

 forty inches high, the corolla three inches in diameter, con- 

 sisting of large, round, well formed petals, but not so many 

 as to crowd it, nor so few as to make it appear thin or 

 empty ; the outside petals should rise above the calyx about 

 half an inch, and then turn off in a horizontal direction, to 

 support the interior petals, they forming nearly a hemi- 

 spherjcal corolla. The interior petals should decrease in 

 size toward the centre, all regularly disposed on every 

 side ; they should have a small degree of concavity at the 

 lamina or broad end, the edges perfectly entire. The calyx 

 above one inch in length, with strong broad points in a 

 close and circular body. The colours must be perfectly 

 distinct, disposed in regular long stripes, broadest at the 

 edge of the lamina, and gradually becoming narrower as 

 they approach the unguis or base of the petal, there termi- 

 nating in a fine point. Those that contain two colours 

 upon a white ground are esteemed the finest. 



The, criterion of a double pink. The stem about twelve 

 inches, the calyx smaller, but similar to a carnation ; the 



