PINKS 



PINKS are common enough in our gardens, yet 

 they are not grown so much or so well as they 

 might be, and the florists are so taken up with carna- 

 tions that they have rather neglected the possibilities 

 of the pink. No doubt carnations are worthy of all 

 the pains that have been spent upon them; no pinks 

 can compare with them in variety of colour, and few 

 in duration of flowering period. But carnations ex- 

 act much care and skill if they are to be grown really 

 well, and need to be constantly renewed; whereas 

 many pinks ask for nothing but a sunny place and a 

 well-drained soil to thrive for years without attention. 

 Carnations, too, often need to be carefully staked; 

 and this is a grave defect in a plant of so low a stature, 

 and one from which most pinks, especially the natural 

 species, are entirely free. The chief beauty of the 

 best pinks is their habit of growth. They are beauti- 

 ful in winter as well as in summer, and they bear their 

 flowers as if they were a joy and not a burden to them. 

 Most of them will endure any amount of drought and 

 can be propagated most easily by seed, cuttings, or 

 division. All that they need to make them perfect 

 garden plants is a longer flowering period, a greater va- 

 riety of colour, and in some cases rather larger flowers. 



Now, different species or varieties have all these vir- 



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