PROM THEOPHHASTUS TO AKEGATIEBE. 15 



Hardy Pinks, Sweet May Pinks, Scotch Pinks, Picotees, Hy- 

 brid Perpetual Pinks, Self, Fancies, Bizzars, Marguerites, Flakes, 

 Malmasons, and a score of other local names in Europe and Amer- 

 ica are given to the interminable varieties of the four mention- 

 ed primal species of the Dianthus genus of plants. All pinks 

 have a dwarfer growth than carnations, their leaves are more 

 profuse and grass-like, they grow in tufts, 10 to 15 inches high, 

 bloom profusely in a single crop, and will not stand forcing. 



The lacings, shadings, blendings and markings, on the petals 

 of pinks are always transverse; those on carnations are parallel 

 with the axis of the petals. 



In a work devoted exclusively to a single species of the Car- 

 yophyllus family of plants, I can only generalize the statement 

 that classes, orders and genera of the botanies are but divergent 

 varieties of parent plants, with their habits and natures modified 

 and rounded by different enforced climatic condition into so-called 

 species. The environments of Dianthus in Germany have differen- 

 tiated it into Bizzars, Selfs, Flakes and Fancies, which types are 

 perpetuated by layering the branches. In France they are modi- 

 fied into Malmasons, Marguerites, Border Pinks, and the types 

 continued by layering. 



In 1597 Gard declared that there were so many varieties 

 of pinks that "a large volume would not contain a description of 

 them all." In 1613 Bessler figured a carnation flower at 3^ 

 inches in diameter. In 1702 a John Ray catalogued 360 distinct 

 kinds of carnation pinks. In 1752 Philip Millens in his 

 "Gardeners' Dictionary" advised splitting the calyxes of carna- 

 tions with a knife to avoid their rupturing. In 1788 William 

 Curtis figured a Bizzars at 3^ inches across, and added, "that it 

 was not the most perfect flower of the kind, either in form or size." 



In 1807, Martyn fixed 3} inches as the largest type of a car- 

 nation flower, on a strong, stiff stem from 30 to 45 inches long. 

 In 1840, carnations of the Malmason type in Europe are spoken 

 of as producing flowers 6 inches in diameter, which is confirmed 

 by Mr. Hill, who visited Europe in the interest of the carnation 

 a few years back. 



