DIANTHUS. 113 



ular manner with leaves of this description. It flowers in 

 July. On a strong plant the stem will be three feet high. 



The propagation of the Carnation by layers is a very simple 

 operation. When the plant is in perfection of bloom, lay 

 around it one and a half or two inches of compost, first gently 

 stirring the surface so that it may combine ; remove the lower 

 leaves of the shoots selected ; pass the penknife, slanting up- 

 wards, half through the joint ; fasten the shoot, where so cut, 

 about two inches under the surface, with a small hooked peg, 

 bending it carefully so as not to break at the incision ; then fix 

 it firmly by gently pressing the earth around with the fingers, 

 and finish by cutting off about half an inch of the upper 

 extremities of the leaves with scissors. The sap soon begins 

 to granulate at the wound, and throw out roots. In about a 

 month or six weeks, if it has been kept moderately moist, they 

 may be severed from the parent plant and established for them- 

 selves ; or they may remain where they are, if the stem to 

 which they are attached be carefully cut off. 



The Carnation requires a rich, generous, deep soil. A com- 

 post of three parts of good, strong garden loam, three parts hot- 

 bed manure, two years old, three parts of coarse river sand, 

 two parts dry manure from a hen-house, sifted, and two parts 

 of soot from a wood fire, has been recommended for the Car- 

 nation. 



D. hortensis. Garden Pink. This species is in perfection 

 about the last of June. The foliage is more grass-like, and 

 the plant much hardier, than the Carnation. The double vari- 

 eties are very desirable, not only for their beauty, but also for 

 their fragrance. They may be propagated by dividing the 

 roots, by layers, arid by pipings. The surest mode of propaga- 

 tion is by layers, but piping is generally resorted to for Pinks. 

 These are shoots cut from the plant at the second or third 

 joint, according as they are more or less woody or juicy, and 

 inserted, close to each other, in a bed of proper compost well 

 pulverized ; water moderately, so that the earth may adhere 

 closely round the shoots ; when the moisture has somewhat 

 10* 



