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very well in the open ground by letting them remain with 

 the parent plant, and covering them with leaves and pine 

 boughs ; but the most certain w^ay is, when the layers 

 have taken root, to pot them, and at the approach of win- 

 ter put them in a frame where they may be kept with per- 

 fect safety, j^rovided air is given them in mild weather, 

 and they are not exposed to the sun Avhen in a frozen 

 state. The mice are very destructive to all Pinks ; there- 

 fore the frame must be tight. 



Carnations are arranged by florists into three classes, 

 viz : Flakes^ Bizarres^ and Picotees. Flakes have two 

 colors only; their stripes are large, going quite through 

 the petals. Bizarres are variegated, in irregular spots and 

 stripes, with not less than three colors. Picotees have a 

 white ground, spotted or pounced with scarlet, red, pur- 

 ple, or other colors. The finer sorts are regularly edged 

 with these colors, on a clear white or yellow ground. 

 The petals of a jDerfect flower should be rose-leaved, or 

 with entire edges ; the flower should be filled up in a reg- 

 ular manner with petals 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 one-half or two inches of 

 compost, first gently stirring the surface so that it may 

 mix well ; remove the lower leaves of the shoots selected ; 

 pass the pen-knife, slanting upwards, half through the 

 joint; fasten the shoot, where so cut, about two inches 

 under the surface, with a small hooked peg, bending 

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

 firmly by gently pressing the earth around with the fin- 

 gers, and finish by cutting oft' about half an inch of the 

 upper extremities of the leaves Avith scissors. The sap 

 soon begins to granulate at the wound, and throw out 



