CARNATION. 



89 



CARNATION. 



of the leaf stalks left tied to the stem, 

 and they are ready for the cook. 



Carnation, Pico tee, and Pink. 



The carnation and picotee are varieties 

 of the Dianthus Caiyophyllus, improved 

 and brought into their present condition 

 by cultivation. The pink owes its origin 

 to the D. plumarius. The chief 

 distinction between the carnation and the 

 picotee is that the colour of the former is 

 disposed in unequal stripes going from the 

 centre to the outer edge ; that of the pico- 

 tee is disposed on the outer edges of the 

 petals, radiating inwards, and uniformly 

 disposed. Carnations are classified as 

 Selfs, Flakes, and Bizarres. Selfs are 



dominance of the colour that is found in 

 the markings. The edges of the petals 

 of the carnation are smooth, those of 

 j the pink are generally jagged or notched. 

 The pink, for the most part, has a dark 

 eye, and sometimes a zone of the same 

 colour as the eye midway between the 

 base of the petal and the edge. Carnations, 

 picotees, and pinks are propagated by 

 seeds, layers, cuttings, and pipings, the 

 last-named mode being usually adopted 

 foi pinks 



Propagation by Seeds. Sow seeds in 

 May in pots, or small boxes, or seed 



CARNATION. 



carnations of one colour only, without 

 marks, and without shading. Flakes are 

 those which have the ground colour, be 

 it what it may, striped with one colour 

 only. In these the ground is generally 

 white, and the stripes are scarlet, rose, 

 or purple ; and in accordance with the 

 colour of the stripes, they are distinguished 

 as scarlet, rose, or purple flakes. Bizarres 

 are those which have the ground marked 

 and flaked with two or three colours, and 

 these are distinguished as crimson, pink, 

 or purple bizarres, according to the pre- 



pans, in soil similar to that which will 

 be described presently as a useful com- 

 post for growing carnations, and place 

 in an airy but sheltered part of the 

 garden. When the plants are up, and 

 show five^or six leaves, plant out in beds 

 composed of the same rich soil, and about 

 10 inches apart. Protect during winter 

 with a cold frame. Many of the seed- 

 lings will bloom in the following summer. 

 Propagation by Layers. The season for 

 propagating by layers is in July and 

 August. The modus operandi is very 

 distinctly exhibited in the accompanying 

 illustration, and may be described as 

 follows : Having selected the shoots to 



