CARYOPHYLLEjE. III. DIANTHUS. 



395 



few-flowered; leaves linear-lanceolate, serrulated; peduncles 1- 

 flowered ; outer calycine scales imbricated, ovate, acute, shorter 

 than the inner ones and calyx ; petals fringed. TJ. . H. Native 

 of Tunis in sand. Corolla pale rose-coloured, one-half smaller 

 than those of D. plumarius. (Desf.) 



Serrulated-leaved Pink. Fl. June, Aug. PL 1 foot. 



115 D. PLUMA'RIUS (Lin. spec. 589. hort. ups. 105. no. 4.) 

 glaucous ; stem 2-3-flowered ; teeth of calyx obtuse ; calycine 

 scales somewhat ovate, very short, mucronulate, close pressed ; 

 petals jagged, multifid, bearded, leaves linear, with scabrous 

 margins. If. . H. Native of Europe ? D. diibius, Horn. hort. 

 hafn. 1. p. 408 ? D. moschatus, hort. Par. D. plumarius is the 

 type of the common garden Pink. In France it is called Mig- 

 nnrdise. The flowers are either double or single, white, purple, 

 spotted or variegated, and more or less fringed on the margins, 

 sweet-scented. 



Var. ft, hortensis (Ser. mss. and D. C. prod. 1. p. 3CS.) 

 petals bearded in the throat. D. hortensis, Schrad. ex Willd. 

 enum. p. 469. 



Far. y, Portensis (Ser. mss. and D. C. prod. 1. p. 363.) 

 leaves smaller ; petals hardly fringed. D. Port6nsis, Libosch. 

 ex herb. Balb. 



From D. plumarius spring all the varieties of the common 

 garden pink. As a florist flower the Pink is of much less 

 antiquity than the Carnation ; it is scarcely mentioned by 

 Gerarde, and Parkinson gives very few varieties. It was chiefly 

 grown as a border flower till within the last 50 years, since which 

 it has been greatly improved, and many fine varieties originated. 

 Being one of the hardiest and least expensive of fine flowers, it 

 is much cultivated by operative mechanics and manufacturers 

 round large towns, and no where to such an extent as at Paisley 

 by the weavers there. The varieties most cultivated are chiefly 

 those called Pheasants'-eyes. Cob Pinks are a large sort 

 seemingly intermediate between pinks and picotee carnations ; 

 red early pinks are smaller plants than Cobs or Pheasants'-eyes, 

 and seem to have sprung from Cobs and D. armeria, or D. del- 

 totdes. The Paisley growers reckon above 300 hundred varieties 

 of the Pheasants'-eyes. Parkinson in 1629 only mentions 6 or 

 8 sorts. Ray in 1 704 says there are many sorts, but of little 

 esteem. Hogg in 1820 gives a list of 100 names, containing the 

 best sorts in England. Davey, who has raised numerous fine 

 varieties, enumerates double that number. The culture and 

 propagation of the Pink is the same as that of the Carnation, 

 excepting that it is less frequently kept in pots or frames, but 

 planted in beds of fresh loamy soil, or into the flower border, 

 and the small side shoots reduced in the autumn, in order to 

 throw more strengtli into those intended to produce flowers the 

 following season. 



Criterion of a fine double Pink. " The stem should be strong 

 and erect, and not less than 12 inches high. The calyx smaller 

 and shorter than that of the carnation, but nearly similar in pro- 

 portion, as well as in the formation of the flower, which should 

 not be less than 2 inches and a half in diameter. The petals 

 should be large, broad, and substantial, and have very fine 

 fringed or serrated edges, free from deep notches or indentures ; 

 in short, they approach nearest to perfection when the fringe or 

 the edge is so fine as scarcely to be discernible, but if they 

 could be obtained entire it would be a very desirable object. The 

 broadest part of the lamina or broad end of the petals, should 

 be perfectly white and distinct from the eye, unless it be a laced 

 pink, that is, ornamented with a continuation of the colour of 

 the eye round it, bold, clean, and distinct, having a considerable 

 proportion of white in the centre, perfectly free from tinge or 

 spot. The eye should consist of a bright or dark rich crimson 

 or purple, resembling velvet, but the nearer it approaches to 

 black, the more it is esteemed ; its proportion should be about 



equal to that of the white, that it may neither appear too large 

 nor too small." Maddock. 



Propagation. Pinks are ordinarily increased by pipings or 

 cuttings, sometimes by layers to preserve rare sorts, and by seed 

 for new varieties. The time to commence putting in pipings is 

 previous to or during the time of flowering, or as soon as the 

 barren shoots are grown of a sufficient length for that purpose. 

 Hogg commences about the 21st of June. The operation is 

 the same as for pipings of carnations, only some do not apply 

 bottom heat. This last, however, is the more certain mode, and 

 the pipings are ready to remove sooner, and generally in a fort- 

 night or three weeks. For seed proceed as directed for carnations. 



Soil. Maddock says, A good fresh loamy soil dug 2 feet 

 deep, and manured with a stratum of cow-dung, 2 years old, 

 mixed with an equal proportion of earth ; this stratum to be 

 about 6 inches thick, and placed 5 or 6 inches below the sur- 

 face, is all the preparation that appears necessary for this flower. 



General culture. As soon as the pipings are struck, they are 

 to be removed and planted on a bed of common garden mould, 

 and after a few weeks the strongest of them should be removed 

 into the blooming bed. This bed should be raised 3 or 4 inches 

 above the paths. The plants intended for the principal bed for 

 bloom should be planted upon it in August, or early in Sep- 

 tember, as they do not blow quite so well if removed later in 

 the season ; they should be planted at about the distance of 9 

 inches from each other, and the bed should be laid rather convex 

 or rounding, to throw off" excess of rain, but will require no 

 other covering than a very slight one, in case of severe frost. 

 The surface of the bed should be stirred up a little as it inclines to 

 bind or become firm. There should never be more than 10 or 12 

 flowers allowed to bloom on the same plant, the lateral smaller 

 buds should be pulled off a month or 6 weeks before blooming, 

 taking care always to leave the leading bud which terminates 

 the shoot ; by this means the flowers will be much larger than 

 they otherwise would be. Strong healthy plants, consisting 

 of a leading stem in the centre, with but little surrounding in- 

 crease, are the best to select for the best bed, these will seldom 

 put up more than 1 or 2 stems, which will, however, be very 

 strong, grow tall, and produce 3 or 4 flowers, as large and fine 

 as the kind is capable of. 



Those buds which become much swelled nearly at the time of 

 flowering, and appear in danger of bursting, should be tied up in 

 the same manner directed for carnations. It is very desirable 

 to have a long calyx, for it is hardly possible to prevent those 

 with short calyxes from bursting. But in this case it is much 

 better to assist nature by making an incision at each tooth of the 

 calyx, as far down as may be thought necessary, in order to let 

 the petals regularly out on every side, and preserve the circular 

 form of the blossoms ; for if left to nature, the calyx will burst 

 on one side only, and produce a loose irregular unsightly flower. 

 When the flower-stems are grown sufficiently long they should 

 be supported with small sticks, but these ought to be tied in 

 such a manner as to keep the blossoms distinct from each other, 

 that the whole may have an easy graceful appearance. Those 

 who can bestow sufficient time and attention to the bloom of 

 pinks, may contribute greatly to their effect by placing circular 

 cards in the manner directed for carnations, but as these cards 

 are apt to warp from heat and wet, it is necessary to replace them 

 from time to time : however, some sorts do not require any 

 assistance of this kind, particularly if their guard petals are suffi- 

 ciently strong to support the rest. At the time of bloom, which 

 is about the end of June, it is proper to defend the bed by an 

 awning or covering : they, however, should always enjoy the 

 advantage of light and air, and the soil should be kept regularly 

 moist by soft water administered between the plants, carefully 

 avoiding to wet the blossoms. Maddock, Florist Direct, p. 220. 

 3 E2 



