4 THE BOOK OF THE CARNATION 



of D. plumarius than of the Alpine pinks. It grows 

 rapidly, presenting no fastidiousness in regard to cultural 

 requirements, though it prefers a fertile soil with shade. 

 It is propagated by means of cuttings in the same way 

 as D. a/pinus. A beautifully coloured plate of this 

 lovely flower appeared in The Garden, vol. Ix. 



Z>. Carthusianorum. A German species allied to 

 D. barbatus, and interesting as the supposed plant that 

 was largely cultivated as long ago as the sixteenth century 

 by the name of " Sweet John," or simply " Johns." The 

 name occurs in Lily's " Euphues and his England," along 

 with several others, common flowers, roses, violets, prim- 

 roses " here wil be Jilly-floures, Carnations, Sops-in- 

 Wine, Sweet Johns," and it is described in all the old 

 herbals. Wright quotes a stanza that shows it to have 

 been a dearly loved flower. 



" The John so sweete in showe and smell, 



Distinct by coloures twaine, 

 About the borders of their beds 

 In seemlie sight remain." 



Like the Sweet William, it was a common garden plant 

 long previous to the date noted by botanists as that of its 

 introduction, 1573. Miller states, the "plant had gone 

 out of cultivation in his day ; " but traces of it are to be 

 found till the end of the eighteenth century. The type 

 is figured in Sweet's " British Flower Garden." 



D. Caryophyllus. A little-known species, but interesting 

 as the type which produced our long race of Carnations 

 and Picotees. The specific name is one of the many 

 applied long ago by old botanists to Carnations and 

 Pinks. It is figured in Sowerby's " English Botany." 



D. caucasicus. A good garden plant, with large pink 

 flowers and dark centre, growing about a foot in height. 

 Introduced in 1 803, and figured in the Botanical Magazine, 

 * 795- 



