54 THE BOOK OF THE CARNATION 



CULTIVATION OF THE PINK 



In treating of the cultivation of the Pink, it will be 

 convenient to divide it into sections, the first of which 

 shall be devoted to the florist's type. 



I have been unable to gain any information as to Plain 

 or Black and White Pinks being still in existence. To 

 many who know these it must be a matter of much 

 regret that a flower so attractively marked and withal so 

 sweet should have been permitted to become a castaway. 

 The plants conformed to the treatment that suited Laced 

 Pinks, and if grown for exhibition, it was usual to be 

 very particular in protecting the blooms from weather of 

 all sorts, and this, generally, by means of glass blurred. 

 Named varieties of these, and of Laced Pinks, were wont 

 to be propagated almost solely by means of " pipings," 

 which a past generation considered gave the best results, 

 the month of June being the most suitable time to pro- 

 pagate these. They are also increased by means of ordi- 

 nary cuttings, and occasionally by layers (v. Chapter X.). 

 As the Pink makes its annual growth earlier than the 

 Carnation, so it can be propagated correspondingly 

 sooner, and in order to gain strong plants, early propaga- 

 tion becomes a point of some importance. The plant, 

 being absolutely hardy and less affected by the vicissi- 

 tudes of winter than the Carnation, is invariably planted 

 where it is to flower, the month of September, from a long 

 experience confirmed by all cultivators, being eminently 

 suitable. Plants not transplanted till later or left till 

 spring do not produce the marking called the " lacing " 

 in such perfection as do those set at the earliest possible 

 moment. Nay, so fastidious is the Pink as to this matter, 

 that those spring -planted very frequently refuse to furnish 

 a lacing at all ! Though the Pink will thrive in any 

 ordinarily fertile soil, it prefers that which has been 

 thoroughly cultivated and pulverized, and with which a 



