56 THE BOOK OF THE CARNATION 



plants, and, if the Pink is given a place as a garden flower, 

 which it is well fitted to fill, these should be shunned. 

 Mrs. Waite and Victory are sorts that are very free and of 

 vigorous habit, and for this purpose these, it may be said, do 

 not require to be propagated annually. Some of the best 

 exhibition varieties are, Boiard, Mrs. Dark, Modesty, 

 Device, Harry Hooper, Zoe, Empress of India, Godfrey, 

 Minerva, Amy, Reliance, The Rector, and Princess 

 Louise. 



What have been termed Garden or Forcing Pinks 

 comprise another section. The oldest, and still one 

 of the best varieties, is Anne Boleyn, which is best pro- 

 pagated by layering. Next in age is Lord Lyons, and in 

 various shades of colouring such as Ascot, Paddington, 

 and Ernest Ladhams may be mentioned. These are 

 increased with facility by cuttings, and a rough-and-ready 

 way of securing large clumps consists in pulling an over- 

 grown plant into good-sized pieces, when, if operated on 

 in September, the pieces will certainly produce roots, and 

 grow. As forcing plants, the practice is to grow them on 

 in the open like violets, and in autumn to lift with balls 

 of soil attached, and to plant in pots five or six inches 

 diameter. The best place to stand the plants at this 

 stage is in a protected position out-of-doors. Lifted in 

 the end of September, or early in October, they are ready 

 to place in a pit early in November, where they come on 

 slowly, and with the aid of just a little heat in January 

 soon produce flowers. What may be called the White 

 Flowered section, including Mrs. Sinkins, Her Majesty, 

 Albino, and Snowflake, is also amenable to forcing treat- 

 ment as above. Their weak point is the hardy nature of 

 the plants, which resent the amount of heat a too enthu- 

 siastic attendant would like to supply them with. 



As edging plants to divisions in gardens or by the sides 

 of walks this class of Pinks is invaluable, and for this 



