66 THE BOOK OF THE CARNATION 



a century ago. The latter were called Variegated Sweet 

 Williams, and as such can be traced well back into the 

 eighteenth century. But the Sweet William has always 

 been so common a flower that writers have taken for 

 granted that nothing novel could be said about it, and 

 consequently we are left very much in the dark concern- 

 ing its progress. In Scotland it has long been held in 

 great esteem, and fifty years ago or less a number of 

 double varieties were cultivated, all of which are now 

 non-existent, with perhaps the exception of that sort 

 known in England as Ware's Sweet William. 



The Sweet William being a biennial, and under some 

 conditions a perennial, seedlings do not flower till the 

 second year. Seeds are sown in the open garden in May 

 or June, and when sufficiently large to transplant are 

 either transferred to the position selected for them to fill, 

 or are bedded in nursery lines till required. The plant 

 appreciates a fertile open soil, in which large heads of 

 flowers are freely produced, remaining in beauty for 

 about three months. If seeds are required they will be 

 found in quantity in the dried seed capsules. In order 

 to perpetuate any particularly fine variety, seeds cannot, 

 however, be relied on, and as of late years some distinct 

 double varieties have been obtained, it may be noted 

 that the basal shoots of the Sweet William produce 

 towards autumn abundance of roots. In dry or warm 

 positions this propensity should be taken advantage of 

 by applying a light covering of soil and leaf-mould, of 

 which the stem roots will shortly take possession, following 

 which let them be separated from the parent and planted 

 where required. In the case of cool soils the above pre- 

 caution will generally be unnecessary, plenty of adven- 

 titious roots appearing without any extraneous aid. It 

 must be noted, too, that the plant, if grown under suitable 

 conditions, exists for many years, becomes a perennial in 

 fact. It possesses, moreover, the happy quality of not 



