74 THE BOOK OF THE CARNATION 



and reference may be made below for remarks on these 

 methods of propagation. Pinks are raised from seeds with 

 much less trouble, and may be sown in the open air. 



PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 



Pinks are more generally increased by means of cuttings 

 than are Carnations, though these too are not infrequently 

 propagated by this means. Cuttings are of three kinds. 

 There is the cutting that in gardening parlance is broken 

 off with a heel. That is, the cutting is originally a short 

 side-shoot, which the operator breaks off entire from the 

 stem, bringing with it a piece of the latter, which is called 

 the heel. This kind of cutting can be more certainly 

 induced to emit roots if partly broken away from the stem 

 a few days before it is wanted to insert in the rooting 

 material. Side-shoots of Malmaisons are generally em- 

 ployed in this manner, but any section may be treated in 

 the same way. Of Pinks, the garden varieties, Mrs. 

 Sinkins, Her Majesty, and others root freely from cuttings 

 of this kind, and many of the Mule Pinks and species are 

 best propagated in this way. Another kind of cutting is 

 produced by a lengthened shoot, severed under a joint, as 

 usual in the case of cuttings generally. The two under 

 leaves removed, this kind is ready for insertion. Some- 

 times, however, and this applies mainly to strong growths 

 inserted late in the year, it is found beneficial to split the 

 stem up, which, being kept open by some simple wedge, 

 is inserted in that way ; while yet another method con- 

 sists in putting one half the cut stem in the soil, the 

 other half being laid flat on its surface, the idea being to 

 provide a large rooting surface. 



Then there is that peculiar sort of cutting called a 

 " piping," confined almost solely to Pinks of the laced 

 section. A u piping " results when the growing point of a 



