446 THE PLEASURE, OE [JUNE 



deep notches or indentures ; in short, they approach nearest to per- 

 fection when the fringe on the edge is so fine as to be scarcely dis- 

 cernible; but it would be a very desirable object to obtain them 

 perfectly rose-leaved, that is, without any fringe at all. 



The broadest part of the limina, or broad end of the petals, should 

 be perfectly white and distinct from the eye, unless it be ornamented 

 by a continuation of the color of the eye round it,* bold, clean, and 

 distinct, leaving a considerable portion of white in the centre, per- 

 fectly free from any tinge or spot. 



The eye should consist of a bright, or dark rich crimson, or pur- 

 ple, resembling velvet ; but the nearer it approaches to black, the 

 more it is esteemed; its proportion should be about equal to that of 

 the white, that it may neither appear too large nor too small. 



CARNATIONS. 



The calyx of many sorts of carnations contains a great number of 

 petals, which, as they increase in bulk, will distend and burst it, 

 if not timely prevented : this will generally happen a few days pre- 

 vious to the proper time of the blossoms opening, and will, if neg- 

 lected, by letting out the petals on one side, and thereby producing 

 a loose irregular appearance, totally destroy that compact, graceful 

 circular form, which a perfect flower ought to possess, and which is 

 one of its greatest ornaments; but this disagreeable effect may be 

 easily avoided by fastening a small narrow slip of bladder round the 

 middle of the pod, where it is most swelled, and appears to have the 

 greatest inclination to burst. The slip of bladder should be rather 

 longer than is required to go once around, so that one end of it may 

 lay over the other a little, which by the application of some strong 

 gum water, will adhere firmly together, and answer the purpose com- 

 pletely. Small slips of wet bass may be substituted for those of 

 bladder, and being tied with a single knot around the same part of 

 the calyx, will answer the purpose. 



Others place upon the calyx thin pieces of card, cut circular, of 

 a proper size to suit the blossom, with a hole in the centre adapted 

 to the size of the pod, and cut quite through from thence to the 

 periphery, in order to admit the stem, after which to draw them up 

 around the calyx; these are to be placed close to the guard leaves or 

 outside petals, to support them horizontally, and will, when extended 

 just as far as the extreme points of the petals, give the flower a neat 

 and pleasing appearance ; but these are apt to warp when long ex- 

 posed to the weather, especially after being wet, and must, in such 

 cases, be either taken off entirely or replaced with new ones, as they 

 will no longer answer the intended purpose. 



Either of the above methods may, and should be resorted to, in 

 order to have the fine large bursting kinds of carnations and pinks 

 to blow to the greatest advantage. 



When the major part of your elegant carnations are in bloom, an 



* When the corolla consists of petals of this description, it is denomi- 

 nated a Laced Pink. 



