JUNE] FLOWER GARDEN. 447 



awning should be placed over the whole, so as to be drawn up or let 

 down by means of pulleys. The same frame that was used for tulips 

 or hyacinths would answer this purpose extremely well. 



In order that the flowers should appear to the greatest advantage, 

 it is necessary that the pots should stand upon a stage erected 

 theatre-like ; and it would be an additional advantage to have the 

 flowers suspended from the sticks placed in the pots for their support 

 by small pieces of fine elastic wire of unequal lengths, to support 

 them in a natural, easy, and graceful manner, neither too near to- 

 gether nor remote from each other ; one end of the wire should be 

 introduced into the stick by means of a small awl, and there fixed 

 sufficiently tight, to prevent its being drawn out by the weight of 

 the flower ; the other end of the wire should be formed into a small 

 ring about a quarter of an inch in diameter, to inclose the stem 

 below the calyx; this ring should be a little open on one side to 

 admit the stem freely without bruising it, which would materially 

 injure the bloom. 



The pots must be kept regularly and constantly watered during 

 the bloom, and no favorable opportunity should be neglected to allow 

 them the full advantage of exposure to light and air ; but no rain 

 should be admitted to the blossoms at any period of their bloom. 



It is not advisable to let every pod blow, because it would render 

 each blossom smaller than if only two or three were left on each 

 plant; it is, therefore, proper, in this case, to cut off or draw out the 

 small lateral pods close to the main stem as soon as they appear, in 

 order that the remainder may have time to reap due benefit by it ; 

 but those sorts that have remarkably large short pods, abounding with 

 petals (commonly called bursters) should be suffered to bloom them 

 all, or the greater part, although, in general, three or four pods are 

 as many as ought to be suffered to blow on one plant. 



Modern florists divide the carnations into four classes : 



1. Flakes; of two colors only, and their stripes large, going quite 

 through the leaves. 



2. JBizards; with flowers striped or variegated with three or four 

 different colors in regular spots and stripes. 



3. Piquettes or Piquettees; having a white ground, and spotted 

 or pounced with scarlet, red, purple, or other colors. 



4. Painted Ladies; these have the petals of a red or purple color 

 on the upper side, and white underneath.* 



A DESCRIPTION OP THE PROPERTIES OP A FINE VARIEGATED DOUBLE 



CARNATION. 



The stem should be strong, tall, and straight, not less than thirty, 

 nor more than forty-five inches high. The flower should be at least 

 three inches in diameter, and the petals well formed, neither so many 

 as to appear crowded, nor so few as to appear thin. The lower or 



* These classes are more particularly applicable to the once flowering 

 kinds. The remontants, which bloom all the year rouiid if protected in 

 winter in the green-house, are far more preferable, and now may be had of 

 all hues and kinds of stripes. 



