DIANTHUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



DIANTHUS. 



529 



dead blooms as soon as they wither, and 

 the flower-stems as soon as all the buds 

 have come out, which will be about the 

 end of August or beginning of September. 

 Not later than the last week in July see 

 to layering. As soon as the layers are 

 rooted, which will be early in September, 

 take them off and lay them in by the 

 heels for a time, while taking up and 

 throwing away the old stools, top-dress 

 and fork over the bed with 2 in. of 

 well-rotted stable litter or cow-house 



very lightly with finely sifted compost, 

 and put them in a cold frame or house 

 out of danger of frost. When they show 

 three pairs of leaves, prick them out 

 about 2 in. apart round the edges of 5 -in. 

 pots rilled with the same compost, and 

 keep them still in the cool house till 

 there is no fear of frost. When they are 

 about 3 in. high, prick them out into beds, 

 keeping them about 4 in. apart. The 

 beds may be enriched with a little sand 

 and manure. In the autumn they will be 



Redbraes Picotee. 



sweepings, replace the layers, and they 

 will be in the same condition as at the 

 beginning. 



PROPAGATION BY SEED. The proper 

 time to sow is about April or May. Pre- 

 pare a compost of equal parts of loam, 

 leaf-mould, and silver sand, sift it fine, 

 and fill a number of 3-in. pots (as many 

 as you have sorts of seed) to within i in. 

 of the rim. Sprinkle each pot with a fine 

 rose, flatten the surface, and with the 

 point of a knife put down the seeds 

 separately about- \ in. apart. Cover them 



nice little plants, and may be planted 

 where they are to flower, which will be 

 the next year. Keep and name any really 

 good kind, discarding all singles, and 

 using the rest for borders or beds for 

 cutting from. 



BY PIPINGS. When the plants throw 

 up shoots too numerous to layer, or when 

 the root is attacked by disease, the shoots 

 may be taken off as follows : Take the 

 shoot just above the fourth or fifth joint 

 from the top, and with a sharp pull draw 

 it out from the socket formed by the next 



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