124 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



Pink. Characteristics of a Show Pink. The flower 

 must be fully double ; so much so, that it should form the 

 half of a ball, rising up to the centre, and should be per- 

 fectly circular in outline. Each petal should be stout, broad, 

 and smooth at the edges. This smoothness is called rose- 

 edged ; that is, without any notches or teeth. The lowest 

 tier of petals should be the widest, reaching in diameter at 

 least from two to two and a-half inches. The next row 

 should be shorter, so much so as to show the lacing fully on 

 the lower petals ; and the next shorter again, and so on up 

 to the centre, which should be well filled up without con- 

 fusion. The ground colour should be pure white. The 

 lacing, or circular stripe, should leave an edge of white out- 

 side of it, and another inside ; this lacing of colour should 

 be of the same width as the outside edging of white, and 

 should be smooth and even at the edges ; in fact, laid on 

 as if it had been traced by a skilful hand with a fine camel- 

 hair pencil. Then at the bottom of the petals, there should 

 be another body of colour, the same as the lacing, to form 

 .a bold, rich eye. 



Soil and Situation of the Bed. The Pink requires a 

 generous soil, moderately manured with thoroughly-decayed 

 hotbed manure. This, if the soil is good, may be laid upon 

 the bed intended for Pinks, two inches thick, about April, 

 and immediately dug in deep, and the soil well mixed with 

 it. To accomplish this well it is of advantage to dig the 

 bed or piece of ground two or three times over. 



Propagation by Seed. As soon as the seed is judged 

 to be ripe, let it be gathered and separated from the pod, 

 dried moderately, packed in brown paper, and kept in a dry 

 place till the sowing season. 



Sowing. Sow in September in shallow pans, or boxes, 

 placed under a frame without heat. Set the pans upon coal 

 ashes, and carefully close every crevice, to prevent slugs 

 from entering. Give abundance of air during warm, sunny 

 days, and water very gently whenever the surface appears 

 dry. The seeds, if good, will quickly germinate, and the 

 seedlings will require particular attention to prevent them 

 from damping off or being devoured by slugs. Give air 

 every day, and on very warm, sunny days, pull off the light 

 entirely. When the plants have attained a sufficient size to 



