278 FLOWER GARDEN. 



the winter, particularly in frosty weather. Towards the 

 end of November a barrow-load of lime is added while hot, 

 to aid in the decomposition of the soil, and destroy worms. 

 For the varieties which are liable to sport, he recommends 

 a poorer compost. 



The more robust carnations are planted out in beds or 

 singly in the flower garden ; but the finer and more tender 

 sorts are grown in pots of about a foot in diameter. The 

 time of potting is about the end of March. When the 

 flower-stems show themselves, they are furnished with rods, 

 to which they are tied as they lengthen, to prevent their 

 being broken by the wind or other accident. When the 

 plants begin to expand their blossoms, they are removed 

 to a stage calculated to exhibit their beauties. Some 

 florists place ligatures around the flower-buds, in order to 

 prevent irregular bursting, and even arrange the petals, by 

 removing distortions with fine-pointed scissors, 



New varieties are raised from seed. The seed of the 

 hardier double or semidouble sorts often affords a very 

 beautiful bed of flowers, and should not be neglected by 

 those who have the command of extensive flower gardens. 



The Pink is considered by botanists as merely a variety 

 of the preceding. It is, however, very distinct in its cha- 

 racter and constant in its habits. It is one of the me- 

 chanic's flowers, and is cultivated most extensively in the 

 neighborhood of some of the manufacturing towns. Its 

 simple elegance does credit to the taste of those who select it 

 for their favorite ; and it deserves a place in the garden of 

 the highest as well as the lowest in the land. Pinks are 

 numerous, the growers at Paisley enumerating about three 

 hundred varieties. Those are preferred which have the 

 limb of the petals nearly entire, and are well marked in 

 the centre with bright crimson or dark purple. 



