THE PINK. 293 



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 gar- 

 dens. 



The Pink is considered by botanists as merely a va- 

 riety of the preceding. It is, however, very distinct in 

 its character and constant in its habits. It is one of 

 the mechanics' flowers, and is cultivated most exten- 

 sively in the neighborhood of some of the manufactur- 

 ing 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 Pais- 

 ley 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. 



Pinks are mostly propagated by pipings in slight hot- 

 beds or under hand-glasses ; and when proper attention 

 is given to the due admission of air, they generally suc- 

 ceed. Occasionally rare sorts, which are scantily fur- 

 nished with grass, are propagated by layers. This 

 flower does not require such elaborate composts as some 

 others, but it likes fresh light soils, well manured with 

 decayed cow-dung. ■ Not more than two years of blooms 

 should be taken from the same bed, and it is the prxic- 

 tice of most florists to have a new bed every year. The 

 flower-stalks are supported i)y small sticks. As in the 

 carnation, ligatures of bast-matting, or collars of card, 

 are sometimes applied to the calyces of the flowers: but 



