268 Remarks on the Pitik Family. 



site growth is obtained, they may be exposed in the open air until autumn, 

 with the usual attention given to plants in pots." I have succeeded very 

 well with my plants by turning them out in a bed, with a prepared soil, in 

 a somewhat sheltered spot, to remain until October, when they are carefully 

 taken up with a ball of earth attached to the roots, and potted, and placed 

 in the greenhouse, and shaded a few days. I have seen plants of the 

 monthly carnation grown in a neighbor's sitting-room, which produced 

 abundance of flowers year after year, with very little care, except that of 

 repotting in autumn, in pots of a larger size ; taking ofif the decayed fibres 

 on the outside of the ball ; giving fresh loam about the stem after taking 

 off as much of the surface-soil as is possible without disturbing roots. 



DiANTHUS HoRTENSis, Garden Pink, OR Pheasant-eyed Pink, SO Called 

 on account of the dark eye that gives so much beauty and distinctness to 

 the choice varieties. This species is desirable on account of its being the 

 most hardy of the family, standing the winter without any or with very little 

 protection. The coarser varieties are easily propagated by dividing the 

 roots. A very common double variety is to be seen in most of the ordi- 

 nary gardens; often used for a border to walks and flower-beds. The flow- 

 ers are of a light-rose or flesh color, with a dark and not very distinct 

 centre, with deeply serrated petals, and bursting calyx, but of exquisite fra- 

 grance, for which all the varieties are noted. This old denizen of the 

 flower-garden carries me back seventy years, when I had made for me 

 what was then called a " pink-posy." A dozen or twenty pinks were strung 

 together by running a needle and thread through the calyx, then rolled up 

 and tied, with a sprig of hyssop, southern-wood, or some other fragrant 

 herb in the centre, which made quite a desirable, sweet-smelling bouquet. 

 In those primitive days, it was the custom for little boys and girls to carry 

 flowers to church, and it was considered no sin. These " pink-posies " were 

 made up on Saturday afternoon, before the sun went down, by the strict. 

 Sabbath-keeping people. It was not uncommon to see tulips, paeonies, 

 lilacs, and roses, with other garden and native flowers, in the hands of 

 ladies, old and young, as well as in the hands of the young men : so that 

 the church presented quite a flowery appearance in the season of flowers. 

 Perhaps they were as appropriate as some of the more costly ornaments 

 which are too frequently seen in such profusion and display upon the 



