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carefully grown, is certainly the most beautiful. A full grown 

 carnation should neither have its petals too crowded nor too thin, 

 but regularly disposed, so that all its beauties may be observed at 

 once. The stem or foot stalk seldom exceeds eighteen inches, and 

 this should be carefully supported. Is propagated by layers and 

 pipings ; also by seed when procurable. The plants must always 

 be sheltered from heavy rains, and also from the hot winds ; yet 

 kept in an airy situation. If placed under cover for any length of 

 time, they run up to thin stalks, seldom throwing out blossoms. 

 The time for taking cuttings is when the plant is in blossom ; and 

 this may be done either at the commencement of the rains, or in 

 the cold weather. When the plants appear to be about to blossom, 

 all the buds save a couple should be carefully removed, as well as 

 any small shoots on the foot stalk between the leaves. When lay- 

 ers, are required, they must be- removed from the stem with a knife 

 or scissors, and should not be longer than two or three joints. Cut 

 off all the lower superfluous leaves smooth, then throw the layers 

 into water, for a couple of hours. Plant them in baskets at about 

 six inches apart, which have been filled with old rich vegetable 

 loam ; water so as to settle the earth round the stems, and place 

 in a shady spot, not under trees, if in the rainy season. In about 

 six weeks they will have struck, and may be removed into pots. 

 Do this carefully not disturbing the earth round the young roots, 

 which are very tender, and replace in the shade again until suffi- 

 ciently strong to bear exposure to the sun. The variegated have 

 only two colours, and when stripped are called Flakes, but if spot- 

 ted, Picotees. Ants (black, red and white,) are very destructive to 

 the roots. An old plant of Flakes or Picotees, will occasionally 

 loose both stripes and spots during the hot season, and become 

 quite white when in flower, but resume during the rains their origi- 

 nal colours of deep, red and white. The colour thus changing 

 may be justly attributed to the dry hot weather, as it has been 

 remarked in England, that sometimes fine double running flowers 

 have returned to their whole or original colour during very dry 

 or warm summers. 



Diantlius Chinensis. Common in all gardens of various colours, 

 and some mixed, they flower all the year round, and give seed 

 immediately as it fades, and which will spring up again if sown. 



