June.] FLOWER GARDEN. 419 



and treated with a suitable composition, some of the kinds will 

 flower early in the third year from seed. 



Pinks. 



Your superb pinks, during the time of bloom, should be defended 

 from the sun by an awning of some kind, and the soil ought to be 

 kept regularly moist by soft water, administered between the plants, 

 carefully avoiding to wet the blossoms. 



The most approved method of propagating pinks, is by piping 

 them as directed for carnations; they seldom fail to strike sufficient 

 root in two or three weeks: when well rooted, they may be trans- 

 planted into an open part of the garden, on a bed of common garden 

 mould, fresh dug up, where it will in a few weeks be easily dis- 

 cernible, which are the most proper to place on the best bed for 

 bloom. The time to pipe pinks is immediately previous to, or during 

 the bloom, or, indeed, as soon as the new shoots are grown of a 

 sufficient length for that purpose. They may also be propagated 

 by slips, taken off' now, or in the spring or autumn. 



New sorts of pinks are produced from seed, but this should be 

 gathered from such as have superior properties. 



Jl Description of the properties of a fine Double Pink. 



The stem should be strong and erect, and not less than twelve 

 inches high. The calyx rather smaller and shorter, but nearly 

 similar in form and proportion to that of a carnation, as well as the 

 formation of the flower, which should not be less than two inches 

 and a half in diameter. 



The petals should be numerous, large, broad, and substantial, and 

 have very finely fringed or serrated edges, free from large coarse 

 deep notches or indentures; in short, they approach nearest to per- 

 fection when the fringe on the edge is so tine as to be scarcely 

 discernible; but it would be a very desirable object to obtain them 

 perfectly rose-leaved, that is, without any fringe at all. 



The broadest part of the limina, or broad end of the petals, 

 should be perfectly white and distinct from the eye, unless it be 

 ornamented by a continuation of the colour of the eye round it,* 

 bold, clean and distinct, leaving a considerable portion of white in 

 the centre, perfectly free from any tinge or spot. 



The eye should consist of a bright, or dark rich crimson, or pur- 

 ple, resembling velvet: but the nearer it approaches to black, the 

 more it is esteemed; its proportion should be about equal to that of 

 the white, that it may neither appear too large nor too small. 



Carnations. 



The calyx of many sorts of carnations contains a great number 

 of petals, which, as they increase in bulk, will distend and burst it, 



* When the corolla consists of petals of this description, it is denominated :i 

 Laced Pink. 



