Gardening for Amateurs 



363 



A group of double white Pinks. 



The Fragrant Pink 



BORDER Varieties. Pinks are very 

 old garden favourites, having been 

 cultivated in this country for some- 

 thing like three hundred years. They are 

 the progeny of Dianthus plumarius, a 

 wild plant of Europe and the North of 

 England. This has single rose-pink flouri-. 

 and is cultivated in rockeries and on 

 old walls, where as a large tuft it is 

 very beautiful. By good cultivation, by 

 cross-breeding and selecting, florists have 

 produced a race of hardy plants the 

 garden Pinks which are delightfully fra- 

 grant and very free-flowering. There are 

 really two types of Pinks the border vani- 

 ties and the laced florist*' Pinks. The last- 

 named were at one time grown extensively 

 by amateur gardeners for exhibition. As 

 they are so easy to cultivate, it is rather 

 surprising that they are now so greatly 



neglected. Perhaps it is because we have 

 so many more beautiful flowers from which 

 to make a selection to-day than there were 

 fifty years ago, when Pinks were very popu- 

 lar in the garden and at exhibitions. 



Increase by Cuttings. The increase or 

 propagation of Pinks is accomplished l>\ 

 in. MM- of cuttings, pipings, division of the 

 clumps or tufts, and by seeds. With special 

 sorts, of which the stock is limited, layering 

 is also occasionally practised. During July, 

 \\lien tin- tlmvering season is over, is the 

 l>e.-t time to iii-nt cutting- and pipings or 

 to do any layering desirable ; a border shel- 

 tered from mid day SUM. \\ith north or north- 

 west aspect, is a good place for cuttings. 

 A bed of light, sandy soil should be made 

 up about 3 in. In - diej). A suitable com- 

 post may be mixed by using 2 parts light 

 loam, 1 part leaf -mould, and 1 part sand. 



