DIANTHUS. 163 



growing climber, and can often be advantageously used 

 to hide some unsightly spot or building. The trellis, 

 poles, or strings, should be provided as soon as the plants 

 commence to run, so that they may cling to them from 

 the start. The soil can hardly be made too rich. If 

 the soil is rich enough, and the surface of the land for 

 several feet around is kept free from weeds, you may have 

 three or four plants to each foot of trellis. During the 

 heat of the day, the flowers are closed, but early in the 

 morning they are out in full bloom, and are seen in all 

 their glory. 



Convolvulus tricolor, is a dwarf or bush Convolvulus ; 

 a bed of it, when well grown, is very showy and attrac- 

 tive. It is a good plan to plant the seed in hills fifteen 

 inches apart, putting four seeds in each hill. It is gen- 

 erally recommended to plant them much farther apart, 

 but I like to see the bed fully occupied. 



DIANTHUS. 



The genus DiantJius includes several of our most pop- 

 ular flowers, such as the Sweet William, the Carnation, 

 the Picotee, and the common garden Pink. The kinds 

 most easily grown from seed, and which are at the same 

 time desirable in every garden, are the DiantJius Chinensis, 

 and DiantJius Heddewigii, or Japanese Pinks; both can be 

 easily grown from seed; but if not sown until May or 

 June, in the open ground, the plants will give but few 

 flowers the first summer. Indeed, it is better in this case 

 not to let them flower at all, but to aim to grow strong 

 plants for flowering the second season. They will stand 

 the winter well, especially if protected with branches of 

 evergreens or a light covering of horse litter. 



For flowering the first summer, the plants should be 

 grown in the hot-bed or in a box in the house. Sow the 

 seed as recommended for Asters, and when the plants are 



