AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 465 



and sometimes superior flowers are also obtained. Seeds should 

 be sown in spring in good soil, and lightly covered, and the 

 young plants transplanted when about two inches high. To 

 make a pink cutting of the larger varieties, take off the young 

 tender shoot before it starts to run up to blossom ; uncover the 

 lower buds or joints by stripping off a few of the older leaves ; 

 then, with a keen knife, cut the stem clean off very close be- 

 low the slightly swollen ring or joint of the stem; trim off the 

 next one or two pair of leaves just where they begin to diverge 

 from the stem, and shorten the points of the rest an inch or 

 two, if at all spreading, by a single cut. See Fig. 303 e, p. 

 438. Set the cutting in good light earth, or compost No. 2, 

 p. 443, from an inch to two inches deep, according to the 

 strength of the growth and length of the shank ; press the 

 earth firmly about it with your thumb and finger ; water it 

 moderately, and cover it either with sash, or hand-glass, or 

 bell-glass, or tumbler, or simply set it in the shade, and, in 

 general, you will succeed to yom' satisfaction. Cultivators 

 sometimes slit the butt of the cutting between the buds, about 

 half an inch up, with a view to induce an outgrowth of roots 

 from each, one side only throwing out roots when it is left 

 whole, which yet, upon other accounts, is to be generally pre- 

 ferred, unless in skillful hands. The smaller varieties are cut 

 in the same manner, but require less trimming. See Fig. 303 

 /, page 438. 



Pink cuttings are also called " pipings," from the stem be- 

 ing entirely sheathed by each pair of leaves, which are left in 

 a pipe or tube form, when ^e cuttings are made by simply 

 drawing out the heart-growth down to the desired joint, as is 

 sometimes practiced with the garden pink. Fig. 303 g, h, p. 

 438. Layers are made as directed page 441. 



Both cuttings and layers should be made in June, just at 

 the time of blossoming, and must be watched and watered once 

 or twice with weak liquid manure, and shaded or mulched, be- 

 ing also examined occasionally, so that, as soon as they are well 

 rooted, which will be in a month or six weeks, they may be 

 transplanted carefully and shaded till they take hold. If in- 

 tended for winter blossoming, they may be potted at once. 



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