12 



THE CARNATION FAMILY 



parent of all the Carnations; Dianthus plumarius, parent 

 of the hardy Garden Pinks; Dianthus barbatus, parent of 

 the whole race of Sweet Williams; and so on. 



When once improvements were begun they were, 



Single Carnation 



AT. J". Ex. Stat. 



generally speaking, maintained. So it comes that by 

 selecting always the biggest and best blooms and propagat- 

 ing from them, and then in more modern days combining 

 the desirable attributes of different varieties by hybridizing, 

 the gardeners and florists of the past very slowly and gradu- 



