Part II. DIANTHUS. 191 



ciously sweet that, where it is much grown, the air often seems 

 charged with its fragrance. It is a native of most of the great 

 mountain chains of Europe, and is one of the most suitable of all 

 plants for rockwork. It is also a beautiful object in the front 

 margin of the mixed border, or for forming edges round beds of 

 choice low shrubs. Where it thrives, the margins of the shrub- 

 beries should here and there be finished off at the grass-line by- 

 its round low-spreading tufts. It seems to delight in peat and 

 very free, moist, sandy soils, but in some very dry and stiff soils 

 usually proves a failure. Wherever the soil is favourable, it 

 should be much used, and is usually increased by layers, but 

 it is hardly worth while to propagate it thus, as it is very easily 

 procured in most of our great nurseries. 



DIANTHUS KlSSTSm^.— Alpine Pink. 



A RARE, beautiful, and distinct plant, recognised at a glance 

 from any other cultivated Pink by its dense, shining green, 

 oblong, and obtuse leaves, not pointed or ascending like those of 

 most of the other species. Each stem bears a solitary flower, of 

 a circular form, deep rose spotted with crimson, and, when the 

 plant is in good health, so freely produced as to hide the leaves. 

 In poor, moist, and very sandy loam on rockwork, it thrives, 

 and forms a dwarf carpet, though the flower-stems may rise 

 little more than an inch in height : both leaves and stems are 

 much taller and more vigorous in deep, moist, peaty soil. 

 The finest specimens I have seen of it were at Glasnevin, where 

 it grew in peat soil on the level ground. Wireworms, rather 

 than unsuitable soil, often cause its death. It should be placed 

 in an exposed position, and carefully guarded against drought, 

 especially when recently planted ; comes true from seed, and is 

 not difficult to increase in that way, or by division where it grows 

 freely. A native of the Alps of Austria, -flowering in summer. 



DIANTHUS BARBATUS.— 6'?£/^«/ William. 



For ages deservedly one of the most admired of our border- 

 flowers, and though not so popular now-a-days in " great " gar- 

 dens, happily still very much so in cottage gardens. It is 

 to be hoped that no excuse is needed for introducing it here. 

 More than two hundred years ago there were various varieties of 

 it cultivated in English gardens, and in the present day many 



