194 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part II. 



kind is worth growing, from the common white Pink, so much 

 sold in London in early summer, to Anna Boleyn, so greatly 

 prized in some gardens in the olden days, and still grown 

 extensively in many places, being, now as worthy of it as ever, 

 and the grand old Clove Carnation. They are generally left in 

 the hands of a few enthusiastic florists, whereas they ought to be 

 in every garden, smal\ or great. 



In specially cultivating the better kinds in beds, it is usual to 

 cover the surface with an inch or more of fine rotten manure 

 that has been passed through a sieve, and plenty of water is also 

 given in dry weather ; but as many will not care about paying 

 more attention than is necessary, I may state that neither water 

 nor top-dressing is usually required in ordinarily good garden 

 soil, and the result will be quite as valuable from an ornamental 

 point of view. But when grown in special little beds, as before 

 suggested, in some warm border in the kitchen-garden, a top- 

 dressing, composed of one barrow of mould to three of decayed 

 manure, could be given in a very short time, and if the weather 

 or soil were very dry, an occasional heavy watering would of 

 course improve matters. To this it is only necessary to add 

 that Picotees enjoy a stronger soil than Carnations, the latter 

 having a tendency to " run," or lose their admired regularity of 

 colouring under such conditions. 



DIANTHirS ■DY.IXOTnE,^.— Maiden Pink. 



This true native of Britain differs from its cultivated neighbours 

 in its close spreading tufts of smooth, green, pointless leaves, and 

 bright pink-spotted or white flowers, rather freely produced on 

 stems from six to twelve inches long. Although the flower is 

 little more than half aa inch across, there is a bright and cheerful 

 look about it which makes it indispensable to the collection of 

 dwarf hardy flowers. It has a good constitution, and will grow 

 almost anywhere, on border or on rockwork, not appearing to 

 sufter from wireworm, as most other Pinks do. It is rather 

 abundant in some parts of Britain, but wanting in many 

 counties. It frequently flowers several times during the summer, 

 may be readily raised from seed, or easily increased by division. 

 A native of many parts of Europe and Asia, as well as Britain, 

 but not of Ireland. 



