196 ALPINE FLOWERS. Part 11. 



these islands. A native of the highest summits of the Alps of 

 Dauphiny, and the Pyrenees, Switzerland, and North of Italy ; 

 easily increased by division, and also from seed. Sometimes 

 known as D. glacialis. 



DIANTHUS PETRiEUS.— i?^fy^ Pink. 



A, CHARMING species, with very short sharp-pointed leaves, form- 

 ing hard tufts an inch or two high, from which spring nunierous 

 flower-stems, each bearing a solitary fine rose-coloured flower. 

 I once grew a group of about fifty plants of this, which formed a 

 sort of turf, and flowered so freely as to be conspicuous at a 

 great distance. It grew along with other species, and nearly all 

 the plants raised from seed varied, so that it ought to be increased 

 by division. It seemed to escape the attacks of wireworm when 

 nearly every other species was destroyed. A native of Hungary, 

 flowers in summer, and is well worthy of a position on rockwork, 

 where it ought to be planted in very sandy and rather poor moist 

 loam. 



DIANTHUS PLUMARITTS.— Pzw/^. 



This plant is considered the parent from which our numerous 

 varieties of Pinks have sprung, and, as the progenitor of such a 

 stock, is entitled to some consideration, even if it does not come 

 up to the popular standard so well as many of its race. It has 

 single purple flowers, rather deeply cut at the margin, and is 

 naturalised on old walls in various parts of England, though not 

 a true native. It is rather handsome when grown into healthy 

 tufts, but on the level ground it is apt to perish or get shabby, 

 which points to the desirability of establishing it on old walls. 

 But the almost innumerable beautiful and fragrant double varie- 

 ties command the highest admiration, and there is no reason 

 whatever why these should not be. cultivated as rock-plants, par- 

 ticularly as they live much longer and thrive better on such 

 elevations. They are such prettily shaped flowers, so compact, 

 hardy, and fragrant, that one would think a few words in praise 

 of them quite unnecessary ; but the fact is, with many other 

 charming plants, they have been driven into comparative ob- 

 scurity by the widely-spread taste' for common bedding plants. 

 They have for many years been amongst the most favourite 

 " florists' " flowers in European countries. ' In cultivating the 



