SII-Ef^E 



CARNATION OBDEB 



SILBNE 251 



division of the root. TJie aunu^l kinds, 

 such as S. pendida and its vaj-iet^y pom- 

 pacta, are best from seeds so\yn late in 

 summer. If transplanted npt l^ter tlian 

 the end of September, they make good 

 strong plants for spring flowering. 



S. acaulis (Cushion Pink). — A very 

 dwarf alpine berb tufted into light green 

 masses like a wide -spreading moss, but 

 quite firm. Native of the mountains of 

 Sco1i*nd, Ireland, North Wales, the Lake 

 distriet of England, and many other 

 parts of Europe ; found also in Asia and 

 America. Leaves short, linear, smooth, 

 crowded. Flowers in sumnier, pink, 

 rose or crimson, on short stalks barely 

 peeping above the leaves ; petals obovate, 

 slightly notched ; calyx bell-shaped or 

 tubular, quite smooth, with rather blunt 

 teeth. Alba is a variety with white 

 flowers; exscapa, with the flower-stems 

 shorter than in the usual form ; and 

 muscoides, dwarfer still ; but none of 

 them are far removed from the common 

 plant. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Cushion Pink, as the popular name im- 

 plies, is a charming little plant for making 

 green carpets in the border or rock garden. 

 It likes a well-drained soil composed of 

 sandy loam, peat, and leaf soil, and also 

 a partially shaded situation. 



Seeds may be sown as soon as ripe in 

 shaded parts of the border o;: in £old 

 frames in pots or pans, The seedlings 

 are pricked pnt when large enough, and 

 are best wintered in cold frames in the 

 bleakest p^rts of the kjngdojn. They 

 may he planted out jij mild weather in 

 spring in such lo;ealities, but in warmer 

 situations they will stand an ordiijary 

 winter if planted in September. The 

 plaijts when well est^lished in clumps 

 may also be divided in Septeniber or in 

 spring. 



S. alpestris [Alpine Gatehfiy). — A 

 dwarf jind beautiful alpine hejrb, about 

 6 in. high, native of the Alps. Leaves 

 linear - lance - shaped, bluntish, tufted, 

 smooth, erect ; stem simple, few-leaved. 

 Flowers in early summer, white, 

 shining, rather large, panicled ; petals 4- 

 toothed ; calyx erect, with blunt teeth, as 

 long as the petals. Some varieties of this 

 species are quite sticky from viscid matter, 

 and others perfectly free from it. 



Culture dc. as above for S. acaulis. 



S. Armaria {Sweet William Catehfly). 

 A smooth annual 12-18 in. high, native of 

 France and Switzerland, with ovate-lanoe- 

 shaped blue-g3:een leaves rather heart- 

 shaped at the base, borne on erect, knotty, 

 forked stems which are somewhat clammy 

 near the top. ^lowers from July to 

 September, pink, in corymbose panicles. 

 The variety alba ds readily distinguished 

 by its white flowers, and there is another 

 form with flesh-coloured blossoms. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Sweet WUliam Catehfly is a very orna- 

 mental border plant and grows well in 

 almost any soU, so long as it is well 

 drained and fairly sandy. 



Seeds may be sown as soon as ripe in 

 spots where the plants are to bloom, and 

 the seedlings may be thinned out about 

 6 in. apart, in preference to pricking thepi 

 out or transplanting. In cold parts of 

 the kingdom it is advisable to sow the 

 seeds in cold frames, and transplant the 

 seedlings in spring. Seeds may also be 

 sown in April and May out of doors in 

 the same way as recommended for 

 autimin. 



S. Atocion. — A downy - stemmed 

 annual 6-12 in. high, native of the 

 Levant. Leaves roundish obovate, lower 

 ones long - stalked, the uppermost ones 

 sessile. Flowers in summer, pink, in 

 more or less erect three-forked panicles. 

 Petals obcordate, blunt, with a sharp 

 tooth on each side at the base, crowned 

 with 2 protuberances. 



Culture dc. as above for S. Armeria. 

 Increased by seeds. 



S. chlorsefolia. — A smooth-stemmed 

 Armenian perennial 1-2 ft. high, with 

 elliptic pointed leaves, the upper ones 

 rather heart-shaped. Flowers in August 

 and September, large, white, becoming 

 reddish with age ; calyx long, striped ; 

 petals cleft half way down with a 2-lobed 

 crest. 



Culture dc. as above for S. acaulis. 

 Increased by seeds or division. 



S. compacta. — A smooth, glaucous 

 biennial about 18 in. high, native of 

 Eussia. Leaves ovate heart - shaped, 

 without stalks, the two large ones beneath 

 the flowers appearing almost connate. 

 Flowers in summer, pink, or deep rose, 

 crowded into dense corymbs ; petals 

 obovate, entfre. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 one of the most beautiful members of the 



