170 The Pink. 



varieties. All the garden carnations are more or less vane™ 

 and are divided into three classes, Flakes, Bizarres 

 Picotees, which altogether contain more than five hund 



named varieties. Flakes have only a single color, running I 

 stripes, quite through the petals, on a white or yellow ground 

 Bizarres are variegated in irregular stripes or spots, with 

 less than two colors on a white or yellow ground. p[ Cote 

 have a white or yellow ground, edged or spotted in fine spots 

 with some darker color, and the edges of their petals fringed 

 These kinds are again divided by their colors, as scarlet flake 

 purple bizarre, &c. We are again indebted to Mr. Eley foj 

 his very successful method of managing and propagating these 

 flowers. 



Carnations are usually propagated by layers. These are 

 shoots buried in the ground so as to force them to take root at 

 a joint, without separating them from the parent plant. This 

 operation should be performed as soon as the flowers becri n to 

 fade, or the shoots are sufficiently long, which is generally 

 about the end of July. A number of pegs, of wood or bone 

 about five inches long, with a hooked end, should be provided. 

 The shoot of which a layer is to be made may have four or five 

 joints, and the lower leaves next the root are to be stripped 

 off, up to within two or three joints of the top of the shoot 

 Next stir up the earth around the plants, and lay on an inch ol 

 fresh soil. Then, with a sharp penknife, the layer should be 

 cut about half through, about a quarter of an inch below the 

 second or third joint, on the side next the ground ; then pass 

 the edge of the knife upwards, splitting the stem through the 

 centre of the joint, to about one half or three quarters of an 

 inch above it, and lastly, cut off horizontally the small portion 

 left below, and connected with the joint, quite close to the 

 bottom of the joint, taking great care not to injure the joint it- 

 self, as it is from the lower outer circle of the joint that the 

 root-fibres will spring. After the incision is thus made, the 

 wounded branch is to be pressed gently into the soil, so as to 

 avoid breaking it, and a peg pushed down, so as to bring its 

 hooked end over the layer, securing it about an inch below 

 the surface. The upper end of the layer should be raised as 

 nearly upright as possible, the stem being only covered at the 



