434 THE VEGETABLE WORLD. 
Pinks are herbs or under-shrubs, with knotty articulated stems, 
having opposed leaves and terminal, sometimes solitary, flowers, 
disposed in cymes. Many hundred varieties, of great beauty, 
are cultivated as florists’ flowers. To grow them in perfection 
is quite a speciality in cultivation. 
The Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) has red, rose-coloured, 
or white flowers, sometimes variegated or double. The Carnation 
of the poet (Dianthus barbatus), has the flowers in compact tufts, 
protected by slight and pointed bracts, which are of the same 
length as the tube of the calyx. The Feathered Pink (Dianthus 
moschatus) has very straight barbate petals, which are odorous, 
and of a pale rose colour, much varied, like the Pink, by culti- 
vation. The Superb Carnation is truly worthy of this name. 
Rousseau says in one of his letters, speaking of this beautiful 
flower, “Have you seen the Dianthus superbus? At all events I 
will forward you one. It is really a most beautiful flower, with a 
sweet though somewhat faint odour. I can collect the seed very 
easily, for it grows in great abundance in a meadow which is just 
under my windows. It ought to be well exposed to the power of 
the sun, which nourishes it as it does "hd 
Amongst the principal species belonging to the family of the 
Caryophyllaceee we will mention the following :—the Soap-wort 
(Saponaria officinalis), an indigenous plant, the roots of which 
contain a soft, gummy, resinous matter, which makes a lather 
like soap in water, and to which sudorific medicinal properties are. 
attributed. The Clove-tree (Caryophyllus aromaticus) has oblong 
ovate leaves, accuminate at each end, with distinct margins con- 
tinued from the petiole ; flowers in many-flowered cymes ; stamens 
distinct, in four clusters; berry oblong, one or two-celled, with ” 
many seeds. This is a fragrant, sweetish, agreeable stomachic, 
useful in cases of dyspépsia. 
Many of the Lychnis genus are extremely beautiful :— 
Lychnis dioica, which the traveller frequently meets at the way- 
side; Lychnis flos-cuculi, the red petals of which are deeply cut, 
and which ornaments our fields in the spring time; Lychms 
coronaria, or Rose Campion, a plant with purple flowers % 
whitish downy stem ; the Corn Cockle (Agrostemma gethag®), #0) 
abounds in our harvest-fields ; Gypsophyla elegans, the whitt 
