212 



THE AMERICAN GARDENER. [Chap, 



344. CLOVE. — Is only a more handy and less 

 esteemed sort of Carnation, which see. It may be 

 propagated like the Carnation ; or, by cuttings^ 

 which is the easier way. Instead of laying down 

 the side shoots, you cut them off. Then you cut 

 away the hard part of the shoot, strip off three or 

 four of the bottom leaves. Tip the rest of the 

 leaves ; make a little split in the butt of the shoot, 

 and, then, vnih a little smooth pointed stick, plant 

 the cutting in the ground. This is to be done early 

 in August. The young Cloves will have roots in 

 the fall ; and you may transplant them into the open 

 ground or into pots to blow the next year. The 

 old Clove plant will, however, blow for many years. 

 I should think, that, with good covering, such as 

 directed for s'pinach, Cloves would live out the 

 winter in this country. 



345. COLUMBINE. — A perennial Very com- 

 mon ; but very pretty. 



346. COWSLIP.— This is one of the four flow- 

 ers, without which English pastoral poetry would 

 be destitute of that which awakens the most de- 

 lightful ideas. The Cowslip, the Primrose, the 

 Violet, and the Daisy, are of endless recurrence in 

 that species of writing. They all come early in 

 the spring ; and are all beautiful. Neither of them 

 is seen here, and they all might ; for they will bear 

 any severity of weather. The Cowslip is of the 

 Polyanthus tribe. It is of a delicate yellow colour, 

 and sends forth many blossoms from the same stem, 

 which rises about six inches from the ground. It 

 may easily be propagated from seed, which it bears 

 in great abundance, but, when you once have a plant, 

 the easiest way, is to propagate from offsets. The 

 plants raised from seed do not blow till the second 

 year. The plant is perennial. The flower has a 



