156 



PEACTICE OF GARDEXIXG. 



ou ^'layers " in a former part of this work, and now pro- 

 ceed to offer a few remarks on the propagation of pinks. 

 The pipings or young shoots of pinks, shouklbe taken off 

 while the ph^nts are in ffower : and having prepared a 

 small piece of ground for them in a south border of a 

 light loamy (and rather sandy^ soil, this should be well 

 watered, and the pipings, when prepared, inserted into it_, 

 and covered with a handglass. The pipings should be 

 taken ofl'just below the second or third joint, and the 

 end cut very smoothly ; the lower circle of leaves should 

 then be strip^r^ed off', and the upper ones left entire. In 

 this state they should be planted in the soil about half 

 an inch in depth, and two inches apart, and having covered 

 them with the handglass, they should be constantly 

 shaded when the sun is shining, though not at other 

 times. It is essential to the success of the operation, that 

 the pipings be placed firmly in the soil, and watered after- 

 wards as they may require. After the first week or fort- 

 night, the plants should occasionally receive air, by tilting 

 the front of the glass with a brick or block of wood. As 

 soon as they appear to have struck root, they should be 

 more exposed to light and air, and then removed to the 

 bed or border where they are to remain. 



Pinks and most sorts of carnations are sufficiently hardy 

 to endure the winter of our climate in the open air, and 

 though potting is recommended for the choice sorts, we 

 shall not here advert to it. The soil for these plants 

 should be composed of three parts of tiu^fy loam, two 

 j^arts of well-rotted manure, and one part of river sand ; 

 a little lime will also be of great benefit, for the purpose 

 of destroying insects. This compost should be well ex- 

 posed to the frost in the previous winter, and frequently 

 turned for the purpose of incorporating it. The pipuigs 

 of pinks should be planted out immediately after they 

 are struck, and the layers should also be separated from 

 carnations as soon as they have formed roots, and planted 

 in a compost of the same materials. They require little 

 attention in the winter, except it is thou^ilit necessary to 

 protect them with mats or straw, which will seldom be 

 wanted ; and in the spring, a top-dressing of well-rotted 

 manure is recommended to be placed on the surface of 



