V...] 



LIST OF FLOWERS. 



273 



suits it, and it is very ornamental, when sown thickly in little 

 clumps. There is a white variety. 



451. CANTERBURY-BELL.— See Campanula. 



452. CASSIA, dwarf. — Lat. C. chamcerista. Leaf-like acacia, 

 handsome deep yellow flower, annual. Should be raised in a hot- 

 bed carefully, and not put out till June ; when iii a warm border, 

 will blow in August. 



453. CARNATION. — Lat. Dianthus caryophyllus. An indi- 

 genous plant ; a perennial, but one that has been improved by the 

 great care that florists have bestowed upon it for many years. It is, 

 indeed, by many esteemed the finest of flowers, next after the 

 tulip ; which it surpasses in one respect, that of adding great 

 fragrance to great beauty. It is cultivated either in beds, borders, 

 or pots : in the latter for the parlour chiefly ; and it is propa- 

 gated by layers, pipings, or seed. It blows, from July to August, 

 flowers of from two to three, or even four, inches' diameter, of 

 divers colours, and either single, semi-double, or double. But 

 there are three distinct varieties ; which are, the Flake, the 

 Bizarre, the Picotee. The flake has two colours only, and their 

 stripes are large : the bizarre is variegated with spots and stripes 

 irregularly, and has not less than three colours ; the picot6e has 

 mostly a white ground spotted with scarlet, red, purple, pink, or 

 some variety of these colours. The stalk of the carnation should 

 rise to near three feet, and the bud should be long and uniform, 

 not bursting but at its top to let out the flow^er, or, if appearing 

 likely to burst at the side, it is as well to open corresponding 

 apertures at two other places, so as to let out the flower evenly 

 all round. The plant is hardy, but, to blow well, it should be 

 defended from excess of wet, especially the wet at the beginning 

 of winter, as it renders it more susceptible of frost ; and yet it is 

 necessary to avoid stifling it. It cannot do without a free circula- 

 tion of air, therefore, whatever covering of mats or otherwise you 

 use, be careful to keep it oft' at all times but in constant rain. 

 To propagate hy layers, take some compost of one of the two 

 kinds that I mention below as proper for this plant ; stir the 

 ground with a small hoe round the plant from which you are 

 going to make your layers, and place the compost round on the 

 newly-moved earth ; then take as many of the stalks as you 

 mean to lay (let it be about the time of their being in full bloom); 

 fix your knife (a sharp narrow-bladed one) in at an inch below 



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