DI AN THUS, Nat. Ord. Caryophyllacece. 
Under this name we include three of the most magnificent members of the Floral family, the 
,-als of the Rose for queenly honors, the Carnation, the Picotee and Pink. As long as we can 
remember, these have been the favorite flowers of the 
florist, and proud and happy was the man who could 
produce a perfect flo-vyer. The Carnation, Dianthus 
caryophillus, is a grand flower, smooth edged, with 
^the stripes broad and running from the base to the 
outer edge of the petal, as shown in the engraving at 
11 the left. The more clear and defined the stripe the 
better. The Picotee differs mainly in the coloring, 
the stripes running around the edge of the petal, as 
shown in the engraving, that is, when perfect, though 
there are some very good flowers with narrow and 
broken stripes running from the base to the outer 
edge of the petals. The Pink, D. hortensis, is smaller, 
more compact and 
more mottled than 
striped, with white 
ground. Seeds of 
all may be sown 
under glass, or in 
the open ground 
in the spring, and 
the second season 
will flower. Some 
will prove poor or single, and these can be pulled up as soon 
as they show their character. Young plants are perfectly 
hardy, and will endure our winters well, but old plants are 
much injured generally. A succession of young plants should 
be procured 
either from 
seeds or lay- 
ers every 
year. Layer- 
ing is simply 
cutting a slit 
in a young 
shoot to ob- 
struct the flow of sap, and thus aid in the forma- 
tion of roots. P'irst cut half way through the 
shoot, then make a slit lengthwise about an 
inch. Remove the earth a few inches in depth, 
and press down the branch so that this slit will 
open, and then cover with the soil. Roots will 
form where the cut was made, and thus a new 
plant will be fonned, which can be removed in 
the autumn or spring. The layering should be 
done in midsummer. The Pink is more hardy 
than the others and will not become injured in 
the winter, unless the plants are very much 
weakened by old age. The engravings show 
the Carnation and Picotee on the left of the page, 
and the Pink on the right. The plant of the 
Pink is smaller and more compact than the others, and the leaves narrower. 
101 
