PINKS, 
209 
if it inclines to bind, or, in other words, 
whenever it becomes too firm and ad- 
hefive. 
Large ftrong plants will put up nume¬ 
rous flower Hems, but it is proper to thin 
them out, a month or fix weeks before 
bloom; in doing which, the largeft and 
ftrongeftlhould be left, efpecially the prin¬ 
cipal leading ftem, which proceeds from 
the heart or centre of the plant, together 
with all its beft pods : but no plant, 
however ftrong, Ihould be permitted to 
bloom more than ten or twelve bloffoms, 
nor weakly plants more than four or 
five. In order to obtain them large and 
well coloured, all the fmall lateral pods 
fhould be cut or pulled off, as they never 
produce any other than diminutive flow¬ 
ers, and at the fame time rob the others 
of a certain part of their nourilhmentu 
which, of courfe, prevents their attaining 
E e • the 
