nthus, _Kurunful_, is a well known species of great
variety, and acknowledged beauty.

The _Carnation_, D. caryophyilus, _Gul kurunful_, is by this time
naturalized in India, adding both beauty and fragrance to the parterre;
the only variety however that has yet appeared in the country is the
clove, or deep crimson colored: but the success attending the culture of
this beautiful flower is surely an encouragement to the introduction of
other sorts, there being above four hundred kinds, especially as they
may be obtained from seed or pipings sent packed in moss, which will
remain in good condition for two or three months, provided no moisture
beyond what is natural to the moss, have access to them.

The distinguishing marks of a good carnation may be thus described: the
stem should be tall and straight, strong, elastic, and having rather
short foot stalks, the flower should be fully three inches in diameter
with large well formed petals, round and uncut, long and broad, so as to
stand out well, rising about half an inch above the calyx, and then the
outer ones turned off in a horizontal direction, supporting those of the
centre, decreasing gradually in size, the whole forming a near approach
to a hemisphere. It flowers in April and May.

_Propagation_--is performed either by seed, by layers, or by pipings;
the best time for making the two latter is when the plant is in full
blossom, as they then root more strongly. In this operation the lower
leaves should be trimmed off, and an incision made with a sharp knife,
by entering the knife about a quarter of an inch below the joint,
passing it through its centre; it must then be pegged down with a hooked
peg, and covered with about a quarter of an inch of light rich mould; if
kept regularly moist, the layers will root in about a month's time: they
may then be taken off and planted out into pots in a sheltered
situation, neither exposed to excessive rain, nor sun, until they shoot
out freely.

Pipings (or cuttings as they are called in other plants) must be taken
off from a healthy, free growing plant, and should have two complete
joints, being cut off horizontally close under the second one; the
extremities of the leaves must also be shortened, leaving the whole
length of each piping two inches; they should be thrown into a basin of
soft water for a few minutes to plump them, and then planted out in
moist rich mould, not more than an inch being inserted therein, and
slightl