448 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



MARCH 30, 1899. 



COLOR AND FORM. 



As I understand the scale, as revised 

 at Philadelphia, it is to judge only new 

 varieties applying for a certificate of 

 merit. All the improvement made in 

 the carnation is the result of culture 

 and cross-fertilization; so in a new 

 variety we expect an improvement in 

 the flower in some respect over exist- 

 ing varieties. I would like to also add 

 in general habits of the plant, but as 

 such cannot be judged at the exhibi- 

 tion table we cannot include them. 

 Cross-fertilization augmented by the 

 inconsistency of the maxim that like 

 produces like, stamps every plant 

 grown from seed as a new variety. So 

 when foimd meritorious, we must first 

 consider those parts where an im- 

 provement is fixed, a gift of nature, 

 that cannot be changed much by cul- 

 tivation, as color, form and fragrance. 

 Of these, color may be entirely new, 

 form also to some extent, and even 

 fragrance has been found changed. The 

 other properties, such as size, stem, 

 calyx and substance, are much subject 

 to good culture and proper treatment. 

 While high culture may have a tend- 

 ency to dim a bright color, produce 

 malformation and impair fragrance, 

 all the other parts will certainly be 

 improved by it, as they are deterio- 

 rated by bad treatment and culture. 



When we look at flowers, not alone 

 carnations, in a general way, we may 

 wonder what makes a flower attract- 

 ive, or what creates in us the love for 

 flowers. It is the admiration of color, 

 form and fragrance. Color first at- 

 tracts our attention, next we examine 

 the form, hold the flower to our nose, 

 then look at the other necessary ad- 

 juncts, and express our satisfaction, or 

 regret, that such a beautiful flower is 

 not presented in a more suitable style. 

 If the real mission of a flower were its 

 wonderful reproduction and the grow- 

 ing of seed, we would have far more 

 cause to admire the colorless blooming 

 of our cereals; the tassels and silk of 

 a cornstalk would certainly be more 

 attractive. Nobody will deny that a 

 suitable stem and a keeping substance 

 will add to its beauty and usefulness, 

 but we must first have the flower to be 

 made useful. We may pick up a flower 

 from the ground, broken off at the 

 stem, but the regret it may cause Is 

 for the flower and not the stem'. 



It is amusing to hear and read the 

 different opinions, as to the different 

 qualities of a carnation. No scale 

 could be made to suit everybody; no 



variety produced that will suit every- 

 body; tastes differ. In my opinion col- 

 or is most important. The construc- 

 tion, the build of the carnation bloom, 

 is for color effect. Offend the eye as 

 regards color, and all the other attri- 

 butes appear insignificant. A bad color 

 may only be partially excused by fra- 

 grance. A weak stem to an otherwise 

 brilliant flower is deplorable, and it 

 will probably be laid aside with re- 

 gretful feelings. Will a bad colored 

 flower on a strong stem receive the 

 same consideration? It is simply 

 thrown aside as worthless. And so in 

 comparison with every other quality, 

 color is considered flrst. Nature 

 clothed the plant with a modest grassy 

 garb, but gave the bloom the brilliancy 

 of color, and this alone will sustain its 

 well defined rank among Flora's chil- 

 dren. An American Beauty rose nestled 

 among the wealth of luxuriant foliage 

 appears brilliant. Would the same 

 color on a carnation have a similar 

 effect? No, it would appear dull. Col- 

 or, although given more recognition in 

 the new scale, has not yet received its 

 full consideration. It is not alone im- 

 provement in the brilliancy and tone 

 of existing colors, but also a possible 

 extension in the range of shades, as 

 well as entirely new colors, that de- 

 serves consideration. 



In the scale for standard varieties, 

 color has been given more prominence 

 than it deserves; those qualities that 

 depend on good culture should re- 

 ceive more attention. When a Day- 

 break can be grown to a size of four 

 inches, as it has been claimed, or a 

 grower can mount Bradt so it will 

 stand like an American Beauty rose, 

 these are cultural attainments which 

 should be more recognized than in 

 standard varieties. Would any marked 

 change equal to an improvement in 

 color in these two or any other vari- 

 ety — be recognized? No, it would then 

 be called a sport, and stamped as a 

 new variety. 



Next comes form. Has the reader 

 ever grown seedlings or seen a thou- 

 sand selected seedlings growing and 

 blooming side by side in one house? 

 If he has, he will agree with me that 

 there are different forms possible in 

 new varieties, and these cannot be 

 gained by good culture alone. No, 

 they appear from Nature's workshop 

 without much of our help. A good 

 form in a new variety is a fine quality 

 and though secondary to color, de- 

 serves the same attention. There are 

 as many forms in the carnation as in 

 the rose and chrysanthemum, and it 

 would be too much preference of one's 

 own taste to call any one the best. The 

 difference, as in other flowers, exists 



in the form and arrangement of the 

 petals. 



Lily Dean, with its large round pet- 

 als symmetrically arranged and slight- 

 ly serrated, may be called the typical 

 form; around it are grouped all the 

 others, but by no means less attract- 

 ive. What a difference is noticed 

 when we put Lizzie McGowan or Flora 

 Hill with their erratic petals beside 

 Lily Dean or Mrs. Bradt, with its ra- 

 diating petals harmonizing so beauti- 

 fully with the stripes and full form; 

 or the deeply serrated Bon Ton, nearly 

 opposite to Daybreak and White 

 Cloud. It would be difficult to de- 

 scribe and classify all the different 

 forms, and will only call attention to 

 the various effects produced by the 

 different varieties. For a boutonniere 

 I would select one of the Lily Dean 

 form, but for massing, the regular 

 symmetrical, daisy-like flowers become 

 monotonous, while some irregularity 

 gives relief, as for instance Scott 

 would do. Form will often harmonize 

 with color, and is then all the more 

 entitled to consideration, as for in- 

 stance the dark variety Maceo. The 

 beautiful shading of that deep maroon 

 would be lost in an over-full flower. 



I wish to call attention to a similar 

 error in the scale adopted at Cincin- 

 nati. In new varieties form receives 

 10, in standards 15 points. In stand- 

 ard varieties, where under a high cul- 

 ture form may suffer, it" receives more 

 than is given to new varieties which, 

 as shown on the exhibition table, is a 

 fixed quality which nature alone gives. 

 Fragrance next 



FRED DORNER. 



SHIPPING FLOWERS. 



Packing flowers for market is one 

 thing but packing flowers for the trade 

 is another. After years of study and 

 effort we still find the usual kick, and 

 as a general rule the man that makes 

 the kick has only himself to blame. 

 Many in the trade seem to think that 

 all they have to dt) is to send an order 

 to Chicago, without regard to time of 

 day, scarcity of stock or any other 

 conditions, in order to get the best 

 that grows at a price cheaper than it 

 can be grown for. 



The buyer does not sufficiently post 

 his commission man as to his wants, 

 the style and grade of goods used in 

 his store, and if on receipt of stock he 

 would write the shipper, explaining 

 what was wrong, he might prevent the 

 same error in his next order. Here is 

 a case in point. 



A man in Louisville writes: "When- 

 ever I send you an order give me a 

 good second; I can't get the price for 

 firsts." A few days later he wires: 

 "Send 100 roses, 100 carnations, best 

 stock." After reading his letter, 

 which did go into details, explaining 

 why he couldn't get big prices for 

 fancy stock, we sent him the best 

 medium grade and billed him at about 

 one cent more than he had been in the 



