THE FLOEIST. 257 



THE CARNATION. 



M The fairest flowers o 1 the season 

 Are our Carnations and streak 'd Gillyflowers." 



Shakspeare. 



Parkinson, in his Paradisus, published in 1629, says Miller, 

 in his Gardener s Dictionary, " has given a very full ac- 

 count, with figures, of the Carnations then in cultivation. 

 He divides them into Carnations, or the greatest sorts in 

 leaf and flower, and Gillyflowers, or such as are smaller in 

 both respects." Of Carnations Parkinson gives an account 

 of nineteen, and of Gillyflowers thirty varieties ; but these, of 

 course, have long since been supplanted by better sorts. The 

 old name Gillyflower was supposed by Parkinson to be cor- 

 rupted from July-flower; and Miller states that Ray has 

 adopted the notion ; but he adds, it is erroneous, for it is 

 evidently derived from the French Giroflee or Girqflier, and 

 accordingly Chaucer writes it Girofler. We learn from the 

 last-named author, the father of English poets, that the Clove 

 Gillyflower was cultivated in this country as early as the 

 reign of Edward the Third, and that it was used to give a 

 spicy flavour to ale and wine, and from hence it was called 

 " Sops in wine.' 1 It seems to have been a flower of high 

 estimation in Queen Elizabeth's time, for we find it often 

 celebrated by the poets of her day. 



The Carnation, which is said to have been introduced 

 first into England from Italy, derives its name in the English 

 language from its colour — carnation or flesh-colour. It has 

 also been called Coronation, from its having been used in 

 chaplets and garlands for the head. Linnaeus has named it 

 Dianthus flos nobilis, fine or superior flower ; Dianthus 

 Caryophyllus, we believe, now denotes the Clove only. We 

 gather from Miller, that Picotees were most in favour with 

 the early florists, but that Flakes gradually, and in a great 

 measure, took their place. In our own day Picotees perhaps 

 receive the greatest share of admiration. Many varieties of 

 Carnations were cultivated in the time of Charles the First, 

 whose queen is reported to have been excessively fond of 

 flowers. 



Of the origin of the art of dressing Carnations for exhi- 

 bition, Hogg gives the following interesting account : " One 

 Christopher Nunn of Enfield, Middlesex, a noted florist in his 

 day, was eminent for his skill and dexterity in dressing Pinks 

 and Carnations for prize exhibitions ; some will even tell you, 

 that Kit was the father of the art. Upon such occasions he 



VOL. II. NO. XXII. u 



