272 THE FLORIST. 



have all fallen, they should be raked up and carried away, either to 

 be employed for some such purpose as that above mentioned, or to 

 be laid in a heap to rot into leaf- mould. It might then be advisable 

 to mow the lawn once more, which will greatly improve its appear- 

 ance through the winter months, and also facilitate that troublesome 

 work in spring. 



J. B. Whiting. 



CARNATIONS: 



WITH A NOTICE OF THE RAISERS OF THE VARIETIES 

 FIGURED LAST MONTH. 



The correctness and beauty of the last plate prompts me to oiFer a few 

 remarks upon this ancient Florists' flower, of which the poet well says : 



" Let yon admired Carnation o^vn 



Not all was meant for raiment or for food, 

 Not all for needful use alone; 



There while the seeds of future blossoms dwell, 

 'Tis coloured for the sight, perfumed to please the smell." 



Shakspeare makes Perdita say, 



" The fairest flowers o' the season 

 Are our Carnations." 



I could quote whole pages in its praise, if such were needed. I take 

 it that in the whole range of Florists' flowers, not one is more largely 

 cultivated in all parts of the country. It is asserted, that in the 

 vicinity of Manchester alone, there may be two hundred growers of 

 this flower. 



That the requirements for a perfect Carnation were well known 

 many years since, is proved by Mr. Hogg's Treatise pubhshed in 

 1820. The thirty years which have elapsed have not brought to 

 light any thing desirable which he had not claimed as essential to 

 form a first-rate flower. He says, " The stem should be strong, tall, 

 and straight, not less than thirty, nor more than forty-five inches 

 high ; the flower should be at least three inches in diameter, con- 

 sisting of a great number of large well-formed petals ; but neither so 

 many as to give it too full and crowded an appearance, nor so few as 

 to make it appear thin. The petals should be broad and substantial, 

 particularly those of the lower or outer circle, commonly called 

 guard-leaves ; these should rise perpendicularly about half an inch 

 above the calyx, and then turn off" gracefully in a horizontal direc- 

 tion, supporting the interior petals, and altogether forming a convex 

 and nearly hemispherical corolla. The interior petals should rather 

 decrease in size as they approach the centre of the flower. The 

 petals should be regularly disposed alike on every side, imbricating 

 each other in such a manner as that both their respective and united 

 beauties may captivate the eye at the same instant ; they should be 

 nearly flat ; however, n small degree of concavity or inflection at the 

 broad end is allowable, but their edges should be perfectly entire, 

 that is to say, free from notches, fringe, or indenture. Whatever 



