Histoiy of the l)e\el()pment of the Carnation 



Many of Mr. Starr's productions possessed great merit ; but owing to 

 his moderate methods of advertising, few of the varieties reached the com- 

 mercial importance wliich has been attained by the more recent intro- 

 ductions. 



The veteran horticulturist, Mr. John Thorpe, came next into the carnation 

 field, and contributed some of the most celebrated varieties of carnations, 

 which were sent out from the year 1883 to 1890. ]Mr. Thorpe commenced his 

 work on carnations about the year 188 1. Among his most celebrated produc- 

 tions were Portia, Rosalind, ^Miranda, Isabel and Imogene, which were sold 

 to Mr. B. K. Bliss in the year 1885. He also originated May Queen, Charles 

 Henderson, Maggie Thorpe, all of which were rose-pink varieties ; Sensa- 

 tion, a good yellow ; E. G. Hill, a brilliant scarlet ; W. W. Coles, a scarlet, and 

 Jas. Y. Murkland, which he describes as the most perfect carnation he had 

 ever seen, and which he states was the beginning of the non-bursting race of 

 carnations ; it w^as a shy bloomer, but of good color. 



Following close upon ]Mr. Thorpe's work comes that of Mr. William 

 Swayne, of Kennett Square, Pa., who introduced his first varieties. \Vni. 

 Swayne and L. L. Lamborn. in the spring of 1888. Both of these varieties 

 achieved considerable commercial importance, and were largely grown for 

 a number of years. 



Contemporaneous with ]\Ir. Tliorpe's was the work of Mr. W. P. 

 Simmons, who originated Daybreak, Tidal Wave and Silver Spray. ]\Ir. 

 Thorpe states that Daybreak was a seedling from a variety named August 

 Rolker, which was a seedling raised by himself. All of these varieties, I 

 am informed by Mr. Thorpe, were hybridized from the sorts originated 

 by him at Queens, Long Island. 



Also coeval with the work of ^Nlr. Thorpe was that of 'Sir. Sewell 

 Fisher, of Framingham, [Mass. The latter gentleman commenced his work 

 as early as the year 1876, his first seed being obtained from a seed pod from 

 Zeller's variety. President Degraw. From this, in 1877, he produced two 

 varieties. Sea Foam and Fascination, both of which were introduced by 

 Messrs. V. H. Hallock & Son and Mr. Thorpe ; in 1882, Anna W^ebb ; in 1883, 

 Silver Lake, and in 1884, Florence, which was sent out by ]Mr. Denys Zirn- 

 giebel. The variety. Mrs. Fisher, which ]M-ol:)ably attained the most prom- 

 inence of any of ]\Ir. Fisher's productions, was raised in 1886. It was sent 

 out and introduced to commerce in 1890. Crystal, a pure white, was pro- 

 duced in 1889; in 1892, Sebec, a crimson; in 1893, Servia, a white, and 

 in 1896, Saxon, a scarlet. ^Ir. Fisher seems to have followed a system of 

 careful hybridizing, as he states that he produced from 300 to 600 seedling 



