Carnation Culture in Canada 



Daybreak, J. J. Harrison, Silver Spray, and the other novelties of that 

 period? At that time John Thorpe, who could see farther into the future 

 of American carnation culture than the majority of us, and who realized 

 the great possibilities of this flower, prophesied the production of four-inch 

 carnation blooms — a prophecy which was ridiculed and made light of by 

 some. 



The Canadian growers were then beginning to devote more attention 

 to the carnation, and gradually increasing their plantings, buying of the 

 new varieties more conservatively than their brothers in the craft of the 

 United States — a conservatism in which the Canadian florist still persists, 

 refusing to part with a tried variety for a new one until he is thoroughly 

 satisfied that the newer candidate is w^orthy of succeeding the old. This 

 condition has been largely brought about by the number of worthless varie- 

 ties disseminated in the early history of placing new seedling carnations 

 upon the market. These frequently looked well from the illustrations, and 

 came highly recommended from the introducers, but they proved of little 

 value after a year's trial. The small demand resulting from the above cited 

 experience has been largely overcome, and confidence regained by the evi- 

 dent care exercised by the modern producer in sending out new varieties, 

 which are now, generally, the result of years of careful selection and cross- 

 ing, giving us thereby a strain of free blooming, stifif stemmed, large flowers. 



The x\merican Carnation Society has done more to stimulate the present 

 interest in carnation growing than any other agency that I know of. Its 

 annual convention held in connection with its splendid exhibition of the best 

 products grown upon the American continent, cannot help but educate and 

 stimulate the grower to attain a higher standard, and the valuable and highly 

 instructive essays prepared by the best minds in the profession, all tend to 

 the same end. 



The past five years an annual carnation meeting has been held m 

 Toronto during the first week in March, where the growers from surround- 

 ing cities and distant points exhibit their best products, and also come to 

 see the new varieties that are to be disseminated during the season. These 

 meetings have proved highly beneficial, and have served as efficient 

 educators, by providing a means of comparing the standard varieties grown 

 in different localities wnth the newer candidates for favor, and have ma- 

 terially aided in the dissemination of the new varieties. 



Statistics compiled as completely as it is possible wath the material at 

 my command, show^ that there are about 450,000 carnation plants now 

 grown in Canada under about 550.000 feet of glass, which statement will 



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