THE CARNATION MANUAL. 135 



in habit, and seeds quite freoly ; and its seedlings 

 come perfectly true. 



A success like this ought to lead lovers of these 

 aromatic flowers to cross all the garden forms of 

 the several species whenever possible. How 

 quaint and exquisite, for example, would be a 

 double or semi-double race of the finely fringed 

 D. superbus, or single forms varying from pure 

 Avhite to crimson. 



I should like to ask the question, Is there 

 anyone alive to-day who can suggest or tell us of 

 the origin and history of Souvenir de la Malmaison, 

 the empress of all the Carnations whatever ? 

 The name is suggestive of French influence, and 

 perhaps some of our Continental friends who make 

 a speciality of these flowers may kindly enlighten 

 our insular ignorance as to the birth and parentage 

 of so beautiful a flower? It and its sports have 

 been popular in our gardens for many years, but 

 we know as little of its history as we know of that 

 of the " Marechal Niel " Rose, or of the " Yellow 

 Carnations," the "Mule Pinks," '' Ne Plus Ultra," 

 "Pea," or of the hundred-and-one other first- 

 class flowers, fruits and vegetables that have 

 slipped into existence no one knows exactly when 

 or how. 



Just now there is a good deal of argument as 

 to the size of exhibition boards for Japanese 

 Chr^^santhemums, but I am unorthodox enough 



