90 



ON THE CARNATION. 



may elucidate fresh facts, or lead to other ways or systems of manage- 

 ment which shall be more congenial to the habits of this favourite 

 and fragrant flower. 



The generic name of the Carnation is Dianthus, derived from the 

 two Greek words — Dios, divine, and anthos, a flower, alluding to the 

 delightful scent, as well as to the beauty of its blossoms. A near 

 relative is the common garden Pink, which has been so much im- 

 proved of late years. The Sweet William, too, belongs to the same 

 family ; and many others, of which we need not at this time take 

 any further notice. 



I have just told you that the generic or family name of the Carna- 

 tion is Dianthus ; its specific name or title, by which it is distin- 

 guished from other members of its tribe, is Caryophyllus flore-pleno, 

 or the Double-flowering Carnation. 



By the scientific name it is usually called by botanists, but florists 

 in general content themselves with the English name, and by that it 

 is generally known. 



This flower is divided into several classes, and of late years these 

 have been increased, indicated by the colour of the flowers. There 

 are now shown at different exhibitions in the country — Scarlet Bi- 

 zarres ; each petal being striped with two colours, scarlet and a 

 dark maroon, on a white ground, varying in intensity in different 

 sorts. 



Crimson Bizarres ; the stripes also consisting of two colours, but 

 approaching in their tint more to a rose-colour and purple. In 

 this class there is a subdivision, styled pink and purple, which are 

 lighter and more lively in their shades. 



There are yet three other classes, consisting of Flakes. Their 

 ■colours are scarlet, rose or pink, and purple of various hues ; some 

 being many shades darker than others in each of the divisions. 



After the flakes come the varieties called Picotees, or Carnations, 

 ^ith either spotted or striped margins to their petals. Of these there 

 lis a very great variety, and they may be classed under the heads of 

 ■scarlet, red, rose-coloured, and purple. Formerly they were only 

 ^show-n in two classes — red and purple — without any reference to the 

 ^extent' of the colouring; but now each class is subdivided into heavy- 

 edgddj '.with the colour thickly laid on round the margin of the [leaf, 

 and are-, called in Lancashire striped Picotees ; and feathered, or 



