32 AMERICAN CARNATION CULTURE. 



tween vital statics ot the past and life dynamics of the present, 

 between the force of remote ancestry and the power of proximate 

 parents. Often the oscillating pendulum swinging in a plant of 

 great promise is snared by atavism and tied to a worthless type. 

 Mammoth Pearl was a carnation of unusal expectation, but lapsed 

 into degeneracy; Mars won the Cottage Garden Cup, but its 

 name fell from the roll of merit; Stuart won the Flagon at Indian- 

 apolis, but enjoyed only an ephemeral fame; Sea Gull won the 

 Silver Flagon at Madison Square exhibition in 1891, over Mc- 

 Gowen, and at once became a pervert, while its vanquished com- 

 petitor, McGowen, wore the tiara of Whites for years, and still 

 graces ermine laurels. Sea Gull served a purpose, it was the 

 symbol of evolution, the prophecy of possibilities, the herald of a 

 marvelous unfoldment. A life-size cut of Sea Gull, was fur- 

 nished this work by Mr. E. G. Hill. Possibly more seedlings 

 advance in excellence than degenerate, some of the best varieties 

 coming from seemingly unpromising seedlings. Jubilee was 

 beaten at Indianapolis in 1892 by a scarlet seedling that retired at 

 once from the stage. Flora Hill was outdone by Jack Frost, that 

 lives only in the cemetery of dead carnations. 



Introducers should test their new carnations for five years be- 

 fore sending them out, and then accompany each invoice with a 

 statement of their habits and capricies so far as learned. 



An account is given in the Garten FLori (German), of an arti- 

 fical cross fertilization between Dianthus Barbatus (Sweet Wil- 

 liam) ,and Dianthus Caryophyllus (Carnation). A few perfect seeds 

 were obtained which grew plants unlike either of their parents. 

 After repeating the operation for six years a plant was obtained 

 with many good habits. It blooms earlier than the common car- 

 nation. The experiments prove that it takes at least ten years 

 after being obtained, to fix the type of a hybrid carnation. 



There has been an annual average of about thirty new car- 

 nations introduced since Mr. Starr originated L,ady Emma in i875 t 

 A swelling tide set in, in 1885, when thirty -two were named. In 

 1886, eight; 1887, thirty -seven; 1888, sixteen; 1889, fifteen; 1890, 

 eight; 1891, seventeen; 1892, thirty-one; 1893, fifty-three; 1894, 



