EARLY HISTORY OF CARNATION 3 



Gerarde observes that Ruellius thought that " the 

 Gilloflower was vnknowen to the olde writers, especially 

 bicause this flower is not like to that of Vetonica or 

 Cantabrica" (possibly the Pink). It is " marvel 1," saith 

 he, " that such a famous flower, so pleasant and 

 sweete, should lie hid, and not be made knowen by the 

 olde writers, which may be thought not inferior to 

 the Rose in beautie, smell and varietie." The word 

 Carnation has been thought by some to be derived 

 from caro carnis, the Latin for flesh, from the colour 

 of some varieties. One, indeed, Gerarde says, was 

 called " Horseflesh." The name, however, was more 

 correctly spelt Coronation, " as the flowers were used 

 in chaplets," as C. Stephanus says, in France, by girls 

 (sixteenth century). It was cultivated in the division 

 of the garden called Area coronalis. It is not known 

 when it was introduced as a garden flower into 

 England, but as it is found semi-wild on old abbey 

 and monastic ruins, it was probably grown early in 

 the gardens of the monks. It would certainly 

 require some time to attain the size figured by 

 Gerarde, if his Caryophyllus maximus multiplex, or 

 " the great double Carnation," be at all true to 

 nature. It is represented as being three inches in 

 diameter. By the end of the sixteenth century the 

 varieties cultivated were innumerable, for Gerarde, 

 writing in 1597, says : "There are at this day, 

 vnder the name of Caryophyllus, comprehended diuers 

 and sundrie sorts of plants, of such variable 

 colours and also severall shapes that a great and 

 large volume would not suffice to write of euery 



