CARNATION 



CARNATION 



667 



804. Carnation, Picotee. 



and cultivated several varieties for a number of years. 

 About the year 1856 the firm of Dailledouze, Zeller & 

 Card imported plants of La Purit6, a rose-colored 

 variety, also Mont Blanc and Edwardsii, white, and 

 Manteaux Royal, red-and-white variegated. These 



were used for crossing, 

 and the first variety 

 produced in America, 

 about the year 1858, 

 proved to be a great 

 improvement on exist- 

 ing varieties. It was 

 named "Mrs.Degraw," 

 and with another white 

 variety named "Flat- 

 bush," was dissemi- 

 nated about the year 

 1864. Other varieties 

 followed, and the work 

 was taken up by other 

 growers, among whom 

 were M. Donati, who 

 raised Astoria, a yellow 

 which is conceded to 

 be the ancestor of all 

 the yellow varieties 

 grown today; Rudolph 

 Heintz, who raised 

 Heintz's White in 1876 ; 

 Chas. T. Starr, whose 

 most famous variety was Buttercup, introduced in 1884; 

 Jos. Tailby, whose Grace Wilder became and remained 

 the standard rose-pink variety until the introduction 

 of Wm. Scott in 1893; John Thorpe and W. P. Sim- 

 mons, who introduced Portia, Tidal Wave, Silver Spray 

 and Daybreak in the eighties; Sewal Fisher, whose 

 Mrs. Fisher appeared in 1890 and became one of the 

 leading whites; E. G. Hill, whose most notable pro- 

 ductions were Flora Hill, the leading white for several 

 years, and America, a scarlet; R. Witterstaetter, who 

 obtained Estelle, Aristocrat, Afterglow and Pres. J. A. 

 Valentine; John Hartje, who raised the scarlet Jubilee; 

 Peter Fisher, whose Mrs. Thos. W. Lawson, Beacon, 

 and Enchantress with its several sports, became leaders 

 in their respective colors; C. W. Ward, who dis- 

 seminated Governor Roosevelt, Harry Fenn and Mrs. 

 C. W. Ward. 



The late Frederick Dorner conducted the most sys- 

 tematic work in developing the carnation, and succeeded 

 in producing a strain which is recognized as the highest 

 development of the American carnation. His records, 

 which cover a period of 22 years, contain a complete 

 list of the many thousands of crosses made during that 

 time. This strain is distinguished for its easy-growing 

 habit, its freedom and steadiness in producing blooms, 

 the diversity of colors and its adaptability to commer- 

 cial growing. His labors produced such varieties as 

 Wm. Scott, Mme. Diaz Albertini, White Cloud, Mrs. 

 Goo. M. Bradt, G. H. Crane, Lady Bountiful, White 

 Perfection, Pink Delight, White Wonder and Gloriosa, 

 all leaders in their respective colors. 



Through the rapid strides in its development, after 

 being introduced in this country, the carnation estab- 

 lished itself as one of the leading flowers for commercial 

 growing and now stands second only to the rose in 

 commercial importance. Not only does it share equally 

 with the rose the bench space in most large growing 

 establishments, but many large ranges are devoted 

 entirely to the carnation. Growing methods have been 

 perfected by the carnation specialists until the practices 

 employed during its early history have been entirely 

 superseded. Since its first arrival in America, over 

 1,200 varieties have been introduced, and the quality 

 has been improved until the highest developed varie- 

 ties produce blooms measuring 4^ inches in diameter 

 and are carried on rigid stems 3 feet long. 



43 



In 1891 the American Carnation Society was organ- 

 ized to promote the interests of the carnation. By hold- 

 ing exhibitions annually it has assisted materially in 

 popularizing the flower. A system of registering new 

 varieties is in operation, which prevents confusion in 

 nomenclature. 



From this country, the improved strain of the per- 

 petual-flowering carnation has returned to European 

 countries, being grown in increased quantities each 

 year and displacing all the older types of carnation for 

 commercial growing. 



Culture of outdoor or flower-garden carnations. Fig. 808. 



Americans are not sufficiently aware of the excel- 

 lence of some of the forms of the flower-garden or bor- 

 der carnation. While perennial, like the greenhouse 

 carnation, many of them bloom profusely the first 

 year from seed and are described as annuals. The 

 Marguerite type is one of the jinost useful. These 

 forms bloom by midsummer from early-sown seeds, and 

 with some protection the plants will pass the winter 

 in the open and bloom again the following spring. 

 The Margaret strain, distinct from the Marguerite, 

 bears double flowers, 

 sulfur-yellow, and also 

 blooms the first season 

 from early-sown seed. 

 The Chabaud strains 

 behave similarly. The 

 Grenadins (Fig. 801) 

 bloom the first year 

 from seed. They pro- 



805. The modern florists' 

 carnation. High-centered 

 dark-colored bloom. 



806. Modern florists' or 

 forcing carnation. 



