CHAPTER XXII 



The Ideal Carnation 



MUCH has been said about the Ideal Carnation, and now and then an en- 

 thusiastic seedling grower, or an admirer of the Divine Flower, gives 

 to the world his description of what he considers an ideal carnation. 

 Undoubtedly that Will-o'-the-wisp has bothered the minds of carnation lovers 

 for the past three centuries, for as early as 1619 we find a good description 

 of a method of growing carnation flowers in winter in a little work entitled 

 "The Garden of Eden ; an accurate description of all flowers and fruits now 

 growing in England, with particular rules how to advance their nature and 

 growth, as well as seeds and herbs, and the secret ordering of trees and 

 plants, by that learned and great observer, Sir Hugh Plat, Knight. (Fifth 

 Edition London, 1659)," of which the following is an extract: 



"To have Roses or Carnations growing in winter, place them in a room that may 

 "some way be kept warm, either with a dry fire or with the steam of hot water con- 

 "veyed by a pipe fastened to the cover of a pot, that is kept seething over some idle 

 "fire, now and then exposing them in a warm day, from twelve to two in the Sun, or 

 "to the rain if it happen to rain ; or if it rain not in convenient time, set your pots 

 "having holes in the bottom in pans of rain water, and so moisten the roots. 



"I have known Master Jacob of the Glassehouse to have Carnations all the winter 

 "by the benefit of a room that was near his glass house fire; and I myself, by nipping 

 "off the branches of Carnations when they began first to spire, and so preventing the 

 "first bearing, have had flowers in Lent, by keeping the pots all night in a close room, 

 "and exposing them to the Sun in the day time, out at the windows, when the wether 

 "was temperate; this may be added to the Garden (mentioned Nu. 29) to grace it 

 "in winter, if the room stand conveniently for the purpose. 



"You shall oftentimes preserve the life of a Carnation or Gilliflower growing in 

 "a pot, that is almost dead and withered, by breaking out the bottom of the pot, and 

 "covering the pot in good earth, and also the old stalks that spring from the roots; 

 "but every third or fourth year, it is good to slip and new set them." 



From the above it will be seen that the winter culture of carnations was 

 known at least 300 years ago. In the Gardeners' Magazine of Botany for 

 1850, an article, written by Mr. George Glenny, on some points of excellence 

 in florists' flowers, gives an idea of some of the attributes that might con- 



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