January 27, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



25 



admit that they do not already know all 

 there is about it. 



The carnation, or, to express the name 

 in strictly botanical terms, Dianthus 

 <,'aryophyllus, is, according to Loudon, a 

 native of southern Europe, and has been 

 found growing naturally in England. 



The generic name, dianthus, is com- 

 pounded of two Greek words, meaning 

 , he flower of the gods, or the Deity, which 

 has led certain writers to call it the 

 livine flower, a name that might well be 

 ■xchanged for one more simple and com- 

 iirehensive. The specific name, CaryQ- 

 ;ihyllus, has reference to the clove-like 

 fragrance of the flowers, while the com- 

 mon name, carnation, has for its base 

 ,he Latin word carnis, meaning flesh, in 

 •illusion to the pink or flesh color of the 

 iiowers in their wild state. 



There are many different species in 

 the genus dianthus, including the fa- 

 miliar Sweet William; but the one that 

 most nearly resembles the carnation in 

 appearance is the pink, with its several 

 varieties. 



Where it grows naturally, the carna- 

 tion has single flowers, about one inch 

 m diameter, having but five petals, but 

 variation, selection and cultivation have 

 so changed its character that flowers four 

 inches in diameter are now produced. 

 Having a great number of petals. 



Evolution of the Carnation. 



The ordinary garden carnation is a 

 hardy perennial that blooms but once a 

 year, and the florists' carnation of today 

 is undoubtedly the result of changes that 

 have taken place in its habits through 

 selecting ana cultivating the most promis- 

 ing plants produced by natural variation, 

 until now it may be had in bloom during 

 the entire year. In the evolutionary 

 operation, however, it has lost a portion 

 of its hardiness, probably because of the 

 higher temperature to which it has been 

 subjected for generations during the cold 

 season of the year, although this loss 

 could perhaps be regained by reversing 

 the process that brought about the 

 change, and gradually hardening the 

 plant until it could withstand the rigors 

 of our severe winters. 



This change from summer-blooming to 

 perpetual-blooming is not confined to the 

 carnation, but has been accomplished in 

 the case of other plants. Chrysanthe- 

 mums have been grown from seed that 

 was saved from the ordinary seasonal- 

 blooming kinds that have developed into 

 varieties that have be^n had in flower 

 every month in the year, and the rose is 

 one of the most familiar examples of a 

 plant that has been changed from an an- 

 nual to a continuous bloomer, through the 

 treatment accorded to it under modern 

 methods of culture. 



The carnation flower today, and espe- 

 'lally in this country, is the most popular 

 llower produced by the florist, having 

 overtaken and passed the old-time favor- 

 '■J-'^, the rose, in the race for popular 

 iavor, and instead of being referred to 

 ^s the divine flower, it might truth- 

 lully be called the people 's flower. 



Good Reasons for Popularity. 



' become really popular, a flower 



^'^'■'it possess several qualifications, the 



|- t of which is beauty, a somewhat in- 



^.^-nable and elusive quality. In addi- 



I' 'ij it should have a pleasant odor, and 



^ capable of being used in a variety of 



ys and for various purposes. Its text- 



' - should be such that it will remain in 



•"'ly good condition for a reasonable 



''''■>'th of time, and its successful culti- 



vation should be so simple that it can be 

 grown and sold profitably at such a 

 price that the ordinary flower-user can 

 afford to buy it freely. 



All these various requirements are pos- 

 "sessed by the carnation, and, in addition, 

 it may be procured at any time during 

 the entire year. 



Koses, violets, lilies of the valley, 

 chrysanthemums and many other flowers 

 will continue to have their admirers, and 

 will always be in demand, when in sea- 

 son, but some of them are difficult to pro- 

 duce with profit and most of them are 

 more expensive, bulk for bulk, than are 

 carnations. 



Several years ago, at one of the con- 

 ventions of the S. A. F., an essayist 

 seemed to think that, in a few years, 

 orchids would become as plentiful and 

 popular as roses, but the prediction has 

 not been verified and probably will not 

 be, for two reasons; first, they are more 

 difficult to cultivate and produce, and 

 second, because of this difficulty, their 

 prices will never become popular. 



The development and improvement of 

 the carnation have taken place within a 

 comparatively recent time, both as re- 

 gards the size, color and quality of its 

 flowers and the number of desirable va- 

 rieties. 



Thirty or forty years ago the florist 

 was confined mainly to such kinds as Ed- 

 wardsii, Degraw, La Purite, Miss Joliffe 

 and Astoria. Buttercup, one of the best 



Daybreak, originated and disseminated 

 by Simmons, of Geneva, 0., was one of 

 the best and most profitable carnations 

 of its day, which is now over, and was 

 probably one of the progenitors of the 

 fine variety. Enchantress, and other kinds 

 having the Daybreak shade of pink. 

 William Scott was another easily grown 

 and useful sort, but it, too, is now 

 eclipsed. 



Superiority of American Sorts. 



While tlie carnation is not a native 

 of this continent, certain writers speak 

 of the varieties now in cultivation here, 

 collectively, as the American carnation, 

 but a better term would be the American 

 varieties of carnations, as they nearly all 

 originated here. 



At the royal show, held at Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne, England, in 1908, and prac- 

 tically open to all exhibitors, many vases 

 of British carnations were shown, hav- 

 ing, in the main, stiff stems and large 

 flowers, but the flowers were nearly all 

 of coarse texture and tue most of them 

 had split calyxes, and decidedly the fin- 

 est carnations in the great show were 

 those of American origin. 



Carnation flowers may be appropriate- 

 ly used on many occasions and in a va- 

 riety of ways, from a single flower on a 

 coat lapel to the most elaborate floral 

 design or other form of decoration. 



They are welcomed in the sick room 

 or the hospital ward, and are suitable for 



Joseph H. HilL 



of the earlier yellows, although, like 

 most of the later kinds of that color, de- 

 cidedly bizarre, came later, and was fol- 

 lowed by Grace Wilder, Albertini, Mrs. 

 Bradt, and a host of other slowly im- 

 proving kinds, until the list of aspir- 

 ants for a place on the carnation stage 

 reached well up into the hundreds. 



the placements or the centerpiece for the 

 dinner table. Clusters or sprays of the 

 flowers, when arranged with taste and 

 skill, in combination with a sufficient 

 amount of suitable greenery, are much 

 asked for and appreciated for funeral 

 occasions. No flower can -be used to 

 better advantage in a pleasing arrange- 



