CARNATIONS IN VARIETY 



THE CARNATION AND PICOTEE. 

 By James Douglas, Edenside, Great Bookham. 



TAKE for a motto for this article the lines of Shakespeare — "The fairest flowers of 

 the season are our Carnations." Nearly 300 years ago these words were written, and 

 at that time the Carnation w as grown well in English gardens. We do not produce 

 larger double Carnations in our gardens in these days than those figured in Gerarde's 

 "Herbal" in 1508, or in Parkinson's "Paradisus" some thirty years later; moreover, Gerarde 

 informs his readers that he was the first to grow Carnations with flowers of a yellow 

 colour, these being introduced to London gardens through a merchant, named Nicholas 

 Leete, from Constantinople, which is evidence that the cultivation of the Carnation 

 was widespread. The yellow ground Ficotee and Carnation was cultivated in England 

 early in the seventeenth century, as we learn from Parkinson's " Paradisus." Doubtless 

 neither the form of the flowers nor the markings on the petals would pass muster in a 

 meeting of experts in these days ; but the rapid development of the Carnation as a garden 

 flower in England is well attested in the pages of the old authorities. The Carnation 

 therefore may w ell be considered to be one of the finest of garden flowers. It would be 

 easy to verify this claim from the days of Elizabeth down to the end of the present century, 

 but no useful purpose would be served by parading the writings of old authors or quoting 

 tlie names of flowers no longer in existence. The Carnation is now held in as great esteem 

 as ever it was, and valued by all who love flowers for their sweetness and beauty. Carnations 

 are mostly of delicate perfume, and are also very attractive in the garden by reason of 

 their rich and varied colours, and the list has been greatly added to during the last few 

 years. 1 have been an admirer and grower of the Carnation for over forty years, and 

 during that period there have been many changes in fashion. At one time there was 



