Ornamentals. 



61 



It will be profitable at this time to consider the present 

 status of the carnation industry in America. The following 

 discussion of the subject is contributed to this volume by 

 Secretary C. J. Pennock : 



"A casual observer, if at all interested in floriculture, can- 

 not fail to have noticed that there has been a marked ad- 

 vance in the appearance of carnation-blooms as they are now 

 offered for sale, as compared with the blooms as grown even 

 ten years ago ; and to those who have watched such improve- 

 ment critically it is a prophecy of even greater advancement. 

 Ten years ago the leading varieties were Edwardsii, Degraw, 

 La Purity, King of the Crimsons, and Astoria, scarcely any 

 of which are grown now by the commercial florist. Prob- 

 ably greater progress has been made during the last three 

 years in the improvement of the carnation than ever before, 

 and the present year has produced several varieties of striking 

 merit. 



"The demand continues to be greatest for white flowers, 

 although shades of delicate pink command the highest 

 market-price, with occasionally a rival in some showy varie- 

 gated kind like Buttercup or Chester Pride — although, as a 

 rule, flowers of a single color (self color), are most sought. 



"The notable additions for the season of 1890-91 were 

 Golden Gate, pure yellow ; J. R. Freeman, crimson-maroon ; 

 Wm. F. Dreer, rose-pink; Angelus, pink; Daybreak, light 

 pink ; Edwin Lonsdale, pink ; Dorothy, pink ; Constancy and 

 Fred Dorner, scarlets ; Nellie Bly, Caesar and American Flag, 

 variegated with more or less scarlet and white ; White Wings, 

 Edelweiss and Lizzie McGowan, white. 



"The flower-shows of the present year brought forward 

 many seedlings, the pink colors being particularly noticeable. 

 Many of these will not be offered for sale the coming year, 

 but are held for the accumulation of stock. Of the seedlings 

 to be had in 1891-2 Aurora, pink, Grace Darling, pink, 

 Thomas Cartledge, carmine-pink, Golden Triumph, yellow, 

 Puritan and Pearl, whites, are notable ; while of those not 

 offered for sale the coming season, Grace Battles, Edna 

 Craig, Pendleton, Ben Hur, Sea-Shell, all pinks, and several 

 others designated only by numbers, will undoubtedly prove of 

 value when they are to be had. 



"The tendency at present seems to be towards a rapid in- 



