911 



THE PRACTICAL GARDrNER. 



[July. 



CRITERION OF A FINE CARNATION. 



A celebrated florist gives the following as the criterion of a 

 fine carnation: " The stem should be strong, tall, and straight, 

 not less than thirty nor more than forty-five inches high. The 

 foot-stalks supporting the flowers should be strong and elastic, 

 and of a proportioned length. The flower or corolla should 

 not be less than three inches in diameter, consisting of a great 

 number of large well-formed petals, but neither so many as 

 to give it a crowded or too full appearance, nor so few as to 

 make it appear too thin and empty. The petals should be 

 long, broad, and substantial, particularly those of the lower 

 or outer circle, commonly called the guard-leaves ; these should 

 rise perpendicularly about half an inch above the calix, and 

 then turn off gracefully in a horizontal direction, supporting 

 the interior jjetalsy and altogether forming a convex and 

 nearly hemispherical corolla. The interior jjeials should 

 rather decrease in size as they approach the centre of the 

 flower, which should be completely filled with them. The 

 2)etals should be regularly disposed alike on every side, im- 

 bricating each other in such a manner as that both their re- 

 spective and united beauties may captivate the eye at the same 

 instant. They should be nearly flat ; however, a small degree 

 of concavity or inflection at the lamina or broad end is allow- 

 able, but their edges should be perfectly entire; that is, free 

 from notches, fringe, or indenture. The calix should be at 

 least one inch in length, terminating with broad points, suf- 

 ficiently strong to hold the narrow bases of the petals in a 

 close and circular body. Of whatever colour the flower may be 

 possessed, they should be perfectly distinct, and disposed in 

 long regular stripes, broadest at the edge of the hunina, and 

 gradually becoming nan'ower as they approach the unguis^ or 

 base of the petal, then terminating in a fine point. Each 

 petal should have a due proportion of white; for example, 

 one-half, or nearly so, which should be perfectly clear and 

 free from spots." 



" Bizarres, or those which contain two colors upon a white 

 ground, are esteemed rather preferable to flakes, which have 

 but one, especially when their colours are remarkably rich and 



