May 4, 1912. 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



365 



PERPETUAL-FLOWERING 



CARNATIONS 



At the Hatherley Nurseries, 



Cheltenham. 



. ^ . ^ ade tliat the 



successful is tlie specialist, and 



indeed this may be called the age of special- 

 ists. Our greatest physicians specialise in 

 the study and treatment of one particular 

 disease. In all 'branches- of science and in- 

 dustry, and even in sports and hobbies we 

 find men who are specialists in one particular 

 line, at which, by reason of the concentration 

 of their energies and interest, they become 

 experts, and consequently achieve success. 



In so far-reaching and many-sided a pur- 

 suit as horticulture, it is not at all surpris- 

 ing that we find the system of specialising in 

 the cultivation of one class of plants very 

 largely adopted, and certainly abundant evi- 

 dence is forthcoming that they who follow 

 this course are those who succeed. 



Messrs. Young and Co., Hatherley, Chel- 

 tenham, may ^be cited as specialists who have 

 come well to the front in their line, which 

 is the cult of the perpetual-flowering carna- 

 tion. Of late years their fine stands of well- 

 grown flowers, tastefully arranged, have 

 been much admired at the leading shows all 

 over the kingdom, and it was in full expecta- 

 tion of finding an extensive stock of healthy , 

 plants that we visited Hatherley recently. 



Carnations are worth seeing anywhere, at 

 any time, but this visit was the more en- 

 joyable by reason of the facts that the day 

 was gloriously fine, and that the nursery is 

 situated in a spot surrounded by scenery that 

 may well claim mention among the most 

 beautiful in England- The town of Chelten- 

 ham itself is endowed with beauties equalled 

 by few towns in the country, but getting 



beyond the streets into the open country 

 where grand views of the Cotswold Hills and 

 well-wooded valleys are obtained, one feels 

 compelled to pay tribute to this delightful 

 bit of old England. 



But to the carnations. These occupied ten 

 or a dozen span-roof houses ranging from 

 about 150ft. to 200ft. each in length. This 

 means a considerable area to be oocupied by 

 one kind of plant, but every house was filled 

 to its utmost capacity, plants of all sizes, 

 from newly-rooted cuttings in the propaga- 

 ting beds, to fine big plants in full flower, 

 being pictures of vigorous health and skilful 

 culture. We looked carefully for rust, 

 spider, and spot, those torments that are 

 capable of converting the pleasure of carna- 

 tion growing into an. anxiety and thankless 

 task, but by the time we had finished the 

 round ye come to understand why Mr. Tau- 

 devin, the genial head of the firm, who 

 every show-goer knows, can always wear a 

 pleasant smile or enjoy a hearty laugh — his 

 brain is not racked with the harassing pro- 

 blem of how to rid his plants of pests; he 

 has learnt the far better plan of keeping the 

 pests at bay. One thing was specially notice- 



i.e., that from the time the cuttings 

 are taken there is no coddling, but a cool, 

 rational treatment is afforded, both in the 

 propagating house and the growing and 

 flowering houses, and the whole system of 

 cultivation is to give careful attention to 

 light and ventilation, and to use brains as 

 well as hands when manipulating the water- 

 pot, while the great importance of cleanli- 

 ness all round is fully realised. 



As to varieties; the main collection, num- 

 bering about sixty varieties, embraces the 

 '^st and most popular of both American and 

 ^ritish carnations, the plan here adopted 

 being to discard an old variety as soon as 

 one of its particular shade of colour is ob- 

 tained that supersedes it, either in form, 

 quality, vigour, or habit. A list of these 

 superseded " varieties is published in 

 ^essrs. Young's latest catalogue, and num- 

 ^Ts forty-two names. The firm is naturally 

 proud of the fact that quite a number of 

 really good and distinct varieties have ema- 

 nated from the Hatherley Nurseries, the dark 

 crimson Duchess of Devonshire holding pride 

 <>t place as the best of the Hatherley novel- 



able 



tiee. This lovely flower is now widely known, 

 Messrs. Young and Co, having exhibited 

 i t th roughou t E n gl a nd , Scotia nd , and 

 Ireland, and the manner in which its 

 finely-formed, richly-coloured flowers are 

 everywhere admired must be very grati- 

 fying to the raisers. The fine batches 

 of plants I saw fully demonstrated the 

 free-growing and free-flowering qualities of 

 the variety. 



Another of Messrs. Young's varieties at- 

 tracted attention, being so entirely distinct 

 from anything else seen. Its name is A. S. 

 Montgomery. The flowers are not large, but 

 they are broad, smooth-petalled, and more 

 after the style of a good border variety. The 

 calyx is long and perfect, and the colour is 

 a beautiful shade of musk-rose, or perhaps 

 the catalogue description "lilac-pink," aptly 

 describes the somewhat unusual shade. We 

 have seen and admired blooms of A. S. Mont- 

 gomery at the shows, "but our interest in it 

 was very much increased by the remarkable 

 growth and habit of the plants. These grow 

 over wires right up one side, and under the 

 roof of a fairly lofty house. Nevertheless, the 

 plants are anything but leggy, there being 

 any amount of grass, side shoots, and flower 

 stems right from the pots upwards. It is, 

 in fact, almost worthy of being called a 



carnation. 



"climbing 



Lady Henderson, a salmon-pink, something 

 in the way of Mrs. H. Burnett is another of 

 Messrs. T'oung's introductions, and they were 

 also the raisers of Queen, a pale yellow with 

 slight pink markings; Cheltonia, and the 

 pinky-mauve Mrs. Greswolde Williams. 



A carnation that has for two or three years 

 attracted a great deal of attention is the Hon. 

 Lady "Audrey Neeld, the variety that produces 

 flowers of the same striking form and colour 

 as Marmion, but which has earned for itself 

 the reputation of being a true perpetual 

 flower, Messrs Young and Co. have all 

 along held a high opinion of this attractive 

 flower, and we were not at all surprised to 

 find a big stock of plants in all sizes. Mrs. 

 C. W. Ward is another variety that is ex- 

 ceptionally well done. Those who saw the 

 splendid flowers of it which Messrs. Young 

 and Co. staged at the last show of the Per- 

 petual-flowering Carnation Society will 

 readily understand that this would be so. 

 We asked what was considered the best white, 

 and the answer came quickly that there was 

 nothing yet to surpass White Enchantress 

 for all-round quality and freedom. There 

 are, however, several other good whites in 

 the nursery, including the large-flowered 

 W^odenethe, W^hite House, and W^hite 

 Wonder . 



Of much interest is a batch of plants in the 

 open in perfect health. These perpetuals 

 were planted out of three-inch pots and re- 

 ceived no protection whatever. In all about 

 fifty varieties were tested, all of which came 

 through in perfect condition, with the ex- 

 ception of half a dozen plants of Governor 

 Roosevelt. All the others are now making 

 extraordinary growth,* and running up to 

 flower stems. Many of this type of plant are 

 at present being planted out for summer 

 flowering. 



Capitsd batches of young seedlings and 

 several unnamed iseedlings of promise fore- 

 told that from Messrs. Young and Co. car- 

 nation lovers will receive in the near future 

 still further novelties calculated to oust old 

 favourites or to introduce acceptable new 

 shades of colours into the comparatively new 

 race that has so quickly and deservedly won 

 the hearts of flower lovers in two continents. 



Evergreens 



The number of evei 



under 



trees, where as a 

 f impoverished, is 

 the best for the 



a very limited one, among 

 purpose being the aucuba, Berbens aquito- 

 lium. Butcher's Broom, some cotoneasters, 

 Daphne pontica, Hypericum calycmum, 

 ivies in great variety, and periwinkles of 

 sorts. Of these last the smaller periwinkle 

 (Vinca minor) will hold its own under more 

 adverse conditions than the larger Vmca 

 major. — S. W. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



THE ORCHID HOUSES. 



TEMPERATUEE.— Plants in all depart- 

 ments are now making new growth, and no 

 time should be lost in giving them encour- 

 agement. To assist in bringing this about, 

 the summer temperature should be now 

 strictly adhered to. The figures given below 

 should be maintained, as nearly possible, 

 when the outside conditions are genial and 

 summer-like, but during a spell of cold, in- 

 clement weather, a degree or two lower will 

 be better than using an excessive amount of 

 fire-heat to maintain the temperature. Cool 

 house — by day, as low as possible; night, 

 55 to 60 degrees. Intermediate, cattleya, 

 and Mexican houses — by day, 70 to 80 de- 

 grees ; night, 65 to 70 degrees. W^arm house 

 — by day, 75 to 90 degrees; night, 75 de- 

 grees. Cool orchids are soon injured by 

 heat, and must now be kept as cool as pos- 

 sible. With the increased temperature within 

 the houses, and the hotter and drier con- 

 ditions outside, a greater amount of humid- 

 ity must be maintained. Tlie ventilation and 

 the shading of the different houses must 

 have every attention. 



C(ELOGYNE CRISTATA.— This species, 

 and its varieties, have now commenced to 

 grow, and the supply of moisture to the roots 

 should be gradually increased. Those in 

 need of repotting should have attention, just 

 as the young growths are about to push 

 forth new roots. Those to be repotted should 

 have all the old material shaken from their 

 roots, caTefully pulling the mass to pieces and 

 cutting away all dead roots and old pseudo- 

 bulbs, leaving three or four behind each 

 leading growth. These plants grow and 

 thrive for a very considerable time without 

 being repotted, and where a quantity are 

 grown a certain portion should be done an- 

 nually, and in this way no great loss of 



flowers is experienced. Pans of suitable sizes 

 are the best receptacles, and these should 

 be well drained, placing over the drainage 

 a good layer of sphagnum moss. The com- 

 post should consist of equal parts of peat, 

 polypodium, osmunda fibre, and a good 

 turfy loam (from which all the earthy par- 

 ticles have been taken), and sphagnum moss. 

 In preparing compost, it is well to bear in 

 mind that a moderate depth of material that 

 will last is better than a large amount that 

 will need renewing in a very short time. 

 The specimens should be made up according 

 to the uses the plants are intended for, 

 slightly raised in the centre, making each 

 piece secure with the potting mixture, and 

 ujsin g coppe r wi re pegs to hold t hem 

 firmly in the compost. After repotting, 

 place the plants in a shady position, and 

 spray them overhead frequently to prevent 

 the pseudo-bulbs slirivelling more than is 

 avoidable. The cool end of the intermediate 

 house is the best place for C. cristata, and 

 when well established it does not require an 

 excessive amount of shade. In a summer tem- 

 perature ranging night and day respectively 

 from 60 to 70 degrees, or even 80 degrees, 

 the plants will grow rapidly. 



OTHER SPECIES OP CGELOGYNE which 

 may also have attention at this season, should 

 they require it, are C. flaccida, C. conferta. 

 C. elata, C. sparsa, and C. speciosa. The 

 whole of these delight in an intermediate 

 house temperature, and when well estab- 

 lished, an abundant supply of water at the 

 roots. Coelogynes, when in full growth, are 

 among the most thirsty plants possible, but 

 should be allowed to get dry before afford- 

 ing water, as if the compost is kept con- 

 tinuallv saturated the roots will be de- 

 stroyed. 



C. PANDURATA, C. DAYANA, C. ASPE- 

 RATA, and others which are showing flower, 

 must not be allowed to suffer for lack of 

 water. These species require a plentiful 

 supply of heat, and a shady, moist corner 

 must be found for them in a warm house. 

 Given a suitable position, they are all vigor- 

 ous growers, pushing out over the sides of 



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