Ai-fiPST 6 » 18981 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



515 



Carnations. 



• ESD av, August 2, was a glorious day 



At Edenside- 



-a delightful one for a trip out into the 



TUESM ^ qIv district"* where Mr.' James Douglas has established his now 

 breezy and { aki an ^ train by the L. and S. W. 



orSham and' Effinglam, we were right out in the midst 

 *f w th ul country within one hour from London. It is some years ago now, 

 of a healtniul Uj j D las commenced operations close to the Bookham station, 

 ab f Lushed the Edenside Nursery. More recently he and his family have 

 ^idence there, much glass has been built, and the cultivation of land 

 Zblv extended to keep pace with the steadily increasing demand for carna- 

 ^^T^icd^ polyanthuses, and cinerarias. Whatever Mr. Douglas 

 w taken in hand he has done well, and whether it be the raising and cultivation 

 Nations as a business, flower gardening for pleasure around his pretty house, 

 ling seedling orchids as a hobby, or collecting horticultural books as a pastime 

 S^Sf^inire the earnestness of purpose that, combined with skill and 

 g n business ability, has always characterised the actions of this, the foremost 

 florist of our times. • - ... 



Our visit was made expressly for the purpose of seeing the carnations and 

 oicotees, which occupy a very large amount of space and are now in large light and 

 ereenhouses where seeding and layering go on apace. Somewhere about 

 three hundred varieties are cultivated, but Mr. Douglas endeavours to keep down 

 the multiplication of slight varieties as far as possible, and as soon as one variety is 

 fairly outclassed it is discarded and so ever the fittest survive. Besides these 

 named varieties already in commerce, or just about to be put on the market, there 

 are a quantity of new seedlings, among which are not a few that Mr. Douglas 

 expects great things from ; another year or two will, of course, decide whether they 

 are catalogued or consigned to oblivion Walking through the houses at Edenside 

 one is struck with the vigour of the plants ; the strength of the flower stems, and the 

 wonderful number of first-rate blooms that even the unthinned ^ trusses will carry. 

 The beauty of the flowers next claims our admiration, and it is most difficult to 

 decide whether one admires selfs or fancies most ; the conclusion is that both are 

 lovely, both have their uses, and, fortunately, there are in both classes an 

 abundance of varieties that are suitable alike for the garden border or for special 

 cultivation for exhibition ; the blooms are shapely and bright, while for quantity 

 no flower can surpass them in their season. At Edenside one has fine oppor- 

 tunities of comparing varieties and of gauging their freedom. 



Taking the selfs first, the difficulty is of reducing the number of varieties so as 

 to make the list valuable to those who have not the space to cultivate carnations 

 extensively. Those noted are mostly new or almost new varieties. For a 

 beautiful rich rose pink, which has a suspicion of scarlet, it would be difficult to 

 surpass Ashphodel, and why the catalogue description should say, M best flowers 

 are produced on two-year-old plants," we cannot tell, for the year-old plants are 

 producing splendid blooms in quantity. Mrs. Gascoigne is another splendid rose- 

 pink, but quite distinct from Ashphodel. Do you want pure and broad -petal led 

 white varieties, then try The Briton, very free, and a non-burster ; Helmsman is a 

 g»nd large-flowered white variety; while Nautch Girl is a lovely Douglas' 

 seedling, that is palest silvery blush when first expanded, but becomes pure white 

 quickly. Turning from whites to dark hues, the merits of Sir Henry Irving as a 

 grand crimson carnation are forcibly brought to mind, for the colour is most hand- 

 K>rae, as the crimson is lit up with an undertone of scarlet ; Lady Hindlip is a fine 

 ST" 1 ? 01 . 011 10 the form er, being a beautiful crimson-scarlet self of great beauty, 

 ibe darkest form seen was Nox, a velvety, blackish crimson flower, of good shape, 

 tM most effective. King Arthur still holds its own as a scarlet flower, producing 

 huge blooms with very broad petals. Few varieties have prettier blooms than the 

 new 11 ol wood, that is intense marone-crimson in colour, and very free; the 

 ^wi, too, is magnificent, producing vivid scarlet flowers with the utmost profusion, 

 ww ot such good form that it is valuable alike for the garden and the exhibition 

 wa. 1 he rosy scarlet Boadicea is beautiful both in form and colour, and has 

 wen s out wiry stems that it is one of the finest of border carnations. There are 



Pnk carnations, and among the very best are Endymion, a grand 



I^anH^-i S ? k >. hx ? 3 * P etals ; Ma y ™e> "ch red-pink, exceptionally 

 ninl Pleasingly fragrant blooms ; Queen of Scots, a delightml shade 



« rose-pink, a good grower, and of fine shape. 



their atf rna - i0DS are now ** P lentif u l as any carnation lover could wish, but 

 S» to JfS ? Mt f Unmixed blessin S' es P ecia "y for the small amateur. It 

 '■rials rf vX„ -7 e g r th( ; National Carnation Society will have to institute 

 selected S7.c v * ° f °, ther £ * lfs » and then g ive their supporters a list of 



nnn Kt 4. A gia.uu uviucr carnation, 



non-Durster ; Queen of Sheba has deep buff-yellow flowers of large 



Johnson is a wlfnm I Isaac ,I s als <> * very fine yellow self, rich and free ; Dr. 



Andromeda fi^ buff f ? rm ; Diana 8 ives us a lemon-yellow ; while 



fcaaalks. ntufJ l' an abundance of splendid flowers on erect 



■**«aiks. Of latVotwi/ carr yj n g «.wLinwc*nv.c ui spienaia nowers on en 

 ^tions, and is ?L ? . and distinct shade of colour has been produced ^ 

 * in Hamnden 1 1 mixt ^e of yellow and brown. One of the brightest forms 

 Colt* r ucn » a lar ge and finely-formed carnation of a deep buff hue ; Mrs. 



I Kuchaim"giv^ a ^ 5 r Cln ?f m0n . flowers— a first - ra te border carnation. Mrs. 

 Francis WeCw 3 a P ncot tin S e - Two good rosy-carmine varieties 



V ou ** A in H x t v P D ° U S aS ' the former having rather the richer 

 fcy-Uvcnder shade ITtl nCt ^ com P rise Haidee, a curious and deep 

 >et raised. ' h mauve and Bendigo, by far the finest blue- 



in the way of Hidalgo, deep yellow, heavily marked with scarlet and crimson 

 Perseus, rich yellow, marked with orange and scarlet ; and Brodick, deep yellow, 

 marked with rosy-scarlet. Other fancy carnations are Pelegia, especially handsome, 

 pink, flaked with pale lavender ; Delightful, well named, white, with a few • 

 light splashes of soft scarlet, a splendid flower in size and substance ; Artemis, 

 scarlet ground, marked with dark silvery rose or lavender ; and Miss Florence, 

 white, ligthly marked with reddish rose. 



Malmaison carnations, all in the rudest health, are to be seen in large quantities 

 at Edenside, but few are now flowering. Mr. Douglas has a splendid stock of 

 Lady Grimston, Churchwarden, Nell Gwynne, and other of the splendid Martin- 

 Smith productions. He has also some splendid additions to the true white ground 

 picotees, Fortrose and Charlotte Bronte being an especially fine pair, the former 

 a light rose edge, the latter a heavy red edge variety, and both having beautiful 

 broad petals. The Edenside collections teem with interest, and, in spite of hot 

 weather, there will be lots of flowers to be seen for some time to come on the • 

 many thousands of healthy, vigorous plants that fill the several spacious houses. 



At Chelsea. 



It has been frequently remarked that the carnation is a townsman's flower, and 

 when we remember what the Birmingham amateurs can show in the way of fine 

 carnation blooms, and also know what Mr. Martin Rowan does, then we are 

 compelled to believe that statement. If further confirmation is necessary, then a 

 visit to the Chelsea nurseries of Messrs. J. Veitch and Sons during carnation time 

 will dispel all doubts as to the value of both carnations and picotees for town 

 gardens. At the Brompton end of the Chelsea nurseries there are thirty beds, 

 each about twenty-two feet by three feet, planted with a large number of the best 

 varieties ; selfs are most largely represented, and in some instances a whole bed 

 is devoted to a variety, this being so in the case of such free flowering and dwarf- 

 growing sorts as the white Mrs. Frank Watts and the scarlet Joe Willet. Alto- 

 gether, the Veitchian display comprises nearly three thousand plants out of doors, 

 besides a very large number in pots, in cold greenhouses, where they can be 

 examined, should a visitor arrive on a wet day. Besides the selfs, there are a 

 large number of fancies and yellow ground picotees, a class (for it is difficult to 

 draw the line between them), that is becoming increasingly popular year by year. 

 Judging from the number of plants grown, it would seem that flakes, bizarres,. 

 and pure picotees are not nearly so much in demand as formerly, but, on the 

 other hand, there is a growing interest in those selfs and fancies that are grouped 

 under the head of border carnations. 



One of the most distinct selfs of recent introduction is Bendigo, a free flowering 

 bluish purple variety that is most effective in a mass ; Knight Errant is a fine dark 

 scarlet self, while Sweet Briar is equally good, but of a paler colour. Other 

 scarlet varieties of great merit are Boadicea, which has a rosy suffusion, and is a 

 handsome flower ; Hayes Scarlet, wonderfully free and bright ; Ness, a strong 

 grower with exceedingly brilliant blooms ; Cantab, one of the older varieties, but 

 still good; Edward Marshall, a finely-formed scarlet flower; Mrs. Macrae, a 

 decided improvement on Hayes Scarlet ; King Arthur, a magnificent crimson 

 scarlet with big, broad, and smooth petals ; Little John and W. J. Fish, the 

 latter a very bright scarlet. Passing to crimson selfs, Sir John Falstaff is noticeable 

 both by reason of its rich colour and large flowers ; John Hare is also a fine crim- 

 son self, while for freedom and fragrance the Old Clove is still worthy of cultiva- 

 tion, and does well at Chelsea. Mephisto and Uncle Tom are deep hued 

 varieties, the latter also having a slight shading of deepest scarlet. Lady Hindlip, 

 about half-way between scarlet and crimson, is a splendid variety that is bound to 

 become very popular. Of yellow carnations there are innumerable hosts, and all 

 save the specialist are bewildered with so many names where all the varieties seem 

 so nearly alike. There are, however, differences of growth, habit, shade of colour, 

 and shape of flower. There are now numerous beautiful yellow selfs as free as 

 the tall Miss Audry Campbell and Duke of Orleans, but dwarfer in habit ; Mrs. 

 Harry Escombe is a fine hardy yellow in the way of Germania ; Mopsa does well 

 outside at Chelsea, and is apricot -yellow with broad petals ; Pandelli Ralli is a 

 lovely bright yellow flower with perfect calyx and good alike outdoors and under 

 cover ; Mrs. Patrick Campbell has flowers of a pretty primrose hue, while for 

 those who desire a deeper colour there is Nabob, orange-buff and very large. 

 Britannia is good, so also are Corunna and Pride of Pens hurst, the former being 

 rather better than the latter. Among buffs, Mrs. Reynolds Hole still takes a 

 prominent place ; then there is Cinnamon, a curious shade of colour, but now 

 likely to be superseded by the handsome and new Mrs. Colby Sharpin that has 

 flowers with quite a brownish tint. 



White self carnations are plentiful, and among the very best we have to place 

 Mrs. Eric Hambro, a variety that needs no praise ; Sir Wilfred Laurier is very 

 free' and has smooth petals such as will recommend it to exhibitors. For freedom 1 

 and fine petals few can exceed Edith Ladenham, while the flowers are very pure 

 white • Princess Charles of Denmark is also a fine white, and other white selfs of 

 great merit are Miss Ellen Terry, Snowdon, and Waterwitch. For general use- 

 fulness and beauty few carnations surpass the blush-tinted Seagull, while it can 

 hold its own for vigorous and floriferous habit. Mrs. J. Doughs provides us with 

 a beautiful rose carmine self, to which the delicate flesh-tmted Cassandra is a good 

 companion ; Exile, deep rose 5 Her Grace, pale blush 1 ; May Morris rose ; Rose 

 Celestial, bright rose; Braw Lass, Eudoxia, Ketton Rose, Sadek, and Duchess of 

 York are all lovely and good carnations of various shades of rose and pink. Lady 

 Nina Balfour must not be omitted from the list, for it is a free-flowering soft blush self 

 of great merit. Yellow ground picotees and fancies deserve L no ^ e .\^^ " 

 eav colouring, bold habit, and large blooms ; Figaro, Cardinal Wolseley, Mr. 

 Nie] the Czar Don Tuan, Voltaire, the Gift, the Dey, Eldorado, Dervish, 

 Wanderer, very fine ; Miss Alice Mills and Hygeia are all first-rate, and make a 

 alorious disDlav with or without protection. One other fancy, and that a white 

 I S dSSng rf mention, is C. W. Townley, a bold form heavily splashed 

 %ith deepest crimson. These, of Course, are but a few of the carnations we saw 



ground fand a?CheS S but they are among the very best, and selected for their abundance of 



51^7 are most effective r fashionable just now and cer- flowers as erown out of doors. 



St** 10 *, brightly Sin a* 9 5™ a numerous class > and bein g vef y free 



2T e f <* are « bJrSS, » ? thty h ^ Ve quicWv beco ™ e W^lar. 



fifr* "is S3K but 'he* will be left sever^a!^ t£ S 



popula 

 but 



Ej, be most brilliant wTt- 1S llght - ye,low ' heavil >' edged and marked 

 JS^'Iet, is ve? a .J /' »° b,C ? D ' ^, lth ^h yellow ground, edged and 



'•■•■irked With r/«„:'iT ; . U >'g eia « >' eIIow > edged with rose : Harlequin, 



XS^ 1 * I Miss vLfet C T S °u M l- N ? d ' Clear y ellow > h <*vily edged 

 . • »» Solent :l._ Vl ° let ' nch yellow, heavily edeed and m*A»l Jill, rirh 



sO0d 



s Plendid new 



FW* *m m ° ng the new' Sees' 3 ^htlL? 1 ™' edged r ° Sy - UIaC ; 

 k^J -MI1 include Miss Ma k fancies are nnnwrmc K«* - 



<nte r 



these 



are numerous, but a short 



)ellow moi K .r JZiC ,' S ° ft , ye J Iow ' marked ™& 'ose, a non- 

 °*. most brilliantly marked with intense scarlet ; Zingara, 



Sweet Peas —Thanks are due to our careful sweet pea raisers in not only 

 givine us such a choice of colours, but also for increase of fragrance. A very 

 skilful grower was the other day compelled to admit there was a gam of fragrance, 

 and I am persuaded some of the newer varieties are far more fragrant than others. 

 Sweet r>ea culture is simple in the extreme, any ordinary soil will grow them, and 

 f th e feet hieh they will gi ve an abundant and continuous bloom, especially if 

 the seed nods are'kept down. I give my selection of six varieties, out of two dozen, 

 though all are good : Blanche Burpee, white ; Monarch, bronze crimson ; Duke 

 !vf v«rlr msv-oink : Stanley, marone ; Mars, crimson ; and Celestial, light blue, 

 of \ork, ros> pin , Rottesford Vineries. Notts. 



