11 2^, l«9^ ] 
JOUnXAL OF HORTTCULTURE AXD COTTAGE GARDEXER. 
nnother double, resembles the last-named in hue. The truss is longer, 
but hardly so well furnished. Koh-i-Noor, rose, semi-double, is one of 
the best Hyacinths grown, having a beautifully symmetrical and well- 
furnished spike of bloom, though not of the largest size. Eubra maxima, 
soft pink, is another variety of considerable merit. Fabiola, light rose, 
ileserves mention. Prince of Orange, bright pink, double, is a fine 
Hyacinth, with a very compact truss of medium size. Finally, there is 
Cardinal Wiseman, rose, a magnificent new variety, and a most valuable 
addition to the exhibition Hyacinths. It has a remarkably broad and 
dense truss, and is highly effective. The red, scarlet, and crimson sec¬ 
tion comprise some splendid varieties. Solfaterre is a warm glowing 
red with a medium-sized truss. Von Schiller is a grand red, with a 
deep stripe down the centre of each petal, the truss densely furnished, 
many examples measuring 8 inches by 4J. It is of dwarf, sturdy habit, 
and consistently good. Vuurbaak, shining crimson, has a small but 
well-formed truss ; and Eoi des Beiges is also somewhat small, though 
remarkably rich and striking in colour. Lord Macaulay, clear pale red, 
and Etna, bright red, are useful varieties. 
The blues, dark and light, are very numerous. Perhaps the best of 
the former is King of the Blues, a really splendid Hyacinth with a 
perfectly formed and furnished truss. This variety can usually be recog¬ 
nised at a glance among many others by its beautifully moulded form. 
William III. is one of the very dark (nearly black) varieties, and may 
be classed as one of the best of them. Masterpiece and The Saltan also 
being good. There were some excellent specimens of the latter at 
Haarlem, the best measuring 8^ inches by 4,J inches. Marie is an old 
and useful dark blue, cheap and good. Laurens Koster, double, some¬ 
what resembles King of the Blues in colour, and has a good truss. Lord 
Derby is one of the best of the light blues, the bells being large and the 
truss very broad, but somewhat short. Czar Peter is a very fine and 
useful variety. Queen of the Blues is a beautiful Hyacinth with a well 
furnished truss of medium size, clear pale blue. Pieneman has already 
been referred to. The spike is long and the bells of the largest size, but 
loose and drooping. Grand Maitre is another large variety with a 
similar defect. Van Speyk, double, has a well formed truss. Two of 
the best yellows are Obdiisque, with a long compact truss, and King of 
Vellows, closer, but hardly so good in colour. To this list of good 
varieties, by no means complete, yet affording material for a useful 
collection, must be added one differing in colour from them all, but 
equalled by few for beauty of form. Its name is Laura, the colour a soft 
rosy mauve, and the truss perfection as regards form and regularity. 
A few words may advantageously be devoted to the Tulips. Happily 
for the honour of England a very different tale can be told of the 
comparative merits of these flowers. We are as far ahead of the Dutch 
in respect to Tulips as they are in front of us with Hyacinths. Evidently 
the peculiar wants of the former have not been studied so carefully as 
those of the latter at Haarlem. Good though many of the Dutch 
plants undoubtedly were, they were distinctly inferior to the fine speci¬ 
mens of Mr. Douglas at Regent’s Park. The latter, though few, were 
splendid examples, being very dwarf and with remarkably large flowers. 
A great fault of the Dutch Tulips 'was that they were drawn, and the 
flowers consequently somewhat small. Mr. Douglas’s plants were fully 
(! inches dwarfer than the Dutch, and the flowers greatly exceeded them 
in size. Some of the best Tulips at Haarlem were exhibited by Messrs. 
F. & H. Van Waveren, and as they are only beginners at exhibiting they 
may be expected to show considerable improvement with more ex¬ 
perience, especially as they hold very large stocks of bulbs. 
The following are a selection of the best Tulips, commencing with 
the singles:—Cramoisie Pourpre is a beautiful rose-coloured variety 
resembling Proserpine, but brighter in colour and with smaller flowers. 
Royal Standard (silver), flaked crimson and white, and Royal Standard 
(gold), flaked scarlet and yellow, are both attractive varieties, the latter 
being very distinct. Rose Gris-de-lin, delicate rose suffused with white, 
is extremely pretty. L'lmmaculfe, pure white, tinged with lemon at 
the base, has medium-sized well-formed flowers, and ranks as one of the 
best. Keizer’s Kroon is a well-known large variety, crimson, with broad 
bands of yellow, very cheap and useful. Ophir d’Or (Mon Trdsor) is a 
magnificent Tulip, with very large rich yellow flowers, splendid for 
e.xhibition, far the best of all the yellows. This was finely shown at 
Haarlem. Nelly, pure white, with large flowers of good shape, is excellent, 
and very effective is the handsome rose variety Proserpine, one of 
the most popular Tulips grown. La Riante, medium-sized, well-formed 
flowers, base greyish, upper portion delicate rose, and Roi Pdpin, crimson 
and white, somewhat small, are very attractive Tulips. Joost van 
Vondel, crimson flaked with white, is a large, handsome, and very useful 
variety, well known to most British growers. One of the most distinct 
of the numerous varieties exhibited at Haarlem was Pink Beauty, white, 
deeply suffused at the edges with pink, flower of medium size and excellent 
form. Delicatissima, white, was also pleasing. La Belle Alliance, rich 
crimson, is, though one of the oldest and cheapest varieties, likewise one 
of the most effective and useful. Joost van Vondel, white varietv, is 
similar in form and size to the other. Queen of the Netherlands, which 
was honoured as a deserving novelty, is an exquisitely beautiful Tulip 
with very large flowers, white, with a faint blush tinge. It was exhibited 
bv the well-known firm of M. Van Waveren and Sons. Bride of 
Haarlem, crimson flaked with white, and Rosa Mundi, blush flaked, are, 
though small, extremely pretty. Vermilion Brilliant, bright scarlet, is 
a very useful and popular Tulip. Wouwermans, claret, and Van der 
Neer, deep mauve, are both large and of good form, and these are 
amongst the cheapest varieties. Last may be mentioned Chrysolora, a 
bright yellow of medium size. 
sag- 
One of the most beautiful of tbe doubles is Salvator Rosa, delicate 
rose, very pleasing in colour and handsome in form. CouronnedOr, 
canary yellow, large and of excellent shape, is the best of its colour, 
though i’ournesol Yellow is large and effective, the red and yellow form 
of the latter being also good. Purple Crown is very fine in colour, but 
the flowers are somewhat small. La Candeur, white, is a cheap, useful, 
and very effective variety. Murillo, white, tinged with rose, is attrac¬ 
tive, and very useful is the late variety, Mariage de Ma Fille, white, fea¬ 
thered with crimson. Le Blason, rose, and Raphael, fine light rose, are 
the last two to be mentioned, the latter being one of the most beautiful 
of all double Tulips. Both the double and single varieties named, as 
also the Hyacinths, have been carefully selected from a_ very large 
number of varieties, and those wishing to have a good collection of these 
beautiful spring bulbs will not err by choosing from amongst them.— 
W. P. Whigut, 
(To be continued.) 
THE CARNATION. 
[Prizes for essays on the Carnation having been offered through 
the Ealing Gardeners’ Improvement Society, Mr. Charles Turner, the 
adjudicator, awarded the first prize to the following useful contribution 
of Mr. David Cooper, foreman, Gunnersbury House, Acton.] 
Among the multiplicity of flowers now under cultivation, whether 
for beauty or fragrance, I do not hesitate to say that the Carnation 
stands pre-eminent. The immense number and strong contrast of its 
different shades and colour, the rich green hue of its “ grass,” or foliage, 
the stately habit of its growth, and the sweetness of its perfume, afford 
attractions to all its admirers. Combined 'with the above sterling 
qualities, the usefulness of the blooms when in a cut state, either for 
adornmpiit of the drawing-room, or for bouquets and buttonholes, or 
when grown in pots for the decoration of the conservatory and green¬ 
house, or as a bedding plant, it would not be wrong to say that it should 
bs prominently placed in the first rank of all decorative flowering 
plants. The Carnation has a decided advantage over almost all other 
flowers—namely, the length of time it is in bloom, and the easy mode of 
cultivation in an ordinary way ; also by special care and treatment and 
judicious selection of varieties it can be brought into bloom all the year 
round. Its popularity is unrivalled, for we should ihardly find one 
garden where the Carnation is not grown. 
It is said to have been first introduced into England from Italy, the 
date being questionable, and to have derived its name in the English 
language from its colour, pink, Carnation, or flesh colour. It was also 
called Clove Gilliflower, from its flowering in July, then known under 
the name of Caryophyllum, or walnut leaf (folium nucis), but why I am 
unable to say. The Carnation was also called Coronarium, from its 
having been used for the dressing of the head. It was afterwards given 
the appellation of Dianthus, flos nobilis, fine or superior flower, but is 
now termed Dianthus Caryophyllus. 
Classification. 
The Carnation is usually divided into several classes—namely. Flake, . 
Bizarre, and Selfs, besides Picotees, which are generally classed by them¬ 
selves, each having varieties of its own. Flakes are distinguished by 
their having a pure ground flaked with any one colour, as scarlet, 
purple, and pink flaked ; Bizarre meaning a mixture of colour, and 
having more or not less than three distinct colours, and is known by 
which shade predominates, as scarlet, crimson, and purple bizarre. 
Selfs are chanacterised by being one decided colour, of which there are 
several sorts. Picotee signifies picked or spotted, hence they are dis¬ 
tinguished by the colour of their edge. In addition to the above there • 
are the well-known tree, or perpetual-flowering varieties, undoubtedly- 
the most useful on account of their free and constant flowering' 
propensities, and coming into bloom in the dull time of the year when • 
other flowers are more scarce. This variety I intend to treat upon 
specially, but as I have also to deal with cultivation I will proceed with 
these few remarks to describe it to the best of my abi ity. 
Propagation. 
This can be done either by layering (pipings or cuttings) or from 
seed. I will now commence with the latter-seed. If not inclined to 
save seed it can be easily obtained from any respectable seedsmen, but 
to insure a good strain it should be purchased from one who makes it a 
specialty. Propagating by seed is very interesting, as sometimes good 
and distinct varieties are secured, but there is always a certain amount 
of disappointment as regards worthless blooms. Seeds may be sown as 
soon as they are ripe or in April (the latter is preferable, as the young 
plants can be grown on and planted out straight away) in pans well- 
drained. The compost should consist of light rich loam and leaf mould 
passed through a sieve and well mixed with a good proportion of sand. 
Press it down moderately firm and level to within an inch of the top,- 
