872 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
February 13, 1892. 
pLiOt^ICUlrTOt^E. 
The Carnation.* 
At an opportune time Mr. E. S. Dodwell has issued 
a cheap edition of his book on “ The Carnation : its 
history, properties, and management.” It is one of 
the classics of floriculture, and the information con¬ 
veyed in its pages is all the more valuable because it 
may be said to summarize the experience of a life¬ 
time devoted to the culture of this popular and fra¬ 
grant flower. The Carnation has so increased in 
popularity of late ; it has such distinctive claims to 
recognition on account of its hardihood, its great 
variety, and its exquisite perfume; and these quali¬ 
ties being recognised by so many who have been in¬ 
duced to take in hand the culture of the flower—a 
manual dealing with its development during the past 
half a century; its typical characteristics; its man¬ 
agement ; and setting forth reliable lists of the best 
varieties, was urgently needed, and it is supplied in 
the work under notice. 
All the letter-press of the first edition is retained, 
and the directions given for the management of the 
flower every month in the year appear in all their 
original fulness. The descriptive lists of varieties 
have undergone revision, some of the older names 
have been dropped, with those of newer varieties 
which failed to answer to the expectations formed 
of them; nothing really good which has put in 
appearance since the second edition of the work 
was published is overlooked, and growers for 
exhibition in particular can depend upon the selections 
made. In these descriptions can be found a large 
amount of historical information that probably the 
author alone could give, and this portion of the 
works constitutes a valuable reference that will be 
consulted for years to come. 
One new feature of more than ordinary interest 
is the addition of three chapters dealing with the 
Yellow Ground Carnations. They are such chapters 
as only Mr. Dodwell could write, for who has made 
such a close and patient study of the flower as 
himself ? Chapter i is entitled a “ Retrospect and 
a forecast,” and carries the reader back to Thomas 
Hogg’s experience of the flower,for he is acknowledged 
to be the first to introduce it, and the difficulties 
he encountered in cultivating it. Hogg called the 
Yellow Picotee “this delicate exotic,” and this appears 
to have been the general experience of it down to 
i860 and later, when Yellow Picotees began to drop 
out of both collections and trade catalogues. 
In 1848, writing in the pages of the Midland Florist, 
the late Dr. Horner put in a strong plea for a fuller 
recognition of the Yellow Ground?. At that time 
raisers appeared to be moving within a very circum¬ 
scribed circle ; they narrowed their ideal of a good 
variety to the most circumscribed dimensions, and 
Dr. Horner was fain to admit that the varieties 
” exhibit but little of difference, and still less of 
distinction.” In a powerful passage, which Mr. 
Dodwell quotes in full, Dr. Horner sets forth the 
possibilities of development in the Yellow Ground 
with something of prophetic insight; and the writer 
lived long enough perhaps to witness the first steps in 
a new development, which these later days have 
realised to a degree approaching the marvellous. 
Dr. Horner’s appeal in favour of more consideration 
being given the Yellow Grounds produced but poor 
results; and, as Mr. Dodwell remarks, ‘‘various 
and diverse causes contributed to this. In the first 
place, thanks to the barbarous fiscal regulations 
which prevailed up to the earlier years of the forties, 
except in the garden of the most opulent—and there, 
in mode and fact alike, generally imperfect and 
inadequate — glass had no place, its use was unknown. 
The coverings of the florist were of wood or oiled 
calico, or other opaque substance. Such conditions 
were very unfavourable to the due acclimatising of 
the ‘ delicate exotic ’ spoken of by Hogg. Next the 
mighty mass of florists had little or no knowledge of 
fertilization. Seed was difficult of attainment, and 
when obtained, its issue in the main was deficient 
alike in stamina and in those properties sought for, 
and to such a large extent were on the white grounds.” 
We think those who attempted to raise seedling 
yellows crossed varieties sadly wanting in vigour of 
constitution, with the result that the Yellow Picotee 
* “ The Carnation : its history, properties, and management; 
with a descriptive list of the best varieties in cultivation.” By 
E. S. Dodwell. Third edition, with supplementary chapter on 
the Yellow Ground. London : Gardening World Office, 1, 
Clement’s Inn, Strand, W,C, 
became in those days practically a thing of the past. 
It was not until early in the eighties that the 
revival of the Yellow Grounds commenced. Such 
varieties as Prince of Orange, Royal Ascot and 
others, with marked improvement in constitutional 
vigour, came to the fore, and in 1886, not 1866 as 
given on page no, the Kilmurry Yellows were sent 
to Oxford, and since then the onward march has 
been something remarkable. Among raisers Mr. 
Douglas proved singularly successful; Benary's 
Germania was a floral star of the first magnitude, 
and the more recent varieties raised at Erfurt, 
because of their vigorous growth and singular 
distinctness, have been heartily welcomed. Mr. 
Dodwell has added lists of the best Yellow Grounds 
and fancies, including several of Mr. Ernest Benary's 
varieties, together with the Kilmurry Yellows, and 
the best of his own raising at Oxford. There is a 
wonderful future in store for the Yellow Grounds. 
Each succeeding year brings some new revelation, 
and it is the earnest hope of many that Mr. Dodwell 
may be spared to witness more advanced develop¬ 
ments in this interesting class than has yet been 
realised.— R. Dean. 
A late-flowering Japanese Chrysanthemum. 
A few days since Mr. Robert Owen sent me from his 
nursery at Maidenhead some blooming sprays of 
Golden Gem, a late-flowering decorative variety of 
great value, and which singularly enough is variously 
described in catalogues. The flowers sent to me are 
of a bright yellow colour, with a reddish apricot 
centre, and though they came to hand as late as the 
1st of February, they were singularly bright and 
effective ; and I should think it would be difficult to 
name another so useful for cutting from at this sea¬ 
son of the year. It is a variety rescued from 
oblivion by Mr. Owen, and he grows it largely for its 
lateness. His method of treatment is simple enough. 
He puts three cuttings or three young struck plants 
in a pot about April, and the shoots are continually 
stopped till the end of July or the first week in 
August. The plants need to be exposed to all the 
light and air possible, in order to thoroughly harden 
or ripen the wood, and kept outside until there is 
danger from frost; they then require to be protected 
from harm while it lasts, until the month of Novem¬ 
ber, when they are housed. Specimens that have 
been well cared for are by November in twenty-four 
or thirty-two sized pots; they are from 1 ft. to 2 ft. 
through, and carry from twelve to twenty-four heads 
of bloom. It does seem as if Golden Gem supplies 
the very variety for late cutting, and on that ground 
deserves to be widely grown.— R. D. 
LILIUM HARRISI. 
A great change in the method of growing this Lily 
has taken place in our country. When first intro¬ 
duced the largest bulbs that could be obtained were 
the ones in demand, the smaller ones being used as 
necessities. For the past two or three years bulbs 
from 7 in. to 9 in. in circumference have been thought 
the most desirable, but some of our thinking florists 
two years ago commenced to grow bulbs from 4 in. to 
5 in. in circumference, with the best results. These 
are potted as soon as received from Bermuda, about 
the first of August, singly in 5 in. or quart pots. As 
soon as potted, they are placed under the benches 
in the greenhouse, and watered thoroughly; no 
further care is given them, other than to occasionally 
water sufficiently to keep the bulbs from drying out. 
As soon as they start to grow, they are placed on the 
bench and given all the sunlight and air possible. 
When fires become necessary the temperature is 
kept at from 45 ? to 50' at night, and from 65° to 70° 
in the day-time, the latter temperature would be too 
high unless there is a free circulation of air. This 
treatment will give plenty of flowers by December 1st, 
and the main crop by Christmas and New Year, 
when flowers are in demand. 
It is important that no large bulbs should be used 
if the crop is wanted early, as those from 7 in. to 9 in. 
will not come into flower until nearly two months 
later. Our florists find it is far more profitable to 
grow the small bulbs, which produce from one 
to three flowers each, as they are only used for 
large decorations, and spikes with two flowers will 
sell for as much as one with two flowers and half-a- 
dozen buds. Besides the small bulbs do not cost 
but about one-third as much as large ones. If a 
succession is wanted, when the bulbs are potted they 
are kept in a cold frame and brought in as wanted. 
The experiment was tried of putting three of these 
bulbs in a 6-in. pot, which carried them nicely, but 
as the bulbs have a way of coming into flower 
when they like, no two at the same time, this plan 
was given up, in order to economize space, the bulbs 
being thrown out as soon as the flowers are cut. 
For Easter decorations, large bulbs are planted, 
and in 8-in. pots. Plants grown in this way will give 
from five to ten flowers each, but then they do not 
afford as much profit as the small plants with two 
flowers, grown in 5-in. pots, and in half the time. 
The successful ones who have tried the small bulbs 
claim that they can get as many flowers from a given 
space, from the small as from the large ones, besides 
getting two crops during the season instead of one.— 
C. L. Allen, Floral Park, N.Y. 
IRISES AT TOTTENHAM. 
Great interest centres round the early-flowering 
species and varieties of Iris, though it is well known 
to lovers of hardy plants that at this period of the 
year, protection of some kind is necessary to have 
the flowers in anything like presentable condition in 
our fickle and uncertain climate. Iris stylosa flowers 
in the open air at various times from October to 
February or March, according to the locality in 
which it is grown, and the mildness of the winter, 
or otherwise. Most of the undermentioned flower 
very early if merely protected with a frame or hand- 
light when the weather is severe ; but when mild, as 
it has been for some time past, the Irises should be 
freely ventilated or in the case of some kinds wholly 
uncovered, at least during the day. The later 
flowering kinds can be grown without any protection 
whatever. 
Most of the undermentioned were flowering the 
other day when we saw them with Mr. T. S. Ware, 
Hale Farm Nurseries. Tottenham, and a few were 
over. Amongst the latter were I. Danfordiae, which 
flowered before Christmas. The flowers are of a 
uniform pale yellow. Those of I. Bornmulleri are 
similar in form, and like the first-named are peculiar 
on account of the standards being reduced to mere 
rudiments that are scarcely noticeable to the un¬ 
trained eye. I. Bornmulleri is the hardier of the 
two, and the flowers are golden yellow, spotted on 
the claw of the falls, and have pale sea-green stigmas 
reminding one of Ixia viridiflora. It has just finished 
flowering and was in perfection about fourteen days 
ago. I. Histrio, one of the prettiest of the I. reticuata 
type, flowered before Christmas, and is best for pot 
work or for cold frame culture in this country till it 
acquires the habit of flowering later. 
Everybody who has seen I. Bakeriana admires it 
as a gem of the first water amongst plants of this 
class. The falls are of a deep velvety and almost 
violet black hue at the apex, and blotched with 
violet on a white ground lower down. The standards 
are bright blue and the stigmas somewhat paler. 
It has been in bloom since Christmas. The flower 
scapes are only about 3 in. high and shorter than 
the glaucous ribbed leaves. Another charming little 
Iris is I. reticulata cyanea, which varies somewhat 
in colour in different individuals. One has falls of 
a deep blue with a golden band in the centre sur¬ 
rounded with white. The narrow standards and the 
stigmas are of a beautiful pale blue. Another is 
characterised by the warm orange band along the 
centre of the falls, while the standards and stigmas 
are of a bright blue. Another fine form of I. reticu¬ 
late is I. r. purpurea, otherwise known as I. r. 
Krelagei. The lamina of the falls is of a deep violet 
black and velvety as in I. Bakeriana, with a median 
orange band. The standards and styles are of a 
deep purple. The flowers are larger and the colours 
altogether richer than we have hitherto seen in this 
variety. 
Very different from either of the above is I. alata, 
otherwise known as I. scorpioides. The large 
flowers remind us of the early summer blooming 
types, but the foliage is different, not being of the 
flattened and Flag Iris type. The leaves are subu¬ 
late, channelled above and narrowed from the base 
upwards. The falls of this type are bright blue 
with a yellow band in the centre and radiating white 
lines. The short and small standards and the long, 
deeply bifid stigmas are all of the same bright colour 
as the falls. There are three very fine varieties of 
this, namely, I. a. specio:a with deep purple flowers,- 
I. a lilacina with lilac flowers, and I a. alba with, 
white flowers. I alata together with I, reticulata; 
purpurea are planted out in a cold frame amongst 
