56 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
January 21, 1905. 
growing are enumerated, but amongst these D. prolifer is in¬ 
cluded, probably because it is a rare British plant. The flowers 
are the smallest of any species we have seen, but we may say 
that good authorities do not consider it a Dianthus, and have 
placed it under the name of Tunica prolifera. 
In dealing with the history of the Carnation proper, the 
author thinks that it must have been in cultivation prior to 
the time of any written record, as it is mentioned in “ The 
King’s Quliair ” under the name of Jerafleris, which would seem 
to be a corruption of the French Giroflier, the Clove Tree, but 
if that is so it possibly referred to the Clove Tree (Eugenia 
caryophyllata) in allusion to the scent. In Dodoen’s “ New 
Herbal,” of 1578, the Carnation was evidently well known, if 
not in this country, at least on the Continent, for in that work 
a double variety is figured which closely resembles that known 
as the Old Clove still in cultivation. 
When John Parkinson wrote his “Garden of Pleasant 
Flowers ” in 1629, the Carnation' was well represented by 
numerous varieties raised in England. They were even suffi¬ 
ciently numerous to induce Parkinson to classify them under 
three headings, if, indeed, that had not been done by the gar¬ 
deners of the time. He had large-flowered forms, which he 
named Carnations, and the smaller, less improved varieties he 
called Gilliflowers. Even the yellow Carnation existed in 
several forms, classed under the heading of “ Orange Tawnies.” 
Notwithstanding the industry and enthusiasm of English 
gardeners of those days, their confreres on the Continent were 
even more diligent and successful, for we find that in Rea's 
time (1665) Carnations had been so improved in Holland and 
Flanders as to resemble the type now known as Malm arsons. 
Even iii those days they had striped, flaked, marbled and pow¬ 
dered flowers, thus showing that the modern forms had been 
anticipated 240 years ago at least. Later on this writer’s son- 
in-law published the “ Florist's Yade Mecum," in which he re¬ 
cords the advances that had been made up to that time. Even 
at this early date (1683) the white ground Picotee, one of the 
most refined forms of the Carnation, had been anticipated. 
The variety described under the name of Fair Helena was only 
edged with purple, a pretty fair indication that the rest of the 
flower was white. 
There is also good evidence that other features of modem 
cultivation had been reached even by this time. Carnations 
were more or less extensively and exclusively cultivatd in pots 
and disbudded to one bloom each. The bursting of the flowers 
was a matter for consideration in those days, and those liable 
to that defect were termed “ busters,” while the non-busters 
were termed “ whole blowers.” The latter were cultivated in 
borders, and the author speaks of this as being an indication 
that the flowers were unworthy of better attention. We 
should imagine that the flowers were so moderate, in size that 
they did not split the calyx, while the “ busters ” must have 
been large flowers, and were grown in pots with the object of 
preventing that as far. as possible and keeping them more 
directly under the eye of the cultivator. 
No doubt size was a matter of primary importance to the 
cultivators in those days, as it is now. The flowers included all 
the flaked, striped and double-striped varieties, named bizarres, 
and Picotees, the last named being spelled piquettes or picke- 
tees. By 1740 such advances had been made that the “whole 
blowers ” ousted the busters in the estimation of the cultiva¬ 
tors. They would seem to have come from France. By the 
end of the eighteenth century raisers had also got rid of the 
fringed or toothed-edged varieties. 
We presume that improvements continued to be made grad¬ 
ually until Maddock’s time (1792), when this enthusiastic florist 
classified the varieties into practically the same sections as. now 
prevail amongst the florists of to-dav. The perfecting of the 
white ground Picotee had been a work of years, and its accom¬ 
plishment is practically of recent date by comparison with the 
length of time the Carnation has been cultivated. The yellow 
ground Picotee is only now undergoing refinement at the hands 
of the florist. In the sixties and seventies Mr. C. Turner 
effected marvellous improvements in the yellow section, and 
since then the work has been continued by Mr. J. Douglas and 
Mr. Martin R. Smith, who are the present-day champions of 
this line type. Several varieties are now in existence in which 
the colour other than the yellow ground is confined to the 
margin of the petals. 
Even in the time of Charles II. a sort of enthusiasm pre¬ 
vailed in connection with the Carnation similar to that which 
applies to the Chrysanthemum at the present time. The uses 
of Carnations could not be completed without turning them 
to some practical account in the form either of food or drink. 
At grand banquets the flowers were made into a kind of pickle- 
salad, and we also read of Clove-gilliflower wine. 
A chapter deals with the Carnation as a garden plant, and 
another for Carnations in pots for decoration, while a third 
deals with Carnations for exhibition. Several illustrations 
throughout the work represent the Carnation as it is grown 
under certain phases, or for a particular purpose, while others 
show different types of the florist’s flower, including some of 
the most advanced types and the method of staging with paper 
collars on a show board after the blooms have had their toilet 
completed. Malmaison Carnations, tree Carnations, annual 
Pinks and Marguerites come in for review successively. The 
garden Pink is also discussed historically and with regard to 
cultivation. 
The history of the Mule Pinks is also very interesting, as 
Fairchild’s Sweet William was practically one of the earliest, 
if not the first, authentic garden hybrid known. The double 
Sweet William, still in existence, is another production of great 
antiquity, and is believed to be a hybrid between two species. 
Many have been at work in producing Mule Pinks, but for 
gar den decoration none are finer than Dianthus Atkinsoni and 
D. Napoleon III., which are more difficult to cultivate, or, 
rather, to propagate, in the South than in the cooler climate of 
the North. The dry atmosphere practically induces them to 
expend their strength in flowering. 
The author goes into the history of the Sweet William and 
says that the origin of William remains very much in doubt, 
though Dr. Prior supposed it had been derived from the French 
Oeiliet, but the author thinks that in the sixteenth century 
French that was in the form of the word Armoire. We should 
be inclined to think, however, that the last name applied to 
a different species—in all probability, D. Armeria or even 
Silene Armeria. A chapter on insect pests and diseases reveals 
a remarkable number of enemies to which the Carnation is 
subject, and shows that the author even here has gone 
tborouglily into his subject. Altogether, we think it a very 
interesting book even if not confined to the Carnation alone. 
Apple Crawley Reinette. 
(See Sujiplement .) 
Our supplementary illustration refers to a new variety of 
Apple which has scarcely yet had time to come before the 
public. It fruited for the first time about four or five years 
ago, and this year a bush tree of it was laden with fruits in 
the nursery of Messrs. J. Cheal and Sons, Crawley, Sussex. 
The fruit is of medium size, ovate, or sometimes oblate in 
the case of the smaller ones, and usually having a wide, shallow 
depression on the top. This depression to which we refer may 
best be seen in the fruit to the left hand, and reminds us of 
what takes place in several other varieties, though here com¬ 
bined with a different form of fruit. The eye is open or half 
closed. The skin is bright red over the greater half of the 
surface, passing into dull yellow on the shaded side more or less 
tinted with russet. This latter hue is even more apparent on 
the top and at the base, where the short, stout stalk is set 
in a. rather shallow cavity. 
The flesh is yellowish-white, fragrant, sweet and tender, with 
the texture of Cox’s Orange Pippin after it has been kept for 
two or three months. As far as we can discern, it is not likely 
ever to become mealy, a characteristic of early varieties. This 
may be described as a dessert Apple during the months of 
January and February. Its firm character will also serve to 
make it suitable for cooking purposes. The size of the fruit, 
