86 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTTGULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  23,  1386. 
which  the  work  has  been  followed  up.  Seven  years  ago  the  scheme  of 
placing  the  Carnation  on  a  higher  level  than  it  then  occupied  was 
commenced,  and  it  is  a  notable  fact  that  of  all  the  varieties  that  came 
from  the  first  year’s  labour  none  now  remains  as  a  standard  variety,  for 
everyone  has  been  superseded  by  the  better  seedlings  that  have  been 
j  early  put  forth.  The  good  that  has  been  done  must  be  almost 
incalculable,  and  how  much  Carnation  culture  has  spread  through  these 
efforts  alone  it  would  be  impossible  even  to  estimate. 
Turning  now  to  the  varieties  that  are  amongst  the  most  prominent 
we  will  firit  refer  to  the  yellow  ground  Picotees,  which  are  now 
providing  such  a  superb  display.  The  varieties  are  numerous,  and 
they,  broadly  speaking,  possess  the  same  desirable  attributes — namely, 
smoothness  of  petal,  substance,  clearness  of  ground  and  surrounding 
colour,  together  with  size  and  uniformity  in  the  colour  of  flower.  Some 
have  broad  bands  of  colour,  while  in  others  a  wire  of  rose  or  purple,  as 
the  case  may  be,  alone  surrounds  each  shapely  petal.  Here  are  the 
names  of  a  few  Dervish,  one  of  the  very  best ;  May  Queen,  Eugdnie, 
His  Excellency,  superb  in  all  respects  ;  Voltaire,  Mrs.  Tremayne, 
Hygeia,  Badminton,  Golden  Eagle,  and  Buffalo.  These  are  all  of  such 
quality  as  would  grace  any  collection  of  Carnations  and  Picotees  in  the 
world. 
Magnificent  are  the  seifs.  There  is  something  imposing,  com¬ 
manding  about  their  beauty  that  compels  one  to  stay  to  thoroughly 
examine  each  glorious  flower  as  it  is  reached.  No  puny  weaklings  are 
found  here,  all  are  strong  and  healthy  ;  in  fact,  no  vestige  of  disease  is  j 
perceptible  anywhere.  There  is  something  martial  in  the  very  name  of 
Centurion,  as  indeed  there  is  in  its  large,  upstanding,  strong,  brilliant 
scarlet,  pleasingly  fragrant  flowers  ;  while  in  direct  contrast,  by  which 
neither  loses,  is  Norwich,  clear  yellow.  The  perfect  petal  of  the  rich 
rose-hued  Clio  is  very  striking,  as  also  is  that  of  the  perfumed  May 
Yohe,  of  which  the  rose  is  softer,  but  no  jot  less  pleasing.  Clear  yellow 
and  yellow  delicately  suffused  with  buff  are  admirably  represented  by 
the  now  well-known  Corunna  and  the  new  and  consequently  little  known 
Florence.  Large,  sweet,  of  ebaste  colour  and  form,  Zante  is  certain  to 
appropriate  a  large  share  of  popular  favour,  though  perhaps  not  more 
than  Invershie,  which  must  tjertainly  rack  as  one  of  the  finest  whites 
now  in  cultivation.  Rivalling  Centurion  in  the  richness  of  its  garb 
stands  Mrs,  Mackrae,  which  is  superb,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
silvery  rose,  beautifully  shaped  flowers  of  Regatta. 
The  nearest  approach  to  a  blue  amongst  the  Carnations  at  The 
Warren  is  Bendigo,  which,  though  it  has  not  the  blue  of  a  Gentian,  is 
still  a  promise  of  what  may  yet  be  achieved.  San  Juan  is  a  splendid 
purple,  but  Judas  is  quite  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  it.  One  of  the  best 
for  petals  is  the  symmetrical  Endymion,  the  rose  colour  of  which  is  very 
charming.  A  beautiful  trio,  one  with  rich  scarlet,  another  with  glowing 
crimson,  and  a  third  with  yellow  blooms,  is  composed  of  The  Cadi,  Lady 
Hindlip,  and  Jehu,  while  to  form  a  quintet  we  would  add  Erin  as  a  pure 
white  and  Mrs.  Buchanan,  rich  buff’.  The  Banner  is  a  scarlet  of 
undeniable  merit ;  Ailga,  a  buff  that  is  not  to  be  despised  even  amidst 
such  a  plethora  of  beauty  and  of  quality  ;  Jack  Stuait,  a  pure  yellow, 
must  not  be  overlooked,  any  more  than  should  be  Fanatic,  rose  ;  Silver 
Strand,  an  exquisite  white;  Sappho,  rose,  fragrant;  Tabley,  blackish 
crimson,  superb  ;  Jessica,  very  soft  pink  ;  Barras,  scarlet ;  Camperdown, 
the  finest  maroon  ;  or  Exile,  a  rose  that  no  one  can  find  much  fault  with. 
Besides  those  already  enumerated  there  are  many  other  seifs  of  equal 
quality,  but  mention  cannot  now  be  made  of  them.  A  few  fancy 
varieties  still  remain  to  be  particularised,  and  those  are  Glastonbury,  a 
grand  purple  fancy  ;  with  The  Dey,  Phoebus,  and  Perseus  of  the  yellow 
ground  forms.  Each  of  these  is  new  with  the  exception  of  The  Dey, 
which  is  now  comparatively  well  known  and  still  holds  its  position  in 
the  front  rank.  Hitherto  attention  at  The  Warren  has  been  most 
largely  directed  to  the  sections  noted,  but  in  the  future  both  bizarres 
and  flakes  are  to  have  clfSe  attention,  so  that  in  the  comparatively  near 
future  it  is  probable  that  there  will  be  showing  signs  of  the  skill  at 
Hayes. 
Though  Carnations  form  the  subject  of  these  brief  notes  it  must  not 
be  supposed  that  other  phages  of  gardening  are  neglected.  On  the 
contrary,  they  are  closely  and  intelligently  followed,  but  a  detailed 
reference  to  them  cannot  now  be  made,  so  in  justice  to  everyone 
concerned  particulars  are  withheld  until  a  future  issue.— -H.  J.  Weight. 
Edexside,  BooKham. 
A  CHAEMING  name  for  a  charming  flower— Ed enside  Carnations. 
What  an  appropriate  combination  or  harmony  of  sweet  sounds  ;  of 
beautiful  flowers,  with  pleasing  surroundings  1  At  Bookham  we  have 
a  delightful  blending  of  Nature  and  Art — Nature  in  luxuriant  guise  in 
the  form  of  noble  Elms  studding  a  pastoral  valley,  with  rising  common 
land  reaching  far  into  the  distance  ;  while  within  a  snug  enclosure  we 
have  floral  art  in  its  advanced  aspects,  as  represented  in  the  most 
modern  varieties  of  the  most  popular  of  hardy  flowers,  next  to  the  Rose, 
and  a  very  close  “next,”  too ;  but  really  there  can  be  no  rivalry  between 
them  ;  no  thought  of  any  person  giving  up  one  for  the  other,  but  a 
much  greater  likelihood  of  a  brisk  and  continuous  increa,se  in  the 
number  of  cultivators  of  both.  Let  us  hope  it  may  be  so,  for  no  garden 
can  be  what  it  ought  to  be  without  Roses  and  Carnations. 
Bookham  is  within  an  hour’s  run  from  London  by  the  South-Western 
Railway  from  Waterloo,  past  Wimbledon,  Epsom,  and  Leatherhead.  A 
merry,  beneficially  merry,  place  is  Bookham  during  the  summer  season, 
and  salubrious  at  all  times.  At  the  station  stands  the  “  Merry  lands  ” 
Hotel,  a  new  and  attractive  temperance  establishment,  provided  by  a 
.kind  hearted  lady,  Mrs.  Chrystie,  who  is  always  trying  to  do  good,  lu 
the  rear  is  the  garden  and  a  large  enclosure.  This  latter  is  the  happy 
hunting  ground  of  London  children,  which  come  in  “schools”  of  a 
thousand  and  more  almost  daily  throughout  the  season.  There  they 
find  all  that  is  needful  for  their  comfort — shelter  for  all  if  wet,  and  a 
range  of  miles  of  common  when  fine.  Merry  days  are  spent  by  many 
thousands  every  year,  and  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  the  benefits 
thus  derived  by  the  little  ones  who  are  pent  up  month  after  month 
in  the  most  crowded  parts  of  the  crowded  metropolis. 
In  this  merry  land,  pleasant  and  healthful  district,  Mr.  James 
Douglas  found  a  home  for  bis  Carnations,  and  laid  the  foundations  of 
his  floral  nursery  at  Edenside.  A  bare  field  a  very  few  years  ago,  but 
now  in  it  stands  a  commodious  home,  business  buildings,  and  long,  light 
ranges  of  glass  structures,  among  which  a  “  Pearson  house  ”  may  be 
fairly  said  to  bear  the  palm.  The  structures  are  all  filled  with  Carna¬ 
tions  from  end  to  end— the  latest  and  best  of  Mr.  Martin  Smith’s  varie¬ 
ties,  which  Mr.  Douglas  distributes,  and  seedlings  of  his  own,  with 
thousands  more  flowering  in  the  open  ground,  from  which,  mayhap,  a 
dozen  or  so  may  be  selected  for  preservation. 
The  plants  in  the  houses,  are  grown  in  7  and  8-inch  pots  closely 
arranged,  and  as  the  plants  are  vigorous,  most  of  them  constitutionally, 
and  all  by  good  culture,  and  further,  as  little  or  no  disbudding  is  done  there 
is  a  wealth  of  bloom  that  must  exceed  the  anticipation  of  most  visitors. 
Large  blocks  of  all  “  Carnation  colours  ”  are  (or  were  a  week  ago)  repre¬ 
sented,  for  the  sun  was  doing  its  work  apace,  and  now  the  flowers  must 
be  giving  place  to  seed  development.  Blocks  of  white  and  blush,  pink 
and  rose,  buff  and  yellow,  red  and  scarlet,  crimson  and  purple,  with 
others  flaked  and  marbled,  as  well  as  of  chaste  or  richly  margined 
Picotees — a  veritable  museum  of  Carnations  up  to  date,  with  not  a  sign 
of  mildew,  spot,  or  rust  to  be  seen  in  the  whole  collection. 
“Visitors”  have  been  mentioned.  We  had  anticipated  a  quiet  look 
round  under  the  guidance  of  the  master,  to  take  down  names  and 
descriptions  in  a  leisurely  way,  but  were  in  that  solitary  respect  doomed 
to  disappointment.  But  there  was  compensation  in  meeting  friends 
unexpectedly.  There,  among  others,  was  the  great  East  Anglian 
rosarian,  who  would  seem  to  have  been  exhausted  by  the  production  of 
his  beautiful  and  useful  book  on  the  Rose — plus,  perhaps,  the  sun,  for  he 
has  done  little  exhibiting  since.  Possibly  Mr.  Foster  Melliar  is  enjoying 
a  resting  season  to  come  out  stronger  another  year.  The  light  of  his 
home  was  with  him  to  guide  him  along  the  flower-lined  paths  of 
Carnations, 
Another  rosarian — zealous,  earnest,  able,  and  successful — Mr.  Charles 
J.  Grahame,  had  also  found  his  way  to  Bookham,  and  also  under  gentle 
guidance.  Is  he  going  in  for  Carnations,  too  ?  if  so  they  will  have  to 
be  good  to  please  him,  or  we  suspect  they  will  have  to  “  go.”  He  was 
among  the  good  ones  last  Friday,  there  is  no  doubt  about  that,  as 
were  other  admirers,  each  seeming  to  be  finessing  to  get  Mr.  Douglas  all 
to  himself,  and  none  of  them  quite  succeeding. 
Layering  was  going  on  apace,  every  good  stem  being  notched  and 
pegged  in  the  pots,  as  all  have  to  be  to  meet  the  large  demand,  and  then 
sufificient  plants  cannot  be  had  of  some  of  the  widely  coveted  varieties. 
All  over  the  kingdom,  and  out  of  it,  they  go,  and  many  of  them  can  only 
be  had  first  from  the  Edenside  collection.  The  grass  is  clean  and  sound 
— matured  ;  for  hot  as  has  been  the  sun,  Mr.  Douglas  would  permit  no 
shading.  He  would  not  weaken  the  growths  to  prolong  the  beauty  of 
the  flowers  and  possibly  prejudice  the  seed. 
This  is  harvested  in  large  quantities  and  sold,  every  post  bringing 
in  the  results  of  it  in  the  form  of  handsome  flowers  which  their  raisers 
are  justifiably  proud,  but,  of  course,  only  one  now  and  then  equals  the 
best  named  varieties.  Just,  in  fact,  as  is  the  case  at  Edenside,  but  the 
majority  are  charming  for  gardens,  dress  adornment,  and  room  decora¬ 
tion  all  the  same,  and  sell  readily  in  the  markets. 
As  to  the  named  varieties,  the  easiest  way  is  to  refer  those  who  wish 
to  have  descriptions  of  them  to  the  catalogue.  It  is  an  absolutely  safe 
way  too,  for  they  are  there  represented  just  as  they  are,  with  strict 
accuracy  and  admirable  fidelity.  Brief  mention,  however,  may  be  made 
of  a  few,  which,  when  well  grown,  are  not  likely  to  disappoint.  These 
are  of  Mr.  Martin  Smith’s  recent  border  varieties — Exile,  deep  rose,  large, 
excellent ;  Her  Grace,  delicate  blush,  of  the  finest  form  ;  Nabob,  orange 
buff,  neat,  perfect  pod  ;  Sir  John  Falstaff,  crimson,  a  grand  variety  ; 
Winifred,  rosy  buff,  dwarf,  and  floriferous  ;  Bendigo,  bluish  purple,  a 
distinct  break,  in  colour  ;  Britannia,  splendid  yellow  self ;  Lady  Ridley, 
creamy  white,  large,  good  ;  Mrs.  Eric  Hambro’,  pure  white,  charming  ; 
and  Miss  Audrey  Campbell,  primrose  yellow,  beautiful  and  free.  Mr, 
Douglas’  varieties— Black  Prince,  bold,  rich,  distinct,  and  effective  ;  Mrs. 
Patrick  Campbell,  a  refined  yellow  of  the  first  quality  ;  while  Distinction 
is  novel  by  being  densely  splashed  with  purple  on  a  rosy  ground. 
Among  yellow  ground  Picotees  very  striking  were  Mr.  Smith’s  Eldora, 
Golden  Eagle,  Voltaire,  and  Xerxes  ;  also  Mr.  Douglas’  Ladas,  Mrs. 
Douglas,  Mrs.  Gooden,  and  President  Carnot,  one  of  the  boldest,  heavy 
edged  varieties  in  the  collection.  The  beauty  of  the  Edenside  collec¬ 
tion  is  over  now,  and  propagation  the  order  of  the  day. 
Royal  Exotic  Nubseev,  Chelsea. 
The  display  of  these  varied  and  beautiful  flowers  in  the  beds  at 
Messrs.  J,  Veitch  &  Sons’  nursery  has  been,  despite  the  drought,  a  very 
fine  one,  though  the  blooms  have  stood  for  only  a  short  time  owing  to 
lack  of  substance.  The  plants  have  not  made  the  “  grass  ”  that  usually 
characterises  them  here  owing  to  the  paucity  of  rain,  for  the  absence  of 
which  no  amount  of  artificial  watering  seems  able  to  make  up.  The 
beds  are  wholly  stocked  with  standard  varieties  of  proved  excellence, 
and  as  a  trial  for  comparison  it  is  distinctly  a  success.  The  examiner 
