PERPETUAL CARNATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21994, 1 July 1933, Page 7

PERPETUAL CARNATIONS

From most important points of view the development of the cult of perpetualflowering carnations is one of the greatest horticultural triumphs of this century. Thirty years ago it was amusing to hear growers of the ultra-refined border carnations and picotees scornfully denouncing the rough, ragged lumps of coarseness which a few,- commercial growers of flowers for cutting hall imported from America, and were trying to popularise in England. In the States the -flower, had already established a firm footing, and was being grown on a large scale and boosted ns only Americans know how to boost, but, of course, the men of the U.S.A. had not the soul of the florist of what we call “ the old school,” and would be blind to the superlative merits of a perfect border carnation or wire-edged picotee as they were to the defects of the varieties which they were buying up at so many thousand dollars, and or which they were sending us rooted cuttings, together with tall yarns about their stupendous merits. Happily, in the meantime, a few men at home, undisturbed by the caustic critics, saw the capabilities of the new race and the possibilities of vastly improving it. They accordingly set to work to raise British varieties possessing greater refinement than the American flowers, and with constitutions better adapted to the English climate. Results of their efforts have been truly marvellous, and it is no exaggeration to say that the perpetual carnation has, in a third of a century, risen from the position of a nonentity to the highest place in the commercial florists’ business. No other flower occupies an equal area of glasshouse accommodation, and from year’s end to year’s end the daily consignments of bloom that are distributed throughout the entire trade reach prodigious quantities.

Great are the changes that have been witnessed in those 30 years or thereabouts. We recall to mind the first of the shows held by the society, which was first called the Winter-flowering Carnation Society, later to become the Per-petual-flowering, and more recently the British Carnation Society. Those first efforts were small affairs, but there followed a period when, both in London and the principal provincial shows, many trade growers would put up a spirited competition foe first prize in a class for a group occupying about six feet run of staging, and it was considered a great'exhibit that contained 100 dozen blooms. Now (1 at Chelsea, Messrs Allwood Bros., and Messrs Engelmann use many thousands of dozens, and take huge exhibits all over the country. But, it must be added, most of the other growers, except Messrs Stuart Low and Co., have drifted from the plant side of the business to devote themselves entirely to cut flower production, an indication that the perpetual carnation is more of a market flower than a plant for the amateur’s greenhouse.

• The question may be justifiably asked why a flower that is so good for trade that there seems to be no limits to the demand for the flowers, and which is capable of blooming any and every month in the year, should not be classed among the most popular of greenhouse plants for amateurs.

There is little doubt that during past years many amateurs have been induced to try a few carnations in their small greenhouses, but results of the experiments were not encouraging, and they have given them up, and advised their friends not to make similar attempts. The secret of such failures has usually been that the carnations have been housed in company with a miscellaneous assortment of plants which thrive under quite ordinary greenhouse conditions, whereas carnations require somewhat different and specialised, but not difficult treatment. — Amateur Gardening.