HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3278, 10 January 1917, Page 6

HORTICULTURAL NOTES.

Bv J. Gebbie

CARNATIONS. Without a doubt carnations are steadily growing in popularity, especially since the advent of the perpetual flowering section. This section of the carnation should bo grown by all who possess a greenhouse, and. if properly treated, a succession of bloom can be obtained all the year round. They iirc not nil suitable for border culture, as. they are unable to endure the cold, clamp winters of the south; but in districts such as North Otago they have proved to b-i quite hardy and useful in the borders. Unfortunately the range of colour i- much more limited than in the regular border carnations. For borders nothing can lake the place of the hardy border carnations. Last week I paid a visit to the nursery of Mr S. Cousins, at St. Clair, to inspect his show of carnations, now approaching the height of tliu'r beauty. (If the various serf ions I found Mr Com-ins had a large stock propagated from varieties which have gained high honours at the principal shows in tho United Kingdom. Among the varieties noticed as being very fine_ may be mentioned: —Indumea, dark crimson*, blooming very well. This is a very fine variety. and with The King, Cordon Douglas, and Harry Brett, of New Zealand, they make four "of the best dark selfs in cultivation Harry Brett of New Zealand is not to bo confi'sed with the white ground fancy raised by Cousins some years ago. Border yellow is" a very fine yellow self, with stout stems, requiring no stakes. The flower is not as large as Daffodilo or Mrs Elliot; Douglas, but tho plant is a belter grower and tho some colour. Among tho whites Book-hum

White has been tho best this season, pro bably the (meet white in existence. Bookham Clove is ;i icmarkable flower of the samo colour as the old clove, but its perfume is far more powerful and delicious, its bloom is larger, while the calyx does not burst' and the stems are rigid. This is a grand addition to the border. Among the yellow ground fancies the following are very beautiful and the colours most extraordinary:— Ceniurion, yellow ground splashed with scarlet; Sweet Anne Page, quite unique in as wonderful combination ot colours; Nurse Cavell, a beautiful yellow ground carnation, a good exhibition flower; (Sweetheart, still one of the best, of the apricots; Ariel, a lovely combination of rose, apricot, and scarlet; Edenside, still possibly the largest and best of the above shades when it is well grown; Forester, handsome yellow ground, fancy marked red and crimson, a grand flower. In the white ground fancies the very best grown are Daisy Walker, Montrose, and Lord Kitchener. In the salmon-pink shades the best of the 1916 novelties is Salmonia. Other varieties of the same shade are Innocence and Mis R. Gordon. These are good growers with beautiful flowers. In tho apricot shades Elizabeth Shiffnor is still holding first place. Golden Oriole and Mrs F Gardener are very fine. Among tho scarlet shades Fiery Cross is a beautiful scarlet and the plant a strong grower. A email imported plant is in bloom, and it is certainly very fine. Brilliant. Jean Douglas, and Brigadier are three other very fine varieties in the scarlet shades. Picotces are not quite so popular as the other carnations owing to the flowers being on the small side, but the following few varieties are as large as any carnation when well grown : Margaret Lennox, beautiful yellow ground, rosy scarlet edge; Mrs J. J. Keen, yellow, edged with rose; Peter Pan, yellow, and crimson edge; T. W. Goodfellow, yellow, with rose margin. These are strong-grow-ing varieties which we can recommend. The American petpetuals were hardly in bloom, but wc noticed the following as being very fine: —Empire Day, soft salmon piik; Mary Allwood, cardinal pink; Gorgeous, glowing cerise; Queen Alexandra, rich salmon pink; Lady Fuller, salmon pink; Mrs Begg. rov-il purple; Philadelphia, an ideal rosy pink, very line; British Triumph, the finest dark crimson; Lady Allington. delicate salmon pink, with flowers Am across; and Snowstorm, an immense white. These are two of the finest grown. ROSES. In a block of 5000 roses in the above nursery, which were looking remarkably healthy, we noted a few of the most striking of the recently-imported novelties. Edward Bohane, a very free-flowering and fragiant hybrid tea. with brilliant velvety crimson flowers. Margaret Dickson Hamiil, a vigorous grower, valuable for decorative or exhibition purposes; the large blooms are straw-coloured, edged with carmine on back of petals. Admiral Ward, a vigorous grower with crimson red flowers. Gorgeous, large flowers, deep orange yellow, veiapd with reddish copper, a charming variety. Mrs Hugh Dickson, a grand rose for any purpose. The colour is a deep cream suffused with orange and apricot. Augustus Hartman, the growth of this rose is strong and sturdy; the flowers arc brilliant geranium red flushed with orange, or largo size, and beautifully formed. H. V. Machin is a magnificent rose of gigantic size, and said to be one of the best exhibition roses yet introduced. Its intensely black-grained, scarlet-crimson blooms aie carried on stiff flower stalks. Red Letter Day is a beautiful semi-double rose of infinite grace and charm. Tho colour is brilliant scarlet crimson, an ideal decorative and bedding rose. Madame Edouard Herriat, coral red shaded with yellow and bright-rosy scarlet passing to prawn red. It belongs to the Perncttiana section, is a vigorous grower of spreading branching habit, with many long thorns. This is the rose which was awarded the Daily Mail's prize of £IOOO. Constance, a grand yellow rose similar to Rayon d'Or. These are ail first class roses, and have come to stay.