Review of British-raised Per= petual Carnation Novelties for 1911.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 13, 27 March 1912, Page 39

Review of British-raised Per= petual Carnation Novelties for 1911.

One of the most difficult tasks I know’ is for one raiser to criticise the work of others, and do it perfectly fairly and still retain their friendship, because all of us ’think our own crow the blackest, just the same as the mother fails to see the shortcomings of her fondled firstborn. The two most-talked-of British novelties last season were R. F. Felton and Lady Alington. Both received an Award of Merit from the R.H.S., and F.U.C. from the Perpetual Carnation Society, and many thousands of young plants of each variety were sold. Which is the better of the two it is unnecessary to say: both can lx* excellent without belittling the other’s greatness. R. F. Felton is the result of a cross between Enchantress ami Mrs. 11. Burnett. One would almost guess the parentage from the habit of growth, for it might be termed an improved Mrs. 11. Burnett. The flowers are of a delightful shade of salmon-rose and of good size: also, while it makes an exceptionally fine bushy plant, the growth is slow in running oil to flower. R. F. Felton has a rival in the new American variety Gloriosa, the two being similar in colour. However, perhaps, the British variety w’ill suit the private grower best, though the American novelty may become the most popular with the market grower. Lady Alington was obtained by cross ing Britannia on to White Perfection. The cross was made five times, ami 243 seedlings were raised, but out of this lot there was but one Lady Alington. Tin* growth is much freer and quicker than in Britannia, making a larger plant, ami it also grow* much quicker in mid-win-ter The flowers are a deep shade of salmon, almost a Leander pink, quite a distinct and beautiful break, strongly perfumed, and very large in size. Tn fact, owing to this and the excessive vigour, tin* flowers split just a little m dull weather. This, however, ran be coped with by growing the plants in a smaller-sized pot and not feeding until spring. A small failing in Lady Alington is that the flowers take rather long to open owing to their size, ami so do not last as long as some varieties when <ut. but no perpetual carnation is per

fret, and this is undoubtedly a great variety Mrs. ('. F. Raphael belongs to the new perpetual-flow(*ring Malmaison class. It is massive in size and build, ami quite excellent in form for a Malmaison. The colour of the flower is cherry red. and the growth is quite the quickest in this class. 'l’his variety is undoubtedly a decided acquisition. Rex. being a pale rose pink, met with keen competition. In some respects it has proved rather disappointing. not flowering quite as freely as was expected. et many varieties have less to commend them than Rex. and still remain in cultivation. Colossus is certainly a good variety which ha* never had the recognition it deserve-;. The flowers are cerise in col our and large in size, with an ideal stem ami calyx. It also his a robust growth, not quite free enough for the mark d grower, but certainly of a qualitv <ullici( nt I\- high to command a position in all prix ate collections. R(gi»ia. salmon-pink, was somewhat of a dark horse, but has proved quite a good \ariety, making a large plant. The flowers are of a good size. The same raiser, l.nvever. is sending out Lade Noifhcliff this season which should be superior. l irejlow and Harlequin, both yellow fancy varieties, rival each other for premier place. ’lhe general voting is that the former is more beautiful in individual floxers ami the latter has a quicker b.abit ( t growth. La Modi*, heliotrope, shaded deep pink in the centre*, is a delightful break xvhich has a greater fascination for many members of the fair sex. However, thi* season xx e have that sterling novelty Geisha, which has caused such a sensation at the shows, challenging all its rivals successfully. Edith Waters, deep bright cerise, is probably a hybrid border carnation, ami not quite fret* enough flowering in mid winter to claim a high position a* a “perpetual.” Marchioness of Linlithgoxx has *ome merit. Being a -.codling from White Per lection it has purity of colour and free • loin of growth, but in i*ompaii*on xxi’th \\ hite Wonder t can searvclx hope to survive. Duchess of Devonshire is undoubtedly a good crimson, rich in colour, refined in form, and robust in growth. Vs a

variety for cultivating in pots it has undoubtedly a future. There may Im* other good varieties, but these are all of importance, that were 'hown before the Perpetual-Flower-ing ( arnation Society, and that can hope to survive, and those that fail are of little importance, they do not rouse the sympathy or court the interests of anyone. and most of us, if we had a retentive mind, could recall a few failures, both of our own and other peoples.— Montagu Allwood.