Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1896 — CARNATION CULTURE. [ARTICLE]

CARNATION CULTURE.

Something of the History of Its Wonders ful Development. f Long before the Christian era the carnation had become the favqrite of fashion of Greece and Rome. Owing to the tendency of the flower to develop into an entirely new form, very little effort was made in early times to cultivate it for size, but in 1613 a strain was discovered yielding blossoms 3y 2 inches in diameter. There is proof that blue carnations were produced in 1700, and as the yellow blossom has already existed, some speculative person ha? wondered why the blending of these primary colors has not already produced a natural green specimen. Since the middle pf the eighteenth century growers have been trying to “breed oft"’ the deep fringes on the edge of ' the petals,-making a round roselike leaf, and they have succeeded partially. ...Immigrant Huguenots ire credited with the introduction of tha carnation into tliis country. A half-hearted claim to a share in that, honor has been made in behalf of the pilgrims, but though these fair flowers certainly flourished in English gardens long ere Cromwell’s time, and the pilgrims did bring to America the “clove” or “Paisley.” pink end the sweet william, they did not bring the carnation. By whomsoever brought, the carnation was widely spread through American gardens. Up to eight years ago there were not, in all the United States, more than half a dozen men who knewmuch about carnation culture, and, even among thqse who 'essayed it, little disposition existed for any considerable investment of time, or capital in development of its possibilities. Consequently, our winter-bloomed carnations •,generally were second-rate flowers, poor in tints, small, short-stemmed and ragged looking by reason of their bursted calyces. Suddenly there dawned a new era, in which, with half a decade, has been accomplished more improvement in American carnations than was achieved in all the time pre- i ceding their introduction into the country. In 1891 the American Carhation society was organized, and took in not only professional growers, but lovers of the flower generally. Thus far it has had four exhibitions, in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Boston. The fifth was held in New York, and opened on February 11, 1896. The classification of carnations is extremely difficult. The American plan of dividing them into two great classes of summer and winter blooming is not a success; England finds trouble with her subdivision according to color, and France’s seven classes according to the use and habit of growth leaves several varieties unclaimed. In the last three years the number of kinds considered worthy of cultivation by the American Carnation society have increased from 420 to 562. Fifteen million of thi,s fragrant, spicy flower aWe used in one winter in New York city. In addition to this demand by the general public the Vanderbilts, tlie Goulds and several other rich families in the vicinity of New York have greenhouses devoted exclusively to forcing carnations.—Chicago News. •