THE CARNATION. 



75 



Fig. 23. The Flake Carnation. 



irregular stripes of three colours on a plain 

 ground. (Fig. 24.) 



The Picotee (from the French piquettee, 

 pricked or spotted,) differs entirely from the 

 foregoing. They are usually bordered with 

 a narrow margin of some dark colour, or 

 are dotted with a great number of minute 

 spots. The flowers are usually smaller, 

 and the plants much hardier than the Flakes 

 and Bizarres. The edges of the flowers in 

 Picotees are generally serrated or cut, though 

 in the finest specimens they are often nearly 

 even. This class affords the greatest vari- 

 ety of colour, both in the ground and the 

 spots or pencillings, — yellow, purple, lilac, 

 white, crimson, &c. (Fig. 25.) 



The fine points in a carnation are these. 

 The flower stem must be strong and erect, 

 the calyx must open regularly and without 



Fig. 24. The Bizarre Carnation 



burstmg, and the petals must be symmetri- 

 cally disposed. 



Fig 2.5. Tlie Picotee Carnation. 



In Flakes and Bizarres, the petals must 

 be large, rounded on the edges, and regu- 

 larly disposed. The ground colour must 

 be clear and pure. The stripes must be 



