64 Select Carnations, Picotees, and Pinks. 
to his brother florists, urging that the yellow Picotee 
should no longer be lett in obscurity and neglect 
“ because of its many, although remediable defects.” 
Referring to the great perfection and the success of 
the white-ground Picotee, as the result of twenty 
years’ united endeavour, he argued that the yellow 
one should be similarly taken in hand and improved. 
Continuing, he said, “I would applaud the attention 
which has been bestowed upon this fine flower, and 
which has raised it from its once serrated, pounced 
and striped state, to its present, faultless condition. 
This ought florists to have done, but they ought not 
to have left the other undone; for in what, it may 
well be inquired, does the yellow Picotee differ in 
comparison with its fellow—the white one? 
“ Write them together, it’s as fair a name; 
Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well.” 
“Nay, in truth, it possesses attractions and pro- 
perties which must be acknowledged to be superior 
to its congener.” 
About this time, possibly as a result of Dr. 
Horner’s earnest appeal, the late Mr. Richard Smith, 
of Witney, Oxfordshire, set to work upon the yellow 
ground Carnation in the hope of evolving a true 
yellow ground Picotee. Recognising or soon dis- 
covering the potency of pollen he crossed the white 
yellow-ground Picotee. Recognising or soon dis- 
transferring the edging of the white-ground Picotee 
to its yellow relative. In this he succeeded to a 
remarkable degree, notwithstanding the fact that 
the yellow ground was in many cases very pale. The 
probability is that the deepest yellow would often 
give pale yellow progeny, even if both parents were 
of the richest shade. 
In 1858 Smith exhibited his  yellow-ground 
Picotees, winning all the more important prizes in 
open competition. | His success made a great im- 
pression upon the florists and the discerning public 
of those days. The problem of a yellow-ground 
Picotee seemed at last to have been solved and its 
existence realised. Fine flowers with smooth petals 
of great breadth and substance, with regular and 
well defined markings raised high hopes amongst his 
brother florists. These varieties still lacked con- 
stitution as other growers very soon proved, who 
undertook their cultivation. Mr. Smith soon after- 
wards. died and the care of his Picotees was taken 
over by Mr. J. D. Hextall, of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, 
