94 ON THE CARNATION, 



Wheatley's Lucy and Mrs. Judson have been very lately raised, and 

 are fine purple striped Picotees ; the former perhaps rather short of 

 petal, but a flower which I am well sure will win a great deal in Lan- 

 cashire, where that defect is in a great measure overlooked. 1 cannot 

 close this part of my essay without making a slight allusion to several 

 successful raisers of seedlings, with whom I have been or am now 

 acquainted. 



And, first of all, the late Mr. John Pearson deserves the first 

 place. He may be truly styled the Father of the Fancy in this 

 neighbourhood, and I much fear " his like we shall ne'er see again." 

 He was indeed a kind-hearted enthusiastic florist, and those who 

 recollect the old gentleman will bear testimony to his worth. It 

 was no matter to him how coarsely dressed his visitor might be. A 

 lover or admirer of flowers was always sure'of a ready passport to his 

 favour and good offices ; and though he has been " gathered to his 

 fathers" for nearly twenty years, still his memory is venerated by 

 all who knew him. He raised a good many flowers, which were 

 much noticed in their day. Pearson's Lord Bagot and Marshal 

 Blucher will pass muster yet, especially the former, which is a deli- 

 cate grower, and now nearly lost to this part of the country, but 

 which I should like to get again. Lady Loudon and Sir George 

 Crewe, rose flakes, are now eclipsed. Madame Mara was the best 

 flake he raised, and takes much beating yet. Chilwell Beauty, Red 

 Picotee, was the reigning belle for years, but she, like many other 

 beauties (of whom it almost amounts to treason to speak in any other 

 than terms of praise), has become antiquated, and is now but little 

 thought of. Derbyshire may boast of Mr. John Hufton, who has 

 very lately died full of years, but a florist to the last. The flowers 

 bearing his name attest his success : of these we may mention Pa- 

 triarch, Nehemiah, Lady Clinton, Drusilla, Squires Ray andMundy. 

 The following have raised successful flowers in the different classes, 

 and deserve honourable mention, for surely it is an honourable and 

 praiseworthy pursuit which affords so great an amount of gratifica- 

 tion and pleasure to our fellow-creatures, as florists' flowers undoubt- 

 edly do. I might, I dare say, increase the list, but Messrs. Lee, 

 Creswell, Pickering, Toone, Hardy, Brown, Greasley, Cartwright, 

 Wheatley and Hudson, occur to my mind at the moment. 



I now purpose to lay before you my ideas, and offer a few obser- 



