WHITE-GROUND PICOTEES 19 



been made again and again to raise seedlings from it, and 

 by cross-fertilising to obtain a better variety, but without 

 success. 



The fanciers who grow these Carnations for exhibition 

 prefer to exhibit them on cards, and this method of showing 

 has prevailed for several generations. The object of show- 

 ing them on cards is that the full beauty of the petals 

 may be exposed. We may say of dressing the Flakes and 

 Bizarres that " it is an art that doth mend Nature." When 

 the flowers are dressed and placed upon the exhibition 

 stands, the art of the dresser goes a long way towards 

 winning the prize ; but he must have good flowers to work 

 upon, and, as a rule, the best-grown flowers are sure to 

 win ; but if two competitors have flowers of very nearly 

 equal merit, the best dresser will probably win. It is 

 evident, if Flakes and Bizarres are to be exhibited, they 

 must be shown on cards, and the most expert dresser 

 will stand the best chance to win ; but it must not be 

 thought that badly grown flowers can be made to surpass 

 those that are well grown, by the mere twisting and turning 

 of ivory tweezers. 



The white-ground Picotee is a mere colour form of the 

 Carnation, and it has always been treated as an exhibi- 

 tion flower with the Flakes and Bizarres. Carnation lovers 

 owe a great deal to the old florists who persistently raised 

 seedlings by careful hand-fertilising. 



The white-ground Picotees, as we now have them, are 

 a more modern form of the Carnation, but, like the Flakes 

 and Bizarres, they have been classified for exhibition and 

 garden purposes. The flowers should be as good in form 

 as the Bizarres and Flakes. They are divided for garden 



