78 THE CARNATION. 



to have been crowned with success ; and as vanity 

 and self-conceit,, which spring from ignorance, are 

 apt to blind and mislead the judgment in all matters 

 that concern ourselves, I caution the florist who has 

 raised any Seedling Carnations, not to be too hasty 

 in pronouncing upon their excellence, but submit 

 them to the inspection and criticism of another as 

 well as himself, lest while he fancies he is breeding 

 up a swan, it should prove at last to be nothing but 

 a goose. A bad florist is nearly in the same situa- 



9 



tion as a bad poet, he becomes the butt of ridicule, 

 and his productions the subject of derision and 

 contempt. 



THE PICOTEE, AND THE REASON OF ITS PARTIAL 

 EXCLUSION FROM THE STAGE. 



ONE thing respecting Seedlings had nearly escaped 

 my recollection, which is this: Most florists, whose 

 views are principally directed to the raising of fine 

 flowers from seed, exclude the Picotee, with its 



