20 PRESENT-DAY GARDENING 
and exhibition purposes into six classes —heavy and 
light red-edged margins, heavy and light purple-edged, 
and heavy and light rose- and scarlet-edged. The ground 
colour of the petals is white, and the margin marked 
with colour sometimes not broader than thin wire, and 
in other varieties of varying degrees of width. The colour 
should be marginal only; any markings in the form of 
spots or bars are defects. It is only in recent years that 
the highest standard has been reached, and much of 
the improvement has been the result of work under- 
taken by amateurs. In the South, the late Mr. Norman 
of Woolwich raised many beautiful varieties about forty 
years ago. Mr. Simonite of Sheffield, and Mr. Bower of 
Bradford, also did much to improve the quality of the white- 
ground Picotees. These charming varieties of the Carnation 
are held in high estimation by all tasteful persons. 
The Yellow-ground Picotees.—It is only within recent 
years that any great advance has been made in yellow- 
ground Picotees. When they were first brought under 
the care of the florist, they were thought to be of weakly 
constitution. Hogg, writing in 1820, says: “The yellow 
Picotee is at all times a difficult flower to grow well 
in this country, on account of our moist atmosphere 
and long winters.” The Dutch florists have succeeded 
with it. If placed in a damp situation and over-watered, 
if it does not perish, it becomes unhealthy, and conse- 
quently unable to carry its bloom. A true yellow-ground 
Picotee has the same properties as the white-ground 
Picotees. There are many good varieties, and others are 
constantly being raised, as they are now in the hands of 
many good cultivators. 
