54 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



NOTES ON GERANIUMS. 



The work conducted on the Experimental Farms has a wide range and embraces, 

 in addition to everything which is of direct importance to farmers and fruit growers in 

 their work, the subjects of ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers including plants valuable 

 for decorative purposes both without and within the house. Information gained and 

 given on these matters will, it is hoped, prove useful not only to farmers and their wives 

 but also to all classes of our people who take an interest in these subjects and lead to 

 the more general beautifying of Canadian homes, thus making them more attractive. 

 The following notes on varieties of geraniums which have been tested at the Central 

 Experimental Farm have been prepared by Mr. W. T. Ellis, foreman of the seed testing 

 and propagating houses, and cover the experience of the past three years with many sorts, 

 also tests of a number of the newer varieties for shorter periods. The careful notes 

 which Mr. Ellis has made of the experience gained here as to the suitability of the 

 different varieties for bedding and pot culture will, it is hoped, prove interesting and 

 useful to many. 



REPORT ON GERANIUMS PLANTED OUTSIDE, 1894. 



La Vestale. — Plants very small and not well rooted, when planted out. Made very 

 fair growth and bloomed profusely, colour pure white and does not shade, truss large, on 

 long footstalk standing well up, foliage pale green with faint zone. Promises to be the 

 best white variety tried. 



Leon Perault. — Free growing with compact habit but stems weak and do not stand 

 up well, made fair growth and bloomed very profusely, colour brilliant fiery scarlet, large 

 truss on long footstalk, a very promising variety for bedding out. 



Ernest Lauth. — Very free growing, compact habit, stems strong and short jointed, 

 foliage large, bright green, with faint zone, very free blooming, double, large truss, 

 flowers well formed, colour bright magenta crimson, a good bedding variety. 



S. A. Nutt. — A very free growing variet} 7 , foliage large, dark green, with faint 

 zone. Very free flowering, immense truss, double, rich deep crimson, on long footstalk. 

 The best double variety for pot culture, and for bedding out. 



Mary Hallock Foote. — A very strong coarse growing variety, small truss of salmon 

 coloured flowers, very shy bloomer, not a desirable sort. 



Sam Sloan. — A magnificent variety, strong free growing, wood rather long jointed, 

 foliage deep green, very large and velvety with faint zone. Bears an immense truss of 

 rich deep crimson single bloom, on long footstalk, individual florets very large and per- 

 fectly shaped. The best geranium for bedding purposes we have tried, as it is one 

 mass of crimson bloom the whole season until cut down by frost. 



Souvenir de Mirande. — Strong growing variety, with light green foliage, flowers 

 well formed, upper petals white with salmon rose edge, lower petals rose streaked with 

 white, medium sized truss. Has not done well, planted out, and is useless for winter 

 blooming indoors, and of but little value even in summer. 



Mazeppa. — A very free growing variety, stems shortjointed, foliage large dark green, 

 with faint zone, very free flowering, immense truss, colour deep carmi»e scarlet, a good 

 single geranium, one of the best for bedding purposes, and unsurpassed for pot culture as 

 a winter blooming variety. 



Fanny Thorpe. — A very free growing variety with dwarf, shortjointed, compact 

 habit, foliage large, dark green, with broad dark zone, distinctly marked, medium sized 

 truss of delicate rose colour, outer edge of petals white, very free flowering. One of 

 the best geraniums for bedding purposes, and first class for pot culture, as a winter 

 flowering variety. Single. 



B. K. Bliss. — A very strong free growing shortjointed variety, with light green 

 velvety foliage, flowers double of a vivid fiery scarlet, borne freely on a medium size 

 truss, with long footstalk. Good for bedding out and pot culture. 



Mme. Ayme de Chevreliere. — A strong free growing variety, with dwarf, bushy, com- 

 pact habit, foliage large, pale green. Immense truss of double pure white bloom, borne 



