SUMMER MEETING. 149 



their families, can obtain the necessary study, which added to their ex- 

 perience, will make progress triumphant over low prices and high 

 transportation, and bring peace and plenty to that ideal life — a coun- 

 try home. Alma Z. Moore, Mountain Grove, Mo. 



Music — Ivv Mandolin club. 



THE BEST BEDDING PLANTS. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Horticul- 

 tural Society and Guests — You have asked me to say a word or two 

 about the best bedding plants. I am very much at a loss to know how 

 to begin at this subject, and might, perhaps, with a dozen words, em- 

 body all that I will say during my somewhat longer discourse, for "the 

 best" properly interpreted would mean just what the words imply and 

 limit me to the naming of two or three plants which form the founda- 

 tion and practically the entire structure of our bedding system. I 

 refer particularly to roses, geraniums, coleus, verbenas, alternantheras, 

 and a few more with which everyone is familiar; but there are a num- 

 ber of other plants that will bear mention, and I presume it is of those 

 that you would like to have me speak. Of course, bedding plants' 

 strictly speaking, are those which are used for the making of geome- 

 tric flower beds in which the designs are formed through the contrast 

 in colors, either of the foliage or flowers of the vaiious varieties of 

 plants used. But in allowing a little scope to the word, and comparing 

 the entire list of plants that may be used for planting out of doors in 

 the summer, we can speak of a great many varieties which would 

 otherwise be out of place. 



Abutilons are quite popular as border plants, making nice single 

 specimens and adding variety to the display in our gardens. There are 

 two particularly meritorious varieties which are noted for their flowers. 

 They are, the white one " Bouledeniege" and the yellow "Golden 

 Bells;" then there are two or three very good varieties which are par- 

 ticularly attractive on account of their foliage. Acalypha, achyranthes, 

 alternantheras, colens and echevarias are used particularly for their 

 bright and 8howy foliage in the making of so called carpet beds and 

 designs of all kinds, the various shades of color being modifications of 

 green, red and yellow. 



Sweet alyssum does very nicely in a shady, cool spot, blooming 

 profusely throughout the summer. A few varieties of begonias are 



